'46 Chevy Shorty

[Tango]

Well Howdy Jack --- Ya, Inga had to finally go home. Something about milking the reindeer so maybe now I'll get a few things done. And we seem to be on a similar "two-year" track. Mine will be four into two come April.

Actually, been swamped of late with actual work (shuddddderrr). But at least it does buy parts. Will be taking the second stab at injecting the engine & tranny into the chassis in the next week or so. Takes a minimum of three people to even attempt it. This time I will try to get a few pix. Sadly, haven't been able to do much of anything but some random small stuff. Fitting a couple of panels here and there...getting the last few fabbed at a sheet metal shop. Like you, I'm mostly just hoping I live long enough to finally drive this thing...some day...maybe...please...

Been so long I can't recall if I've posted this pic or not. It is one of the new driver side body panels. This one had to be fitted with an access door to get to the black/gray drain. Just got a SS piano hinge and will finish the door some day...maybe...please...

[ol trunt]

'Morning Tango. We haven't heard from you for a while. How is the '46 coming along etc? Jack

[Tango]

Howdy Jack and thanx for askin' --- Nothing accomplished in three months now. Busy trying to make a few bucks for parts and still waiting on a crew to maneuver the engine & trans. Weather here has been a mess for a couple of months anyway. Hawaiian shirts one day and long woolies and fur the next. Way too much "near record cold" for my liking this year.

Maybe something positive to report in a month or so.

[mokibrabrant]

Well this project began it April of 11 and we are in at the end of January 14. You do have tenacity and perseverance and a lot of talent and simply not enough time it seems. Almost meticulous to a fault

Reminds me a bit of Abner Doble, he could would never settle, and would constantly be improving while investors languished, and showrooms waited for him to fill the thousands of orders he had: He was he kind of guy that would make a brake drum from 300lb billet of Stainless..........

Anyway followed your build thus far..........appreciate your "art" and hope to see this build completed in my lifetime

How old are you now? Anyway Tango good on ya. Just thought I'd drop in and let you know there's others than the regular crew out there watching. And I wish you all the best fortune in getting this 46 the way you like it. And in all honesty look forward to the finished product.

I think this affliction we each share to a greater or lesser degree: Taking beautiful milestones of the past, of the culture, of our society, and finding function and purpose for them and securing their legacy as examples of the Art and Industry they represent is an admirable thing. Not appreciated enough. And through the frustrations, and perfected cussing, the mantra of the enthusiast, there is forged something beautiful and appreciated. You take as long as you like. But not too long. Ultimately the reward isn't what others think......it's what you think, how you feel. Best to you.......and keep rolling..........Moki

[Tango]

Thanks for the encouragement Moki --- Time is the issue and we can't ever buy more of it. Seems like yesterday I was 20...tomorrow I turn 69. The bus is just a year younger than I am so we do make a pair. Hoping to spend some time with her soon but still backed up working on staying alive and all the crap that comes along with staying above water.

My hope is to have it roadworthy before I'm too damned old to make a few cross-country trips.

Ooops...that reminds me...gotta go get a few Lotto tickets.

[ol trunt]

Happy birthday Tango! I phoned the Swedish Bikini team and they said they are on the way to help you celebrate your BD. I called them back to remind them to take their cameras along but they had already left so I guess we'll just have to take your word on the details of the Party

I know what you mean when you say you hope to have your bus done and a few Xcountry trips completed before you're too old to drive--I'm chasing the same dream. Jack

[Tango]

Thank you Jack. The girls were (once again) fantastic and said to say hello to ya. And while I haven't gotten a blessed thing done on the bus in 3 months, I have continued to acquire a few parts here and there. A pair of inner fenders arrived today that are in much better shape than what came on her. I just hope she appreciates all the little things I do for her by cooperating when we get started on her heart transplant. I have a feeling she just might like that turbo-diesel rumble much more than what the six or the 350 droned out.

Which for some reason reminds me that I have still to settle on a name for her. I do plan on painting "Hotel Tango Scenic Tours" down her side...but that's no proper name for a lady so I may just fall back on the moniker I used for my trusty old '66 Dodge Town Wagon. Bought her in '69 with 99K on the odo, drove it for another 17+ years and took it up to about 385K without ever doing anything but regular plug, point,oil and belt type maintenance. No smoke, no drips and still my all-time favorite vehicle (LOVED that little Slant Six!). I simply referred to her as "Old Girl" in the many conversations we had while traveling America from coast to coast in my racing days. Maybe...just maybe...this rig could be "Old Girl II". Just in conversation, of course. No real need to go public and get all mushy about it. Right?

