I used to really get into RC planes when I was a kid. Things have come a loooooong way since the single cylinder Cox glow plug engines! These days they're using real honest-to-goodness radial and rotary engines.



Here's a 1/4 scale P47 Thunderbolt with a 400cc 5cyl radial engine. They look and even darn near sound just like the real thing! They are really amazing and cool to watch. At the 3:00 mark he does a slow fly-by and then does one of the best landings I've ever seen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPsHhWALh-w

Does anybody still make the tubular shift rods for the toploader? And if they are available, do they pose any interference problems? I haven't been able to find any anywhere, except for custom made jobs. I'll make them if I have to, but I'm wondering why Ford made them so oddly bent if they didn't need to be. My engine and tranny is out so I can't check and see what any issues there may be.

I love them both so I was pretty surprised to come across these videos of big railroad steam engines going at it. I suppose the old addage, "if it's got wheels somebody's gonna race it" applies here. A new one on me, but pretty impressive how these monster machines take off. Torque is off the scale for steam power, and it shows.

Of course in true old fashioned steam drag racing, they use a flagman instead of a tree
http://youtu.be/luB3qFQoW1E

Don't know if any of you guys have seen this video or not so thought I'd share it. It's an old 1929 video of a Fordson tractor with a special snow drive system. This thing can go through (or over) some pretty serious snow! Pretty good at hauling some heavy weight also. Just all around cool....

http://youtu.be/zBjlSJf4274

Some of you may remember the Jeff Gordon Pepsi MAX "test drive" prank that they pulled on a car salesman. If not, here's the original prank....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7jmhxuIh3Y

Many people said the prank was a hoax, but Pepsi and Jeff Gordon insisted it was real. To prove it to one of their most skeptic reviewers, they set out to show him that it was indeed a real prank. I think they pulled it off pretty effectively! You can't fake his reactions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CVzHip_QFQ

Decided to change my front and rear suspension on my 427 SO equipped R-code Mach 1 while I had the engine out waiting for a different one....but still another 427 SO. I wanted to get away from the stiff aftermarket coils (620s I think) I had originally put on the car when I restored it. They rode fine with the iron head/block weight of the 427, but there was NO front end rise when you got on it. It would just instantly roll the tires. Of course the BF Goodrocks didn't help

My starting point....



My old coils went right in with a tap from a rubber mallet. I could see that wasn't going to be the case with these. They were quite a bit taller.



My old homemade spring compressor used a plate that went over the shock tower and a threaded rod that dropped through the spring. It worked really well, but the threads had started to strip after a several times use, so I decided to get one of the newer types and save having to make another one. I think I'll make another one like my old one....I did NOT like using the new one. It was a royal pain getting the darn think compressed on the floor enough to get it in the tower!!

Gave me a chance to clean the underside of the chassis and wheel wells while I had everything apart.



Well I'm glad THAT'S over with!! Besides being nervous using the compressor and holding about a ton of compressed force in my hands, when I started to jack the upper A-arm up to hold the spring in place I didn't realize I was taking so much weight off the jack stands (with no engine weight).....and suddenly the car moved and shifted towards me!! I thought for sure it was going to drop off the jacks and right down onto the floor!!!   I immediately pushed against it and it stopped. When I looked underneath, the frame rail was sitting on about 1/2" of the outer lip of the stand!! Holy Cow!! I got really lucky there

I immediately got the jack under it and repositioned the stands and checked the rears. Won't make THAT mistake again! But got it all back together and everything cleaned up real nice.



Getting the CalTrac rear suspension on was a piece of cake compared to the front springs   Again, it gave me a chance to clean everything really well, and again I was surprised at how nicely everything cleaned up. It looked like I had just done the car. The AMK chassis bolt system I had used really was holding up well. All the bolts still had a nice phosphate coating. Along with the DP40 epoxy primer I used on everything, which they quite selling after the government decided it was too "deadly", the chassis still looked like a million dollars....which is just a couple dollars shy of what I have in the car

I really like the quality and fit of the CalTracs. And they have GREAT customer service. After talking with Travis there, he was extremely helpful and a pleasure to talk to. Great people.



