The phone rang... and then the next car adventure starts

[zepher]

Ed, very sorry to hear of all the hassles you are having with the DMV.

It took us over 3 months to get YOM plates registered to our Rickenbacker.

Our plates were new, never issued and were not in any database whatsoever.

Often times govt is its own worst enemy.

[padgett]

Govermments are like dentists, necessary sometimes but best avoided otherwise.

[edinmass]

19 minutes ago, padgett said:

Govermments are like dentists, necessary sometimes but best avoided otherwise.

At least the dentist will give you Novacaine before he sticks it to your wallet.......among other things.

[George Cole]

Ed, I cringed when reading of your DMV woes, as no doubt I will face the same roadblocks...times 3, as I have a 1963 Harley Davidson Topper, 1919 Cole roadster, and 1920 Cole touring car to title and register.  Only the 1919 presently has a title, and it's not current.  It's for the previous owner whom I bought it from.  He never titled it in his name.  I told him he'll have to do it before I can, but he gave me an argument, so I'll try it first, but then most likely have to send it back to him.  And that will be the easy one.  The other two have no titles, only bills of sale.  There are provisions in FL to register antique cars with no titles or registrations, using bills of sale and statements of no lien, which I have.  But no doubt it will be an uphill battle.  But first I need to get the local cops to do a serial number check before I make the DMV appointment.  I've texted my cop friend a couple of times asking him to stop by.  He says he will, but...

[edinmass]

RMV UPDATE:

 

 

So a few years ago, the 50 states along with the justice department made a data base for titles, mileage, salvage, flood, and other items. The issue is in the federal system, not in Florida. Although Florida checked them system with an instate title.....which they were NOT suppose to do...........I got a headache. I have a good title, and according to a lawyer, they have 100 percent liability and no defense as to what they have done to me. If I sue, I win. Big deal, with all the BS. I will NOT accept an assigned state VIN.........this is not my problem. If I have to I will go to court...........time will tell. It will be weeks before we know anything on this.

[Matt Harwood]

Ed, I had this same problem with a title before--twice. Once was the '34 Packard sedan I bought a few years ago and the second was a '37 Ford convertible. The problem is, as you surmise, that now that all the DMV computers are talking, there are multiple cars with the same serial number in different states. In both of my cases, other states had reported the cars as "junked" meaning destroyed. Therefore I cannot register it. And ultimately, my argument was the same as yours: Ohio already issued a valid title for each car years before--long before they knew about other cars being "junked" in other states--and it wasn't fair for them to withdraw valid titles that have been in use for decades simply because they now know about other cars that may or may not have been junked. It took some climbing up the ladder, but we eventually found the person with the authority to override all this nonsense who reasonably agreed that yes, since Ohio issued titles in the past they didn't have any legal standing to withdraw them now.

 

Title work is a nightmare. It consumes about 60% of Melanie's time, every day, every week. She has fortunately developed a very close relationship with the ladies who work at our local registrar's office, we send them cookies and other goodies on holidays, send personal thank-yous when they help, and go out of our way to make their lives easier. That surely helps, even though they don't have the authority to change major things without a supervisor. But at least they listen and offer advice when we have a problem. 

 

So be nice, smile, and work up the chain. Speak gently but firmly, explain (repeatedly) as you did that the serial number on your car is not a standardized number and that any number of other cars could have that number. And that since Florida issued a title in the past, they should honor that today. No guarantees, but I have found that blunt forcing your way through it doesn't work. Threats and anger don't work. That's why I don't do title work anymore, after suggesting that when I finally do snap, I won't be going to the post office, I'll be coming to the DMV and I'll be packing.

 

Fortunately, Melanie has the patience and finesse required. I hope you do, too, because that's what it takes.

 

Good luck.

[3macboys]

17 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

The problem is, as you surmise, that now that all the DMV computers are talking, there are multiple cars with the same serial number in different states.

You can thank the criminal element for your dilemma - 25 years or so ago they came up with a fantastic scam - buy a car in Ontario, Canada, drive it over the border to the US and all the way to Mexico where you sell it then report it stolen in Ontario, oh and don't forget to title it in as many states as possible and then report it stolen in all those too.  The favorite at the time was Grand Cherokees.  Of course at the time none of the systems talked to one another so this was possible and a nice easy way of making tens of thousands of dollars from insurance companies.  Technology put an end to this one but unfortunately for the reasons that Ed and Matt pointed out causes grief in the old car world.  

