Black -N- Blue

So my friend had this truck. A running driving 1973 Chevrolet Luv 4X4. It had a noisy timing chain and was not to be driven. Well it got drove! Timing broke. Put it on the trailer and brought it to the shop to take it apart and inspect the damage done. We thought we may get away with a timing set and a head job.  But I think you know what happened. Upon inspection we found that the timing chain bound up at the bottom of the timing cover and busted the oil pump right out of the cover! OUCH! The oil pump basically fell to the ground while we were removing the engine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We honed the cylinders, did a complete head job, replaced the rings, cam bearings, rod bearings and all the gaskets and seals. We also found another timing cover. I have made this sound easy but keep in mind that it took about three weeks of waiting as fast as we could. Not because we were slow but because we had to wait on parts and the head. When it went back together it went back with a header and a Weber carburetor. That took the factory 75 hp to maybe 100 hp say it with me! WOW! It looked really good!

By the time we were done we had a solid running truck that became a daily driver that goes 20 miles every day. It has had no serious problems. The fuel pump failed and had to be replaced. With a little wax, some black rattle can for touch up it ended up looking pretty good too!

Trailer Trash, Trash Trailer

So I get this gift……its a 196? travel trailer. I was going to use it for hunting and camping. Much work had been done on it and it was dry inside, so I accepted it. For the next year I chased the title which had been lost by the most recent owner. While making some repairs to the windows I discovered some very soft wood. Had to investigate further. Pulled some gutter trim, peel back some aluminum and you know the rest of the story. I wish I had pictures of the demo, it was pretty cool. Recycled almost everything. This was no chop, hack, rip and tear operation. What I ended up with was a single axle trailer constructed of old school steel channel. It ended up being 7′X11′6″‘. It was then we decided to cut 18 ” off the tail to prevent too much tail weight and so it could be decked with 10′ Boards instead of cutting 12 ‘ boards to fit. Once that was done we framed the trailer in 1 1/2″ angle. The axle began on the bottom of the axle to accomodate the low profile needed for a travel trailer. I dropped the front shackle of the leaf, fire-wrenched the rusted and bent u-bolts and reassembled it (with new u-bolts) with the axle on the bottom of the leaf springs. This was a much better height for a utility trailer.

Once that was done it was time to think about fenders and stake pockets. I purchased stamped fenders from a local trailer sales and service center for $18 each. The stake pockets came from a piece of stock purchased from the local scrap metal yard. It’s inner dimension was large enough for a 2″x4″ to fit easily into. It was cut into 4″ legnths. The fenders were shimmed and clamped in place then welded. I cannot take all the credit for this one. My friends welding skill far surpasses my own and he enjoys projects like this. Luckily for me! With the fenders in place we then attatched the stake pockets and that completed the fabrication of the project. We coated the entire framework with rattle can primer. We then painted all of the surfaces that would be visible after the deck was installed with gloss black paint. We decked the trailer with 2″X12″ planks that were used prevoiusly as forms for concrete. The side panels were made with 1/2″ plywood.  Talk about recycling! I haven’t taken any pictures with the side panels on it but the light and eveything work great. I have used it several time and only invested about $140.00 total into the project. I am very pleased with the results. The trailer will be around many years after I am gone.

Another way to eat wild game

We started with marinated elk sirloin tip steak. The marinate was garlic heavy and included some cider vinegar. The cuts varied in size but had about a 4″ diameter and were about 1″ thick. We wrapped each piece with a slice of bacon. Try to stretch the the bacon around the meat so that as it cooks it will shrink around the meat. This will keep the meat dense allowing it to cook evenly and retain its juices.

A tooth pick will hold the bacon in place while it cooks. Sear on both sides watching carefully for flare ups from the bacon fat. Once seared elevate to top rack and place a pan of water under the meat. I added mesquite smoke pellets at this point. We also added thin slices of apples to the top and bottom of the filet’s. This added flavor and protected the filet’s from the heat. They roasted for about 25 minutes before they reached 140 degrees. Remove them from the grill and allow to rest under foil! The result was a  slow roasted, smoked piece of wild game that was as delectable as any prime rib, porterhouse or fillet Mignon I have ever had! The overall presentation of this meal was equally as impressive. Steamed brussel sprouts with a mild horseradish sauce, broccoli with cheese sauce for the brussel spout critics, green salad and garlic onion bread. This was probably a very healthy meal when it was done even though it was not our original intent. Yeah I know, but it was a pretty small portion of bacon.

“Ernational”

This Project is a 1954 International 300 tractor. My good friend purchased it for use on his property. When he brought it to the shop it was quite disheveled but complete.  He was able to drive it off the trailer and into the shop. The problems were many but noneoverwhelming. The raditor fill neck had come loose from the radiator. A local radiator repair shop took care of that. There was no seat, I cut plywood to fit, attached foam and covered it with a durable exterior neoprene. It was leaking oil from an old repair to the oil pan, when we removed it, we found that it had been repaired on at least two different occasions . We discovered that a bolt connected to a ball joint on the front axle stabilizer was coming into contact with the oil pan and piercing it. The ball joint had wallowed out the hole in the axle stabalizer to an oval and it was allowing the movement. Had the ball joint been replaced before this occured it would probably not have needed the oil pan repairs. Replacing the axle stabilizer was not an option so we used steel wedges in the wallowed out hole and pressed them in using the bolt on the ball joint. To insure that the stem of the ball joint did not Come in contact with the oil pan again we used steel flat washers to lower the bracket away from the oil pan.