[ol trunt]

Hey Tango, "Old Girl II" sounds like a respectable name for a grand old bus like your '46 and the lineage is quite a compliment.

Like you I had a slant 6 in a Valient (or two) but they were for circle racing --you know, steering welded up to only go in a circle. Little darling would turn 10K rpms all night and be ready for the next weekend to boot. I never saw one blow up which is lucky as all this was before anyone required scatter shields or drive shaft cages. When I look back I'm always surprised I've lived this long

[opus]

I'd love to have a Valiant with a slant 6 now! Actually, had one in '78...wish I still did.

[Tango]

Personally...I am convinced the Slant-Six was the best engine Chrysler ever built. Can't even begin to count how many folks I've met who ran them for many, many hundreds of K's of miles with never an issue. And as I recall, just about all of them echoed Opus and said...

"had one in 19XX...wish I still did."

The only reason I sold my Town Panel was that Dodge ran out of brake parts in the first couple of years after production and there was absolutely nothing available for rebuilds. The only option was a full GM transplant on all four wheels which would have cost about four times what I had paid for her to begin with ($600.00) and didn't have at the time. I've never been one to carry around a lot of regrets, but...

[opus]

Just like the 300 was the best engine Ford ever built. Rumor says they ditched them because they lasted too long and it hurt sales. LOL!

[Tango]

And please note that both engines were also good on mpg and NEITHER one had as much as a single microprocessor on board let alone 26 separate computers...i.e. ...easy to work on. A little bailing wire, some duct tape, coupla spare plugs and some emery paper for the points would keep ya goin through just about anything. Hey youngster...there actually were a few "good things" back in the "good old days". Right Jack?

[ol trunt]

Amen to that says he with 26 separate computers. Jack

[Malkieri]

Originally Posted by Tango

And please note that both engines were also good on mpg and NEITHER one had as much as a single microprocessor on board let alone 26 separate computers...i.e. ...easy to work on. A little bailing wire, some duct tape, coupla spare plugs and some emery paper for the points would keep ya goin through just about anything. Hey youngster...there actually were a few "good things" back in the "good old days". Right Jack?

Well you boys got a few years on me, I'll be 40 in a couple weeks. I too long for the good old "dumb" cars, we built quite a few muscle-cars while in high-school. I miss the simplicity of the small block chevys.

[somewhereinusa]

I seem to remember one in the dim past that got 2 mpg in town. But it was a lot of fun.

[Tango]

'Course when gas was $.29 a gallon, mpg's were not as big a deal as big motors. I actually paid a single-digit price for gas once as a kid. There was an intersection with a station on each corner and they would get crazy price wars going between brands. This was about 1958 and the low-ball winner wound up at $.09 cents a gallon. Yes...everyone in the neighborhood filled every thing they had.

[Redbear]

Originally Posted by opus

I'd love to have a Valiant with a slant 6 now! Actually, had one in '78...wish I still did.

I learned to drive in a '66 Valiant wagon with "three on the tree." I also learned to double-clutch back into first because of the tiny 170 cid. I never had more than 17 kids in the car during high school . . . . the last one sat on the tailgate and the kids in the luggage area held his belt . . . .

1966 was the last year before dual braking systems. My mother gave the wagon to me after the brakes failed on her due to a blown wheel hose. That was the second time. The first time I was driving, and made a hard right onto the grass at a stop sign. The second time, I was away at college, and she rolled down the driveway and across the street into the neighbor's split rail fence. I took the wagon to the junkyard after the third brake failure. Just another decision I regret today . . . .

[sdwarf36]

Speaking of Valiant wagons--my folks had a 65-slant 6 with get this-a 4 on the floor! Yup-bench seat with a Hurst shifter.

[Tango]

"...a 65-slant 6 with get this-a 4 on the floor!" --- Hurst?...way too groovy!

[ol trunt]

Most of those factory four-on-the floor's would make it across the intersection before the light changed but if they had a 4 bbl carb set up and split exhaust they'd come back for seconds.