The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: The Automotive Enthusiast's Guide to Under the Hood

With all apologies to Clint Eastwood, I thought it might be nice to start off the new year by considering how the automotive enthusiast admires not only the appearance of the engine that powers the cars that we drive daily but also the cars that we restore. To the average car buyer, the car has … Read more

Close to the Finish Line – Restoration of 1961 Chrysler 300G

I am responding to the overwhelming amount of communication coming in asking me to give an update on the progress of the restoration of my 1961 Chrysler 300G. I must confess that I am very easily overwhelmed. Let’s do a quick review. The 300G was one of the best and also the last of the … Read more

IT'S ABOUT TIME – Gaining New Perspectives on Time, Distance and Life

It is time to get out the old slide rule and do some calculations concerning time, distance and life in general. (No, a “slide rule” is not about baseball). For those of you less ancient than me, let me enlighten you about slide rules. Before electronic calculators became bubble pack items, engineering calculations were done … Read more

WHAT TO DO WITH MARGARET??

We all tend to think that classic cars are just lovely objects made of steel, plastic and rubber with oil and grease flowing through them. However, much to my surprise, I have discovered that they have emotions that we fail to recognize and to appreciate. This was brought home forcefully to me when I went … Read more

UNCLE NUNZIO – You Will Be Missed

UNCLE NUNZIO It is with sadness that I report the demise of Uncle Nunzio. Some of you may have heard me mention him and his unique brand of justice. In this new age of “strong arm” ambulance chasing lawyers, the type of justice dispensed by Nunzio is clearly a thing of the past. If you … Read more

Calling All Car Restorers: Have You Suffered From or Experienced One of These 7 Syndromes?

To Get There Fast – Go Slow It sounds like an oxymoron, but there is some truth in that saying. Let me explain and see if you agree with my sentiment, or just feel that it is an excuse for slacking off. I have the serious affliction of needing to restore old cars to keep … Read more

UPLEVELING SOCIAL SKILLS – MOSH PIT, DANCE MOVES AND MODERN POP CULTURE

In my last newsletter, I explained how I am expanding my level of communication skills and bringing them into the current century, which I am also applying to my writing skills. For example, I thought about writing: "It was a dark and stormy night with hard rain falling and lightning flashing. I had a foreboding … Read more