I sure do hope everyone is doing great!
The last time, when I saw most of you, you were on the other side of a pizza! A big pizza! A pizza with mushrooms, green olives and sausage! My-oh-my wasn’t that heaven?
I have to admit; when I left Bimbo’s Pizza that evening, I was very uncertain about my future with the club. I really needed to unwind, my stress level was through the roof for a number of reasons.
As a child of God, that shouldn’t be the case . . . but nobody is perfect, yet on the other hand, I am getting very close!
It wasn’t because of the bottle club, or any of you my dear friends, it was so many things in total, they were closing in on me.
Yes, unwinding was just what the doctor ordered! I needed to step off that daily treadmill and just clear my head.
Part of me wants to retire, but, I love doing what I do. However, I have decided that the age factor is changing my ability to do as much as I used to. Frankly, that is hard for me to accept, because there is so much left, that I still want to do!
My body went from 18 years old, to 75 years old . . . almost overnight! As crazy as it sounds, my body left my brain far behind!
I can remember the first time getting older really struck me; That happened when I was under my truck doing some routine maintenance. I rolled out on my roller-creeper, and I was going to simply hop onto my feet, and the hop was nowhere to be found!
I use to look at any project, then I would consider all of the work involved . . . and then dive in head first.
Today, I have to see the job in a thousand small tasks. That is exactly how I tackled the engine rebuild on my motor home. You just have to take small bites!
I had asked some very top-notch local mechanics, one being my son, about doing the job of putting an engine in our motor home, and nobody would touch it . . .not with a ten foot pole! (I get it now!)
Next, I got the idea in my head “ by-golly I can change that motor myself!”
So now; I just need a re- manufactured engine!
I started checking around, and Jasper Engines offered one for $3600.00! That was a lot of money! But, after some thought, I figured, I will go for it! When I went to place my order, they asked for the Vehicle Identification Number. (V.I.N. NUMBER)
Because, they warrantee all of their motors, when that VIN number told them, “this is an engine for a 27 foot motor home,” they said,
“Thanks, but no thanks!”
Actually, the VIN number identifies it as a chassis built for the RV manufacturing industry, as a “Cut-a-way” chassis. The vehicle is not actually titled until the RV manufacture has finished building the coach.
The RV company received from, (Ford in my case), a ‘Statement of Origin.’ The tag on my drivers door identifies my chassis and engine as a 1983 but the RV company (Newmar) titled the coach as a 1984.
I knew right away the reason Jasper wouldn’t touch the engine project. Their reluctance was due to the warrantee! Removing and installing a engine in these van- chassis motor homes is a monster job! So, they were considering, worst case scenario, or the cost of changing-out the engine in case of failure. So, I called their bluff by asking, “How about we skip the warranty?”
Then, they started some back peddling! “Well, we don’t have access to that core . . . so we would need your engine, and what if it isn’t salvageable? And even if that were to work, we would need $6,000 and one year lead time!”
That was how they said, “Thanks but no thanks.”
I was reminded of a verse in the Bible that really teaches that anything is possible with small bites;
“Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise. They which, having no captain, overseer or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?" Proverbs 6:6-9
Another well known passage is;
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Well, we finally found time to go on vacation. It had been 3 years for me, without a real break. Between my job, household chores, and late night sessions with this new engine build I was really burned out!
I was not completely sure in my mind, that my freshly rebuilt engine was ready. When the job is a 5000 piece puzzle with most pieces hidden inside . . . did you miss anything?
On a complete rebuild, one like this, where all the rotating assembly is new, including the crankshaft, pistons, rods, and with the block and journals bored, and valves and springs all new, it requires a careful break-in period, with special lubricants.
Today's modern oil products are not right for the early engines.
On the earlier engines, like this one, they require special zinc rich oil additives. After 600 miles the break-in oil is due for the first oil change. I only managed to get 300. And even then, I really had no choice.
Ford had never intended to put the big 460 Lincoln motor in the van chassis for motor home use. The only way they could make it fit, was to modify the frame and create special adapters.
One adapter was; because there was not enough clearance for the oil filter, they made a little L-shaped adapter. But, that design put the filter out far enough so that it is prone to vibrate and loosen and leak! So I had to drain the break-in oil to fix that issue before we left!
Also, the week before we left town, I was double-checking all the other systems, when the faithful, easy-to-start, 4000 watt Onan generator wouldn’t start! I pulled off the intake manifold and rebuilt the carburetor. Because of its age, I had to make all my own gaskets!
In that process, I found that the little electric fuel pump had failed. So, I finally got that thing up and running good again!
The very next day, we got hit with a short blast of heavy rain and high wind . . . and, we lost power for 3 days!
We had just purchased half a hog, and we had two small freezers full of fresh pork! With no idea when the power would return, I pulled the motor home up near the house and ran power cords to our kitchen refrigerator and the two freezers . . . and for several other needs. Then, the generator wouldn’t start again!
The storm had blown so much rain into the generator vent-panel it had soaked everything!
The way you shut off an air cooled motor like this, is hit the stop-switch which grounds out the ignition! I had a soaking wet system that was 100% grounding everything out!
After I got it dried, it started up and ran for the next three days, as quite and smooth as babies-bottom.
We finally drove away from our house! It was then I knew we were finally headed north!
What a difference! What power!
Before with the original motor, I really had no use for my cruise control. Every time we would start up even a small grade I could sit and watch the speed drop at a fast rate! That would trigger the transmission to drop into passing gear and the engine would sound like the little engine that couldn’t! So, I just wouldn’t use the cruise!
Now, I go up those long grades with the cruise control set, and she never slows!
Before, when crossing the U.P., I had to keep-right in those long uphill passing lanes. I had to sit-back and watch a half mile of cars and trucks whizz by.
No more! I am that guy doing the passing! Man, she is now 477 cubic inches of raw power! Heck by the time the rings seated, and my compression took hold, I even passed a gas station!
And quite! No exhaust leaks or vacuum leaks no clack or clatter! She runs smooth and quite, just as if it were a brand new rig with lots of power!
Thinking back at the beginning of this project, I remember staring at the freshly machined engine block bolted in my engine stand, with boxes of parts, praying,
“Lord just give me one more trip across the U.P. with this the motor home which You blessed us with.”
Now, I see all these things clearly worked out for good! We are blessed beyond measure!
It is embossed: “BOOT’S the Chemist and
perfumers!”
Another sparkling gem of a bottle was a
Krank’s Shave Cream jar! It is a crystal clear,
screw top, with a mug style body.