Some of the other problems included a poorly repaired brass carburator float (we replaced that), the exhaust consited of a muffler set atop the exhaust flange that had been turned over to exhaust up (we turned the exhaust flange over and ran the pipe out the back as was intended).

 

The remainder of the problems were inconsequential simple fixes. The result was an amazing work horse, almost 60 years old, ready to work another 60 years. On her first day of work, using a box scraper to grade a gravel road she blew her head gasket. I am happy to report that the repair was completed the following weekend and she finished grading the road and many tasks since!

The reason the title of this entry is “Ernational is the INT is broken off the emblem on one side. Someone observed this and stated;

“Ernational? I’ve never heard of  them!

Words Cannot Describe !

This meal was prepared by  myself and a close friend. My friend happens to be a great sportsman and hunter. This is back strap from an elk. Young and healthy. The process was marinate 24 hours, rub with a pepper blend, sear on a hot grill. Elevate off of the cooking surface and place a pan of water underneath. Roast until core temperature is about 140 degrees. Allow to rest 20 to 25 minutes before carving. I cannot even begin to put into word how delicious this was. I have had a lot of wild game, including elk. This has exceeded anything I have had previously. To compliment the meal I prepared simple baked potatoes, fried zucchini, steamed asparagus and a green salad. Henry Weinhards Private Reserve complimented everything really well.

Pepper Jack Cheese Steaks

The beef is cut and seasononed before being cooked on a hot griddle. The onions are added next to the beef shortly after. When they begin to become translucent the onions are folded into the beef. Spread the mixture across the griddle and lay sliced cheese on top. Fold the cheese in and serve on hoagies. I like mine toasted in the broiler. The sauce is a mixture of  mayo, mild horshradish and Tapatio. The cut of meat is the secret to being tender. Enjoy and let me know!

“The Dance”

While self confidence is frequently a front it it not usually difficult to see it as a front. Genuine self confidence is based on life’s experiences and reality, not simple assumptions or perceptions. In an effort to create better understanding consider the following. Self confidence is relative to what we understand as truth or fact. While we all have confidence in varied situations relating to different topics most of us will find more situations and topics that we lack confidence in.  Just because you can cook it doesn’t mean you can bowl, (trust me on that one). Just because you understand mathematics doesn’t make you a great writer and so on. Our ability to be completely honest with ourselves and others about the situations and topics we are confident in creates self awareness and probably encourages others to have confidence in us. It is OK to say “I don’t know” or “I’m not certain” in any situation. This in my opinion is humble. It is necessary to be humble to grow as a human being, we must always assume there is more to know about anything. My own self confidence is based on expertise I have developed in my career. I frequently find myself assuring someone that while I do not have the answer or solution I can find one. This candid response creates credibility. A follow up with an acceptable answer or solution instills confidence. On the other hand if we are believed to have the answer or solution and are given opportunity only to find we do not have answers or solutions we lose credibility.

Hmmmm…….

How we perceive ourselves is critical in any interaction, self confidence is based on our perception of ourselves. There is a fine line between self confidence and arrogance. I have found that the ability to walk that line as if it were a tight rope is an effective way to maintain a gratifying amount of respect without alienating anyone, thus creating allies in any forum or given situation. Often being humble is a path to knowledge and enlightenment. A potential mentor is more likely to share highly valued information with someone able to remain confidant and humble at the same time. This ability assures the mentor feels respected, and not as though he is wasting his time on someone who won’t appreciate his willingness to share information that may have taken a great deal of time to accumulate. There is a path to closely guarded secrets, although winding and treacherous, it can be worth it! Manipulate is a word I tend to associate with objects rather than people. A lump of clay being manipulated into a vase, marble perhaps a sculpture. Create understanding and agreement=Manipulate, in human terms. Manipulate implies complete control and sometimes deceit. Ahhh…..controlled chaos. Often times the thinking human does not have to maintain complete control in order to insure a given outcome. So begins “The Dance”.

Asparagus “Grilled and Chilled”

Last summer I found asparagus on sale and purchased two large bunches. Having tried it many ways I wanted to try something new. I was grilling Tri Tip out side SO….Try this.

Trim them as you do, put the asparagus in a pan that will allow the asparagus to lay flat. Cover it with your favorite Italian dressing and let set for a few hours. Prior to cooking the meat, grill the asparagus on your BBQ making sure not to over cook it. When its done (still a little crisp but tender) place it back in the dressing and refrigerate until you serve it.

Being Human and what it means

Being human is not as easy as some might think. This phase likely means different things to many people. For me this is the ability to co-exist with minimal confrontation, stress and unpleasant situations. It’s ones ability to interact with others under the most strenuous of circumstance. This is a form of Art in my opinion. Phrase # 1, Perception IS reality. Peoples perception of you dictates how they interact with you, Yes? How you perceive yourself is not always how others perceive you. Potential for being misunderstood? Perhaps, take the soft spoken but burley biker or the black belt soccer mom. Most peoples perception is based on appearance, Yes? Would your interaction with the biker differ from that of the soccer mom? Hmmmm……………..