Managed to get some stuff done on Twuck today. nothing great or astounding, but some. Found all the Hot and Ground wires, still need to splice in one that was cut really short. BUT, the mains are there. (the one cut was to the fusebox, so kinda important,,,)

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or is that MOANIN’?

At least this is the ‘easy’ one, where you get more sleep. Shit still mucks up the sleep patterns.

I over did it yesterday,,, Woke up and sore as hell this AM,,, Did my stretches, not out of habit but out of ‘if I don’t get moving, I’m gonna HURT all damned day’.

Oh, and Cozzie came home and STAYED home all night,,, I think the hint of rain in the air last eve gave him a clue that “Home” was a nice place again. LOL I really don’t mind, I just worry when he is off and about on his own recognizance: He is just a puppie after all.

Strange dreams last night, And I mean RILLY Strange!!! Saw my momma in a dream, as well as her husband Dempsy,,, Shan’t detail it, but it wasn’t a comforting dream, especially seeing as both of them have been ‘out of plane’ for several years. The only Good thing about lucid dreaming is being able to recall the dreams, for later cognizant dissection.

And unlikely as that seems, that brings me around to the Poly-Ticks,,, Here it is, one month in to “Government Shutdown” and just “WHAT” has changed? That the EBT cards didnt’ get refilled? Where are the riots? Have there been any? I haven’t heard. (Admittedly, I have also had my head under hoods of trucks and future planning of self,,,)

WHy do we need those Asshats that make triple the national average income, do jack shit and turn into mulitmillionaires in less than one session of congress? Why don’t WE as the American people, demand they go back to that “No salary” status and earn PerDiem when they ARE in session, and only have session 2-3 months out of the year? Why don’t we demand that they repeal that amendment that made Senators a publicly elected office, not state assigned? AND, (this’uns gonna get some people riled up,,,) Do away with The Feminine Factor,,, Ever since we allowed the Ladies (choke) to have sway, things have gotten all touchy feely and gotten out of touch with what our founders intended. Don’t get me wrong, there are some of the Ladies that are firebrands: like Marjory Tarylor Green. That woman ‘gets it’ and while I don’t exactly side with her on all the issues, her actions more closely align with what I would prefer the rest would do.

BUt Peelousy?

Occasional Cortex?

Ilhan Omar (and throw in that she is a voice for her muslim husband/brother, not her own voice,,,,)

OK, dropping that right there to chew on while I settle the BP downs.

Seems to me that we need a clean sweep, some serious regresson back to foundational means, and an economic reset. The problem there is the Oligarchs are still in full sway, and it matters not WHO is sitting at the helm; they are going to have say in much of that regression or reset. Like the Palantir peeps: the omniscient coverage they have is minor to what they could do in an economic reset,,, We need reset to some basket currency, not Imaginary debt based currency. And certainly NOT some crypto currency that is controlled by God knows who and based on 1’s and 0’s dependent upon cheap electric power.(IE-nothing!)

shhhhh!!!!!! Oooooohhhhhhhmmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!!

WIth all the digging around going on of my archives, I have been doing a little looking myself, to see what people are ‘liking’ (hit that like button, it DOES help and DOES work in the archives.) Not that I will shift my stance any. I do my thing and thats how this shop has ran from day one. BUT, it does help me out. Truly, I have been humbled and there is some damned fine writing buried in all the dust and filings of the shop.

AND prognostications that never happened.

And I now understand WHY,,,, Those oligarches WANT things exactly the way they are and will do all they can to hold that in place. They control our minds in a sense with the algorthms of social media. THEY control which sites are going to get fed to the machine and which are just going to be ATE and left in corners to moulder away. No need to mention names, and one I do admire, but not for his “Oligarchic ways”,,, There is a balancing of Admire/Despise.

I mentioned earlier,,, “We, the American people” need to do some things to make the changes; ‘Demand they regress” etc,,, Yeah,, not gonna happen unless we start showing up with pitchforks, torches, and weapons of war carried muzzle down. I stated that in 2016, 2020, and purt much gave up saying it. That was my mistake,,, Fed up? YES! But I ain’t out yet.

Still, I have a mission outside of the shop, one that will carry me forward through turbulant times, short of catastrophic failures (like electricity failing completely in the physical realms.) Being self-reliant, that takes precedence. I can yell. I can call my reps (SPIT!) I can post and hope others read and heed. BUT, I’m one in 350million and of those only about 1/3 actually speak out. And of that 1/3, a large portion are on psychotropics/mood stabilizers,,,,

We are very much an asylum country now, and it shows. Oh, and the worst of the patients have the keys,,,,

At least that’s how it feels most days.

I’ve stuff to do today: that actually makes a difference in MY WORLD. Hopefully you have similar for yours. Don’t dwell on the details that are out of our control, it will only make you crazier. DO handle your world that is in your control and keep your head high. We are winning, slow but sure. It shows in how out of control things are. They are scrambling to keep the pillars they thought they owned; and its all falling apart. Not just here in the States, but all over. Over-reach has consequences, and the PTwB never pay attention to those.

So get out there, build what you can build, preferably parallel to the world they want us to live in. and when their shit collapses, we stand tall with little effort because our shit will still be standing. Make your little online business, or real world business, establish a vapor school teaching people by subscription online. (They are everywhere now, teaching damned near everything.) Set it up ‘ALong side” the ‘real world’ so it works now, but will work later too.

Thats how we WIN

LIVE

LOVE

LAUGH

LEARN

LOAD

Rack and Pinion, 2004 Toyo Coma,,, All original equipment being swapped out,,, Frellin’ RUST welds everywheres.

And THIS little monster earned its bread today (paid for itself, it did) When I hit the inner tie-rods on the rack, that beast heated them up to cherry in a minute and they popped right loose. Of course, it took me an hour of beating myself to death to remember “Hey, I bought,,,,” and put it into use. Da was impressed that within seconds of hitting the trigger, that steel was smokin’. (had to burn off all the free-all first. Stinky!)

Still, 5 hours, on my back, no lift other than a floor jack and stands,,, And some damned stubborn connections. Unk J was impressed, as it took him and a friend 2 days to do the same job on his truck (and I only bled once, and only a little. Had to have some sacrificial bleeding or I would have worried that the job was gonna come back and bite me.)

I truly miss having access to lifts!!!

Da took it around the block for a test drive after I bled the PS and set it back on its shoes. Was quite happy; said the whole thing feels much stiffer now (DUH!!! that old Rack was wore the F! out!) and wanted me to recheck the fluid level. Nope, still riding in its correct spot,,, Get used to it!

NO work today on Twuck. Figured I will be back down there tomorrow and left my tools there as well. Gotta do domestics stuff and (weather dependent, slotted for rain 😦 ) will do SOMETHING on Twuck (like pull that column apart and get ready for a new ignition cylinder.)

Home now, kids fed, Cozzie came up the hill after riding around town with me in Buffalo. Ate and back off again. Goon! Freeloading Goon!!! He’s gotta girlfriend, and her name is Patch. A cute little Blue heeler with a lot of spunk. So, He’ll head home when he is plenty tired enough. He passed out the entire time in Buffalo and I guess that little nap and some fresh food woke him up.

Time for me to hit the shower, then chill out and scan the webs for news,,, Completely out of touch today, never looked at the phone after I started wrenching.

L,L,L,L,L!

(*.)

PS: whoever is digging through the archives, You may not be able to comment, but that like button should does! still work. Let me know what you think! And Thank You!!! I have been re-reading some of those articles and realizing, I have some serious gems amongst the muck in the corners of this here Shop.

I’ll get down to Da’s and get his rack and pinion swapped out, but right now,,, sitting here looking at the temp readings,, meh,,, don’wanna,,,

The outside temps are saying 38F,,,, KOLD Don’t like the kold. Makes me wanna curl up in front of a fire with a book and cuppa and do NUTHIN!!!

Inside temps,,,, mid 70’s, I don’t like running too hot because that only keeps me more inclined to stay my butt inside. Too big a gap between inside and outside and I don’t wanna move: AT ALL.

But, obligations,,,

And I have Twuck that I need to get at soonest. Obligations in the way, of that. Must deal with the runnners before I deal with the paperwieghts.

Da asked me last eve “whutcha gonna do with the Buffalo?”. Well, Buff isn’t going anywhere. She is going to be relegated to my “fun truck”: camping trips, kayaky trips, weekend runnin’round trips. And with all the tools (eventually) moving over to Twuck, I would bet she starts seeing better gas milage. Not much mind you, but some. Currents are around 14/17 city/highway. Not bad for a 4×4 with 332K on the clock. Could be better but I ain’t complaining. (Note: there are places where I can buy 100% gas, not the gas-ahol crap. When I do use that, those numbers become 17/20. Tells me loads about the garbage we pump into our hicles. And I recall having issues with gasahol in one of my motos. Crap ate the floats in the carbs up. Whats it doing to other bits?)

Hungy. LOL Not surprising eh? Been doing this carnivore diet for almost a month (more?) now. BUT, I started doing the Calisthenics things again, and now I’m building muscles again. Body wants MORE,,,, Woke up this morning ready to eat a bear,,, Well, a 4 egg omelet will have to suffice tummy,,, Maintaining the high protein/high fat diet and the belly is still sliding off me. Noted that i don’t have much in the man-boob department either. And I lost another notch on the belt this week. Still sitting at the 185 mark, so I must be putting something back on in the muscle development. Slow and steady, consistent routine, make it a habit this time.

It amazes me how much more energy I have and I am barely eating a frelling thing. Bouncing off walls most days. And it feels like time has slowed to a crawl because my mind is RACING like a Nitro Fueled funny car. Even my physical reactions are faster: Elbs was harrassing Mama this morning and I snatched him up so fast he freaked out. Didn’t expect the old man to have faster reactions than HE,,, He didn’t even get a claw in me,,,,

On the fourfooted family scene, I has a problem. Cozzie didn’t come home last night. I know where he is (Kinda) and I know whats going on. Me aunt tosses out scraps for her dog, and usually way more than one dog can eat. Well, Coz has found that out. I know because I put his food out and it sits,,, Days,,, he wont’ touch it. Of course, being dawg, scraps is good eats; far better than that kibble crap ya’know,,, What to do about it. Aunt and Cuzzins ‘don’t mind’ him being down there during the day, but he gets encouraged to STAY down there because “Food”,,,, What to do???

I’m hoping, that the cold weather will convince him “home is warm, home is safe” and he’ll get it through his little pittie mind that he belongs up here again. Yah, I know, Learning curves and he is still “puppie” in mind, even if he is reaching towards that 1year mark and looking like a robust Pittie now. Wouldn’t know he is a dawg the way he and Elbs play. At least I don’t feel ‘rejected’ when he is around. If that happens, I will know he decided his forever home is NOT HERE,,, then things get difficult.

Alright, nuff lolligaggin away. eats in me belly, a dose of caffeine in my blood stream, and time to face the cold concrete of Da’s basement to work on “the Coma”,,,

Live

Love

Laugh

LEARN

LOAD

UPDATE: 5 minutes after I posted this, COzzie came home, sniffed his foodbowl, walked in through his door, gave me some nuzzlin’ time and then promptly laid on his bed in front of the heater and was snoring in seconds. Poor pittie is living an adventurers life (or should I say playboys life?) and is WORE THE F! OUT! LOL

PS: someone out there is DIGGING in my archives. Dunno who ya are, but I DO hope you are enjoying the mess of the workshop (IE, my mind) Yeah, its messy and discombobulated but somehow makes enough connections to keep attention and make sense most days.

Sadly, I am not able to do much with Twuck right now. Da’s rack and pinion came in the same day I picked up Twuck, so that takes precedence in my little world.
But there is a mystery here. Title clearly states “2000” as date of manufacture, but GM stopped producing the OBS style body in 98,,, And Twuck is CLEARLY OBS,,,, Just looking under the hood screams 90’s model. but that date is repeated in several places, including the door tag.

I don’t know for certain, but I can say with confidence, despite the condition of certain parts, mostly due to sitting and rusting, things look extremely promising. Parts are readily available, and going with online purchases, reletively inexpensive. Example being in a brake caliper. I can pick up a caliper for less than I bought pads for Buffalo (had to buy local since it was a “right now’ repair.) I can pick up all the cables for the P-brake for about the same amount as ONE caliper. Serious parts are gonna cost more, obviously: like if I need to ,major surgery on that rear end, things are gonna get pricey quick,,, BUT, that rear end is built like an M1A1 Abrahms!!! SOLID is a good working term for it. (I wasn’t kidding in comments that I think that, “just” the rear end of Twuck weighs more than Buffalo complete. Theres more steel in Twucks leafsprings than there is in Buffalos frame and body panels.

I know some of whats wrong, obvious stuff. Then theres the unknowns (like, is that master/slave cylinder for the clutch FUBARed or just needs flushed and bled?) SO,,, right now, My sole purpose is to get that engine running. Everything else gets sidelined until I know that she can start and run. Her current status, brakes, exhaust, any electrical problems behind the cab,,, all can wait until that engine goes VROOOM (loudly, since its basically an open header at this point.)(thanks to catalytic converter theives)

I’m not even going to clean the junk and gunk out of the bed until I can move her up to my place ON HER OWN POWER.

