im actualy in the car in that photo haha, every time i see the photos i keep telling myself its not that car. im going to keep denying it until its proven... and then ill probably throw up again. im glad to see everyone pitching in and getting the ball rolling and i cant wait to see what the auctions bring! going to be even better then ever Tuck, stay strong.
Just checking in and typing this to avoid any confusion- ;-) So I sold the HEX to a friend thinking it was gonna go to a good home... and bought the car that burned up in the fire. the car in the fire I never got to post pics of on the hamb... didnt get a chance too- it was from California, rust free, 69k, original mohair seats... a fellow shoebox guy like myself didnt want his collection to go to an auction if he passed away. I think he feels like hes getting up there in age where who knows? (hope he lives forever) Hes super rad- has the BEST stories! His names Fritz and I wish I could claim I was related to him somehow! He had been holding on to this car for 20 some years- I couldnt afford to buy the car... so he kept dropping the price trying to make it easier, finally he dropped it enough to get my attention and told me STERNLY TO FIND THE MONEY!!! The only way that was going to happen is if I let something go- So I decided to sell the hex... and take this car in its place- 100 times the car, not quite all the history and soul... but to me it made sense at the time. From a bodyman standpoint all the work you would have to put into the HEX to make it as nice as this car would take a hundred hours- seemed like a no brainer- So the HEX left his place on a trailer fitted with a Y-block after a short thrash... figured it would help my buddy get a project going to lift his spirits cuzz his life was kinda upside down. Felt good about it leaving. Felt like it was staying in the family... so no biggy. He left, got on the freeway, and got rear ended by some chick. Mushroomed the back of the HEX. Made me want to puke... and the new owner- He was so bummed out I thought he might do something crazy like dispose of the car- so I was like whatever you do don't do THAT!!! I'd buy it back somehow or something... just SAVE it ya know? Ok so... he brings it to his dads place, leaves it there- and then goes to portland. Calls me and tells me I can just have it back. So I call his dad tell him im gonna come get it... we agree on a date and time- next day- i get a text from his dad saying "shoebox sold" I'm like???? WHAT? Not gonna get into the gory details but I got some pretty rude texts back saying that if I didn't have 1500 bucks to buy it the way it was he was going to crush it... Just seemed crazy to me... My friend in Portland was pretty helpless I guess- not sure he really tried or cared at this point but whatever- whats done is done. Word though the grapevine it got crushed... I felt somehow responsible... and totally wanted to throw up... But did it really get crushed??? Thats the question...
fuck, some peoples kids. at least it could still be out there lurking and not cremated. I've faith in ya Tuck, and your always an inspiration.
Dude, that SUCKS! I actually thought the one in the fire was the HEX...been outta the loop for a long time i guess. haha It bugged me thinking it was, now i read that and even i want to puke. Sure hope it's still around and not gone. unreal man... Tony
Before you guys get too worked up... im gonna try and tell you the quick version- its gonna be hard to keep this short- I wanted to keep it under wraps until later but I don't want anyone thinking that car in the shop was the Hex. the first day of the cleanup my uncle shows up from southern MN has a pic on his cell phone of a shoebox ford for sale for 600 bucks and he thought it would cheer me up... It did... He said... hey jeff look at this- its just like the HEX. I seen it on my trip up and thought you might like it. I looked at the pic and said OH... MY... GOD... its the HEX he said yeah... its JUST LIKE IT... I said no... LARRY ITS REALLY THE HEX!!!!!! Larry was confused and pointed to the other shoebox and asked which car is THAT? I just told him its a long story... (story in the post above) he said I have the guys number. here... call him! I called him and asked if it was still for sale- hes like yeah- I told him my name and asked if my name was still on the title- and that I wanted my car back- LONG SILENCE... haha-- I said no no... I'll BUY IT- i just want it back! So... long story short- We got it back- Its stored at a friends house. Guy that had it was nice to me and totally understood. Absolutely NO hamb funds were used to get it either- just want to clarify that! Used a small portion of scrap money from the burned up steel inside the shop- just seemed like the right thing to do... I told the story over lunch on Sat during cleanup and Moriarity said you're going to get it tonight right? I said no maybe next week sometime- I have so much cleanup- he said NO... you need to GO GET IT NOW!- So.... Doc, wowcars and I had quite the adventure Sat night making sure it found its way home- It really was fun- snow storm, flat tire on the trailer, lack of sleep... ended up leaving it at an impound yard- and the saga continued for a short time today... (was only 35 miles away) guy at the towing yard was a RULER and we changed the tire without a tire machine right on the floor, sealing the bead with starting fluid... and it was back on the road. I cant stop smiling knowing its still alive. These cars become something more than a car at some point- they have souls just like people. Just the idea that the Hex was crushed pretty much ate away at me inside- I can't explain it. Its safe for a year or two until I get things back in order. This cars wrecked... but its rebuildable, just like the shop-, I just think its so Crazy... At least I get to determine its destiny I'm sure there most of you Hambers one or two good stories about that car- I have hundreds... and I've been thinking about them all day- You can chalk this up to a bunch of things... but man... what are the odds? Its just so weird. So there it is... thats the story. I was thinking I would wait... but I didnt want anyone thinking the Hex was gone for good- Its still here... half of it anyways... !