[1937hd45]

Ed, How would this all have  differed if you wanted to register the White in Massachusetts? 

 

Bob

[SC38dls]

The best part of the whole title thing is it appears the “wizard” figured it out. Kind of like what he has done on the rest of this “Great White” adventure. 
 

[JV Puleo]

What really disturbs me about this conversation is that it seems to be accepted that public officials - supposedly "public servants" - have the right to grossly abuse the public with their incompetence and often sheer stupidity and that the abused are expected to be polite and accepting of their behavior and to jump through hoops to satisfy them. It's bad enough for all you folks with political connections or with the time to address these things because it's part of the job. Many of us, without the political juice to pull strings and force incompetent bureaucrats to do their jobs, are completely at their mercy.

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

4 minutes ago, JV Puleo said:

What really disturbs me about this conversation is that it seems to be accepted that public officials - supposedly "public servants" - have the right to grossly abuse the public with their incompetence and often sheer stupidity and that the abused are expected to be polite and accepting of their behavior and to jump through hoops to satisfy them. It's bad enough for all you folks with political connections or with the time to address these things because it's part of the job. Many of us, without the political juice to pull strings and force incompetent bureaucrats to do their jobs, are completely at their mercy.

 

It's frustrating as hell, as we've all had that bad experience with the DMV. Sometimes it seems like it must be a game to them--send the guy away and tell him he needs this piece of paper. When he comes back with it, tell him he needs a different one. See how many times he'll fall for it. I get it.

 

But when I think about the truly staggering number of idiots, angry people, jerks, and people who think they know something but really don't that must walk into that office EVERY SINGLE DAY. Those DMV employees probably take more abuse in a week than Mike Tyson took in his entire career. The amount of patience they show to people who are both aggressive and aggressively stupid is probably saintly.

 

So with that in mind, I'm prepared to cut them some slack when they're uninterested in getting involved or helping to solve problems. It's not their problem, it's too much work for zero reward, and there's another angry idiot waiting behind him and another 10 behind that guy. As I said, I've been the angry guy on the other side of the desk and what reason would they possibly have to help me? Why would they even care? Wouldn't they just enjoy simply NOT helping an asshole like me? It wasn't until I made friends with one of them that I started to get things done smoothly. It worked much better and even though she couldn't always help me, she always tried. Melanie does it 10 times better. 

 

There are more than a few guys that I've refused to sell cars to simply because I didn't like them. Why would they be any different?

 

Yes, the process can be frustrating. I know it. It seems like they delight in being difficult and giving you a hard time.

 

But then think of the absolute horror that must be their daily lives dealing with the great unwashed public. 

[KURTRUK]

6 hours ago, trimacar said:

 

 

I love working with the Virginia DMV.  When I first moved up here, I received a driver's license...10 years later, I went to renew it, and I was a female in the computer!  They had to do a sex change operation RIGHT THERE at the DMV, only took an hour and three phone calls to the main office in Richmond....

 

So, at least you didn't have to do THAT!

Did they require...uh...proof? 😵

[JV Puleo]

41 minutes ago, Matt Harwood said:

 

It's frustrating as hell, as we've all had that bad experience with the DMV. Sometimes it seems like it must be a game to them--send the guy away and tell him he needs this piece of paper. When he comes back with it, tell him he needs a different one. See how many times he'll fall for it. I get it.

 

But when I think about the truly staggering number of idiots, angry people, jerks, and people who think they know something but really don't that must walk into that office EVERY SINGLE DAY. Those DMV employees probably take more abuse in a week than Mike Tyson took in his entire career. The amount of patience they show to people who are both aggressive and aggressively stupid is probably saintly.

 

So with that in mind, I'm prepared to cut them some slack when they're uninterested in getting involved or helping to solve problems. It's not their problem, it's too much work for zero reward, and there's another angry idiot waiting behind him and another 10 behind that guy. As I said, I've been the angry guy on the other side of the desk and what reason would they possibly have to help me? Why would they even care? Wouldn't they just enjoy simply NOT helping an asshole like me? It wasn't until I made friends with one of them that I started to get things done smoothly. It worked much better and even though she couldn't always help me, she always tried. Melanie does it 10 times better. 

