News: 13

My hobby is "tinkering with cars" It is what I do for fun. It is what my Dad and I have done together for years and I have tried to get my kids involved as well. I had pretty much finished with what I wanted to do on my most recent project and I was looking for something new. My Dad is in a nursing home now, but he kind of lives vicariously on what I am doing working on my "toys" so I had to get a new project so we would have something to talk about and to get him out of the nursing home occasionally to have some fun in the garage. I have always liked Fords.

I picked a 40 Series (my second) because of their legendary offroad reputation and because of the memories associated with them from my youth. My first offroad experience was in a 40 and I learned to drive a stick in one. I bought it as a runner project but the 50 year old engine had other plans. I blew a head gasket just a few weeks after the purchase. I decided to tear it all the down and do my first restomod.

I bought this 2000 Durango that was rolled for 500 bucks on plans just for parts engine, trans, axles, ect.but after a few beer got this crazy idea to straight axle it, then one thing lead to another and with in a year I had a 2000 Durango that's ive dove tailed the front 8'', made a custom hood with a recessed light bar, half doors and cut the top off and added a full roll cage ,and custom built bumpers. it sits on a dana 44 in the front and Chrysler 9.25 in the rear both from a 2001 dodge ram.

This project isn't a car or truck but a motorcyle out of the 70s. I chose to build a 73 honda bobber because of a friend that has a 70s honda chopper he has owned since 1979. In the early 90s I asked if he would be willing to part with it and it was a solid no. If I recall his exact words they were not on your life. Fast forward to 2013. My friend sent me a text with a link to a 70 amen hardtail frame, that's when first project began. For the next 10 months I sanded, welded, and began collecting parts. I ran the wiring through the frame and welded a hidden seat hinge to the frame.

I picked this project because when I lived in puerto rico they were just everywhere every one had one and I loved to see them being used off road and seeing them at the beach and I just wanted one so bad and Finally a few years later I managed to find one. This project is very important to me because me and my father have always talked about building a project together and it has been a learning experience not only with the project but with him it has brought us a lot closer to each other it's very special to us.

I’m 55 years young and I own a 1966 Ford F100 that I bought in high school. I purchased the truck in 1979 from a dealership I worked for in the body shop. I spied the truck sitting on the back lot with all the traded vehicles and knew I had to have it. There it was, a Rangoon Red 1966 F100 Short bed, with white bumpers and grill. At the time. I was really looking to find a Ford truck that fit my desire to own a Ford truck. My dad always owned and drove Ford trucks and I wanted to do the same.

I am working on a 1979 Cushman Truckster Police Vehicle (Meter Maid). I was looking for a project that I could do with some help from my Dad and use the skills I am getting from power and transportation class in school. This class shows students how to rebuild, and diagnose small engines. I was looking for a riding lawn mower and almost bought one to convert to a race mower, but stumbled across the Cushman Truckster for sale. It wasn’t running very well and the brakes didn’t work. A deal was struck and I had a project I could work on.

The project I wanted to share with you is actually twofold. It started when I met my fiance Natalie and a promise to her that we'd drive off, on our wedding day, in my 1955 Cadillac. I already had the Cadillac when I met her, but hadn't done anything to it yet. When I bought it, it was completely disassembled and in boxes. I started rebuilding it a little over year ago in 2017 when we got engaged. The second project in our story is when we found a 1955 Cadillac hot wheel towing a vintage Shasta camper.

I picked this project because I wanted to build a car from the frame up and my 5 year old granddaughter liked it. She had fun helping with the build and learning to use a ratchet and wrenches. I plan to cruise around the parks around here and attend a few car shows. I started with drawings from California Custom Roadsters, some 2"x3" rectangular tubing, 1/4" and 3/8" plate and catalogs from Summit, Jegs and Speedway. I fabricated the frame, brackets, motor mounts, brake lines, radius rods, tie rod, and drag link. The LS1 and 4L60E are out of a 1998 Z28.

About this Project

This is a 1964 Jaguar MKII Manual with Over Drive and I have owned it since 29/4/1988 (4/29/1988) sorry I’m English old habits die hard J, the way I found it is a whole other story.

I have been working on it for years but the usual, lack of time but had the money, lack of money but had the time has delayed it so many times.