March 1, 2001
More delays! I finally got to haul the Sy up to my boss’ shop in Ramona, CA, about a half-hour from my house. I discovered that sometime after February 3, some dirtbag had broken in to my truck and stolen some random things, including about $4 in change, and my new fuel pressure gauge. Fortunately, the locks were OK - either he used a slim jim, or in all the chaos on the third I simply forgot to lock it. Although removing the battery, radiator, and belts makes the truck as a whole pretty much unstealable, it also means no alarm. Oh well…
We loaded the truck onto my boss’ flatbed trailer, which was an adventure due to the lack of power steering or mechanical assistance beyond a come-along winch. But we managed to get it done without any overt cursing and the rest of the trip was without incident. My boss, Michael, is a former stock car guy and has a shop at his house that is large enough to accommodate four cars at once comfortably. He’s volunteered the space and his assistance to help me do the engine R&R. No pictures this time, but we’ll have some of the shop in the next installment - you’ll be green with envy!
Other news for this week - After several mixups with the bank, I managed to finally get Jerry McCoy the deposit on my new motor. It’s going to be based on the "Performer Plus", but upgraded with Eagle rods and Stage 1 heads. Unfortunately, Jerry’s a popular guy and my engine is number seven in line… it looks like I may have to wait more than two months to get it. That means the truck won’t be back together in time for it’s 10th birthday, but I think the wait is worth it if Jerry’s motor is half as good as people say.
