Projects 1948 F1 rattle can rebuild

I was hoping to see more going on..Hope you are doing well Lowkat.

 

Ill be using Krylon on my F1 as well. I painted some shovel head tin with it years ago and people thought it was an expensive paint job

 

Been job hunting and rounding up spare junk to throw on Craigslist. My annual winter depression
has set in for a month or two. 27 degrees here right now. At least there's no snow. Looked around the
house today and realized there's at least a 1/2 cord of firewood disguised as furniture....

Been getting some time on the History and Speed channels.
Did get some Christmas lights up today.
I'll get going again after the holidays.

My painter friend is bringing by some "high-tech" primer for the trailer but I don't have an
inside place to paint. It'll probably have to wait until spring.



Couple weeks ago I got a call from a HAMB'r wanting to look at my model A and says more
importantly he has some pictures he'd like to show me. He knows I like old photos from my
postings in the "Days gone by" thread.

I recognized his name on the phone (Gary Emory) but it took a few minutes to remember. I
asked him if he messed with VW's in the 1970's in SoCal desert. He says "yea, that's me".
We had crossed paths a couple times in the late 70's / early 80's.

He's credited with building the first VW Baja Bug around 1967.
He said "I couldn't afford a new Meyer's Manx, so built the Baja"

Below is Gary and his newly finished bug.
His daughter owns the car today.


An ad VW used featuring his car.




That car inspired me to build a Baja after moving to the SoCal desert from Oregon. Mine is seen below.



Wow, long time ago...... That little boy is my son Jesse.
He's a Purple Heart Marine with 2 front row tours of Iraq. Now a Chef.


OK, gotta show this picture, Jesse on the cover of Time (lower left)




Anyway back to Gary. He's a Porsche guy.

Here's Gary's business page for parts.
http://www.partsobsolete.com/

and a page that tells his story
http://www.partsobsolete.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=9







BUT he's also a hot rodder and has HAMB friendly cars.
He has a '27 tub in the works for cruising around Bonneville next year.

You may know of Gary's dad Neil Emory. In 1948 Neil and his brother-in-law Clayton Jensen opened the Valley Custom Shop in Burbank and cranked out many famous cars.

Here's Neil and Clayton working on "The Polynesian"



Read more about Valley Custom Shop: http://www.streetrodderweb.com/feat...ory_clayton_jensen/viewall.html#ixzz1fkQOr54k.

My visit with Gary was a blast. He had a box full of old Valley Custom pictures. The more
we talked, we discovered a couple mutual friends from back in the SoCal desert days.

I thought one of the coolest pictures he had was taken a few seconds apart from the one
below. It's almost the exact same picture but showed Gary at about 6 years old, taking a
picture of the SoCal streamliner. Gary said his dad had built him the non-functioning camera
out of wood.


Photo from Valley Custom Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/ValleyCustomShop?sk=photos


**EDIT**
1/23/12
Gary just emailed me a copy of the photo I was talking about.
SO COOL.

**END EDIT**

Gary gave me a couple of his dad's later business cards for wallhangers.
They're printed on both sides.



Neil passed away in 2004.

Gary told me his dad had Alzhiemer's and couldn't remember people towards the end but
could tell you about cars he'd built.

 

Very cool lowkat. I really dig it. I happen to like Baja bugs actually. Seen one a few years ago and I was like I'd like to have one of them contraptions. Cool. Congrats on your son as well. He seems a stand up kind of guy.

 

Wow! post 333 rules

 

Mark
Tell your Son Thank You!!

 

OK so I'm new to this thread, and to this board but holy cow. I read this entire 17 page legacy and I am more than impressed. This thread and story may take credit for me getting back in my groove and making progress on my buick(s) LowKat your an inspiration and the fact that your wife helps/(tolerates) your hobby is awesome. Great thread!


Batz

(also on the trailer wiring thing i did not catch if you are on a 12v or 6v system so I do not know if this will work but whenever i have had to make the 2-1 conversion (meaning seperate tail/stop-turn bulbs to a dual element bulb i wire one of the trailer tail light converters in. You can usually find them in an import truck with a trialer hitch. if there are wires hanging for a trailer( the 4 flat connector) just trace them back to a tail light and there you go)

 

I'll tell him. He's coming over for dinner tonight.