 

There are more than a few guys that I've refused to sell cars to simply because I didn't like them. Why would they be any different?

 

Yes, the process can be frustrating. I know it. It seems like they delight in being difficult and giving you a hard time.

 

But then think of the absolute horror that must be their daily lives dealing with the great unwashed public. 

 

I'm afraid I'm a lot less forgiving than you are. I have no patience for or empathy with incompetent public officials. Whatever the headaches, no one held a gun to their heads and told them they had to accept the job. They weren't drafted. In most case, especially at the DMV, they only got the job in the first place because they were related to someone with political juice. This only makes the problem worse. In place of the occasionally competent person we have a mass of the otherwise unemployable relatives of the state legislature. And I have the same disdain for law enforcement "professionals" who don't know the law they are paid to enforce.

[1935Packard]

15 hours ago, edinmass said:

Update:

 

So I wait my ten days to get an appointment to register and title the White. I show up at the office on time, with all the pandemic restrictions........everything goes well until I get to the window. I give the lady my paperwork, which is all correct. She’s types in everything, then looks at the screen. She hits a print button, and goes and gets the manager. She comes over and tells me, the car is currently titled in Minnasoda and they can’t process my transaction. She says I need to figure this out between the seller of the car to me and Minnasoda. I was walking back to my car, turned around, and went back in, which was a hassle because I didn’t have an appointment slip. I get past that, and go back to the window, and wait, and ten minutes later the lady asked what I wanted. I said to her I need paperwork to prove you refused me. She said I don’t have any. I asked her how does she expect me to deal with Minnasoda without any paperwork. She didn’t have an answer. I asked her I the situation was reversed, would she help me without proof. She said no.........than I said to her well what the heck am I supposed to do now? She said she had no idea. I explained that it wasn’t an acceptable answer. I have a good, clear, original title issued by the state of Florida, there are no duplicates issued. My title is 20 years old, and the Minnasoda title is three years old. I said I don’t have a problem, Minnasoda has a problem. I further explained that her database issue is NOT my problem. I also explained about fin numbers, and that 17 digit vin’s didn’t start till 1981. I went on to explain there were THOUSANDS of car manufacturers pre 1941, and they just numbered cars in any way they pleased. There was no rhyme or reason to the numbers, and that it’s possible for fifty cars to have been built with the same number. I have a five digit vin.......so this issue is 100,000 to one. 

 

I've wondered what they when there's a match with pre-VIN numbers like that!  I had assumed they would just look at the year and type of car and realize that it's two different cars.  But I guess not always.  Sorry you had to deal with this.  

 

Someone should really keep a website about dealing with classic car registration at DMVs, issues that come up, how to deal with them, etc.  It would be a big help to the hobby. 

[JV Puleo]

The usual DMV employee isn't bright enough to do that.

[1937hd45]

Other than returning plates there isn't anything that can be accomplished at DMV on one visit only. 

[wayne sheldon]

I dread every time I need to regenerate a title and registration for one of my cars. And Califunny for decades has been one of the easier states to accomplish this task (one of the few things other than the weather and active antique car hobby I liked about the state!).

One of the "problems" in this state has always been that Califunny was pushing to change model Ts to a "frame" serial number by 1920. By law, any time an engine (with the only serial number a Ford had in those days) was changed, the owner was required to notify the DMV, and pay a fee to either change the number to match the new engine, OR convert the original engine number onto the frame. In order to "encourage" people to switch to the number onto the frame, the "fee" for that change was less (about half) the fee to change the number on the registration to match the new engine. So guess what happens when the old engine was traded in to an engine rebuilding shop? And what if the next owner of that engine decides to use the engine's number which is already on someone else's frame? This in the days when the record keeping was fractured all over the state (local courthouses etc). It is quite likely that given serial numbers wound up on three or four different cars back in the day. The odds still are that any given number one may wish to resurrect won't be duplicated. But with this new wrinkle? I think the odds just got worse.

 

I could write pages on the subject. However, in order to avoid further thread drift? I'll stop there.

