Matt Harwood Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 (edited) After starting threads about hack work and frustrating things about the hobby and how cars always piss me off, I thought maybe I'd try a positive post as well. Good things happen so seldom, so please post your "wins" here. I'll start. We're prepping for Hershey and my tow truck isn't making any electricity. That's bad, since I hoped to run the lights at Hershey and don't want to kill the battery. It'll start and drive just fine on the battery and it won't be a big deal getting it to and from the car corral, but not having things working properly always bugs me. So I did some testing and decided that the generator was bad--I grounded the Field terminal and instead of going to full charge, nothing happened. I happened to have an NOS regulator that I was going to try, but in its instructions, it says that the generator must be re-polarized every time the battery is disconnected (not true, but whatever). I decided to try that and see if maybe the generator would come back to life. Attaching the Armature terminal to the battery as instructed and suddenly the generator starts to spin--with the belt in place! The problem? The belt was simply too loose, which is STEP 1 in the manual: check the belt for tightness! So that's my win for the day. We had an electrical system that was in failure mode and it turns out it was merely a loose belt. It doesn't happen often, but I'll gladly take an easy one. It feels great! See you in Hershey! Edited September 30, 2022 by Matt Harwood (see edit history) 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Nice truck! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Matt, thanks for this positive thread, lots of bad news lately especially when it comes to peoples health, we all need some upbeat news especially with an upbeat annual event coming next week so many of us look forward to each year. Thank you. Just think of all the useless stuff we all will buy and call our own . See you in a few days. Walt 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkhammer Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Well said Walt! My win is my good friend that has been attending Hershey with me is going to make it this year. A month ago he was battling Covid and since he has health issues that make him very high risk, we weren't sure if he was going to beat it. He was very ill for about three weeks and is still a bit weak but he's coming. Another win for me is I just got finished loading for Hershey. Rains from Ian are supposed to start here in Virginia this afternoon and last all weekend. Thoughts and prayers to those in Florida and South Carolina that have been and are going to be affected. And WOW Matt! Nice truck!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 More good news, I’m on the plane headed north to Hershey! 👍 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 5 minutes ago, edinmass said: More good news, I’m on the plane headed north to Hershey! 👍 Spirit? Did they have you wind the rubber bands before take off? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 A.J. the answer is yes, but Ed had to bring his own rubber bands too...................... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 My big win? Being healthy enough to battle the wins and losses of the hobby while I enjoy the journey. The pros and the cons of the hobby are all part of that journey and what make it so fun so I think we should all be thankful for just being part of that community regardless what our battles whether it be financially, physically or the amount of time we have to apply to it. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 (edited) Unfortunately, I don’t have my own Phenom………but I absolutely refuse to make connections on commercial flights. So today, it’s direct out of Miami. With three major airports near me……Palm Beach is two miles, Fort Lauderdale is 38, and Miami is 62, I can go almost anywhere direct. I took the high speed train (80-125mph)from West Palm to Miami. 14 bucks, no traffic, no garage fees for a week(300 bucks), and no gas or car expense. And the 14 bucks included a pick up in a Tesla shuttle at my house. Then there is the Spirit issue……I’m in the big front seat, round trip for under 225 bucks. How much are your milk run Delta flights? Fortunately……..I manage to go private occasionally, and I don’t remember seeing you at any of the FBO’s I visit regularly. 😛 Edited September 30, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 4 minutes ago, edinmass said: Unfortunately, I don’t have my own Phenom………but I absolutely refuse to make connections on commercial flights. So today, it’s direct out of Miami. With three major airports near me……Palm Beach is two miles, Fort Lauderdale is 38, and Miami is 62, I can go almost anywhere direct. I took the high speed train (80-125mph)from West Palm to Miami. 14 bucks, no traffic, no garage fees for a week(300 bucks), and no gas or car expense. And the 14 bucks included a pick up in a Tesla shuttle at my house. Then there is the Spirit issue……I’m in the big front seat, round trip for under 225 bucks. How much are your milk run Delta flights? Fortunately……..I manage to go private, and I don’t remember seeing you at any of the FBO’s I visit regularly. 