Made This In High School back in 1977

[Moparfiend]

I still regret not taking Home Economics, it was all girls!
Mike

I took it in HS and it was a blast girls food at 15.

 

[BAFRAID]

Speaking of ''Front Forks'', did anyone here cut forks off of one bike and jam the cut off ones on to the other forks of another bike, for that extended look?

Not sure how it was made but I think I had a bike one time that the frame was flipped over the seat post was welded to the bottom where the Kranks go through and the bikes sat like 6 feet in the air.

 

[41dodge]

I was a voracious reader, my father subscribed to Popular Mechanics and Popular Science and in the summer of 56, there was an article about a father and son project on how to build a go-kart. I asked my father if we could build one. He said it sounded like a good idea and told me to start gathering the parts. He had just started his own electrical contracting business and was very busy so I went about building it myself. A few days after my August first birthday when I had turned 9, I took the go-kart out for it's maiden run and was at full speed half-way around the block, just as my father was coming home in his truck. His mouth fell open and his cigar fell into his lap. He almost hit a parked car trying to get his lit cigar out from between his legs. By the time he got parked, I was flying past the house and he waved me in, wanting to know where I got it. When I told him I built it, he couldn't believe it. The next year, he bought a 49 Ford F-1 truck from Pacific Telephone for the utility body as the truck didn't run. I asked if I could try to get it running. He laughed and told me that I could only if I did my work around his shop first. I'd ride my bike to his shop after school and put away material that had come in, fill orders going out to contract jobs, clean the toilets and when the trucks came in, I'd gas them, check the oil, water, tire pressure, clean out the back and make sure the materials were ready for the next day. Then I'd vacuum the offices and sweep the shop area before I could work on my truck. Weekends were mine to work on my truck. It took me a year but I managed to get it running, much to my father's amazement. The only help I had was one of the electricians brothers took the valves in to his shop and ground them then brought his old valve grinder in and he showed me how to grind the seats. It had no bed on it and I was so short I had to tape blocks on the pedals in order to drive it out in the orchards behind the shop. The left brake cylinder needed to be rebuilt and would lock up if you hit the brakes hard but I loved it and would stomp on it and then the gas and do donuts like crazy. About two months later I came in and noticed my truck was gone. I went into my father's office and asked, "Dad, where's my truck?" He looked at me and said, "My name was on the pink slip." I looked at him and said, "Did you sell it?" He said, "Well a guy came in today and asked if it was for sale and I told him that everything I had except for the wife was for sale if the price was right. He took it for a drive and offered me $600 and I took it." I turned to head out of his office, not wanting him to see me cry. He didn't allow me to cry. He caught up to me just as I was about to start putting away some material that had come in and pulled me to him. He stuck 6 $100 bills in my pocket and said, "Let's go put this in your savings account for when you're to buy your first car. OK?" By 13 I was welding and that's another story.

 

[BAFRAID]

I was a voracious reader, my father subscribed to Popular Mechanics and Popular Science and in the summer of 56, there was an article about a father and son project on how to build a go-kart. I asked my father if we could build one. He said it sounded like a good idea and told me to start gathering the parts. He had just started his own electrical contracting business and was very busy so I went about building it myself. A few days after my August first birthday when I had turned 9, I took the go-kart out for it's maiden run and was at full speed half-way around the block, just as my father was coming home in his truck. His mouth fell open and his cigar fell into his lap. He almost hit a parked car trying to get his lit cigar out from between his legs. By the time he got parked, I was flying past the house and he waved me in, wanting to know where I got it. When I told him I built it, he couldn't believe it. The next year, he bought a 49 Ford F-1 truck from Pacific Telephone for the utility body as the truck didn't run. I asked if I could try to get it running. He laughed and told me that I could only if I did my work around his shop first. I'd ride my bike to his shop after school and put away material that had come in, fill orders going out to contract jobs, clean the toilets and when the trucks came in, I'd gas them, check the oil, water, tire pressure, clean out the back and make sure the materials were ready for the next day. Then I'd vacuum the offices and sweep the shop area before I could work on my truck. Weekends were mine to work on my truck. It took me a year but I managed to get it running, much to my father's amazement. The only help I had was one of the electricians brothers took the valves in to his shop and ground them then brought his old valve grinder in and he showed me how to grind the seats. It had no bed on it and I was so short I had to tape blocks on the pedals in order to drive it out in the orchards behind the shop. The left brake cylinder needed to be rebuilt and would lock up if you hit the brakes hard but I loved it and would stomp on it and then the gas and do donuts like crazy. About two months later I came in and noticed my truck was gone. I went into my father's office and asked, "Dad, where's my truck?" He looked at me and said, "My name was on the pink slip." I looked at him and said, "Did you sell it?" He said, "Well a guy came in today and asked if it was for sale and I told him that everything I had except for the wife was for sale if the price was right. He took it for a drive and offered me $600 and I took it." I turned to head out of his office, not wanting him to see me cry. He didn't allow me to cry. He caught up to me just as I was about to start putting away some material that had come in and pulled me to him. He stuck 6 $100 bills in my pocket and said, "Let's go put this in your savings account for when you're to buy your first car. OK?" By 13 I was welding and that's another story.

