NEW PHOTO IN GARAGE

 I've wanted to put up a picture of Mary Lou on the garage and was torn which one to use.  While I like the one by the Camp Dodge jet, I opted for one of significance - The Grand Re-Opening of the Val Air Ballroom in February 2024. It was very cool to be part of that event looking back.  The significance and history of the Val Air. Cindy spending her teen years there.  My dad going went it was open air.  My near obsession with it and finally getting to go inside.  And a 70-degree day in February to boot!

BIRTHDAY DRIVE (TO DUCK DONUT IN POLK CITY)

 No car shows this weekend, but we have to get out in MaryLou, right?  How about a scenic drive up to Polk City to the newly opened Duck Donuts?  The donuts are made in front of you and were warm even after we got home...so a good choice!

Before we hit the road, I spent time in the garage.  I wanted to put up my collage of Granddad with Sinclair stuff and needed to make room for some nice prints Dean has gotten me over the years.  Still tracking down frames for those prints but made room.  Moved some awards and license plates around.

Moved Ruth and Gene and put up our 55Royal plate

Moved some awards and got my Granddad collage up

Cleaned up the award area

The space under the clock with get the (2) 13x19 prints

UPDATE 8.24

GARAGE UPDATE - WHERE TO PUT THE AWARDS?

 I jokingly say we don't care about awards or trophies...but I have a shelf 😂  I do have a shelf but some of these need to be hung so Cindy suggested I spread things out so here is the latest...

This is the main shelf

The CarFest plaque went up and I found a home for the cool wrench with pinstriping

GARAGE SPRUCE UP

 We went out to visit Cindy's sister Diane and her husband Brad in Wyoming.  I wanted some kind of keepsake to bring back and Brad gifted me with some really cool license plates he saved.  

Another project I had in mind over the winter was to use two pictures frames we aren't using and put pictures "from the road" and also to show our car friends and family.  I will update these over time but here they are now...

WHERE DO ALL OF THE COOL CARS HIDE?

 Here's one 😉

MARY LOU CAN LOOK GOOD JUST SITTIN' IN THE GARAGE

 

FALL COLORS

 This will have to do for a fall color picture...we didn't get Mary Lou out anywhere to show off the fall foliage...

TIME TO OPEN UP THE OTHER CARBURETORS - HALFWAY FOR NOW

 Mary Lou was starting for me.  So Bill and Maggie came over to see what she needed.  Bill checked and we had spark and fuel was getting TO the carburetor but wasn't squirting where it needed to.  The fix for now (and maybe forever) was to open the other two carburetors halfway - meaning they won't kick in until I have the pedal down more than halfway.  But they should help squirt the gas where it needs to be to fire.

We also set the idle a little higher.  Bill is always good to show me what he's doing so I can learn.  I feel confident I know what he did and I could make adjustments in the future if needed.

DOIN' SOME DIAGNOSIN' AND FIXIN'

 Mary Lou has been sputtering a little when accelerating and not always starting right up.  Part of that is on me learning what it takes to get her to start...how much to prime, when to punch the accelerator, etc.

Bill Ferrell is a friend of Cindy's from her high school days.  He was best friends with Cindy's first husband Gary.  In fact Bill even bought Gary's 1962 Chevy Impala SS that Cindy talks about so much.  Cindy has reconnected with Bill through Bill's wife Maggie and they have become part of our "car community".  Bill is a master mechanic and knows engines inside and out so he was kind enough to come over and diagnose what's going on.

He is a good teacher and I appreciate learning what's under the hood and how things should work.  He ruled out what it wasn't and he's not sure we know what it is...but he did find that the connections in the distributor cap were dirty so those were cleaned and a new piece put in for better electric connections.

The sign in the background says "Mechanic On Duty" and yesterday he was 😀

BIRTHDAY GIFT FOR GARAGE

 Amy and Steve got me this cool banner for the garage.  Mary Lou approves 😀

MARY LOU ARRIVES

 Randy needed room in his shop so he brought Mary Lou over on August 5.  We stood outside and watched (and heard) it drive up.  We signed something stating we were responsible but didn't have the title quite yet.  He said "let's take it for a drive"...so away we went and I quickly got over the worry of driving it all while experiencing it for the first time. 

We parked her inside that night and the next day I made room for her.

AFTER MAKING ROOM IN THE GARAGE

I was bound and determined to get all three cars in the garage and the big question was whether the Dodge would fit in the small door and would my car fit in the middle...and it did!

Running 3 Wide!