[George Cole]

6 hours ago, JV Puleo said:

 

I'm afraid I'm a lot less forgiving than you are. I have no patience for or empathy with incompetent public officials. Whatever the headaches, no one held a gun to their heads and told them they had to accept the job. They weren't drafted. In most case, especially at the DMV, they only got the job in the first place because they were related to someone with political juice. This only makes the problem worse. In place of the occasionally competent person we have a mass of the otherwise unemployable relatives of the state legislature. And I have the same disdain for law enforcement "professionals" who don't know the law they are paid to enforce.

I do try to be respectful to both the under-educated DMV reps and law enforcement...for different reasons.  But you're right.  A cop friend asked me several weeks ago what the little black box on the tongue of my trailer was for.  I played him along a little and told him it was for the brakes.  He then asked how that little battery controlled all of the trailer brakes.  He honestly hadn't ever heard of brake-away trailer braking.  And this is not a cop that's still wet behind his ears and fresh out of the academy.  He's a supervisor in his 50s, approaching retirement age.

[yachtflame]

I lived in the Caribbean for 45 years dealing with officials of every sort as almost every island is it’s own country with its own set of laws. Luckily graft works quite well in third world countries! If I found a woman behind the desk stuck on one idea and sitting there sucking their teeth with no intention of budging, I’d go away for a day and come back with the proper “present” to help in today’s decision. Unfortunately here in a democratic society, it’s harder to grease the path! 
 When I tried to register and title my 1930 LaSalle in The People’s Republic of Massachusetts they would only use the body number, not the engine number. The local DMV office and State Trooper office couldn’t grasp the idea that my car’s body number, 1234, which is riveted to the firewall was real. It just happened to be the 1234th body of that style built. They were sure that I had made this up and insisted that I take the car to Boston to have the State Police issue me a new body number and plate.

 I took the car to New Hampshire and registered it there. The NH State Trooper looked at the plate and immediately signed off on it.
 When you come up against a wall in a Government office.......find another office!

[edinmass]

Wayne......with computer systems today.........another office is usually all ready aware of the problem..........

[yachtflame]

Oh sure, pop my bubble why don’t cha!

[John_Mereness]

20 hours ago, John_Mereness said:

Water pump - I am leaning toward Additive Manufacturing via 3d printing time and it is a fun and interesting projects, so you will be able to find some help matched to not needing it to he made of super high tech space age X material.

 

Sidenote:  Does it fit another White and if you have a problem then plenty (or at least one) of people/person had the same problem before you - aka who has already recast.

I am leaning toward a post titled: 3D printing who is having what made and where, the successes / failures, and I need this made ? 

[Robert G. Smits]

3-D printing sounds like a great idea for a post.  Several years ago I purchased a car in Canada.  Took me 5 months to get a title.  The local DMV was demanding written documents from the border crossing that had gone digital 10 years ago.  I finally had to hire a title service.  I will never buy a car outside of the USA again as long as I live in Texas.

[edinmass]

Update:

 

Back to reality and an attempted first start this morning. Usual ass kicking stuff........finally was ready to try and run the car this morning, although with no water in the cooling system. Had a starter solenoid issue......so I jumped past that road block. With no plugs in it, and the mag grounded, I ran the starter for three minutes. It’s a 12 volt system, and the car spins over like a new car.........it turns fast. Did the procedure several times, and built up 10 psi on the oil guage. We have proper and total engine lubrication. Ungrounded the mag, and with the plugs laying on top of the head, it threw a blue spark almost like nothing I have ever seen.These are 80 year old plugs that have been soaked in oil for a month while we have been working on the car..........I would normally considered them trash........with a battery ignition. The mag fired them like they were new. Tested the ignition and kill switch on the steering column, and they worked fine. Put the plugs back in, and primed the fuel system......fixed a few leaks and seeps........and then continued. Remember, we haven’t checked the timing on the mag, and have a suspicion that the car has never ran on this unit from what we could determine from doing a forensic as found investigation. The car on its first attempt didn’t even sputter........with just normal cranking even with starting fluid............suspicion is it’s 180 off. So, I advanced the wires on the mag 180 degrees so I didn’t have to reset the drive disk and shaft. Then attempted to start it again, with the same results......NOTHING. So, now it’s time to pull the inspection cover on the flywheel, and static time the engine to number one TDC, and then pull the cap and rotor off the magneto to see where we are for timing..........working by myself, all of this is too difficult to accomplish.......I need my trusty assistant Phil........“with the hands like George the Animal Steel.” He arrives back home Wednesday night. So Thursday we will get back on program to get the timing correct and the car running. There is no chance it won’t start......Compression, spark, and fuel are all fine.........it’s 100 percent a timing issue. For today, I will install new tubes on two tires, fill the steering box with Penright 00 liquid grease........which won’t be easy......and get the differential filled. Still more cleaning and other linkage and grease lubrication points to deal with.......so I am over my aggravation with the water pump........we will just make a new one........have several options and ideas........more later today......thanks for everyone’s interest. Best, Ed.

