Monday, July 30, 2007

Great White Update and other interesting items...


One of my first postings in the Suede and Chrome blog involved a HUGE 1985 Dodge 15 passenger van my family has affectionately dubbed "GREAT WHITE". The van was given to me by a high school friend of mine.



When I got the van, it had no passenger seats. My father and I made a 1-day trip to Nashville Tenn. to pick up a set of seats for the van I bought on eBay for $50.00. I've had the van tuned up and we have used it as a truck to haul various things...(mainly items to and from garage sales, etc.)



Originally, when I got the van, the previous owner (Northern Kentucky University) had spray painted black paint over round Kentucky State Seal decals on the doors. I used a blow dryer to heat the decals and remove them, put a lot of the black paint remained on the doors. My father was able to remove the black paint this summer, however the decals removed some of the paint on the doors.




I've been looking on eBay all summer for a set of decals that would cover an 8 inch circle on both doors. Last week, I found a set of 12 inch mooneyes decals that would do just the trick. Today, I put the decals on the doors. They look pretty good...I'm thinking about taking the hubcaps off of the van, painting the rims a bright yellow to match the decals and having my chromeplating buddy plate the lugnuts. Maybe I'll look for some more vintage racing decals to put on the windows or rear doors of the van...I could easily make this thing look like a dragstrip push vehicle! Maybe some young kid will see it sitting in my yard and make me an offer!




Other news...

During the multiple bike rides I took today, I stopped at a couple of my neighbors houses to see how their projects are coming along. My friend that is always trading cars has had a 1939 Chevrolet pickup and a 1971 Chevrolet pickup since my last posting. The '39 was in and out of his possession during the week I was on vacation, so I didn't even get to see it. I looked at the '71 today...longbed, light blue in color. It's a driver.




This evening, I rode my bike past another neighbor's house who has been working on a 1953 Chevrolet 4-door sedan. I've been curious as too his progress and was excited to see him driving around his barnyard! He has the entire chassis off of the car. He has restored the frame and drivetrain. He has a late model bench seat and the gas tank temporarily mounted with two x fours on the frame so he can drive it around the yard. I stopped to talk with him and he told me a little history on the car, and why it is taking so long to restore (he has had it for about 6 or 7 years).




The car is a 1953, but it was built in 1954 in Africa! GM sold the tooling to Canada, then Canada sold the tooling to Africa. He has some of the original paper work from Monacco. A lot of the paperwork is in French. Because the car was assembled in Africa, it has some "odd ball" parts that did not appear on American built 1953's. The car has a 235 straight 6 with a powerglide transmission.




The story is that he bought the car at a local auction. The guy who owned the car before him had supposedly bought it from a sailor. The original owner had served in the Navy oversees in Africa. My neighbor has the paperwork showing that the car had been shipped by the Navy from Africa to New York. From there the original owner brought the car to Indiana.



My neighbor has tried to learn the history of the car by using carfax.com. However, since the car has an African serial number, the website doesn't recognize it. He also told me that he took the paint number off of the car to a local auto paint store. The guy told him the paint number matched a paint code for a Plymouth, not a Chevrolet. Obviously the African built car is quite unique.

Skulls, flames and gloss black....

Well, I finally broke down. After spending a week in Charleston, South Carolina, watching people enjoying the beach on their beach cruisers, I decided to head to the bike shop when I got home. I have been looking at kustom beach cruisers on eBay for the past couple of years and knew that I probably couldn't afford the price of a new bike. Instead, I thought I'd check into a new set of handlebars...something to "set me upright" for a more comfortable ride.

Today, I stopped by a little mom and pop bike shop just a few miles from my home. I've driven by this place for the past 20 years or more. I always assumed a small shop in rural Indiana would have a very limited selection and not carry any "speciality" bikes.

Well, imagine my surprise when I looked through their selection of bikes to see several different cruiser bikes! And tucked in the corner of the showroom was the exact bike I've been eyeing on eBay. Every bike in the store had a price tag on it except this one. So, I asked the lady at the front desk about it, she had to call her husband from the back. He came out and told me it was the last one he had and was on sale. I braced myself for "sticker shock"...I knew from looking at these bikes on eBay that they sell in the neighborhood of $350 to $599. The price he quoted me was over 60% less than any bike like it that I had seen on eBay! I couldn't believe it!
According to the owner of the shop and the research I've done, this company puts out new models every year with limited production. He had this bike marked down because it was the only one remaining in stock and he was waiting on the 2008 models to come out.

The bike is VERY comfortable to ride! It reminds me of my Schwinn Stingray I had as a kid. One speed, foot brakes, and a wide back tire help it glide down the road. Ape hanger handlebars sit the rider in a very comfortable "upright" position.

Cosmetically, gloss black paint, flames, and chrome skulls give the bike a very cool look. I've been out on the bike 4 times today since I brought it home (probably logged 10+ miles). Hopefully, this purchase will bring back the enjoyment of riding bikes from my childhood and I'll get a bit more exercise.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

There he goes again...


O.k..., it's getting pretty humorous. My friend that lives a couple of miles down the road cracks me up! Almost everytime I drive by his house, he has something different in his driveway. The guy earns the label "King Trader".