Man, that is an amazing story.

 

[Moparfiend]

I was a voracious reader, my father subscribed to Popular Mechanics and Popular Science and in the summer of 56, there was an article about a father and son project on how to build a go-kart. I asked my father if we could build one. He said it sounded like a good idea and told me to start gathering the parts. He had just started his own electrical contracting business and was very busy so I went about building it myself. A few days after my August first birthday when I had turned 9, I took the go-kart out for it's maiden run and was at full speed half-way around the block, just as my father was coming home in his truck. His mouth fell open and his cigar fell into his lap. He almost hit a parked car trying to get his lit cigar out from between his legs. By the time he got parked, I was flying past the house and he waved me in, wanting to know where I got it. When I told him I built it, he couldn't believe it. The next year, he bought a 49 Ford F-1 truck from Pacific Telephone for the utility body as the truck didn't run. I asked if I could try to get it running. He laughed and told me that I could only if I did my work around his shop first. I'd ride my bike to his shop after school and put away material that had come in, fill orders going out to contract jobs, clean the toilets and when the trucks came in, I'd gas them, check the oil, water, tire pressure, clean out the back and make sure the materials were ready for the next day. Then I'd vacuum the offices and sweep the shop area before I could work on my truck. Weekends were mine to work on my truck. It took me a year but I managed to get it running, much to my father's amazement. The only help I had was one of the electricians brothers took the valves in to his shop and ground them then brought his old valve grinder in and he showed me how to grind the seats. It had no bed on it and I was so short I had to tape blocks on the pedals in order to drive it out in the orchards behind the shop. The left brake cylinder needed to be rebuilt and would lock up if you hit the brakes hard but I loved it and would stomp on it and then the gas and do donuts like crazy. About two months later I came in and noticed my truck was gone. I went into my father's office and asked, "Dad, where's my truck?" He looked at me and said, "My name was on the pink slip." I looked at him and said, "Did you sell it?" He said, "Well a guy came in today and asked if it was for sale and I told him that everything I had except for the wife was for sale if the price was right. He took it for a drive and offered me $600 and I took it." I turned to head out of his office, not wanting him to see me cry. He didn't allow me to cry. He caught up to me just as I was about to start putting away some material that had come in and pulled me to him. He stuck 6 $100 bills in my pocket and said, "Let's go put this in your savings account for when you're to buy your first car. OK?" By 13 I was welding and that's another story.

You know 41dodge I got a lot of respect for your dad and for you as well. I wonder if those days are gone here in the states? Even rural farms are corporate owned. Small working shops taken over by large dealerships. We all should strive to keep this type of legacy alive!

 

[64BEL]

Speaking of ''Front Forks'', did anyone here cut forks off of one bike and jam the cut off ones on to the other forks of another bike, for that extended look?

I didn't but I knew guys who did!

 

[41dodge]

One of the sad realities is that our government has made it too easy for men to abandon their families and the kids grow up fatherless.

Another gritch I have is they spend too much of their time playing video games. I've tried to get my youngest grandson interested in cars and even gave him a 2002 Silverado that needed some work. It had 150 K on it but the exterior and interior were great. It was a club cab that I had repossesed. I purchased a 60,000 mile 6.0 LS motor, transmission, transfer case and front differential for it from a wrecked truck, new half-shafts, u-joints, hoses and belts and offered to help him get it up and running like new. It did run, just rather noisely. He sold it for $1000 with all the parts in the bed, somewhat less than I paid for the replacement parts. He bought a big screen TV and new video console. He would rather play his Playstation or Nintendo or whatever it is.

