Recent Posts by cosmicfrog:
November 7, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I particularly like the last one.
Coming home I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don't have.
The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intent.
I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way.
In my attempt to kill a fly, I drove into a telephone pole.
I had been shopping for plants all day and was on my way home. As I reached an intersection, a hedge sprang up, obscuring my vision and I did not see the other car.
I had been driving for forty years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.
I was on my way to the doctor with rear end trouble when my universal joint gave way causing me to have an accident.
My car was legally parked as it backed into the other vehicle.
As I approached the intersection a sign suddenly appeared in a place where no sign had ever appeared before, making me unable to avoid the accident.
I told the police I was not injured, but upon removing my hat, I found that I had a fractured skull.
I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck him.
I saw a slow-moving, sad-faced old gentleman as he bounced off the hood of my car.
The indirect cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth.
I was thrown from my car as it left the road, and was later found in a ditch by some stray cows.
A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.
I thought my window was down, but I found out it was up when I put my head through it.
To avoid hitting the bumper of the car in front, I struck the pedestrian.
The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
The pedestrian had no idea which way to run, so I ran over him.
An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished.
A truck backed through my windshield into my wife's face.
I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law, and headed over the embankment.
October 31, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I know darn good and well, I attached a hyperlink. Well, here's the address you can cut and paste to get there.
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/10/totaled-tesla-driver/
October 27, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I saw this link on another site I visit from time to time. I have to wonder what went through the owners mind when he saw that grill coming at him from behind.
October 27, 2009 by cosmicfrog
We have already shot 4 shows.
-lou-santiago
Lou, I realize you can't go into detail. However, can you give us a hint as to the format of the show? I figure it won't be like "Overhaulin'", and I sure hope it isn't like "Motorheads".
October 22, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Since you're going to be inside the engine, I'd suggest replacing or rebuilding the oil pump and checking all the expansion plugs. I've seen oil pumps on equipment sitting for years develop a microbial film that can turn to gooky stuff (<----fancy technical term) that can clog small passages in the engine causing premature bearing failure. Dropping the oil pan and cleaning it usually will clear any besides what's in the cogs on the oil pump.
The expansion plugs (freeze plugs) often rot from the inside out on older engines, even when they have antifreeze in them. The anti-freeze portion never goes away if you don't add water but the anti-corrosion elements fade after about 24 months. I've seen cars that were parked and kept like new have the plugs start to seep and then fail. When I drop a used engine into a car or truck, I replace the timing belt/chain, expansion plugs and oil pump. This beats having them fail while in service.
October 10, 2009 by cosmicfrog
can't be that hard to push into the garage. I pushed my lemans up my driveway by myself (stupid thing to do) which is pretty steep. best of luck getting the beast inside
-jrod
When I built my garage, I placed three large removable rings in the floor. I can hook a come-a-long to one and hand winch an inoperable car or truck into the garage without having to wait for someone to help. They are also good for pad locking a chain to the vehicle so it can't be driven away. They are angled so if I run a cable up to the roof, they won't pull out of the floor.
October 3, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I've been working on my new toy, the '71 Dodge D-100. I got to trying to get rid of the barn smell. Leaving it open for three days and pulling the carpet and seats didn't get rid of it. While the truck did come out of a barn, I didn't want it to smell like that all the time. The cowl is pretty rusted and I was going to weld it up but decided to just fill it with expanding foam and some bondo. If it was going to be a show truck, I'd do it right. It's gonna be a rat rod so who cares? The passenger side had some cotton fluff showing so I figured there was a mouse nest in there. Boy howdy was there! Using a 2 1/2 gallon shop vac, I started cleaning it out. After a bit, I needed a screwdrver to drag the fluff back. I filled the vacuum twice with mouse nest. A couple of days later, I looked in there and I wasn't anywhere near done. Using a bent coat hangar, I filled that vacuum twice more before it was clear. This is not a mouse nest. It's a condominium. The neighborhood cats are having a buffet too. They even nailed the door mouse and left it's uniform laying next to the truck. (I know, that was a weak and lame joke.)
October 1, 2009 by cosmicfrog
In Indiana the Department of Natural Resources have the same powers as a State Trooper. Plus they have powers regarding hunting and such. They usually don't bother with traffic tickets but will hammer 4 wheelers getting stoopid on the road.
