A Picture is Worth Two Thousand Words

Times are tough. Everything is getting more and more expensive and my paycheck seems to be getting smaller and smaller. All of my dollars now have permanent stretch marks and I can't even afford to pay attention anymore! The Amberlight Garage is currently devoid of any vehicles right now but I hope to remedy that situation soon. It really sucks when you start getting car show applications in the mail for the upcoming summer season and you don't even have a cool car! I mainly go to these shows to photograph cars, so obviously I can still do that, just without the premium parking.

 It's also nice to take a trip down memory lane once in awhile and there is no better way to do this then by perusing classic car pictures. Do you know that old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words?" Well, I discovered a site where the pictures are worth 2 thousand words! It has alot of the stuff I like; old cars, patina, cool outdoor locations, and expertly taken photos. Check it out here. If you like Andrea Kelley's photographs as much as I do you should also point your mouse to Nebraska Sky, the home of Nebraska landscapes and vintage car art. Remember, if you like what you see be sure and spread the word, or in this case, two thousand words!

It's All In The Details

Details, details, details - they can drive you nuts. If you want your classic to stand out in a crowd, pay attention to the details. From suspension to engine, there is always something that could use some extra attention. One major detail on any ride is the engine and the compartment that it resides in. I can remember as a teenager one of the very first things I would do to any car that I had was detail the engine compartment. I went through cases of Plasticoat paint. Semi-gloss black was my color of choice. I know what you're thinking, that it was just "spray bombed", but let me tell you that there was a lot of prep work involved. I've seen some crude spray jobs also, but mine could have been considered works of art.

Technically, it's not about just painting either. A good detail on the engine should include new plug wires, holders, distributor cap, vacuum hoses, water hoses, clamps, etc. Also, removing these components allows for a better detail on the engine itself. Don't let the lack of chrome valve covers stop you either. With careful masking and sanding you can two-tone an engine and achieve excellent results. A lot of my tricks were learned from my good friend Jim. He was the master of detailing an engine. Jim even made up special tips for the spray cans that could get into hard to reach areas without making a mess and when he popped the hood on his Camaro it would always attract a crowd. Like my friend Jim, I am also a stickler for details. I guess that makes me sort of a nitpicker, or maybe even a fussbudget, but definitely not obsessive - compulsive. Just don't ask my wife...

For your perusing pleasure, here are some pictures of a detail job I did on my '62 Mercury. Enjoy!

This is what the engine compartment looked like before the detail

Painting the engine block gloss black

Prepping the valve covers for paint

Painting the valve covers and being careful about the overspray

All done and detailed

Was the detail job worth it? You bet! Afterwards I was able to lift my hood at the car shows and feel proud of what I had accomplished. The gloss black on the block went well with the flat black engine compartment and semi-gloss pulleys and brackets. The gold valve covers, gold flames and red plug wires really made the whole thing pop.




So there you have it, all the details! Sorry, I couldn't resist. Just be prepared to use a lot of elbow grease, newspaper, and tape. Also remember that overspray can ruin your day, so when it doubt, mask it!

FranktoidTM No. 5 - America: Made in China?

The other day I was having lunch at an American restaurant, located in an American city, with a very distinct American theme. While I was mowing down my American cheeseburger, I overheard some lawyer looking types talking in the booth next to me. They were worried about the current global debt crisis and the impact it could potentially have on the American economy. When one of them said the largest single holder of U.S. government debt was China, with 26 percent of all foreign-held U.S. Treasury securities, I was shocked. I know 26 percent might not seem like a huge percentage to everyone, but let me put this in perspective.

Some of the most recent studies put the total of imported Chinese goods that are sold in America at less then 3 percent! I know, it's hard to believe. (I think 2.7 percent was the exact figure)  Now I don't know about you, but it seems like everywhere I look all I see is "made in China". Take the MiC (Made in China) challenge yourself. The next time you go to the store check the items in your cart. I'll bet at least 99% of it is MiC. Getting back to the perspective part, if all the acres of MiC stuff that I see are only pegged at 2.7%, that 26% mentioned earlier now looks ginormous.

