The useful utterly useless tool - My Son turned 58 on New Years eve

fredvon4 wrote:So fun how a silly title like worthless tool can morph into neat and interesting stories

I think I have perfected topic drift to an art form Fred.

BTW, that breaker bar above, I just bent it back into shape by rotating in the opposite direction.

It's down in there someplace.

I'm half into a 5th of high test rum and seasonable eggnog...I like thread drift! It keeps things interesting. The other forums can be too stodgy sometimes. Drift away! 50* F and who cares!

Psst ..don't tell wife! Oops...I plead the fifth! I better put the phone away. Two TR6 bodies about to trade places:

Sherry and the MG.

I was living in Austin, probably 1983?  and I get a panicked call (on my landline) from said baby sister.  (who is now a fancy schmancy Judge in Austin - brains AND looks of the family)

she was about to turn 16.  In North EAST Texas?  your car was everything.  how you got around, as well as your style and personality.   I knew.  the wrong car could break someone for LIFE.

She calls in TEARS.  "they want me to take mom's brown Oldsmobile STATION WAGON"   Of course I understood - the only girl and the baby of the family, ... a station wagon, and Oldsmobile, no less... would be embarrassing, boring, social misfit, and or worse.

She'd spotted the MG for sale in the newspaper classifieds,  and knew it would be the right thing.  BUT a station wagon?? --- more tears, more crying.   I calmly told her.   "I know what to do.  I will come to town this weekend.  You will have the MG.  be calm"

Rode my 1969 BSA Starfire 250 - with the 441 Victor jellybean shiney tank - 5 hours from Austin to Longview, Texas.  In September.   In the cold rain.  Arrived 3 days before the 16th Birthday and giving of the car.

We had a chat upstairs in her room,  the night before her birthday.  I coached her, she knew EXACTLY what and how to say it.  She was calm.  she was happy.  Once again, Big Brother came through when needed.   (I try my best to STILL do this)

That evening, we go downstairs to the dinner table.  Everyone is seated,  dinner begins.  My pop asks if anyone has anything to discuss.

Sister says "yes dad.  I am okay with the Oldsmobile station-wagon.  Charles tells me the back seats fold down, making a queen sized bed! and he says that you could not possibly have ANY sex in an MG-B-type."

total and complete silence.  ...   for the rest of the meal.  
Not
a
word
was spoken

There was nothing left to say.

The next day, she learned to drive a stick shift,  ........backing the MG B-type out of the sellor's driveway.  

I think the station wagon got traded in for a newer model for mom...

She had to learn to work on the B-Type.  She was actually able to tune and synch the downdraft carbs, gap and change sparkplugs, clean fuel filter, set the valves, and even change the wheels using the rubber mallet for the knockoffs...

of course nowadays, she just pays someone to clean and keep it tuned for her... but she KNOWS --- that she has the mechanical knowledge and ability to do it herself if needed.

It's in her garage.  but not her daily driver.

Also - years later, i was visiting home, and borrowed the MG to take a local girl on a date.  
a well motivated feller? COULD have "relations" in an MG.  I know it.




now I gotta go find a solution for inexpensive .049 back end tanks, or alternate mounting... I gotta figure a better way to sell of the bitsa -parts-bin motors by making them shiney....

My turn...

Me in Army stationed in Germany. Baby sister 15 years my junior in San Jose CA. Mom in Oakland. Mom had handed down a Plymouth Fury III former FBI car sold at auction in Alameda CA around 1977. Serious gas guzzler my sis was driving while in College. It took a dump and needed engine and tranny rebuild late 79.

I had just re-enlisted and was prepping to move to Ft Eustace VA for a long Army school. Had 5 weeks leave saved up and also
10 days travel time for the change of station (free days off).

Those days very little USA to Europe phone calls as very expensive. So most normal was snail mail to APO address, or Telegram. Mom sent a panicked telegram to me that Stef had blow up the Plymouth and needed a new car HELP!

I flew to Dulles WDC for free starting the 10 day free time with a 4 week pre approved leave before reporting to the school. Caught a train and buss ride to Dover AFB Delaware where I got a Space A flight (C5a)to Tinker AFB OK. Then from Tinker (C5a) to Travis AFB CA. Then mom drove me down to San Jose.. No sleep for about 71 hours.

