John Byrd

I am looking for a bottle of sparks if anyone has any extra, lol .... I cleaned and adjusted the points and fooled with a few other things on our little Tiger yesterday ( NEVER bother a car that is running perfect ! ) and now I have no spark. I think I'm going to be a "parts changer" as my Daddy called them instead of a mechanic for a few things, it's time anyway, then I'll solve the problem ( this means find what I messed up, lol ! ).

Yes sir, it is outlandish, but here in Hawaii, everything has to be shipped over 2400 miles from almost any manufacturer. ( Paradise Tax the locals call it ) We lived in TN and AL before here, and some costs here are still shocking, but so worth it . As it says in my post, it was for our 2019 Ranger, and unfortunately, it is a Die Hard which is exactly what the other ones I've had did, died hard and were short lived. BUT, it was all that was available and part of the price was for delivery as one wasn't available at the "bargain Big Box stores", and we had to have one asap. Sometimes we just have to put up with it, but then again, we have to have no AC or Heat in the house, boots, jackets, frozen pipes, storm doors and windows, insulation, and bought a house with solar panels which means a 26 dollar a month electric bill. Besides, it's my wife of 48 years truck, and she said "get it fixed quick", and I have finally learned not to argue, ha ha !. (I ride a scooter that gets over 110 mpg that now has nearly 30,000 miles, so I claim my lack of gas use evens things up, lol)

Today my wife and I changed the battery in her "bought new" 14,000 mile 2019 Ranger ....... It would have been easier to sell or trade the thing, and the battery cost $392 bucks !!!! I've bought decent, driveable cars for that amount. The next thing I did was put a bracket in my friend's 2021 Jeep that supports the sun visor stem that breaks in them. A very common thing the dealer said. 2 screws out, 2 guys holding and grunting, 1 clamp held in place, then 2 new longer, different type screws to lock the clamp in place, but, it worked ! And, whoever heard of visors that had electric wires in them, sheesh. Give me something made from 1972 back any day.... Next jobs will be changing the oil and filter in our Sunbeam Tiger and fixing a small gas leak in the 55 Studebaker, things I understand, lol. No pics, Jeeps and Rangers are boring and the pictures wouldn't show all the bad words we let fly.

When we still lived in TN and AL, the 1st Sunday AACA Swap Meet at the Nashville Fairgrounds and the show and swap meet at Red Boiling Springs, TN were two of our favorites. Here in Hawaii ? The Cruise Paradise events that are normally held once every 3 years or so. "Or so" ???, yep, we're on "Island Time" here, so no rush, no worry, lol.

I have used "Restore" and "Blue Devil" stop leaks in a few old vehicles and one or two newer ones. Totally stopped the drips in all instances, so therefore I believe in them ! The Restore product even stopped horrible smoking in a couple of the oldies, particularly a 58 Studebaker V-8 ton & 1/2 truck that was probably my worst smoker ever !

You may have spotted the wheels on my bead blaster, wire welder, compressor, etc., you are so right, it can not get any better than to just roll things out of the way ! The 4 gray shelves are the only "heavys" without wheels now, had them on a furniture dolly before, and it's coming back, lol ! Yard sales are another great place to find casters and rollers, and I have even cut down things I bought and didn't need to salvage a frame with rollers ! Great tip for the folks Mr. Dobbin !

Mike, I can't remember for sure, but 50 or 51 seems right. We had 3 Ford "N" series in a row, a Case, a John Deere, and finally a little Kubota diesel. Loved them all, but here in Hawaii, we don't have ANY yard/field equipment except a long pole to pick fruit, lol...

Mike "Hubbie" Stearns, we sure love those little Ford tractors ! This was our last one before we deserted the mainland, lol. Please keep pics coming of your project !

My garage looks cluttered, and I guess it is, but when you have a small space and can't extend or spread, it's what ya' do, lol. Front and rear views on different days, then the Mini was taken back to the under house spot to keep the Studebaker company. .....( this pic is before Karen started painting the house blue, lol. )

My 1st antique car, a 33 Chevy I bought in 1968. I never did finish it sadly, but a good friend of my parents bought it from me and made a really nice street rod out of it. It started a habit I haven't broke yet, lol.

Working on our "new" Sunbeam Tiger, detailing and adding or swapping parts from the huge stash I got with it, sadly preparing the 55 Studebaker for sale by changing wheels, carb, putting in a new trunk latch, swapping batteries for a newer one, etc., cleaned and sold the Miata, and my bride is still painting the house. Hey, girls are better painters, and besides, I'm old and wobbly. ..... oh, and today I'm doing laundry while she's out painting, lol.

Littlestown Mike, I was really fortunate when it came to tires for that car. They are not still on it in the pic of course, but I had a nearly new set of Goodyear Bluestreaks on it on 14 inch wheels. (the Falcons came with 13's back then) Our Shell station in town just had the one set, and when I saw them with that little blue line around them, just had to get them because I thought they matched my car, lol. If I remember right, they were about 45 bucks each and that was real expensive. Took me a few weeks to pay them off, and they were fantastic, tho' not very long-lived. I had no idea at the time that they were special, just liked the looks, sigh....