I'm really glad that this situation isn't having as much of a negative effect on you as it would other people. That really speaks a lot of your friends and you. Inspirational stories, man. Viva la HAMB. iPhone - TJJ App
pics from Sat-----> So many people came and helped Sat- My girlfriend and her sister along with her mom and dad, craig saari from the local sign shop, perry (my old boss) from perrys auto salon and his right hand man Bird, Steve fedder brought the bobcat and dump truck-Steve hallen brought a trailer and helped, paul pagones ran the excavator and brought a dump trailer, jason johnson, doc, mark moriairty, curt wagner my old shop teacher and his son steven, Dennis mulvaney, my mom and all her friends cooked food... JoelR and his cousin were running the boom truck, adam brinker was running the Belarus tractor, my other shop teacher kucera, don delak also a shop teacher, triggis and his dad, my brother, bull and baggs, the Delinquents car club Ranier and Jamie(jamie right? im retarded) made sure nobody scrapped anything that shouldnt be!!! Wowcars came up later and we road tripped, big worm showed up, I feel like I'm forgetting 50 people or something- and i prob misspelled everyones names! Totally amazing- we really kicked some tail! It was pretty fun.
Thanx for the update Tuck! That's killer news about the Hex! This time next year, it will all be a distant memory but filled with amazing stories.
Been called a lot of things, but not that! hahaha.. Tuck, cool man..seriously, wrecked or not thats just flat out bad ass! I'd have to say that's one of those 'meant to be' things!
The ranch wouldve been in there- the ONLY reason it wasnt is because I was putting the snow blower on the tractor and that burned instead. I had a texas front clip (from owens auto salvage) for the ranch in there that was a replacement for the one thats on it and all the stainless trim and the tail gate I took off burned up- I had already purchased all the paint and primer for it- all gone. Its crazy when you start remembering all of it- oh yeah- had 2 brand new firestones in the loft for it too- I had a rebuilt .60 over 292 truck y-block on the stand and an overdrive that was going in the ranch this winter. I got it from my buddy adam- we are trying to figure out if the y-block is still ok. Its at my buddy Adam Brinkers right now- hes got most of my engines in is shop and is helping me clean them out- My buddy JoelR here on the hamb grabbed the other hemi and opened that one up at his place- I have a 302 C4 in that car and most people were thinking I was crazy for putting a y-block back in the car. The 302 just didnt feel right- cant explain it- I wanted to put it back to the way it was only ad 3 deuces and an overdrive. There is nothing like a shift on the column with overdrive! It melted the oil pump off the side of the block, the carb and anything else pot metal right off of it. I think I'm gonna just try and put all new gaskets in it and replace the valve springs... harmonic, oil pump and all the externals stuff- not sure. Had a perfect radiator in there too- I was really excited to post (and still am its gonna have to wait) that I had tracked down all that stuff- I got a galaxie parts car with all the 3 speed on the column parts, pedals, kick down motor mounts, tranny mounts and cross member- except for the motor all of this stuff was on the work bench in front of the shop. the trans seems ok- the column burned, along with the wheel and all that wiring and plastic stuff- I might need to look for another 3 speed parts car- i think there was a nylon bushing in the pedals and thats gone- its hard to remember what was all there- I had labled some of the stuff with tape but those burned up and the chaos that ensued everything got kicked around pretty good in the fire from debris falling and water- I just hope that motors ok- man... it sounded so good- the starters sound just like flatheads! ok Back to work for me- looks like were getting snow- I'll snap some pics of the progress today! Tuck
Couldn't have said it better myself my friend. People think I'm a little off for having 2 A Tudors, but one helped me through my battle with cancer and the other saved my life in a head-on wreck. They're a part of me now.
holy shit! Thats awesome Tuck I'm super floored that its come back home. wow. I think about that car weekly and all the good memories attached to it, im more then ecstatic to see it come back to you. Maybe the car just sensed the bad Jue Jue coming and found a way to get away for a couple months but still be able to come back home, ha. fuck im stoked for that man, I'll have to make a trip north when it thaws out
Tuck- it was awesome to be able ot help you out. i had only met you once when i sold you that y-block tranny combo. i just felt so motivated to help out when i was up there. i was glad that there werent too many people, i didnt want to feel in the way. im hoping that when you need some more help in the future with this that i can be some assistance. whether it be the rebuild process or even more clean up im totally there to help!! just give me the word and ill be on my way up!! like you said even though it was a disaster that this happened, the clean up was alot of fun and i met alot of new great people up there! Jason (612-290-6533)
Glad to be singled out ,that line made me chuckle! you sounded better by the time we talked and it sounds like you now have a plan. Good luck man!
Todays progress- I'm saving my fire truck! ha. I've had that since I was a kid. It almost looks like a cartoon! 4 loads of steel- all those other piles of tin are gone and I went though the copper, aluminum and stainless. I'll be bringing in more steel tomorrow after I weed though some parts- but most of the big stuff is out of the way- Steve fedder came over this morning and helped me kick some ass- He let me use his bobcat until im done cleaning- and I get to use his dumptruck. I really LOVE that dump bed! I can't imagine not having a bob cat to lift stuff- why have I never owned a bobcat?????? its like being inside a robot body or something- DANGER DANGER!!! Everytime I would do something dumb I'd look around to see if anyone seen me do it- haha. I'm not going to get into details... but um... It was kinda like riding a bull a couple times, my foot would press the opposite way I was thinking it would go! mental note- treat a bobcat like you would a woman... Gentle, slow, and with lots of respect!- no sudden moves... and everything will fall into place like you imagine it... ;-)
I am stoked at your positive attitude my friend! Truly inspirational. This will be a new beginning, Friar Tuck conquers the Universe! Haha!
I've been there! The thing would buck and my foot would hit the pedal, goose it to another buck, my foot would hit the pedal. It is like riding a bull and I'd have to make a conscious effort to yank my feet back and wait for the bell! Keep on trucking Tuck!
http://s1213.photobucket.com/<wbr>albums/cc467/gerne027/?<wbr>albumview=slideshow Shop Clean up photos. Thank you everyone for helping!! Danielle (Tucks partner in crime)
-damn you for posting that picture Ryan! I was trying to be funny but damnit thats so funny its not funny!!!
The Jalopy Journal
