60FlatTop

Get her one of these: She can be as happy as Dad. AND most of them could use a bilge pump where the AC coil drains. Bernie

Brian, Be careful about slandering that Christine name thing around in the heat of the moment. My wife's name is Christine and sometimes you need to tread lightly: Bernie

In 1977 I took this picture at the Buick National Meet in Strongsville, Ohio. I was 29 and realized at that moment that enough original 1939 Buicks had been saved to satisfy posterity. The image of that row of '39's has stuck in my head whenever I have thoughts of modifying a car and I've done a few. It is always nice to know exactly the moment one becomes "grounded" in a thought. That might make a good picture to represent the '77 Nats. Oh, I owner a '39 Series 40 at the time. The picture was taken with a 35MM Kodak Signet 40. That '49 Roadmaster coudln't really be improved with modifications, though. It is a good car as built. Bernie

Running out of patience and some guy tells you to draw a picture and disconnect every wire and check every device. That ought to push you over the edge. Let it rest a bit, hell I bet after a good dinner you won't think of it until...........you wake up at 2 AM. Bernie

You have basic components to each sub-circuit; the power supply, the switch, the load, and the wire. Each load has a measurable resistance. The wires, except the resistance wire, will measure infinity. Kill the power and switch the meter to ohms. Disconnect each wire and check continuity between each termination. Then check from a terminal end to ground, Continuity of the wire to ground means a short. You may need to make a jumper wire 6 to 10 feet long with alligator clips at each end to connect the meter probes. The best check sheet you could make is a ladder diagram of the drawing you attached with the left side being the 12 volt positive side and the right being the negative. Check off each subcircuit as it is verified. With the wire disconnected from the particular load fed, check the ohmic value from the feed connection terminal to ground. All the loads should read some value with greater amp loading devices being higher. A reading of infinity on a load indicates a problem. Go through each wire and each load. I would leave the wires disconnected and tagged as I worked through. The problem should show up fairly soon. Bernie

Better, yet, be a mechanic. Look through the forum and find the postings with "my mechanic" in them. Its like meeting Freddie for coffee at the Elm Street Diner. Bernie

A nice cruise this winter would have lots of long lasting memories and create a better situation at Thanksgiving dinner in future years. If I was really compelled to buy my Mom a special car on a $10,000 budget I'd probably come home with the nicest 2009 or 2010 Lincoln Town Car I could find. That old stuff is just loaded with opportunities for heart ache and disappointment. It could end up being the pink gorilla in the room that no one talks about. Bernie

In 1981 I bought a 1978 Electra that came from Kansas; fine brown silt everywhere. It was under the seat, in the glove box, between the radio buttons. A light blue car with velour. And behind the trunk liner, in the tail light lenses. What a menory. Bernie

Here is an interesting tidbit: "Electra Waggoner Biggs was born a Texas cattle and oil man’s daughter, but left the Lone Star State for Bryn Mawr, Columbia and the Sorbonne. Upon her return she became a revered sculptress, best known for her work “Into the Sunset,” memorializing cowboy actor Will Rogers. In 1959, the President of Buick (and Electra’s husband’s brother-in-law) named a flagship sedan after the middle aged Texan." @nd source: Electra Waggoner Biggs is a nationally known sculptress and passed away in 2001. Best known for her sculpture of Will Rogers on his horse "Soapsuds" called "Into the Sunset". Amon G. Carter commissioned Electra Biggs to create the work after Will Rogers' fatal airplane crash at Point Barrow, Alaska in 1935. Electra Biggs also had the honor of having an automobile named after her. In 1959, John Biggs' brother-in-law, Harlow H. 'Red' Curtice, President of Buick Motors, Division of General Motors, named one of their luxurious Buick models, Electra. Bernie

There are great economic differences between doing it yourself or having a friend do any car work versus a business professional. For instance, if that $700 job had been done by a business and they made a 30% profit (which my accountant giggles and curls here toes over) the business would have to share take out 35% to 50% for taxes. 35% for a proprietorship or 50% for a corporation. At best the guy ends up with about 60 bucks for his work. The same proportions work on the $10,000 job as well. And guess what, the money most people use to pay for jobs like this was already taxed when they got it. Practice civil disobedience, do it yourself. Bernie

Lunch at the Bergen Farm Market Family Restaurant today and a run up Torpy Hill, overlooking the Bergen Swamp. ......... another dirt road from the guy in New York! Even Dwight has been to the Bergen Farm Market Family Restaurant. Bernie