Edited September 6, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Grimy]

Back to DMV issues, since I'm on the Left Coast 3 hrs behind most of you and just fired up the Infernal Machine (PC):  I've had my adventures with Calif DMV over the years but haven't had occasion to joust with them during the last 10 years.  There is no such thing as a minor victory over DMV--all victories are fist-pumpers!  Above all, remember that the counter employees are trained for what they routinely (99.99999%) have to deal with--meaning 17-character VINs, and not the anomalous stuff that we're interested in.  CA DMV computer terminals (hopefully have been upgraded by now) allowed no rational thought.  CA has had (hope they still do) a Public Inquiries Unit in their Sacramento HQ, which also serves as a liaison to the Assn of Calif Car Clubs.  (Last number I have for them is 916-657-6560.) My practice was to call the Public Inquiries Unit before leaving for the field office and ask for a citation of the operative chapter and verse of the Field Offices' Operations Manual (DMV is bound by the legislatively enacted Vehicle Code, but VC section numbers mean nothing to them).  At the window, give them that Operations Manual reference, they key it in, and voila!

 

Asking for the manager sometimes is not productive, but a 30-year employee usually is.  One field office manager told me what I wanted was impossible, so I called the Public Inquiries Unit in front of her, briefly explained the situation, and put her on the phone.  That officious lady sounded like a motor boat:  "...but, but, but, but.." and it got done my way.

[Grimy]

2 hours ago, Grimy said:

Asking for the manager sometimes is not productive, but a 30-year employee usually is.

Afterthought:  Even the 30-year DMV employee got hired 9 years after 17-character VINs became mandatory.....

[edinmass]

30 minutes ago, Grimy said:

Afterthought:  Even the 30-year DMV employee got hired 9 years after 17-character VINs became mandatory.....

 

 

Yes.........9 years later.............and today any 30 year public employee's................. "move like they are a statue.........and that's why they are covered in pigeon shxt!"

[Grimy]

9 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Yes.........9 years later.............and today any 30 year public employee's................. "move like they are a statue.........and that's why they are covered in pigeon shxt!"

I resent--that remark, with 32 yrs active and reserve Army service, and almost 27 years as a FAA special agent, some of the latter spent as a Federal Air Marshal and bomb tech

[J.H.Boland]

4 hours ago, edinmass said:

 The car on its first attempt didn’t even sputter........with just normal cranking even with starting fluid............suspicion is it’s 180 off. So, I advanced the wires on the mag 180 degrees so I didn’t have to reset the drive disk and shaft. Then attempted to start it again, with the same results......NOTHING. So, now it’s time to pull the inspection cover on the flywheel, and static time the engine to number one TDC, and then pull the cap and rotor off the magneto to see where we are for timing..........working by myself, all of this is too difficult to accomplish.......I need my trusty assistant Phil........“with the hands like George the Animal Steel.” He arrives back home Wednesday night. So Thursday we will get back on program to get the timing correct and the car running. There is no chance it won’t start......Compression, spark, and fuel are all fine.........it’s 100 percent a timing issue.  Best, Ed.

 

Gee ED.That sounds exactly like what happened to me when I was trying to bring my '25 Buick back to life. It looks like a Chevy stovebolt six so figured the firing order would be 1-5-3-6-2-4. After cranking, towing.checking timing,and cussing, I finally read the shop manual.Turns out it's 1-4-2-6-3-5 ! After rearranging the plug wires it fired right up.