 

[493 Mike]

One of the sad realities is that our government has made it too easy for men to abandon their families and the kids grow up fatherless.

Another gritch I have is they spend too much of their time playing video games. I've tried to get my youngest grandson interested in cars and even gave him a 2002 Silverado that needed some work. It had 150 K on it but the exterior and interior were great. It was a club cab that I had repossesed. I purchased a 60,000 mile 6.0 LS motor, transmission, transfer case and front differential for it from a wrecked truck, new half-shafts, u-joints, hoses and belts and offered to help him get it up and running like new. It did run, just rather noisely. He sold it for $1000 with all the parts in the bed, somewhat less than I paid for the replacement parts. He bought a big screen TV and new video console. He would rather play his Playstation or Nintendo or whatever it is.

That's sad but, seems to be prevalent today.
Mike

 

[barbee6043]

I can not ever understand how so many guys in this car hobby always say, it is a HOBBY, they lose money every time to sell a car they "worked" on.
I never over pay for a project, I do al the work I possibly can, I may not make a dime for my labor, but it will not go down the road to a new owner and I lose $.
Too many hobbest have the attitude that they can't, they were never raised to DO or even know they can DO!

 

[Moparfiend]

I can not ever understand how so many guys in this car hobby always say, it is a HOBBY, they lose money every time to sell a car they "worked" on.
I never over pay for a project, I do al the work I possibly can, I may not make a dime for my labor, but it will not go down the road to a new owner and I lose $.
Too many hobbest have the attitude that they can't, they were never raised to DO or even know they can DO!

I learned everything myself about cars. Never had a mentor in this hobby. Was a machinist out of HS because of a great shop there. Put myself through school started as an assembler on production line building test electronic equipment, moved to test tech graduated with an electrical engineering degree while working on and off then got a masters degree while working full time while raising two kids and rebuilt my house. Thats just how I am not necessarily how I was raised. I could have easily gone down a different direction but fortunately I am a self motivated person.

 

[BAFRAID]

One of the sad realities is that our government has made it too easy for men to abandon their families and the kids grow up fatherless.

Another gritch I have is they spend too much of their time playing video games. I've tried to get my youngest grandson interested in cars and even gave him a 2002 Silverado that needed some work. It had 150 K on it but the exterior and interior were great. It was a club cab that I had repossesed. I purchased a 60,000 mile 6.0 LS motor, transmission, transfer case and front differential for it from a wrecked truck, new half-shafts, u-joints, hoses and belts and offered to help him get it up and running like new. It did run, just rather noisely. He sold it for $1000 with all the parts in the bed, somewhat less than I paid for the replacement parts. He bought a big screen TV and new video console. He would rather play his Playstation or Nintendo or whatever it is.

100% agree!!!! It’s difficult to work on anything in your front yard these days due to state/government rules, HOA, complaining neighbors. My stepson couldn’t figure out how to make himself a sandwich the other day, he plays video games but couldn’t figure out how to plug it in or hook it to the tv. In his defense, he does play little league Majors baseball and is a great pitcher. He just can’t figure out the basics.

 

[ACME A12]

Speaking of ''Front Forks'', did anyone here cut forks off of one bike and jam the cut off ones on to the other forks of another bike, for that extended look?

Absolutely. And the first time that you wheelied with that setup was the last time until until you drilled them and bolted them together or got your dad to weld them for you...

 

[YY1]

Living inside an HOA is your own problem, not theirs.

You can/could have fixed that.

...and I'm gonna call BS on the not having a father means you won't be mechanically inclined.

Living proof.

 

[dual fours]

Absolutely. And the first time that you wheelied with that setup was the last time until until you drilled them and bolted them together or got your dad to weld them for you...

I knew someone would pick up on that.
Yes, that was a ''quick killer'', but I did not want to mention that and get shot down for being ''stupid''.

 

[dual fours]

Absolutely. And the first time that you wheelied with that setup was the last time until until you drilled them and bolted them together or got your dad to weld them for you...

Extended front forks a banana seat (room for the girl next door), ape hangers and a sissy bar, but I can't see why it was called it a ''sissy bar'', yea baby.

Then that kid down the street moved in with a 10 speed English Racer with those ram horn handle bars.

 

[41dodge]

I'm sorry if I offended some people, especially YY1, about the fatherless statement, it's what I see in way too many cases. Either that or the father's don't care or know what or how to teach their kids. I'm self-taught on most things.

When I wanted to learn to weld, I grabbed a stinger and started making sparks. My father was good at designing boat trailers but couldn't weld. When I was 13, one Wednesday night he was out in the garage putting the pieces together for his friend Clel's new boat. My dad was making an Ezy-loader style boat long before Ezy-loader was in business. We'd go to the junkyards and get the rollers out of wringer washing machines and use them. He was upset that he didn't have enough clamps and said he wished he could tack the brackets up. I said, "I can tack them for you." I had been goofing around welding scrap pieces of metal together once in a while. He gave me a funny look and said, "Do it then." I stuck the rod a few times but eventually got the brackets tacked in place. Another friend of his, Jim was coming over on Saturday morning to weld it up. My father told me that instead of coming into work at his shop the next afternoon, I was to clean up all the tacks so Jim had clean metal to weld up. I'm glad I did because the slag was the only thing holding up a few brackets so I had to re-tack them. Saturday morning, Jim walked in and saw it all tacked up and said, "Damn, you have it all tacked up for me, this is going to be easy." My father said to him, "It wasn't me, it was the kid," pointing to me. Jim looked at me and said, "Get your leathers and hood on, you're going to finish it." I laughed then he yelled. "You think I'm kidding young man. I said GET YOUR LEATHERS AND HOOD ON NOW!.

I did then my gloves. He told me to kneel down at the back of the trailer and put a rod in the stinger. He put his hand over mine with his glove and hood on as we placed the rod over the edge of the bracket. He showed me how to start the arc like a match and wash the bead up and across the path. Once I had done the ones on top, he showed me how to do verticals. I spent all day Saturday doing that and cleaning up welds while the two men drank beer. The next morning, we crawled under the trailer and he showed me how to do overheads which were challenging at first but once I got the hang of it, it wasn't that bad. By Sunday evening, I had completely welded that trailer up. That was the start of my welding career and I never looked back. I began welding up a lot of things for my father's company, truck racks, transformer racks, hitches, and things like that.

I eventually taught myself how to tig weld and became certified enough to pass the weld tests at commercial and nuclear sites on mild and stainless steels in stick, tig, and mig. I've built chassis for 4x4s, T buckets, streetrods, and installed body panels. I was able to work when others were sitting home and out of unemployment. I've done carpentry, plumbing, tile, roofing, stained glass, silversmithing, repaired bailers, harrowbeds and repaired a 250-ton bridge crane 120 feet in the air without any safety equipment. I designed and built the home we're living in now, 29 years ago. I just finished remodeling the master bathroom, building my wife a 3' x 6' 3" handicapped tile shower that's recessed into the floor. Then she had me tile the guest bathroom. Next, she wants all the carpet removed and hardwood flooring installed plus the kitchen remodeled. I'll be 72 soon. I guess that puts the work on my Roadrunner further back, unfortunately.

 

[Moparfiend]

I'm sorry if I offended some people, especially YY1, about the fatherless statement, it's what I see in way too many cases. Either that or the father's don't care or know what or how to teach their kids. I'm self-taught on most things.

When I wanted to learn to weld, I grabbed a stinger and started making sparks. My father was good at designing boat trailers but couldn't weld. When I was 13, one Wednesday night he was out in the garage putting the pieces together for his friend Clel's new boat. My dad was making an Ezy-loader style boat long before Ezy-loader was in business. We'd go to the junkyards and get the rollers out of wringer washing machines and use them. He was upset that he didn't have enough clamps and said he wished he could tack the brackets up. I said, "I can tack them for you." I had been goofing around welding scrap pieces of metal together once in a while. He gave me a funny look and said, "Do it then." I stuck the rod a few times but eventually got the brackets tacked in place. Another friend of his, Jim was coming over on Saturday morning to weld it up. My father told me that instead of coming into work at his shop the next afternoon, I was to clean up all the tacks so Jim had clean metal to weld up. I'm glad I did because the slag was the only thing holding up a few brackets so I had to re-tack them. Saturday morning, Jim walked in and saw it all tacked up and said, "Damn, you have it all tacked up for me, this is going to be easy." My father said to him, "It wasn't me, it was the kid," pointing to me. Jim looked at me and said, "Get your leathers and hood on, you're going to finish it." I laughed then he yelled. "You think I'm kidding young man. I said GET YOUR LEATHERS AND HOOD ON NOW!.