Battery. Ignition switch and new key, and some McGuyverism on my part (cut cables, gotta sort out what goes where. Thanks to battery theives.) and likely a couple trips for fresh gas and fuel line cleaner, and antifreeze. Plus some other repairs noted under the hood (heater hoses need replaced, should replace the upper and lower while at it, Cheap insurance.)

If she can’t move on her own, stopping is moot. Engine no run, no brakes needed… Thats priority.

And the new shoes can wait until she has brakes to stop her. (Though,,,, I may pull that drivers front and re-seat the bead so its not a slow leaker like it is currently. can fill it up today and its flat tomorrow, and I watched the bubbles forming at the bead while filling it up.)

Yeah, I’m just spilling my thoughts out here, ‘tracking’ for me to keep things in order, and maybe provide a little entertainment for you as you follow along.

BUT, I feel this’uns a TRUE Keeper,,, Serously, I see examples of this style and age of truck, in running order, going for 10K plus!! I won’t spend that amount getting her up-n-running and back on the road. Just gonna take some time and busted knucks and a spider-web filled wallet. The arachnids are gonna be missing out on greenback company for awhile. I knew that when I made the call “GET THIS!!!” (and right now, the stress of the last two weeks, wondering, waiting for a title, stressing over getting the paperwieght home,,,, GONE! Its now something more in my control: Do-able!)

It’s an investment, and not (just) in a truck, but ME and MY FUTURE.

<a promise to my readers: WHEN I get the engine fired up, there will be video with sound. > note, WHEN, not IF,,,

LIVE

Laugh

Learn

LOVE

LOAD

Well, the paperwork is complete (enough for now, just title transfer at this point) and the DEED IS DONE,,, Twuck is now ensconced on her temporary throne down at Da’s place while I get the wherewithal and other stuff together to bring her back to her former glory, and potentially NEW glory as MY work truck.

The ADVENTURE was getting her home. Didn’t want to potentially kill Buffalo towing her, so I borrowed the 1ton dually from the J.O.B. and the tow dolly. Wellllsssss,,,,, that didn’t quite work out as planned. BOTH drivers side wheels locked solid. Figured I could deal with the front after the fact, as it would be on the dolly, but that rear,,, Nopes,,, not gonna drag the poor thing 30 miles: it MUST move freely,,, Used a loader to lift Twucks ass end up, and popped the wheel off, figuring hammering (8# sledge) on the drum might bust loose the rust holding it in place. and this is a NO BS brake drum. At least 14″ ID!!! HUGE!!! bang bang bang,,,, NO LOVE,,,, I think the p-brake was engaged and now the cable is froze solid holding that wheel solid.

break down and get a roll back, She’s mine now, and I am not leaving her somewhere I can’t control. Fortunately Proxy has contacts and I get a roll back for $80. And the operator was slick. Managed to get the front tire ‘unstuck’ and tried rocking back and forth a couple of times to loosen that rear,,, still no love and why I believe that cable is the culprit. (note, its broken on the passenger side,,,)

But you can see above, she’s (almost) home; close enough that I can start tearing into things and get-er-agoin’.

Wish me luck on that. The parts aren’t hyper expensive (which is why I like my Chebbies) but they will nickel and dime me to death over the next few months. No short cuts, do it right,,, (and Da isn’t giving me as much grief as I expected. I guess since he can now see it and the capacity of the box-bed, he sees the potential I see in it as well.)

and right now, I’m gonna lift a beer to myself and a new to me TWUCK!!

Live

Laugh

Love

Learn

LOAD

No question this time. Dood called me early evening yesterday, stated he has the title, that its already notorized and ready to go to the courthouse to take care of the transfer actions.

Was a little late in the day to do much so agreed that the morrow(today) is best. Cripes, but is’whut’is,,,

Not even gonna look the gift horse in the mouth at this stage,,, I already has a good idea what is involved in getting Twuck up’n’runnin’, that getting her home thing is just a matter of logistics. May need to borrow a truck from work, may need to buy two new tires first (the rear wheels are looking a bit dry: expected, but I would prefer to get her home on her old shoes,,, deal with new shoes after I get all the running bits and brakes in order. Will see.)

and for those not paying attention, THIS

is the item in discussion. TWUCK is the current moniker (thanxs Mikee) and its probably gonna stick, seeing how I feel like a kid at Christmas right now. Yeah, work truck but that’s about the reality of my world these days. work work work,,,, little play,,, At least with this’un, I get some say in HOW the work takes place, and it opens up windows/avenues for other directions.

More laters,,, Maybe AFTER all the fun of dragging 4 ton paperweights around town. (and then the REAL work begins,,,,)

Oh, and Happy Hallow’s eve. BOO!