Hey Michael:
Thanks for the heads up. Yes, I'm still
looking for three pieces for my '58: passenger door chrome (front, four door)
rear window trim chrome (lower right/passenger side) and a spark wire
cover. Frankly, I've been spending more time reading and enjoying IML
threads than I have working on the car. My Imperial is about a mile away
in a garage at a rental house that my family owns. It might as well be 100
miles away for all that I get to work on it. I'm currently working 1 and
3/4 jobs and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. I have no
time. For now, therefore, I'm just relieved that the car is out of the
weather and resting comfortably. Whenever I look at it I imagine how glad
it is that I've saved it from the Salvation Army. I'm crazy about that
car.
I still haven't tried to start it, but instead have
the 1-7 cylinders soaking in Marvel Mystery Fluid. I figure after sitting
for 27 years, it can't hurt. I have to pull the fan motor to get at No. 8,
but it's been in the 90s here during the day lately and muggier than a sauna, so
I've been doing other, air conditioned things. I've also surrendered to
the task of marshalling money together to send it out for the engine, brake and
transmission work just so I can get it on the road. That's a personal
defeat, but at least then I'll be able to keep it at home and do trim work on it
on a more casual basis. I really wanted to crack the motor myself
though.
While I'm bummed that I can't get to it daily, I
know with a little more persistence, time and patience (and money), I'll be
finning down the road in the Mighty Imperial. I'm still trying to come up
with a name. My daily driver, a very white 1986 Mercedes 300 SDL, is the
"Mighty Whitey", a little play on words since I'm so totally your average
white guy. The Imperial is raven, but "Mighty Blacky" doesn't really roll
off the toungue. I'm waiting for an inspiration. Another IMer
cleverly calls his '58 the "Black Bitch", but I've got little kids and a pretty
wife who doesn't ken to profanity so I've got to keep it Rated G. That
rules out "Metal Mistress" too, which I thought was pretty cool. Also, I
live in a teeny Louisiana town where I'm the city attorney, and everyone
knows the "Mighty Whitey." As a result, I can't easily get away with
driving a car that is named something vulgar without appearing, well...
vulgar. Around here it's best not to drive up to church on Sunday in the
"Sh-t Sled," so I'll have to keep musing. Any suggestions? I think I
mentioned once before that my brother had made a name suggestion. I recall
he offered "The Sanctimonious Crotch Yacht," or something like that, but I'm not
warming up to it.
Patrick M.
1958 Southampton Foor Door Hardtop, ailing but on the Road to Rejuvenation Southeast Louisiana
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