MAGAZINE

EDITORIAL

But I go on. In spite of all the foolishness, I can still visualize that unique look over the rubbed-through hood (you've heard this before) , the sound of a motor that I thought I had right, the absolutely good-enough, sensible ride of a buggy spring and axle suspension, even the smell of some old grease and oil heating up on dozens of metal surfaces from front to back. Ya see, I have touched every lovin' piece on this wreck - not rebuilt it or restored but touched, repaired, replaced, cleaned, or rewired about all of it. I'm just trying to save it. It's for me and for the few who think a fresh-out-the-barn pickup has charm.

It's not for the cat at the stop light who said, "It'll be nice when ya get a paint job on it."

"It'll never happen," I smiled.

Then I went to fix something else and it did it again. At one time this piece was a $50 a day habit. But I don't care. It is the journey..........I'm tryin' to do it like a HopUp Guy....enjoying the drudgery and not really looking at any particular end...."Anticipation is greater than realization"... "The fun's in the run." Every disappointment conquered is a victory. It's for me...although I guess I like right-thinkin' guys to approve of it...but it's for me. Solo. The garage usually has some music going on in the background. I hum a little, then talk to myself outloud,

"Real nice, Morty...you uncoordinated geek! How would Dad have held onto that nut with the other hand twisted all the way up here? Oh, yeah...he'd-a put some grease on it so it would hang for a few seconds by itself."

It goes on for hours at a time - days sometimes - and, you know what? While this is going on, my job never crosses my mind. (Hop Up Guys have jobs, you know).

$50 a day wouldn't buy much therapy.

But it just keeps whuppin' my ass. Did I tell you it was a flathead? It'd been in storage for 35 years and I'm gonna save the thing. Yeah, I'm gonna save it, alright. I'm gonna save it in a container for another 35 years!

Here comes another "I'm gonna".

I'm gonna build that 283 for it. Yup. That gives me an excuse to do some business with Wilcap and maybe meet Tony Capanna in the process.

I'll do everything right. By the book.

'Cuz no 283's gonna whup MY ass! Nosiree.

SUSPENSION 101

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