Not that there is anything wrong with Chinese goods. After all, this is America, land of the free, home of the brave and the First Amendment. Nothing says America like baseball, Chevrolet, and apple pie, right? Judge for yourself. I snapped the following pictures at the American themed restaurant I was at. It also purportedly had some of the best apple pie around. I just hope it wasn't made in China...

Nothing says "American" like a flag made from baseballs...

Unless the baseballs are made in China!

FranktoidTM No. 4 - From Hybrid Cars To Solar Powered Homes, What's Next?

By now, everyone has either seen or read about hybrid vehicles. Weather it's gasoline/electric or pure battery powered, folks seem ready to accept these vehicles as the next generation of personal transportation. While they haven't perfected the solar powered car yet, the solar powered home is a reality and available to almost everyone. With battery technology advancing in leaps and bounds, it makes you wonder what's next on the horizon. Well, would you believe a battery powered building? That's right, a commercial building that has been converted to run off of batteries.

What I believe is the first building on the West Coast (and maybe in the United States) to be battery powered, Winston Chung Hall is located on the University of California, Riverside Campus. Named after the billionaire entrepreneur and businessman Winston Chung, this research facility now houses some of the most advanced batteries in the world. Inside sources confirm that only the first floor of the building will initially be battery powered, with the other floors to be added at a later date pending further battery installations as determined for power usage.

For all the tech hungry people out there, here are some specs on the power source. First off, these ain't your grandfather's golf cart batteries. They were developed and manufactured by Winston Global Energy, which also makes electric taxis (currently for use in Europe) and a state-of-the-art electric R.V. chassis. The buildings battery pack boasts 330 batteries producing a total of 1.1 megawatt hours. Each unit is 1000 amp hour, yttrium-iron sulfate construction. Projected power demand reduction is 185 kw at a savings of $22,000 per year. Now I know what you're thinking, these things must be massive, right? To quote Frank the Pug from the movie Men In Black: "You humans. When are you gonna learn that size doesn't matter? Just 'cause somethings important, doesn't mean it's not very, very small." I think Winston took the pug's advice, as you will see in these exclusive photos.

Your looking at 40 feet of batteries in a standard hallway.

Here is a close-up of the battery packs. They look like giant Lego blocks...

These are the massive transfer switches that will handle the switching from the grid to battery power and vise-versa.

This is one of the European all electric taxis. It's even right hand drive! That's an all electric big rig in the background.

Here are both taxis that were on display. These were not small and looked very roomy.

Barnquest - One Guys Search For The Elusive Barnifus Findicus

I am going on a vision quest, an adventure, a walkabout, a mission from God, all in an attempt to find the Barnifus Findicus; otherwise known as the "Barn Find". More elusive then a Chupacabra, an authentic Barnifus Findicus is a rare find as they are generally hidden from view their entire life. Many folks are fooled by imitations falsely disguised to look like it, and the latest trend of locating barn finds, crudely resurrecting, and then driving them in all their patinaed glory isn't helping much either. Armed with fresh cash from a recent vehicle sale, I set out to find this elusive beast.

Technically, there are not many barns in Southern California, so locating an actual "barn find" here would be akin to finding the Holy Grail. I am hoping to find a car that has been languishing in a garage for a couple of decades or more, but I would probably settle for a vehicle that has been somebodies yard art and is ensconced with weeds. At first I will concentrate on a sub-species of Barnifus Findicus known as Bigius Ponticus (full size Pontiac), but I will also keep my eye out for a Largus Oldsmobilus. If I'm really lucky I might even spot a Giganticus Moparus!

Short of canvassing the entire countryside block by block to locate my prize, I had to utilize a more systematic approach to my search. My plan was simple, I would just ASK - as in Ask Someone you Know! Ok, technically thats "asyk", but that word doesn't exist. Actually, looking at it spelled out, "asyk" almost works... maybe. Anyways, no sooner then I had put the word out that I was looking for bottomless money pit, err, I mean project car, the leads started flowing in. Of particular interest was a 60's something Plymouth that I got a lead on from work. The story went that the owner had bought his house 15 plus years ago and the Mopar was in the garage. Apparently it came with the sale of the house and supposedly had been in there since the late 70's. I got the contact information and started calling... and calling.... and calling, all to no avail. It's not that the owner didn't want to sell, it's that he didn't care weather he sold it or not. Timing was everything here and I had to catch him at just the right moment. Well, I kept calling but other leads were coming in and I was getting impatient. That money was burning a hole in my pocket! My interest was really piqued after a brief conversation with the owner. Although he didn't know the exact year of the car, he told me it was a 2 door with a 440 and a stick shift. When I asked him how he knew it was a 440, he said it was on the hood. That's all I needed to hear! Holy big block Batman! After numerous attempts to get the owner to call me back and even one unannounced visit to his house, I finally gave up. I even "googled" his address and used their mapping program to "see" the house and yard, hoping for a view of an open garage... Hey you never know, it might be possible, but I think I will have better odds with the lottery.