But you're way too smart to be fooled by something like that !

Jim

[edinmass]

1 hour ago, Grimy said:

I resent--that remark, with 32 yrs active and reserve Army service, and almost 27 years as a FAA special agent, some of the latter spent as a Federal Air Marshal and bomb tech

 

George.....you have ALWAYS been the exception to the rule.........👍

[padgett]

Just curious but no side cover to check valves for TDC on #1 ? A borescope or dial indicator in the plug hole of a flathead might do the same. 

 

 

 

 

[edinmass]

The car is in our warehouse......not the main shop. Thus, not all of our equipment is at hands reach. With two people on hand it’s twenty times easier to get things done. Spent the day changing tire tubes and flaps, cleaning the upholstery, and attending to about a hundred other things. It hasn’t run in 80 years, and were are working blind half the time......everything on this car is hard........we just keep hacking away at everything within reach. We are very close......but I don’t want to take a chance on a fire or any other damage to the car. I can’t even prove the firing order I have is correct.........and a I have been around long enough not to trust any printed information from the factory or aftermarket providers. We will get there soon......and we still have hundreds of hours of more work to sort the car once it’s running on its own. I’m not intrested in anything but good, correct, proper work, done the best I can do it. If it takes an extra three weeks to drive it......so be it. Getting it done right the first time is my only objective. The last tire today didn’t cooperate.......and proceeded to kick my axx. Such is the way of 103 year old cars.

[padgett]

With  a pencil, a breaker bar on the crank, and about five minutes it should be easy to find both TDC and the firing order on a flatead with a central plug. Just put the pencil in the spark plugh holes and watch which go up an down when. OK 4 pencils or wood dowls is more better.

[Grimy]

31 minutes ago, edinmass said:

 

George.....you have ALWAYS been the exception to the rule.........👍

Thanks, Ed, but it's overbroad to say the least to accuse gov't employees as a class of misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance.  There are good and bad in every line of work.

[edinmass]

57 minutes ago, Grimy said:

Thanks, Ed, but it's overbroad to say the least to accuse gov't employees as a class of misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance.  There are good and bad in every line of work.

Agreed but as an elected official in the state of Massachusetts for 17 years, in multiple offices, I also understand the government mentality of civil service employees. My opinions and actions were in my town, were controversial to say the least.......but proven correct most of the time. I was the first republican to hold office in my town in over thirty years. Since you were a combat veteran if I am not mistaken, you are about as far from the normal government patronage flunkies that make up the 90 percent of the employees. Also, your generation had a much better work ethic and sense or moral decency that is severely lacking in today’s younger generation. The not my job, and not my responsibility comment and attitude of the majority...........I was involved in town, county, and state level politics......and saw from a distance the cesspool of money and incompetence that is the modern political party machine from BOTH sides. Much of today’s troubles are based in the lack of moral courage on BOTH sides. There is blame to go all around. This will probably be taken down quickly.....which is fair......as it’s out of the scope of the original problems with the DMV.

 

 

And to be fair.....I notice that Florida public employees are much better at customer service and treating people fairly than Massachusetts.............I think it’s related to 250 years of tradition compared to a modern state and modern structured government down here......

Edited September 6, 2020 by edinmass (see edit history)

[wayne sheldon]

Since you guys are continuing some of this (and if the moderators want to remove this my post, they certainly have my permission to do so), I feel compelled to add a few short comments.

I too worked much of my life around that cesspool. My wife also worked for school district administration for thirteen years before being pushed out for political reasons. She had worked her way into IT and did attendance accounting for several years. The state audited all districts nearly every year as a matter of policy, and she got a commendation for having an "exception free" (NO mistakes anywhere!) audit! One of less than five districts statewide that year to get that!

Some years later, she got a job working for the county courthouse doing record keeping and dealing with the public with minor traffic infractions. She was moved up the line faster than any previous new employees (so they told her), and was loved by people in other departments for her skills and speed in resolving problems. However, her coworkers did not like her (she did so well that other departments only wanted to deal with her), so just before her "probationary" time was up, she was fired. One of the reasons given but of course not written down? She would take five minutes and resolve a problem instead of cutting it off at two minutes and passing the buck. Think about this. In five minutes, she could resolve issues for other departments or a member of the public, that her coworkers had spent two minutes and passed the buck five or six times, instead of passing the buck herself and causing her coworkers to to catch it and pass it many more times. They hated the phone calls, and made that VERY clear. Any intelligent person would have loved having someone taking care of things efficiently. Unfortunately, she and I have both seen that many times and many places.