I did then my gloves. He told me to kneel down at the back of the trailer and put a rod in the stinger. He put his hand over mine with his glove and hood on as we placed the rod over the edge of the bracket. He showed me how to start the arc like a match and wash the bead up and across the path. Once I had done the ones on top, he showed me how to do verticals. I spent all day Saturday doing that and cleaning up welds while the two men drank beer. The next morning, we crawled under the trailer and he showed me how to do overheads which were challenging at first but once I got the hang of it, it wasn't that bad. By Sunday evening, I had completely welded that trailer up. That was the start of my welding career and I never looked back. I began welding up a lot of things for my father's company, truck racks, transformer racks, hitches, and things like that.

I eventually taught myself how to tig weld and became certified enough to pass the weld tests at commercial and nuclear sites on mild and stainless steels in stick, tig, and mig. I've built chassis for 4x4s, T buckets, streetrods, and installed body panels. I was able to work when others were sitting home and out of unemployment. I've done carpentry, plumbing, tile, roofing, stained glass, silversmithing, repaired bailers, harrowbeds and repaired a 250-ton bridge crane 120 feet in the air without any safety equipment. I designed and built the home we're living in now, 29 years ago. I just finished remodeling the master bathroom, building my wife a 3' x 6' 3" handicapped tile shower that's recessed into the floor. Then she had me tile the guest bathroom. Next, she wants all the carpet removed and hardwood flooring installed plus the kitchen remodeled. I'll be 72 soon. I guess that puts the work on my Roadrunner further back, unfortunately.

What a life and your still at it going strong! Good for you gives us younger kids something to aspire and look forward to! What year is your RR?

 

[41dodge]

It's a 69 Hardtop that I'm installing a U.S. Car Tools body stiffening kit, mini tubs, spring relocating the rears for a Reilly MotorSports triangulated rear suspension. I'm using QA01 tubular K member and control arms, I've built a .030 over 440 with TRW pistons, Comp Hydraulic roller cam, main studs, crank girdle, ported 78 cc aluminum heads, aluminum timing cover, and water pump, Fast fuel injection, and distributor. Stan's 1 7/8" headers ceramic coated inside and out, Magnaflow 2 1/2" stainless exhaust system engine to tailpipe, MSD spark control and coil. The speed shop figures I should be in the 525 to 540 horsepower range on pump premium and still be streetable. I've got a double 1" core aluminum radiator, disc brakes all around, serpentine belt system, hydro-boost brake system, stainless steel brake and gas lines, stainless steel gas tank w/ fuel pump in tank, power windows, gray glass all around, gray-shaded windshield, 2014 Challenger front bucket seats, sound system with 2 - 1000 watt amps. I'm also removing the mirrors from on top of the doors and installing a set of cable remote mirrors from a 72 Cuda on the side of the door. The passenger operating lever ends next to the steering wheel. I think it will stand out from the rest, just my call. It came from the factory in copper with a black vinyl top, AC, PB, and AM/FM. It was built and spent it's life in Los Angeles with almost no rust though the left inner fenderwell had some serious corrosion from the battery that I didn't find until after I had welded in the shock tower support so I had to cut it out and weld in a replacement from AMD. The previous owner had hidden it with a lot of heavy primer. I am going with a brilliant copper color (they call it Sunburst orange), a black accent stripe across the bottom (maybe, the wife doesn't like that idea), and a pearl white vinyl top, and the interior will be black and burnt orange. Something like the picture I've enclosed only with more pop and a white top. Not sure if I'm going with the six-pack hood or not. Wife says no, I think it's cool. Let me know what you guys think. My avatar is from the day I got it home. The motor that was in it is strong. It pegged the speedometer just as it shifted into third. If I hadn't already had the 440, I may have kept the 383.

 

[YY1]

Since we're on the subject...

Until the mid 2000's the record high year for unwed pregnancies?




1957!

 

[493 Mike]

Since we're on the subject...

Until the mid 2000's the record high year for unwed pregnancies?




1957!

Were you in any way responsible for that?
Mike