This quest has truly been an eye opener for me. The market is really changing and due to the current economic status of our country, there are some incredible deals to be found. "Strike while the iron is hot" as some might say, but that is easier said then done if you do not have the monetary means to do so. Now, here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure from my Barnquest...

Found: 1966 Pontiac Starchief Executive. This was found sitting on jack stands behind and old airport hanger. I don't think it had been washed since the Carter administration. It was missing the engine but other then that was 100 percent complete, including a nearly mint interior.

Found: 1967 Oldsmobile 442. This was actually a barn find once removed. The seller reportedly found this in a barn and bought it from the original owner. It was 100 percent original but it was also almost 100 percent junk. The car was sporting more rust then the Titanic and the interior looked like it was home to various rodents over the years. To say this car needed a complete restoration is a total understatement. Hey, I know, let's get it to run and drive it cross country! You could use old street signs to patch the huge holes in the floorboards. That might keep the rodents out...

Found: 1961 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88. This car was a 4 door hardtop that was also bought from it's original owner and was being offered for sale. In my opinion this was the bargain of the bunch, even though it was leaking more oil then the Exxon Valdez. This baby was rock stock, right down to it's original A/C compressor. Although primered, the body was super straight and rust free. The car oozed cool all the way around. Have you seen the dash on one of these?

Check out this dash! Talk about retro, this thing reeks of sixties styling. The cat eye gauges are bitchen. Even the steering wheel is cool looking. The vinyl trash bag needs to go along with the lone fuzzy dice, or would that be die?

I'll leave you with the tail shot of the Dynamic 88. Olds was heavy into the "rocket" theme during this era. The backend almost looks like a spaceship or something and the tail lights look like afterburners.

Passing the Torch

They say all good things must come to an end, and that's what happened to the Mercury. No, it didn't get wrecked or stolen, I sold it. I had some really neat plans for it, but life happened. Reality sucks. A car like this does not come my way that often, so it was a little hard to see it go. I am really kind of bummed out. On the other hand, I did get a really good price for it, given the current state of the economy. The reality is that people are still losing their jobs or getting layed off, businesses are closing, and everything just keeps getting more and more expensive. With all thats going on I should consider myself lucky.

Well, there was something positive about selling the Mercury. After paying off some crushing debt I did end up with a small amount of extra cash. Gee, what am I going to do with that? I smell a project car on the horizon...

 Before the Merc sailed off into the sunset I did manage to get some really nice photos of it. Behold the Mercury Monterey in all of it's glory:

Fat Tuesday

Not that it is that hard to tell, but I only write as a hobby, and it is a part-time hobby at that. It does make it a little easier when you write about something that you like. If I had the time I would probably also blog about model trains, sunken ships, home repairs, and other testosterone heavy subjects. I think most writers and bloggers like to be recognized at one point and everyone likes positive feedback. You write, and write, and write and wonder who is reading your work. Did they like it? Hate it? Did you make someones day? Make them laugh? You can go years without hearing anything positive or negative. Receiving feedback of any type is good, positive comments are great, but having your work acknowledged in another blog is like icing on the cake.

Recently I received an email from a wonderful artist named Beth Niquette. Along with her kind words of praise she informed me that I was included in a feature on her web page called "FATuesday Artist Spotlight" which she created, in her own words, "to showcase inspiring Artists and to provide a forum for all Artists to share their work with one another..."  You can check out her page here.

Remember, Social Media is the modern day word-of-mouth and probably 100 times more powerful. If you like what you read, share it with your friends! As for me, I only have one critic to answer to...