Re: Rains and Pours ;-)

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided>]

Tom Harais wrote:
 
> Tom:
> 
> Leave it to you to remind me of my youth! :-)
> Shit happens buddy.

<GRIN> No $h!t?  ;-)

> I'll give it six months, no, one year at the outside before your Scout
> becomes your "second car" and you buy something economical and practical as
> your daily driver. If not for the pragmatism, then for the lack of

I've already been thinking along those lines.. at least having a
backup... I should order new fenders and ball joints for my Chevy Luv
and fix it properly (it runs fine now, just.. fenders are mashed n'
such).. economical (25mpg) parts chaser and daily ride.. but way-low in
the style department.. and I'd just hate coughing up the extra $180
every 6 months for insurance if I don't hafta..

I've also been eyeballing more rigs.. I'd like to get my dirt-caked
hands on a Travelette still.. or, heaven forbid, a friend offered me a
flatfender with a Chevy 327 for $500.. runs great.  And, being a
flatfender, the J**p would only be good for commuter duty.. the axles
and T90 wouldn't hold up to much abuse behind a 327...  Imagine, me, in
a CJ3...

And, hanging around my Bronco & Ford lovin' friends.. has me eyeballin'
mid 80s Mustangs as another fun toy... now if I could just find the
dough for all these toys...

Really what I need to do is get back on track with the '72's frame-off..
so I could have a Scout for Daily Driver *and* Second Car.

> embarrasment on dates that the new car will provide over the Scout.

OTOH, it's a great test!  Test #1 - will she get into the Scout.  Test
#2 - will she get *back in it* for Date #2?  Test #3 was the Christmas
Tree run... will she stand fourwheelin' in deep snow and sliding off
narrow mountain trails with the rear end of the Scout dangling over a
nice long drop off?  followed by Test #4 - will she get back in?  and
then Test #5... when things actually break, is she a good sport about
it?  And she was.. so... a Scout weeds out the bad matches early on,
unlike a "respectable" or "economical" or "practical" car. :-)

Hey, I'm still smilin'.. a heater core and alternator track-down is
still cheaper than the payments my friend makes on his Outback.  And the
Outback isn't a convertible!  Thus far the 'Binder hasn't left me
completely stranded.. and that's many points in it's favor.  Even when I
blew the driveshaft apart and broke the Dana 20, I could've still driven
home... but at 25mph in 2nd gear, because with a front locker (in FWD)
you don't *dare* risk the torque steer when you go from driven in 2nd to
coast and back to driven in 3rd... and in 4th on the Interstate... God
Help You if you let off the throttle and go to compression braking...
you WILL see how solid your rollcage is.

-Tom Mandera, Helena MT
http://www.tmcom.com/~tsm1/scout
'77 Scout II - daily ride n' weekend toy - evening repair project
'72 Scout II - when will I get movin' on that frame off to make it a
reliable rig?
'77/78 Scout II - Tuff Truck racer - now you know why I want to double
it as street legal..
'76 Chevy Luv #1 - old 'ride - needs some body work and balljoints..
going strong after 100+k
'76 Chevy Luv #2 - needs an ignition switch and tires.. and a *serious*
body make-over to look presentable
'72 Honda CL-350 - carbs get overhauled before spring.. and it'll be a
reliable mode of transportation