Finally Moving Forward Again

 Well, it's been a long couple of months with one problem after another.Somehow I managed to get out in front of it all and things are now working out again.The 2002 Honda Accord  my wife was driving bit the dust and is going to get scrapped.I picked up a little 2002 Pontiac Sunfire for her.It needed front end work so it was a project but it got dealt with and it's now in use. The 2000 Chevy S10 gave me trouble right after Christmas . I ended up replacing the fuel tank , fuel pump,all the rotten fuel lines ,and anything else I saw when I was under it. It needed all this work and I really wanted to do it last September but had a house painting job that I did instead. So, after replacing all this rusted stuff it still wouldn't start ! It turned out that the initial problem was just a loose wire to the fuel injectors ! Fixed that and now I have a reliable truck ! This morning I showed the 1976 Dodge Aspen to a guy interested in buying it .Sure hope he takes it. The car served me well and we would have been lost without it when all this crap went down over the past 3 months but now it's in my way and needs to go so I'm happy I have someone looking at it.Today is a turning point . I'm thinking about things other than this car crap for a change. I feel the urge to start painting again. Been a while since I did a painting. Started to do some digital stuff yesterday. I usually do this before I get the oils and brushes out . It kinda puts me in the right frame of mind. Here are some digitals that I did

These usually lead into a period of time where I make paintings like these 

So , who knows what will actually come out and land on a canvas . It may be an abstract period where I just do crazy stuff that I have flying around in my head or I may do some landscapes or other nature themed paintings .One thing is certain, I'm a lone wolf who just does what he wants . It can be cars , motorcycles , art , carpentry , wandering on my motorcycle to some far away place , or some yet to be discovered thing I want to do. So now it seems the bullshit has passed and I'm entering a period of creative stability. I sure hope so anyway. This is a self portrait of sorts that I did a few years back .

It's a beautiful day here in New York today. We had a bad storm last night with almost 2 inches of rain and wind. The power went out for a time and just as I was coming to accept the fact that I was going to have to spend the night running the heat off my generator it came back on. I think I'll get in my little Chevy S10 and take a ride to the beach for a walk  !

                                                           

           

 

Things Are Starting To Work Out

 Like the title says things are beginning to work out for me with all this car and truck work.The car is in service now and doing well and I'm on the downside of the work on the Chevy S10. I pulled the gas tank yesterday and got the bottom of the bed over the tank all painted while I have access.Anything to slow the rust down.Just slapped on a good heavy coat of black Rustolium .So,today I'm going to do the tank install and if I have time I might even get the fuel pump installed .I'm fixing all the small problems I see while the tank is out like replacing the return line in the fuel injection  system and tightening up all the Evap stuff so I don't get that damn code anymore.It all takes time and it's cold out.It's hard working on the ground under the truck at my age but I'm doing it and it's slowly getting done . I have my forced air kerosene heater going while I'm under there so it's not all that bad but boy am I stiff at the end of the day.

 

 I'd much rather be building a motorcycle in a heated garage .Well,once this job is behind me that's exactly what I plan on doing.Gotta have a truck .Can't really do much without it so this is necessary.Not much else going on so this is a short entry.Maybe I'll start painting again too.It's been almost a year since I did an oil painting  but this car and truck work is important so no fun stuff is in the cards for now. Here's the Chevy S10 delivering the little DS6C I sent to Southern California last month.This is the last job the truck did before the fuel pump took a crap.

I like this little truck.When I get it back in service I'm getting rid of my wife's old Honda Accord and I'm putting my 1971 Chevy C20 pick up  for sale. It's time to lighten the load.

 

It's Just One Thing After Another

 It seems to never end .I wanted to get started on my wagon but had to try to fix the transmission  in my wife's  '02 Honda Accord.It went from bad to worse with that dog so I decided to get another car. Looked and looked . It's insane out there.People are asking 5000 bucks for cars with 200 thousand miles on them ! Finally I came across a car we could afford,a 2002 Pontiac Sunfire . What a crap box but it was cheap enough for me to be able to fix it up for her and still end up only spending 3000. It needed front end work . I gave it new struts,wheel hubs, sway bar  bushings,brakes , and some other odds & ends . It seemed like a never ending thing even though it only took a  week to play out fixing it.Most of the week was waiting on parts .But it wasn't really a week because of all the crap with the Honda  and the search for the replacement car.It was three and a half weeks of hell ! I had to drive her to work every morning on a 40 mile commute at 6 AM then turn around and get back home at 8 AM . She would take the train home in the afternoon and I'd pick her up at the station . I'd spend my days working on this car and my Chevy  S 10. Oh yes I almost forgot , it took a crap the day after Christmas ! The fuel pump went south. Now I finally have time to get to this project .I ended up using this old 1976 Dodge Aspen I have as our only transportation  for this month long event. It did the job just fine and is still doing the job for me as I fix the truck. When I went to change the fuel pump I saw rust holes in the top of the tank so now I'm replacing the fuel tank as well as all the steel lines so I get rid of that damn Evap code.It never ends ! Well,maybe it does end but it sure doesn't feel like it does. So this is my life these days .I turn 74 soon and I'm watching my savings just evaporate before my eyes as I pour money into this seemingly bottomless pit . Everything is so damn expensive.I'm at my limit .Yesterday I decided that I have to search for work. It sucks going back into the labor market at age 74 but what else can I do.Retirement isn't happening for me now. So my rant is over. Today I'm going to finish pulling the fuel tank out of my little S10.My wife is back on the road in her not so new crap box and it seems we are having a warmer than normal January so things aren't really all that bad for me outside laying on the ground under the truck.It could be worse is what I keep telling myself. Usually when I go thru one of these rough patches it's followed by a long roll of good  so I'm going to keep that in my head . It's a new year and I'm still upright and healthy .  The guy who I sold this nice little Yamaha DS6C to  emailed me yesterday to tell me he finally received it . I shipped it on Dec 2 and he got it on Jan 11 . He's happy with it so that made me feel good . Thinking about selling this gem next . 

I've had it almost 35 years now so it's time.   So, it seems motorcycles have bailed me out again , or are at least beginning to. I always said that motorcycles were the most positive force in my life and how they have opened up so many doors for me . Well , it looks like they may be opening up another one of those doors  . We'll see what this new year brings .  Happy New Year !