October 1, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Ohhh suuurre ! We have been worried just sick about what happened to you and here you are traipsing around getting even more famous!Crazy thoughts ran through my head... I even thought you might have had a horribly disfiguring toaster accident.... Remember kids:When it comes to toasters , safety first!
-badjuju342
I found out why it's danger orange inside while working. Don't ask. Seriously, what's the name of the show Lou? The middle of January is a good time to see someone else playing with iron. Around here, everything is usually frozen solid about then.
September 27, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I wrked in a small diner called The Tennessean when I was in high school. It had the best burgers I've ever eaten. There were only two diners and when the owners retired, the new owner didn't keep the recipe. Both are closed now. It took me twenty years but I managed to recreate the spices and I now make the best burgers you'll ever eat. However, mine are substantial, not as thin as most restaurants make. I'd love to open a restaurant so I can give McDonalds a run for their money. I don't like to brag, that's hubris and goes against my upbringing, but what Lou is to metal, I am to burgers. No, I won't tell anybody what the recipe is. :-)
September 26, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Why not go by a tire store,get some wheel weights and use REAL lead?
-freighttrain
Too much trouble. I've been looking closer and it looks like there may not be enough metal to weld anything to. So far, I've filled a 5 gallon bucket with one mouse nest I've vacuumed out. I got to looking in there yesterday and there's still more in there. Since this isn't a structural support and it's going the rat rod route, I think I'll just fill it with expanding foam and then bondo over it.
I've settled on Rust-O-Leum industrial paint for a color. Hunter green is close to what it is now, and that may be what's on there anyway, so I'll paint it with a roller. About $45 for a paint job, both coats.
September 26, 2009 by cosmicfrog
If I have an urge for a fast food burger , I go to Hardee's, they are miles above just about any fast food place out there except for maybe a Fat Mo's burger. Those are not nationwide , only local. If you ever get down Nashville , TN way then you must get a Fat Mo's burger!
-badjuju342
Ummmm.......I hate to tell you but they are national. We've got them up here and I've seen them all over the place travelling. They bought out the Sandee's chain years ago to go national.
September 22, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I will tells you guys this, I'm in Cali right now shooting the new show.
-lou-santiago
You're typing while taping? Seriously, any idea on air dates? Any good looking gals prancing about on the show? I mean, you're a very talented fabricator and I've learned a lot by watching you, but snug jeans on a pretty gal is always a hit.
September 21, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I just watched the Muscle Car show for this week, and one thing they didn't mention was the 70's Monza, Sunbird, and other GM H-Bodies that came with V6 and V8 engines. They weren't as fast as the 60s cars, but they were still faster than what was available then. And, with a few minor mods, they were pretty darn quick and handled a lot better than any of the cars from the 60s.
-e-merlin
The Monza was more of an early 80's car. It was a rebodied Vega which was turning into a decent car after Chevy worked the bugs out. like the Corvair, by the time they fixed the problems it had a bad reputation and nobody wanted to buy it anymore. I dropped a 400 into a 4 banger Sunbird once. We had a wrecked Monza with a 262 V-8 and used a lot of the parts to make it fit. The transmission was the hardest part. Getting it to live behind the 400 was almost as hard as the rest of the installation combined.
September 21, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Well, those late 50s early 60 "muscle cars" were big engine in big cars. Muscle cars were big engine in a little car. Look at the weight difference between, say, a 409 Impala and a 64 GTO. I still think they have some knowledge gap on Muscle Car the show, but I mostly watch for picking up tricks I haven't seen before.
I'd like to see 'em hunt up a Studebaker Hawk. I used to know where there were a few Studebakers that need restoring, but I haven't been out there for a long time. The guy even had a Lowey-era President. Now, that would be cool with an R engine, and a true Muscle Car.
-e-merlin
Well, the Olds 77 was a light car. The 98 was a bigger car with a bigger engine. The Rocket 88 was a 77 body with the 98 engine. Big motor in a mid sized car. That's a muscle car any way you look at it and in 1949 too. The '51 Saratoga from Chrysler was similar in concept. It was the same body but stripped down from the New Yorker and would really haul with the 331 Hemi under the hood. A cousin had one with the fluid clutch replaced with a regular clutch and he was a terror on the streets. Chevy was a late comer with V-8 power and if you listen to the Chevy guys, they led the way. I drove a '54 Dodge Coronet with the 241 Hemi and Powerflite transmission for about 10 years and it surprised more than one Mustang and Camaro.
