<VV> Re: My Corvair is Cleveland Bound!

[Garth Stapon]

Group:

First of all - it’s tough to beat an e mail about beer, and I will not even attempt to try that. 

Besides, I would rather drink beer than write about it!!   : )

Well it was snowing today in CT. Not sticking when it hit the ground, but kind of like that sloppy, slushy Toronto grade of snow. In Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where I grew up, the snow is light and fluffy. Too bad that it came in late October and stuck until March! (Never melting in between!) I do plan to chase the snow flake back to Manitoba in January for a snowmobile trip!

It seems in the thick of it today, I was out loading my Canadian made - 65 Monza - arrest me red - two door - 4 speed - made in GM plant two in Oshawa which I think is on the chopping block for 2008. 

Despite world class quality and Canadian health care, GM will close the plant.  (I saw my old friend and Corvair associate the right Honorable John Gray- Mayor of Oshawa on the CBC News - telling the world that the sky is not falling.) His worship has a few more grey hairs than he had 8 years ago, but he was very well spoken - as always!

It was interesting loading my car on the trailer it as it currently does not run. I ran down to the Home Depot and bought a 1,500 pound tow rope and tied it around the REAR bumper and then to my class two trailer hitch on my two vehicle. I pulled it up the ramp slowly with three to four inches clearance on each side of the car. 

The thread on towing (two months back) was really helpful. I loaded the car with the engine side close to the hitch and according to my associate, it towed like a dream at 60 mph. The trailer was pulled by an F150 and the trailer had two axels.

Destination - the rock and roll city...Cleveland, Ohio. My employer does some business with a local trade school called the Ohio Technical College.

http://www.ohiotechnicalcollege.com/

They are a body shop training center for BMW. They have some beautiful project cars on the go. They were a bit reticent about accepting my car for fear it was a rust bucket but a digital photo got them over the hump.

The car was shipped down from Canada when I moved here 8 years ago and has been a garage queen ever since. My son is getting his license in 18 months so its time to act. The good news is that they will charge me only for materials so the complete job should come in under $ 1 K with most of the previous paint being removed.

The previous owner of my car was gracious enough to knock off the rear valance panel during a spin at Mosport race track North of Toronto.

The car is not original, and is red now, so if you have a modern favorite metallic red that is known to you and looks great, I am open to your colour suggestions. The previous owner painted the truck black, so I plan to Canadianize it by returning to a body coloured trunk (even with the Canadian spelling eh!)

The body work and paint will be a 6 - 8 month project, so the motor is next. It has a 62 turbo motor and I plan to redo a 69- 110. (Which I just bought). The turbo is more than I can handle with my limited technical abilities. Perhaps if Peter ever moves back to New Milford...

I found a few mouse nests when I emptied the trunk this morning. I hope they enjoy their new home in Ohio - which is getting nice and cold right now!

(Better there than in my garage right!)

Stay tuned, my target for completion is the convention - aggressive based on my previous progress.

Regards, Garth

Late Power Glide Sedans (and arrest me red Monza's) Rule!