😛 Ed, you do know we all hate you for this.... 🙂 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Just now, Grimy said: Ed, you do know we all hate you for this.... 🙂 Yes, and you have to stand in line……..😏 AJ was overdue to bust my chops…….and since I will see him on the field at Hershey Monday, I had to give it back in spades. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 1 minute ago, Grimy said: Ed, you do know we all hate you for this.... 🙂 Nevermind him, he's probably so hammered he thinks he's in the "First world problems" thread he created... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt G Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 But Ed is just so modest about what he says , as usual No matter what he may state that you may not like or disagree with - I still have to have great respect for a man that 1) knows his cars - NO 2) Likes adult beverage , - NO BUT he does love Scottish terriers , that is what matters the most. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC38dls Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 (edited) Somewhat back to Matt’s original idea, here is my most recent win. My 38 would start ok but had no power. Tried everything then that flying first class character from MA & FL known as Ed (why I said somewhat above) found the thread and said send the distributor to him. About 15 minutes after receiving it he called me and said it was all fixed. It had a short below the point area I would have never found. Then the best part for me he said no cost! Not even shipping cost back. That maybe because I sent him a bottle of Woodford Reserve he and Phil started tasting right away. Lucky me. dave s Edited September 30, 2022 by SC38dls (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 I LOVE Canadian Whisky. Here is my Lazy-Boy! 3 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Scotties are BETTER than Duesenbergs! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 (edited) I guess my biggest "win" is being able to keep my very first car for all of these years....with all of the moving from Detroit to San Diego to Oregon....it's a wonder. Edited September 30, 2022 by keiser31 (see edit history) 7 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 I get to share this building with my father and my 3 boys when they are home - between the 5 of us we can usually figure out the frustrating issue of the day. Today I just realized that I've gone from borrowing my father's tools, to buying my own to now borrowing my son's! And occasionally, the youngest at 17 outsmarts all of us! 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
46 woodie Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 In 1980 we were walking the aisles at HERSHEY and my wife and 8 year old son stopped to look at something. I continued walking and stopped at the end of the aisle. After a while I saw them walking down the aisle carrying a huge cardboard box full of baseball card's. The guy wanted $25 bucks for the box but my son offered $20 and the guy took it. Well, that box had thousands of cards, including 17 Mantle, 12 Maris, 8 Mays, 13 Berra, 13 Koufax and 18 Pete Rose rookie cards, I could go on and on. At last count he had sold $2250 worth of cards. Great return on investment for $20. That indeed is a winning story! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Todays win might not seem like much, but I was chuffed none the less. I inherited my fathers 91 F150 ( 302 V8 ) when he passed away a few years ago. It had a bit of an exhaust leak for the last 5 years or so, but as neither my father when he still owned it, or myself once it became mine drove it very often, fixing it always stayed on the low end of the priority list. But this week I needed it and I noticed the leak had become a lot worse. Crawled under thinking the manifold to Y pipe connection had failed and found to my surprise a very cracked exhaust manifold. Today I let it run for 20 minutes to warm up the head as much as possible,and tackled the manifold to head bolts. Extremely tight as usual , but only one broke off. And there was still a 1 inch long piece of bolt sticking out of the head. One of the long bolts and it broke off very near the hex portion. But not a lot of diameter left due to rust, so getting it out was going to be a touchy job. I heated the exposed portion red hot and let things cool a few times just to use a bit of thermal expansion to hopefully loosen the bond between the bolt and the head as much as possible . And then used some parifin wax in an attempt to wick some lubricant down the threads. Used my stud remover and the bolt amazingly came loose instead of breaking off as I 1/2 { 3/4 actually } expected. A new manifold and some hardware and the old girl should be back in service . If only all exhaust manifold bolts / studs ended up this way. A nice little win as far as I am concerned. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Bruce aka First Born Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 Similar to Matts. About 1980, I had a 1971 Buick [suprise] estate wagon. On a trip from Texarkana to OKC for Christmas, cloudy day I was running the lights and heater. Battery started discharging, so a stop at Napa, and replaced the alternator. Made it to OKC, but discharging AGAIN. While checking the alternator for a loose connection, my hand touched the belt pully. Zowie, that is HOT. I had changed the belt recently, and that was the first thing I checked at Napa. Tight as a fiddle string! But the darn thing was slipping under the high load of lights and heater with absolutely no squeal. Replaced the belt and all well. Ben 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Kingsley Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 I consider the fact that I'm still able to attend car shows, and have been able to photograph more than 200 automotive brands, a major lifetime victory. My health may limit what I am capable of doing but I refuse to let it stop me. 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 One of my best 'wins' happened back around 1980. A co-worker's brother was getting ready to junk a '71 Pinto because a local gas station diagnosed the car as needing both an engine and a transmission. My co-worker called me and I got the car for $25.00, which was scrap price at that time. It ran very rough and wouldn't shift. It turned out to be a torn 3" long vacuum hose that went to the transmission modulator. Replaced hose, problem solved. I kept the car for a couple of years and sold it for around $700.00. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 (edited) Did five body off restorations of "junk yard save" cars. Four to grand national firsts. One to a GN first and a National award. All five have book value way above my costs. Only one trip to the ER for stitches and I never paid for trailer parking. Definitely a win/win...........bob Edited October 1, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_Mack_CT Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 (edited) Hitting Hershey this year after initially planning to skip it due to a pretty busy schedule of non car stuff this fall. Confirming pets can go and our hotel is pet friendly (new addition is the calmest dog we have ever had, but doesn't handle kennels well after being abandoned twice, once, alone in a locked house over a week!! 😡) Oh, and getting the 40 Packard 110 earlier this summer. Mrs. Mack picked this one! A prewar open Packard. A jr. sure, but our best car yet - a keeper! Hope everyone did some winning this year! 😊 Edited October 1, 2022 by Steve_Mack_CT (see edit history) 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CChinn Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 My winning story will be going to Hershey for the first time. Looking forward to next week! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 My Winning Hershey Story. In 1998, after completing our second Glidden Tour in Bretton Woods NH, we started for Florida towing our 1934 Ford Tudor. First stop, The Owls Head Museum in Maine where they wer having a Car Show. Unloaded the car and enjoyed the Show & the Museum of casrs and planes. Next Stop, the Hershey Show where we unloaded the car and took in the Flea Market and even displayed our car by the stadium. We met our old friend and Great Americn Racer, Tom Brookover for dinnner down near Elizibethtown. In the dinner conversation he asked what I was working on, or looking for? My reply was, I'd love to find my dream car, a 1934 Ford Phaeton. To my suprise, he told me he had been contacted by a bank in St. Petersburg, FL, that had purchaed a Savings & Loan. Their property inventory included a 1934 Ford Phaeton and they needed an appraisal on it. Would I do that for him? Well, is the Pope Catholic? Of course it led to me buying my dream car. 1934 Ford Deluxe Phaeton V8, after preparation for more touring adventures. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 (edited) 14 hours ago, Steve_Mack_CT said: Confirming pets can go and our hotel is pet friendly (new addition is the calmest dog we have ever had, but doesn't handle kennels well after being abandoned twice, once, alone in a locked house over a week!! 😡) Good on you, Sir, good on you..............Bob Edited October 2, 2022 by Bhigdog (see edit history) 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 Not sure this is called winning. We got the ultimate flat tire on the open trailer today……….well, sort of flat. Thoughts? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhigdog Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 28 minutes ago, edinmass said: Thoughts? Another job for JB Weld............................Bob 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 Well now all you need is a piece of exhaust tubing and you can play tether ball. Have you stuck your eyeball up to it yet to see how the crack started? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted October 1, 2022 Share Posted October 1, 2022 1 hour ago, Bloo said: Well now all you need is a piece of exhaust tubing and you can play tether ball. Have you stuck your eyeball up to it yet to see how the crack started? Wire chase hole allowed water in. Rusted from the inside out. It’s our farm and parts car mover for local area. It’s a high quality trailer that was well maintained…….but we weren’t aware of the holes. It’s a 1987 model JTJ. It will get new axels and another complete going over. Fortunately it only had the shop dragster on it……a 1956 GMC. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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