I hope this counts, but I got in NO trouble in either my 1st or 2nd cars as I was escorting wide loads along with my Dad, uncles, cousins, and some friends. Besides, those 1st two Chevy's only lasted 91 days for the 1st, and nearly 30 days for the 2nd. BUT, I got in trouble fairly often in my 3rd car, while still escorting and then trying to go to and stay in college, lol. The 1st trouble is all I'll report here, as I tend to get long winded and sometimes tear up reminiscing, ha ha ... One night I had been on a date and she was to go to her girlfriends house to spend the night and next day. I took her there, and when I left, was driving like the 18 year old I still was. My car was a 63 1/2 Falcon that I had installed a balanced and blueprinted 289 Shelby engine in, and it was also a bit over-cammed, so it ran really good. After I went down the little road that her gal friend lived on, and got back on the 4 lane, I decided to see if I could "hang the tail out" around a long, fast, nicely banked curve on the way back home. Well, I did, the Falcon was doing it's part, except the rear end was just a bit over thew double yellow right in the middle of the curve. That, wouldn't you know, is where I met the TN Highway Patrol's Captain in his cruiser... He was in the lane closest to me, and had to swerve, nearly wrecking, to avoid hitting me. Well, this scared little boy lost even the rest of what little sense I had at the time and kept going as fast as I could. Guess I thought Mr. Greene the trooper wouldn't recognize or chase me, duh !!! I pulled in my parents driveway, took off into the house and went straight to my bedroom. In just a couple of minutes, I heard him sliding int the driveway, banging on the door, and then my Dad hollering at the door and going out in the yard. Dad was a deputy and part time Auxillary Policeman then, and there was an awful (and loud) argument for a few minutes, Then I heard the trooper leave, Daddy slamming doors, and then he was standing beside me with his hand out looking REAL mad. I gave him my car keys, he shook his hand some more and kept glaring at me, and simply said, "drivers license too. He left the room, came back in after a bit, sat down and gave me one of those dreaded father to son talks. Got my keys and license back after a week or so and another talking to. It was fortunate that we had the escort business, or I may still be grounded, lol. All this took place in 1967, and I have done a few more , uh, kinda' stupid things, but this is my only story for this thread. Thanks for starting this Porsche 68, fun reads and memories !!! Oh, early that next year, the following pic happened, sad still, but alive.

No sir,we will probably go out with greasy hands, lol !

We bought this little blue Sunbeam Tiger Friday on Maui and had it shipped over to us here on the Big Island. Picked it up Wednesday and drove to the house where we have started cleaning, changing out a few things, and driving it around. We had a red Tiger from 1983 to 2010 back on the mainland and really enjoy the little cars. Now the next problem will be cleaning, prepping, and selling the Miata and the Studebaker... Won't I ever quit doing this ?, lol

Sebastion, you do photo coverage as one of the best on our forum, thanks so much !!!

Ted "Wildcat65Nagel, that big Wildcat Buick is gorgeous, and I can't even imagine one with a 4 speed, wow !

This next "What are you working on ?" is so much of a bummer that I haven't taken a picture.... I would have had to get up out of the floor again, and at 75 and kinda' crippled up, well, I try not to do floors too often, lol... My motor scooter has a flat on the rear tire, so finding the leak and fixing it is a rather bad chore. We can ride on the road shoulders and bicycle/pedestrian paths here in Hawaii if we have 50cc or less bikes, so, guess where the road crew swept glass in two places after car wrecks were moved ? Hmmm, wonder if they make solid tires for the scooters ? I don't weigh enough to make the suspension work anyway, lol ! Signed, Grumpy John

Vintage, collectible, antique and classic are terms to use when you are selling. ..... Used and old are terms to use when you are buying, lol.

Jeff, this is our 4th Miata ! Karen is hoping she can find another of the retractable hardtop ones to replace the one she wrecked, but those rascals are few and far between here on the islands. We have both had to settle for automatics now, and that is a downer, but the little cars are still just about perfect. Thanks for the compliment too sir !

Perhaps this is a bit too new to be an AACA contender, ( it's a 2002 ), but...... since it's my wife's car and I am a "Honey-Do" kinda' guy, so today I polished, leather care'd, window cleaned, air'd tires, and just generally got the little guy/girl ? looking nice again. These pics are from another day, but it still looks the same thankfully, and I was too lazy to pull it back out of the garage to take more pics, lol.

That car is beautiful, and the tail lights and steering wheel alone justify purchase ! Again, beautiful car !!!

Yesterday and today we are having new tires put on the Mini. I just took the wheels to the shop because they don't have a lot of room for parking. Karen quit painting the house a few minutes to help me with removing the old ones. I had mounted them myself in the kitchen sink back in 92. Those Yokohamas are hard to beat so we ordered another set just like them ..... except new ! The little 10 inch tires today cost as much as the big Pirelli radials I put on our F-350 a few years ago ! Perhaps I should have just went to Lowes and got wheel barrow tires, lol.

I'm at around 160 vehicles, and lucky to have always tried to get a photo of each. I believe there are only 3 I can't find a pic of, but also have them listed and mostly arranged by where I lived at the time we owned them. Ive had several motorcycles, 5 tractors, 2 boats, and 2 motor homes. Yep, been lucky after I started working at real jobs and we've been careful how we spend and what we spend on.. I was always trying to graduate up to what I really wanted, (and have owned some wonderful, desirable cars) but that will never happen as real 60's era GT-40's are now in the multi-millions of bucks. I could sell everything we own and still not have the money to pay taxes on what one of them would cost, lol. My 1st car was in 1965, right after high school graduation, a 56 Chevy wagon I used to escort wide loads with and slept in it when I needed to instead of having to pay motel bills. Hmmmm, wonder if I've made any headway since a 56 Chevy in 65 to my current 55 Studebaker in 23, lol.

We drove the 55 to a shopping plaza's Grand Opening show in Waikoloa, HI. today.