Cars guys are so deeply ingrained in their hobby that there is little distinction between the concepts and the details at any given moment of their personal experience. To target them at their own level would be a feat that would have to go outside the media formula and typical character development approach of story telling. In many instances human resources are bound by business regulations to hire people of certain qualifications. I am reminded of a story about an automotive museum, Since they were a registered non-profit museum they were required to hire "certified curators and preservationists" to handle the collection. A hobbyist walked into a conference room where a group was sorting historical automotive photographs. Conceptually the curators were associating the known and grasping at elusive details. The hobbyist picked up random pictures and recognized many of the scenes and pictures immediately. In a media presentation I am pretty sure a producer is selected for producer skills first and car hobby second. And, knowing the limitations of good production, may produce with a bag of groceries having a higher priority than breaking the mold or meeting an unwritten expectation rather that taking a risk. You know what they said about Harold Hill; "He doesn't know the territory!". The image of these shows isn't so great. When a change comes it is going to come out of left field like a steam roller. The key is going to be seamlessly integrating the hobby concepts and details just like it happens in a car guy's head. I did think about it a little on that 3 mile walk. Bernie

Those proper motorcars thrived on engineering, fact, mythology, and advertising. Each sale had its own bit of magic attached. In the end the grand targeted market effort was achieved. They sold the whole works to the Germans. Now, there's a real sense of justice in that. I think the safest models for a new owner would be a postwar Bentley R type or Silver Dawn, although even those are around 60 years old and ready for major overhauls. A mid 1980's Silver Spur, less electronics than the 1990's, might be OK if you stay away from a "bargain price". Since 1994 I have studied, worked on some, and been tempted by a few. Pragmatism got the best of me. About a year ago the RROC magazine had a black Silver Seraph on the cover. My copy was lying on our coffee table one night and I asked my wife if she knew why I thought that car looked so good. She immediately said "Yes, because it looks like your Chevy Impala." Wow, perceptive! Keep that one under your hat. Bernie

I am trying to think of what kind of car show on TV would get me to shut the computer off and sit in the living room for half an hour. ..... still thinking. I did a little work related stuff, checked my old car bank stash, looked at two forums. I think I'll take a 3 mile walk along the canal and ponder the question "Is the car hobby really a spectator sport?" When I get back I'm gonna get the '60 out and burn some of Monsanto's best. I understand that decades ago it took as much as 10 times as many viewers to have a successful TV show than it does today. Math or mediocrity, who knows. Maybe I'll think about math, as well... x sub 2 minus x sub 1 divided by y sub 2 minus y sub 1, that's a lot better than the TV show formula, even the country music song formula. Bernie

We have Pack Rats around here. I hope there are two flavors. Bernie

Nice website. I saved the picture of the two Benz Gullwings at night compliments to the photographer. Bernie

The spell check wouldn't let me use ****** so I tried ******** and the ******** thing wouldn't take that either. Then the next three tries were already in use. Well, ***** ******* ******** the **** ****** thing. Out of desperation I typed in this name an to my surprise *** ***** *******. And that's the honest truth. Bernie

Made me think of the movie "Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". Bernie

I thought they already made that movie: It was REALLY fun telling my Camaro friends about.Bernie

Rhetorical question, I posted two blondes, oval faces, lines from cheeks to the corner of the mouth. One's older. Both look like they have attitudes. Bernie

Once I had a boss and we would have differences of opinion. I told him if we both thought alike there would only need to be one of us. Since I was older I would have already been here. Wasn't he lucky. Bernie

On topic, I just picked up some Tom Cat treats and Central Tractor Supply. They had a wide selection of packages. We live in an 1850's gable wing house so I got treats for all our little friends. Thanks for the tip. Bernie

Who's Sheri-Moon?

Ain't it great to have a computer to find this kind of stuff. I remember when Hemmings had mailing addresses and making a long distance phone call was a really big deal. Great find. Bernie

Trimacar has a good figure there if you plan to farm it out. Like an old engineer friend of mine said. The odds of a good job are always 50/50. They either do it right or they do it wrong. He is an optimist compared to me. Plan on the 8 grand and expect some crying. It can range from the upholsters wife got sick to "your car must have been in an accident and one side is 3" shorter than the other". Whatever the excuses, they will have been used before. So figure you are in for the 8. Take the chance and allow yourself $800-$1000 to experiment. Buy a $100 sewing machine at Walmart, a few yards of upholstery, and some supplies. See how you do on the back seat cushions. You might find out you are a natural with a little practice. The professional didn't get his skills bestowed by Congress. He got them the same place you got yours. Just be patient. Remember "The level of perfection one can achieve is directly proportional to the number of times they are willing to do it over." The guy for 8 grand knows that. Bernie