So after I had the front and rear suspension done, I couldn't stand it....I had to throw on my rims to check them out. I was nervous about finding a set of rims that I thought looked "old school", but still looked right on a '69. Most people think, and I agree, that Magnums are about the best looking and ONLY correct looking wheels on a '69. But I was just getting tired of having the same look as everybody elses car. I wanted something different....something period looking....something cool. I think they nailed it!! At least I'm happy with them, and that's all that counts

I didn't have the center caps on yet....



I'm really glad I had the rear narrowed 1" on each side because the rims had 1" less backspacing than my Magnums. It put the tires out where they would have originally been. But now I wish I had had it narrowed 2", then it would have that "tucked in" look that I like. But then I would have trouble putting the Magnums back on with 275-65/15s, so I can live with it. It still gives me enough clearance that I don't think rubbing will be an issue.



Still plenty of room too at the front inner section of wheelwell where they always get close. The Magnums were actually a little tight here with the 1" more offset. The M/T ET Street tires I chose are actually about identical in size, so I figured everything would work good. I love it when a plan comes together   And that is NOT rust on the bottom. Just dirt that easily washed off and looked good as new again when dried



So then I tackled the truck. All new rubber hoses, belts, vacuum lines etc. New front tires after replacing the old split rims with one piece....that I had to track down and drive 60 miles to get   Those suckers are getting hard to find in my area! New front shocks, rebuilt the carburetor, rebuilt the distributor, oil change, all filters replaced, new plugs etc. etc. etc. She should be ready make the haul. Of course it never hurts to take along some spares, like alternator, distributor, fuel pump etc. And the cool part is they all work on either of my vehicles. I was laughing with my Dad telling him I could replace just about anything on the side of the road and be back on my way. He said like the days of the old Model T
She ain't pretty, but it's darn near bullet proof.



Now I'm just sitting, nitpicking details....waiting on a call from the engine guy....after 4 months

Selling off a few things to help fund the changes I'm making to my Mach 1. Shipping charges will be on top of the posted prices. I'll answer any questions, but the first "I'll take it" to post here will get a hold put on it until I receive payment. I prefer USPS Money Orders or bank checks but will accept a personal check....however, if you're a "newbie" here or somebody I don't recognize, I will wait 1 week for the check to clear. I hope you understand.

First, a brand new, still sealed in the plastic Blue Thunder 2x4 Medium Riser intake. It has never been removed from the plastic, and I wasn't going to cut it open to take pictures. Known for their extremely high casting and machining quality, Blue Thunder is the best. This one is perfect, no surface corrosion or anything. Still like new and often hard to find due to limited low production runs. In fact I don't believe anybody has been able to sell them for some time due to this. $600 plus shipping. (Sold to Barry R, pending payment)





Also for sale, a factory C3 aluminum intake I believe is for a '63 375hp/390. This one has been painted by the previous owner, so it would require a bead blasting or shot blasting to make bare aluminum again. NO stripped threads or issues to be seen. Very little corrosion around water ports. Much better than most I've seen. Heat shield is in place and underside is very clean. The intake was cleaned before it's prior use. Has carb studs and a chrome vent tube and cap which I'll leave on. Has some light impressions around intake bolt holes from washers, but that is the way they came from the factory from my experience. The front water bypass tube is useable, but in my opinion should be replaced with a brass unit for security and peace of mind. No other issues at all that I can see. $250 plus shipping.

And putting a HUGE damper on my FE Reunion plans

Two months to get a lot of work done on my car, install an all new front and rear suspension, reinstall the engine, rebuild the toploader.....update the '70 F-350 with some brake work, tune-up, replace shocks, new tires and front rims (two piece) and get it ready for a long haul.....replace wiring, bed boards and tires and add tie-downs on the trailer....all before mid April.

Endless snowfalls, temps averaging in the teens to negatives and no end in sight.....this is getting to be a bummer. At this rate I won't make it in time. Because all my time and resources have gone into rebuilding the house since I bought it 7 years ago, my new garage doesn't have insulation or heat yet, so I can't get anything done in these temps. It's really starting to bum me out.

My F-350.....buried under an avalanche of snow.