Thursday, October 31, 2002

Been fiddling with the *free* website, although still planning on hosting on my own pc sooner or later. ;) Have torn down a 350 that I got from a sorta local (hour away) drag racer. What's neat, is what numbers are left seem to be from the same year as the 73. Still haven't been able to tell what it came out of, but would be neat if it was original block coming back home. Water was in oil pan, but heads were off for god knows how long.
Been fiddling with the 80, since she's still my #1 girl. Still lookin to put t-tops on her, but t-roofs I have found have either been way too expensive, or one guy that has 'em has had me waitin 2 1/2 months with no pix yet. With new fuel pump, oil pump, & carb, I think I will have that "cutting out" problem fixed. I'm still kickn myself in the butt for having someone else do the brakes (got royally bent over) and moving the battery to the front, but I didn't have a garage at the time, and even less tools.
One thing I will say is that you know who your friends are when you're broke and don't know anything. I'm still broke, but now that I have a garage to work in, and at least a few tools, I now know more than either of the wanna be streetracer/gearheads that still try to hang out and swill all my booze. If they start inviting people over to see my camaro's one more time tho, there will be an asswhuppin. 2nd gens were rare 4 years ago when I first moved back here. Nowadays, they seem to have been passed down to spoiled kids who immediately tear the @#$ out of them (that's where I got the 80) or someone sells them for a rediculous amount (too high or too low) Most of the local 2nd gen owners I have met have been outright pricks too. The ones I saw at the moonlight madness car show were cool tho 2nd gens came out of the woodwork then! My point is that broke and barely keeping the bills together as I am now, I have committed to keeping my camaros. Even if one of them has to go, I will NOT be camaroless again. I will keep one (preferably both) no matter what happens. *grin* If I end up having to live in one, at least it will be hot, and be able to get me to the unemployment office and back in record time.
Currently, the 80 is closest to running shape. However, it is also the worst body and interior wise. If I had money, I would tear it down and restore(ify) Since I don't, my goal at the moment is to get them both running (or at least close to it) I have not fiddled with 73 much, been concentrating on the 80. Tried to sell 80 engineless (for a rediculous amont, I'll admit) and didn't get any takers. So, every time I've had a bit of extra $$$ I've gone and got the minor stuff (fuel pump, oil pump, throttle bracket) Now I'm saving for space heater and creeper so I can work after it gets cold(er)
The only thing I worry about, is not having EITHER of these cars in excellent shape soon. My fathers side of the family has a history of heart disease, I've had some uncles and cousins and such die at my age (25) While I am in good enough health, I get nervous about not being able to take either one out before I die. Morbid, huh? I worry about the things about as much as I would kids if I had them, I guess. I can't die before the 80's done tho. I promised my sister it would be fixed and shiny by the time she went to her junior prom. She started as a freshman this year, so I better hurry up! The 73 would probably go to my youngest brother who is 9 this month. Dunno if either of them would ever appreciate them, but hope that they would....