Day of recuperation, then off to San Jose to get sis a car and look into the Fury III. In Germany I had a soldier payday special I bought from a fellow GI and on leaving sold to a GI for the same $150 bucks I bought it for. A Golf GTI that was on 5th owner and ran great with literally no issues. I liked it a lot as fun to drive and easy on fuel, and relatively fast.

On Motor Row / Mile in SJ we kicked a bunch of tires within Mom's budget when I spied a VW Rabbit on a lot. ( In Germany called a Golf) got sales man to get the keys...walk around looked sound and clean AND within the "budget". On starting found out it was Diesel fueled. Wow did not know they had that engine. Little noisy and dash shook a bit on test drive. Yep still fun car to drive.

Jewed dealer down a few hundred and deal was done. Oh yea...sis was in class so no input from her. Drove is mom leading to sis's apartment and waited on her to come home. She instantly hated to dinkey car having only ever driven the giant land yacht with belch fire engine auto tranny. The Rabbit was 4 speed manual. I insisted she drive it...Tears, hollering, wailing I don't want that micro car!!!...Damnit Stef just drive the GD car already if you still hate it I will find a trade

WELL what do ya know...hey this is a peppy and fun car to zipp through traffic in.... and stops on a dime....well OK Fred, I changed my mind...then I closed the deal...hey Stef it is diesel and gets nearly 50 MPG...She drove that car for 8 years before trading it in on a new Dodge Ram and to this day still misses her fun little road warrior. She owns (with her husband) Stefania Wines and her employees drive her small fleet (3 cars) all Diesel VWs.

The Fury III. I took a look and asked questions. It was a leaker and gas guzzler needing high test fuel she could not afford so it live with a constant ping and frequent quart 30W oil and tranny fluid. I drove it to a gas station and put in 15 gallons of Premium Shell and the pinging stopped. Started and ran fine. Looked to me like rear main seal on engine and tranny puking ATF out tail housing drive shaft seal.

The military is very good about soldier resources on most installations. I called and Alameda Navel Air station had a car craft shop with tools while Oakland Army terminal did not. Mom following I drove up to Alameda NAS and found the auto repair shop, checked in , took their safety class and got my member/use pass. Then off to parts hours for a Chilton manual and sets of engine seal and trany rebuild kits. Over next 5 days took up one bay and dropped the auto trans, cleaned and installed kit on a bench. ( Chilton was vague on which hole got which sized steel check ball) (( is seems I guessed correctly cuz the trany worked properly on test drive after put back together)). on the engine, I Drained a dropped engine oil pan, and fly wheel. Used the special Chinese finger trap tool to remove and sneak in the new rope type rear main seal without having to drop the crank shaft. New pan gasket and timing chain/gear set ( T chain was very floppy). Put it all back together, new fluids including flush of radiator. Buttoned up and thanked the Shop manager and tool room guy.

Drove it back to SJ and went to the used car dealer I got the VW Rabbit from and asked if interested ...What can you offer for this land yacht? I left with $800 in cash that I gave to little sis. I suggested some practical things to make the Rabbit Hers. Rims and tires, improved shocks, window tint, seat covers, Alien Bobble head, new wiper blades...basically a fun day shopping with her. She Still had $450 left to pay for books and rent.

Spent a day with Mom in Oakland then up to Tinker to get back to east coast..3 C5a flights to end up at Dover then train to Norfolk and hitch hiked to Ft Eustice to start school. Total cost to me was time and about $250 out of pocket to fix the Fury. While on the adventure I made the cut off and was promoted to E-6 Staff Sargent as soon as I signed into the school house.

As much of a PITA I still fondly remember that adventure and so does my mom and lil sis.

BRILLIANT! Helping baby sisters is one of the best things... for sure -- LOVE the story.

I hope to NEVER EVER hoe a C5A ride again in my life.
Can not sit on webbing for more than 5 hours anymore.

their winery is in GILROY! man, that's 20 mins from my house. when it warms up? I'll take a bike over there, and buy some product. (for friends, I can't take wine anymore)

They have a nice tasting room with much more than just wine...wink