September 20, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Yayyy! I still watch the Muscle Car show, but those guys have as much personalilty as a paint can.
-seanm
This weekend the MuscleCar guys were talking about the muscle cars that were made. Sheez, talk about revisionist history. They cited Wikipedia (?) that said muscle cars were built from the late 60's. GM always brags about the GTO being the first even though it was no where near being first. SD Pontiacs, Max Wedge Mopars, and such were around in the early 60's and the mid fifties were no slouch either. The 1956 Chrysler 300B had one horsepower per inch available and you can go even farther back than that. Not counting the high money stuff of the 30's, Joe Average could buy a mid sized car with a big car engine in 1949 with the Oldsmobile Rocket 88. They took the Olds 77 and dropped the Olds 98 engine in it. I wish they would research things better than that.
September 20, 2009 by cosmicfrog
As far as tasting gasoline, I got that joy last week when I drained the gas tank so So I could take it out.
-e-merlin
Two words, "Turkey baster". This is the time of year they are usually on sale at the grocery store. Just stick one in one end of the hose and squeeze it . You'll make a little vacuum and that is usually enough to start the flow of gasoline. They're also good for slurping out old nasty brake fluid before you flush it and get fresh fluid through the system.
September 20, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I'm getting an idea of how I want to go with my 1971 Dodge D-100 rat rod project. I'm looking for parts. Some are repair and some are things I want to change. If you know where a parts truck like mine is in the S.W. Indiana/Southern Illinois/W. Kentucky area, let me know. Parts I'm looking for are;
Windshield. 1961-71 pickups fit.
8 foot step side bed. Dodge used this bed from 1948 to 1985. The fenders were changed in '53 otherwise they are the same box.
Wiper arms. These seem to be made of unobtainium. 1967-71 will fit.
Wiper linkage bushings
Rear step bumper. I think 1967 to 2002 will fit. I measured the outside of the frame rails on both my '71 and my '84 and they are both about 38 1/4 inches.
A nice original steering wheel would be nice but I may swap in another type of wheel if I find one that looks cool.
September 20, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I don't remember for sure but doesn't your Chevette have a torque tube under it? I'm pretty sure it does as the first one I saw the bottom off reminded me of an early 50's or older Chevy pickup.
September 20, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Ummmm......wouldn't it be easier and more tasty to either open the drain plug or pull the lower hose off? Then again, old gasoline with lead did taste different than unleaded does. I'd rather not say how I know that.
September 18, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I'm thinking of something similar. The problem is where the rust out is. There are a lot of blind corners and such that are challenging at best to fill. Sometime when I get home before dark, I'll take some photos of what I have to work with.
September 17, 2009 by cosmicfrog
[url] a place where you can meet a girl who enjoys holding hands and long walks on the beach.... after she serves her time for a murder rap...
-badjuju342
I dated a gal back when I was driving a truck that was the most gorgeous woman I could ever dream of. She could have appeared in mens magazines with no air brushing. When I mentioned that, she said her probation officer wouldn't let her pose. That's when I found out that she had doen 2 of 5 years for assault with a deadly weapon after she caught her then husband in bed with her (rather ugly) cousin. Because it was Cajun Country and they felt it was a crime of passion, the attempted murder charge was dropped. She made no bones about wanting to finish the job. When she asked if I could get her a pistol, I got myself transfered to North Dakota, in January.
September 16, 2009 by cosmicfrog
My first thought is to drill a small hole so I can insert a bronze rod and then weld it from the outside and then file it down. I figure this truck will let me learn ne techniques.
September 16, 2009 by cosmicfrog
I've got a bunch of rust outs on my '71 Dodge truck. I don't have an arc welder worth a darn and don't know how to use one anyway as I've never had access to one. I did learn at an early age to gas weld with both bronze and steel rods.I plan mostly to weld the holes up this way. To smooth it though, I'll need some sort of filler. I've never really liked bondo type fillers as they just don't look right. At least when I use them.
I remember seeing lead free lead filler several times but don't remember where I saw it. Anybody know? I went to the Eastwood site but it's not really user friendly. If I knew more about body work it wouldn't probably be a problem. However, what I know about body work can pretty much be written in a matchbook with a grease pencil. Since the truck is going to be a rat rod, it won't have to look nice. However, I would like to keep dry when it rains.
September 16, 2009 by cosmicfrog
Hmmmm.......have you considered heading to a regular womens prison with a hand full of pardons?