When Jesse got out of the Marines, we went to San Diego to meet him. The next couple days we bummed around and ate out every meal. Out of 6 meals I paid for one. All the rest of the checks were picked up by strangers who thanked him for his service.

Jesse was using a cane and had a "high and tight" haircut which was a dead giveaway.

 

I'm really glad your son made it home. As a former sailor I've had my share of bar fights with Marines (all alcohol induced) but I have a deep respect for them, they are good people! Now you can put him to work on the canned ham!

 

OK, get busy... we wanna see..

As far as my wife goes, we married as 19 year old high school sweethearts. 38 years ago. She gave up on controlling me 37 years ago and had some pretty cool cars to drive over the years. Actually she's a "worker bee" and loves jumping in on a job. Not cars so much, but everything else yea.

About a month after my son was deployed to Iraq, we found out she had a rare slow growing brain tumor showing itself as seizures. Doc said she'd had it for 20-25 years. Underwent surgery. After cracking her open, they woke her up to test speech as they operated. 2 surgeons, 7 hour operation but they were only able to remove 1/2 of the tumor.



80+ staples in her scalp, Titanium plates and screws to hold her skull together. Then 5 days a week radiation therapy for 6 weeks and a bunch of different drugs. That was 8 years ago. Yearly check-ups now and doing very well except for some spelling issues and short term memory loss.

Take the wayback machine to 1973 and see the disco tux ....


El Camino was stolen about 6 weeks later. Recovered as a stripped shell.
Had a new 350 LT-1 crate engine, SY-1 intake, M21 close ratio.

Still have the girl though.

Yea, after boot camp I knew I'd never be bending him over my knee again!

He thinks I'm crazy for working on "old junk".

His car is a newer GT KBR Honds/Yota... something or other.
I don't even know what it is. He put some alloy wheels on it though.

 

Well, no kid is perfect.

 

Yeah, I noticed that a lot of the sailors and Marines over at Pearl Harbor drive stuff like that. I guess its a generational thing, when I was in the Navy in the mid '70s most of us drove muscle cars. Got a good laugh yesterday though, I was aboard a ship and a young sailor walked by me singing "Hard Days Night" by the Beatles. There's hope for these young'uns yet. lol

 

I love the pics of you and your wife... and a very inspiring story! My wife tolerates my "stuff" too... sadly, I wish I had more land... I'd be all over your second pickup in a second if I did!
Thanks for sharing! (and again, thanks to your son too)
Marc

 

Yea, she's weathered much better than me.
She can still wear high school sized clothes and weighs about the same.

If I lost 3 sizes I could maybe squeeze into some high school 32's....
If she'd just quit making those damn cookies!

Her Mom is 83 and still drives around in her little red Mercedes 300AMG. Has a NICE 1956 T-Bird too. She can out dance any man 1/2 her age and give them a good run on drinkin' Coronas too. My girl takes after her Mom.

I'll pass the good words to my son. He really appreciates it.


A little project stuff:
Had a friend drop off a 12 volt / 120 volt power supply for the camp trailer. The original 120V electrical is an old style single glass fuse in a junction box that looks scary. There's no fuse protection for the 12V. The new setup will allow charging the battery while plugged into 120V and supplies a real circut breaker on both voltages.

Dug around in the parts stash a found a brass berth light from a boat that will work good over the camper table. It's very small, swivels 300 degrees and points up or down. Gotta come up with a couple more lights to put in the cargo areas accessible from the exterior storage doors.

 

This build thread rules. Subscribed.

Very inspiring.

 

This thread is awesome...I have to find me one of those old travel trailers when my truck is back on the road. Good luck with the job search and keep warm this winter!

 

Fantastic thread, I love all the twists and turns that it has taken! Thanks for sharing.

 

Awesome thread loved it. Cant wait for more. So have you found a job? Also i wanted to thank your son as well for serving. I have one question on your paint tech do you wet sand or polish or just spray and keave it alone? I do everything with a can but mine doesnt shine like your dash does. Thank you again.

 

gump...

Still no job, I'm about ready to take anyting that comes along. Been living mostly on parts stash sales and savings. I'll pass your thanks along to my son.

As far as paint, I did a rattle can tech further back in this thread. I spray and call it done. I'll add wax later but the pictures of the dash are untouched, as it was sprayed. You can wet sand and polish if you have enough paint. I've done that too.

 

Thanks lowkat, hope something comes along for you as far a job. Times are rough for sure. Im a stay at home dad after i had back surgery, its been 5 yrs and ill tell you what raising kids is insane i cant wait to get out get a job, just to be around adults again lol. Im in the process of tradeing my 51 chevy in avatar for a 51 ford f1 with a bb 454. Ill be in touch but if you have two teeth from the 51 grill let me know ill buy the

 

gump..
Sounds like a cool F1. Ought to be a handful with a BBC. What transmission?

Sorry, I don't have any 51-2 grill teeth. Watch the classifieds here but they usually go really quick. Kudos to you raising your kids and hope your back is doing well.

8 years ago, I took off work for 2 years while my wife recuperated from brain cancer surgery. I wasn't sure if she was going to make it, so wanted to spend as much time together as possible. I was so happy to get back working again. Kind of strange for me to be looking for a job now though. In my 40 years in the work force I've always been invited to work or made my own thing happen. Something will come along.

Thought I had a sales job landed at 'The Hoffman Group' (a street rod parts retailer) but when I went for the interview, I think I mentioned their crummy customer service and bad reputation here on the HAMB, once too many times. Evidently, they're more concerned with selling parts than having return customers.

 

Sit here read and looked at it all - You done things like I have done all my life - Great Job! I had to figure how to do it my self could not take home moneys for my toys.
One thing, you can take a roll of chrome hard ware store tape to go right in the middle of the grill bars it looks good. I did that trick long ago - Did not think I would like body color wheels - Now LOL I like those over the blue - You also have the ole evil eye when it comes to detail.
Thank you for sharing!!

 

LowKat, you seem to be too good of a guy to work for those weasels.
Needing a job makes some people desperate, but you wouldn't be happy or stay long, I'll bet. Hang on, brother. God will provide.
Good Luck.

 

LowKat,
I keep searching out this thread hoping for some progress pix. Anything happening to the trailer or the F1?

 

Nothing happening on my projects as life dealt me another twist.

My brother-in-law is kicking his Mom out of her $500K house that was paid for years ago, but he had his name on the deed to help "manage her assets"......... She is 83 years old!! I'm sure he's got her house underwater now too.

Mom is moving in with me and Mrs. Lowkat. The M-I-L's house was 2700 sq ft with additional basement storage and is packed to the gills. We have a 1750 sq foot house and luckily a spare bedroom. My garage now looks like a storage locker. I'm sure it'll be a while before I get back to my car projects. I need to turn our one large bathroom into 2 bathrooms so Mom has one.

The B-I-L had plenty of money over the years and sold some paid for property about 6 years ago for a 9.1 mil profit. He mismanaged his money and with the bad economy needed to sell his road construction business which netted appx 1.5 mil.

The B-I-L's 7000 sq ft, 8 car garage, $2.2 mil house w/caretaker's apartment that he's owned over 10 years was repossesed and he's been squatting in it since the bank couldn't find a buyer. Well, it finally sold.






There's more......

Last year the B-I-L convinced his mom that his name (and/or) needed to be added to the title of her pristine '56 T-Bird for insurance purposes, so he could take it to "Hot August Nights".

This was 4 months prior to him selling his restored '62 Vette fueler and a Brizio built '32 Ford roadster at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale for a combined total well over $220K.

The '32
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=1254&aid=403&pop=0


The '62 Vette
http://www.barrett-jackson.com/application/onlinesubmission/lotdetails.aspx?ln=1276&aid=403&pop=0


Now he's legally "stealing" her dream car from her too.



Nice kid huh.... Oh he's a 64 year old kid.

Mom still has an AMG Mercedes, so he might not be done yet.....

 

Oh, he's heard - Everything is fair in Love or War - But Mom is Mom - In the long run you
are the winner by far!

 

Man sorry to hear all this. The Good Lord will help ya through, just have to ask him.

 

Sorry to hear this!! He'll pay in the end for this bs