I worked for more than thirty years doing communications systems contracting. Communications systems are usually within some type of facility (both public and private). So I worked in hundreds of facilities over the years. The stories I can tell, both good and bad.

For a variety of reasons, I needed out of that business. I had family issues that needed my attention, and needed an easy job that I could leave for a day if I had to. So when I had an opportunity to do some maintenance for a school district, I took it. I actually tried to stay out of their internal politics, but that somehow didn't work too well. I ended up defending a coworker that was accused of not putting in the time he was being paid for. I happened to be in a position to know that he did in fact put in the time, and with my background knew he was doing an adequate job. So I said so. Turned out, they were trying to force him out for internal political reasons, and the "not putting in his time " was an excuse made up to force him out and give his job to a buddy that needed one (absolutely illegal!). With my facilities and contracting background, I also knew of many violations of state law, and ed code. Many of those violations were felonies, and numerous thefts of taxpayer's money and property int he tens of thousands of dollars. Can "I" prove it? No. However, I knew of proof that any decent investigator could have gotten copies of back then. When they were trying to force me out, I tried contacting the state. But they had no interest in even hundreds of thousands of dollars in thefts (I added up some I happened to know of that were absolutely illegal, and it totaled a quarter million dollars! Just ones I specifically saw in less than five years!). I could go on for pages! But I will just add one more thing. I stepped up to defend a coworker wrongly accused of cheating. As far as I know, nobody stepped up to defend me.

Edited September 6, 2020 by wayne sheldon
I hate leaving typos! (see edit history)

[nickelroadster]

People can be very petty and use childlike political games.  It seems as if many of these people play these games because they have too much time on their hands.  I seem to be in a very lucky place as the DMV workers in my county seem to enjoy taking care of problems instead of complicating them.  Other than having to educate a deputy on how FEDCO plates worked (using a couple of books) I have had zero issues in dealing with old cars.  I have been in places where things went the way others have described.  This means I get to spend more time busting knuckles.

[edinmass]

More progress on the White this afternoon.......Installing new tubes and flaps......4 down, two to go. Even with AC, I was soaking wet changing them.......one was particularly difficult..........and I will finish them in the morning. Clean up continues...........I have about 250 dollars in leather conditioner on the seats and door panels......and another 100 to go. It’s working well, and the leather is going from a cardboard feel to regular leather. It’s going to be an ongoing process for at least a year.........at least after two treatments, it goes much faster once the leather is clean and soft. Might take a run at pulling the windshield glass frames tomorrow......if successful, I will pick up some pattern making cardboard......I’m sure it will take several tries to get it right. Need to figure out why the headlights are not turning on....and need to install the horn.....temporarily to see if the home will work in the car....it bench tests fine. Hope to finish the fabrication on the exhaust cut out linkage....and need to source spring also......probably McMaster Carr will helps with that........the list went from a never ending quagmire......to a manageable punch list that is now short enough to start with a new list each day.....removing and adding to it. This is the first time a totally new and unfamiliar platform I have dealt with has been gone over to this extent, that when I am ready to drive it......no part of the car will be unfamiliar to me. He only thing I have not yet done to the car that ai need to learn to operate is the top going up and down........just need to get my courage up to try......I think my one man top is best done by two or three people the first time. More tomorrow......enjoy your long weekend. 

[Linus Tremaine]

ed,

im just enjoying this immensely. I am so jealous that you have such a great car. I have wanted a white because of this photo of my great grand parents driving a white in yosemite. I hope to see this car one day. Great jobl Your work is really beyond what most people (including me) are capable of doing. I hope you have an apprentice!

 

 

 

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Edited September 7, 2020 by Linus Tremaine (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Great photo.......it’s a 1915 or 1916 White 4-45. Very similar to my car, smaller......that’s 124 inch chassis. Your welcome to come drive the White anytime you like.