Hot Rods Letting go of parts, what a shock

Note ! When using a drop off spot, my example, Ace hardware, UPS, Ace store girl placed on shelf where UPS picks up everyday, the package had the preprinted label from seller for return, I received no receipt from Ace, I was told not needed. Package lost ? no recourse because of no receipt from drop off point, a $170. lesson learned. Get a receipt.

 

Marketplace killed CL and your local Cl***ifieds and quick qtr type newsprints

 

This. USPS has several sizes of priority boxes that are not normally stocked in most post offices. One example is a “board game” box; long and flat. It’s very handy and I’ve used it several times. Apparently USPS is discontinuing it, but you can still use whatever is in the inventory. There are other handy sizes as well.

 

Shipped a small box weighing a few ounces to Estonia years back..32.00..they have a crazy high import tax.....its what it is..remember folks we subsidize Amazon s shipping costs...again go figure....

 

Hello,

During the recovery period right after my brother got out of the hospital, we sat down and talked about what to do with the “stuff” in the backyard garage under a canvas drop cloth. It was inside of the work area, but we kept it covered as our mom could still see it through the existing windows.

Because my brother got burned over 30 % of his body, hands, face and arms, our mom was a little out of control. She reacted as any mother would after seeing her oldest child helpless and covered with all sorts of bandages. He still had his humorous at***ude and but, his outlook on life was a little altered. He would spend the next 6 months at home and the doctor’s office visits.

Whenever we sat down and “talked” like we used to do about our hot rod/drag race stuff, the goals were being reset and I could see why. But, when he mentioned his recovery was coming along and he is getting the use of his hands again. So, he wanted to know what I thought of the stuff we had in the backyard garage.

We had a complete 292 c.i. SBC 671 supercharged motor with all of the top blower spec parts and machine work sitting on an engine stand. It was running the last time we saw it. So, for our next build, if there was to be another build, we had the motor/LaSalle transmission, driveshaft, and a complete Chevy 4:56 Positraction rear axle with springs and shocks.

Jnaki

Over the next months of talking after school and into the night, we decided to hold off on another hot rod/drag race build. My brother wanted a Model A RPU running the 671 SBC motor and LaSalle. Than would be fine as we both needed daily transportation. At the time, we only had the 58 Impala. So, if we did build a Model A RPU, we could use it to transport parts and stuff when it was necessary for our small speed shop work. Plus, it would give us a 3rd car due to the fact that I was now a licensed driver.

We had been driving all over the coastal beaches and places we knew about near our house. He also wanted to go down the coast to the OC to see some waves at the Pier beaches, Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. That made our day, as it gave us a clear picture that would make anyone feel good about the current status of what was happening.

The sad thing that we arrived at, was that whatever direction we would take from this point on in our lives, it would not be to build another hot rod/drag race car from scratch. We decided to sell all of the parts, including the 671 SBC motor. Our special order items from last August 1960 were already cancelled and sent back. So, we just had the parts in the backyard garage to sell in the next several months.

The ad came out in January 1961 and by the end of February, 1961, everything was gone to various local hot rod folks and the motor got sold and shipped to the Midwest by the new owner. So, we no longer had all of the basic stuff for our next hot rod. It was a sad day, but it had to happen for us to move to the next level of our growing up explorations. We still dabbled in getting some hot rod parts for our friends for the next several years, but they too saw the feeling leaving our hot rod/drag racing era behind.

Then along came surfing and opened up a whole new adventure for both of us. It was something my brother had dabbled in prior to the Willys build, so he was a little farther along in skills and abilities. But, we got so involved and it took over for the next 40 years of new adventures. Throw in our college studies and our outlook in life took on a new low-key lifestyle that we are still living, today, as old retired folks. It all worked out in the long run, despite the setbacks along the way. YRMV