This week he has a 67 Camaro SS, a 68 Chevelle, and a 55 Chevrolet. The AMC Rambler pictured was in the drive when I took the pictures, but the next day it was gone. It was already involved in a trade when I took the pictures.








My friend told me yesterday that either the Camaro or the Chevelle might be involved in a trade for a 1939 Chevrolet Pickup. Apparently, the guy who is interested in trading has the truck torn down and has been in the process of a frame off restoration. He planned to restore the truck back to an original looking state, but has lost interest.

I will be watching to see if and when the trade happens.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

What happened to the town I used to know?

blogger's note: HEY! This post doesn't really have to do with old cars....but I was in my car when it happened, and I was in a nostalgic state of mind. Union City was once home to one of the many vehicle manufacturers in Indiana. Union City also was at one time home the the Union City Body Company, manufactures of school bus chassis, Step Vans, UPS trucks, etc.


It's unfortunate that many things we find endearing from our childhood have to change. I was thinking about the cool cruise-ins and go kart races they used to have on the streets of my hometown. I also remember going by the old Coca-Cola bottling plant and watching the green bottles travel around the machinery through the large plate glass windows. Now the building sits empty.


I had the chance to spend some time driving around my hometown a few weeks ago. I was amazed at the number of vacant buildings, empty store fronts, and run down homes. This is not the hometown I remember from my childhood.




Union City is a unique small town. It is located directly on the Ohio-Indiana State border. A street named "Stateline" runs through town. As I drove around, I was reminded of the following songs from my youth, I thought it would be interesting to take a few pictures and/or video someday and put the following songs in the background. I think it would give others a feel of what was going through my head the day I drove around my "hometown".






My City Was Gone - The Pretenders


I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY CITY WAS GONE
THERE WAS NO TRAIN STATION
THERE WAS NO DOWNTOWN
SOUTH HOWARD HAD DISAPPEARED
ALL MY FAVORITE PLACES
MY CITY HAD BEEN PULLED DOWN
REDUCED TO PARKING SPACES
A, O, WAY TO GO OHIO

WELL I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY FAMILY WAS GONE
I STOOD ON THE BACK PORCH
THERE WAS NOBODY HOME
I WAS STUNNED AND AMAZED
MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES
SLOWLY SWIRLED PASTLIKE THE WIND THROUGH THE TREES
A, O, OH WAY TO GO OHIO

I WENT BACK TO OHIO
BUT MY PRETTY COUNTRYSIDE
HAD BEEN PAVED DOWN THE MIDDLE
BY A GOVERNMENT THAT HAD NO PRIDE
THE FARMS OF OHIO
HAD BEEN REPLACED BY SHOPPING MALLS
AND MUZAK FILLED THE AIR
FROM SENECA TO CUYAHOGA FALLS
SAID, A, O, OH WAY TO GO OHIO

Union City Blue - Blondie


Oh, oh, what are we gonna do?
Union, Union, Union City blue
Tunnel to the other side
It becomes daylight
I say he's mine
Oh power, passion plays a double hand
Union, Union Union City man

Arrive, climb up four flights
To the orange side
Rearrange my mind
In turquoise Union, Union, Union City blue
Skyline, passion, Union City blue
Power, passion plays a double hand
Union, Union, Union City man

I say he's mine
I have a plan
I say he's my Union City man
Oh, oh, what are we gonna do?
Union, Union, Union City blue



You can check out the following websites to learn more about my hometown.


http://www.unioncityindiana.gov/in/
http://www.unioncityvillage.homestead.com/
http://www.unioncitycommunities.homestead.com/uclinks.html


My Hometown - Bruce Springsteen


I was eight years old and running with a dime in my hand
Into the bus stop to pick up a paper for my old man
I'd sit on his lap in that big old Buick and steer as we drove through town
He'd tousle my hair and say son take a good look around this is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown

Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more
They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back to your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown

Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
talking about getting out
Packing up our bags
maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel and said son take a good look around
This is your hometown

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Bare Nekeid...


I have always admired this Jimmy Shine creation since the first time I saw it a few years ago in Street Rodder magazine.

To me, this truck is a rolling symbol of what true "hotrodding" is all about.


This truck is "bare bones" right down to the fact that it is minus paint. The picture below really "puts it all together" for me. I enjoy old gas pumps, and signs. I would also love to find an old multi-floored brick building to rezone. Cars and collectibles on the ground floor and living space above.
Jimmy named this truck Bare Nekeid because it has no primer or paint, just clear coat over bare metal.

Now this (picture above) is a driveway scene I could become comfortable with. Problem is...by the time I'll be able to afford this, I will be too old to enjoy them!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

too cool...





O.k....if I could, I'd place the high bid on this one! The simply black paint, wide white walls and nostalgic look all work to make me "covet" this fine vehicle.

HEY! Just saw an add for a new TLC show called "Hard Shine". It looks like an American Hotrodder/American Chopper/Overhaulin' type of a show.



The show stars hotrod building legend "Jimmy Shines". Sounds like he will be taking 3 or 4 young apprentices with a "troubled" past and trying to teach them the "ropes" of hot rod building.



For more information, check out:



http://www.jimmyshine.com/



http://tlc.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=2.14625.55580.31834.x



Another cool ride: