Getting That Old Beauty Home
Started when I spotted this rusted junk sitting behind old man Miller’s barn. Asked if he’d sell – he just laughed and said “Take it, saves me hauling to scrapyard”. Seriously, vines growing through the floorboards. Towed it home with my pickup truck, almost lost it twice when wheel bearings crumbled on the highway.
Rust Wrestling Days
Oh man the rust was BAD. Hammered on the frame with a mallet and chunks just fell off like rotten teeth. Spent weeks cutting out cancer spots with my grinder. Looked like Swiss cheese when I finished. Had my buddy weld in so many patches we joked it was now a Franken-car.
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What I fought through:
- The gas tank? Solid sludge. Poked a screwdriver in and black goo oozed out like molasses
- Brake lines crumbled when I touched ’em – snakeskin kinda flakes
- Seats were mouse condos. Pulled out enough acorns to feed squirrels all winter
Engine Drama
Original straight-six motor was seized tighter than my ex-wife’s alimony demands. Found a ’63 V8 block at junkyard – had to chisel it out myself. Rebuilt every inch in my garage:
- Honest mistake: Put pistons in backwards first try
- Broke three knuckles mounting transmission
- Exhaust headers didn’t fit right – ended up banging with sledge til it stopped rattling
First start-up sounded like shotgun blasts with backfires. Neighbors called cops thinking I was murdering someone.
Test Drive Disaster
Got it rolling down my dirt road feeling proud. Steering wheel suddenly jerked left HARD. Front suspension collapsed like cheap lawn chair. Found out later I’d reused original 1960 bolts – big mistake. Sheared clean off from rust weakness.
Fixed it with grade-8 bolts this time. Finally took her to the track last weekend. Smoked some fancy modern sports car in third heat – driver looked so mad I thought he’d cry. Worth every bloody knuckle and swear word. Classic metal rules.
