Oh Crap. Look Who the Cat Dragged In.
 

That is, of course, if you remember me.

The past year has been total and complete madness. I rarely slept in the same city two nights in a row. Though I did check in to read from time to time, I haven't posted in months. I got a number of nice birthday wishes in October. Thanks fellas.

I'm back in DC now and should be pretty stationary, at least through the Inauguration. I was looking forward to some much needed decompression, but then I got the list. Ever seen a year-long honey-do list? Trust me, it is not a pretty sight.

This evening, the list said "Put the hardtop on my car" and I thought of you guys. I haven't seen too much drama here during my brief visits. I'll try to change that (sorry in advance Brucelee).

I hope all is well with my old friends, and I look forward to making some new ones...

Griz

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...1/DSC01052.jpg

Really good to hear from you again Grizzly. How's your back holding up?

Welcome back Grizzly! The car looks great. Did your work take you to Europe this summer? I thought I saw you in Berlin or somewhere but I can't be sure.

hey man, good to hear from you again.
hows your health?

I was in Europe in late July. I was in Berlin, London and Paris. I'd be surprised if you saw me, however. It was a thunder run. If you were where I was, we need to talk.

My back sucks, but I think it's as good as it's going to get. I'm not a morning person at all, so I put my alarm clock all the way across the room. That way, I have to actually get out of bed to get it. Last week, the alarm goes off. I jump up, move across the room, hit snooze and jump back in bed. Nine minutes later, the alarm goes off again. I'm face down, completely unable to move. Can't even roll over. Back is screwed and every time I try to move I go into spasm. Nine minutes earlier I was perfect. One day later, it was like nothing ever happened. Go figure.

Great to hear from you guy! Glad you are back but sorry to hear about your back problems.

suggestion on the back.

Deep tissue massage. Wonderful stuff that saved my life.

And of course, stay off those airplanes.

PS-the car looks awesome.

:)

Welcome back, dude. I ruptured L5-S1 about 7 years ago. Most of the time it doesn't bother me but sometimes when I bend over just right I can't stand up again. I take one Aleve in the am as soon as I get up...and work those abs. Strong abs help support all that stuff.

Welcome back, Griz!
(Why am I hearing the "Welcome Back Kotter" song in my head?)

Sorry to hear that your back is still messing with you. Believe me, I understand.

Hey, we've all seen the Box, let's see that '65 stang you were restoring last I heard from you.

Good to hear from you again.

Hey Jack! How are you?

I think the '65 is exactly the same as you last saw it. All of the metal work from the tail panel up to and including the firewall is complete. Over the winter, we're going to replace the cowl, aprons, shock towers, and radiator support. After that, it'll be media blasted and epoxied. Then it'll be ready to come home and go up on the rotisserie. The fenders and hood are on in the photo just to make sure the hinges and doors are right. They have to come back off.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...1/DSCN0084.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...1/DSC00862.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...DSCN0051-1.jpg

In other news, I sold the Mach 1. Luckily, I got good money for it, just before the collector car market took a dive. I'm torn between about a half dozen potential replacements, but it actually feels good to have a couple dollars on the balance sheet.

Before you ask, I haven't touched the Ranchero, and I need to finish the 912 before Ellen kills me.

How's your Torino coming?

Hold me!
....................

Hi Griz, doing well...

This is my Torino on the lift, about to pull the 9" out...
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/JackG/rear.jpg

and a restored axle housing...
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/JackG/axle.jpg

and a restored center chunk, 3.50 traction-loc...
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y66/JackG/center.jpg

While all that's out, I'm cleaning, priming and painting the undercarriage with chassis black, installing new leaf springs from Eaton Springs and frame connectors, and then doing a rebuild on the the motor and tranny. I'll drive it next summer, then park it again for final bodywork, paint, and interior.

I keep telling myself, "It's a journey, and a destination". :rolleyes:

Talk to you later.

My experience and several others' experiences with back problems is that no matter what you do it takes six weeks to heal. I recommend as much alcohol as you can stand.

Hey Grizzly! I am glad to hear from you again. You picked a great time to post. Thanksgiving weekend. For I am thankful to have a friend like you.

Yo Griz,
 

Was wondering where you went. Welcome back and try to stick with us for awhile.

I have a slightly ruptured disc which will raise hell if I lean over my worktable for a couple of hours. Other back problems affecting left leg etc. and is why I think the TIP I drive is a godsend. I may lose a little performance but it is better to be able to drive the Boxster than not at all. Going to add the 2nd cat delete pipe in a couple of weeks for a little more sound and whatever performance my come with it. Party on and Happy Thanksgiving.

AKL :cheers:

From a guy in healthcare living with a once broken and surgically corrected back, a few suggestions:

1) If you don't have the book Healing Back pain by Robin Mc Kenzie buy it and use it as a corrective bible.

2) Lidoderm patches, lidocaine flexible delivery patches for when you are in pain and still have to keep working.

3) Acupuncture works great for me, it may or may not work for you but it's certainly worth a 100 dollar gamble.

4) ask your physician to slide you some Celebrex trial packs, used as a last resort the stuff erases ten years off your body clock, I call it crackubrex.

Good luck with the back, spinal pain is a challenge but it's not insurmountable.

Where did you find the 2 plus 2? Very rare, no?

I've been wondering about you for the last several months. I am so glad to see you posting again. Hoooray! You always have the funniest pics to post to the conversation. Man, its good to hear from you.

Hey Bill! I was hoping you'd still be here. I still feel terrible about not getting the information you needed on that Turbo. Did you ever get one? How's the family?

Brucelee, my 2 plus 2 isn't terribly rare, but it's very special to me. My Father gave it to me 30 years ago. I drove it to high school and college before it had an electrical fire and I parked it. Since then, I've been dragging it around from house to house with me, swearing that someday I'd restore it. When my Dad died, I decided not to wait any longer and started the restoration. I only wish I'd done it sooner so that he could've seen it finished. The car has been through a lot, including being submerged in the hurricane. It was in horrible shape. Most of the shops I interviewed to do the structural repair told me to scrap it, but that was never going to happen. The best restorer on the East Coast finally agreed to put the shell back in shape for me. That's where it is now. I hope to have it home in February to start the rest of the restoration.

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k2...011/FBpost.jpg

... with happy ending! Don't forget that.

Hey! Glad you are back Griz. Happy Thanksgiving and keep the posts coming. Good to hear you are up and around again.

Hey Dave!

Good to see you're still here.

Where's NickCats?

Nick has been unusually quiet lately. Don't know why. I hope everything is ok. Any Chicago boys in the know?

Hey Grizzly, NickCats is doing great. He has been very busy with work and Mrs. NickCats is pregnant, and due pretty soon. In fact, NickCats was unable to go to the Dragon with us in early September, due to the above.

Hey! A little Nick Cats, huh? That's awesome! They were talking about trying to have a child when they visited with me. That's great news! If you talk to him, please tell him I was asking for him. I lost my phone with everyone's numbers in it somewhere in Arizona.