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| February 26
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The 69 Adventure
Chapter 13 – Making an "Engine Holder"
As February ended, we had made great progress on the engine. We had the tranny and the torque converter. Jase had always said that a Ford 9" would go in the rear. But as we had looked at the car, we became more convinced condition of the frame was less than adequate. On Feb 5 we had ordered a ladder bar suspension for the car - the other parts were shipped but still we hadn't received the ladder bar. Jase had been calling Summit, who said they had to get it from the manufacturer and it would be a few more days....repeatedly we got the same story. They said it was in their warehouse, then, oops, they had to re-order from the manufacturer. We were still waiting when March arrived.
In the meantime, Jase and Kat were getting the car ready for the new suspension and the other body modifications we had planned. We decided to tub the wheels and the more we looked, the more welding was going to be required.
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The rest of the accessories we could put on the engine were installed. Jase finally found me the green spark plug wires I had wanted so badly and taught me how to make the wires. I had taken the alternator up to a friend who pressed it apart so we could powdercoat and then put it back together for me. We ordered tired and picked up racing seats - which the boys seemed to like as chairs in the living room.
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There was only so much we could do without the ladder bar and we were getting a bit frustrated with the waiting. Jase had now been away from home over 2 months and by mid-March, we were holding, waiting for the suspension. |  |
Jase's mom started having car problems and he had a friend help her out once. His mom was missing her handy-man around the house, lawn-mower repairer, car mechanic, not to mention her truck - especially since her car was REALLY on its last legs.
It was decided Jase would go home for Easter, taking the truck, Bruiser, my old engine, and a few other assorted parts with him. It seemed to be fated that he was going to take a break from the project. His friend from Arizona needed a vacation and had scheduled to fly into Philadelphia airport to drive back to Fl with Jase, with a stop to visit a friend in Virginia.
Since his mom needed the truck and Kat had never been to Florida, we decided to let Kat take my station wagon down to get Jase, when he was ready to come back. Mom was sure to keep him busy for a few weeks!
| We were notified the ladder bar finally
shipped 3/20, with 7 to
10 days to get here. That seemed about the way our luck was running
- Jase's plans for an Easter vacation were already set.
The engine looked so ready to roar....and I wondered about trying to start it on the engine stand. It was explained that wasn't a bright idea. We were so frustrated - the engine that we had worked on for 2 months was ready and we couldn't start it. It was removed from the stand, so Jase could load my old engine in the truck. The holes were plugged to keep out dirt and it rested on cinderblocks on the garage floor.....a sleeping monster waiting for a home to bring it out of its undesired hibernation. |
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