Well, it still has a LONG way to go, but it is looking so much better.

When i traded for this car it was in sad shape. The nose and both front fenders were severely damaged from rear ending a truck with a big trailer hitch. The rear tailights and filler panel and hatch were damaged by vandals who broke into it to steal stereo equipment. missing pieces everywhere.

Since i have owned it, i have fixed the tailights and filler panel, repaired and replaced fenders and nose cone, interior trim pieces, installed a killer sound sysytem, major bodywork completed and paint work done by myself and a club member, Thanks Kent Nichols! Started to detail things under the hood, but dont have near enough time to do the things i would like to do before the Nats.

Looking forward to a great event at a new venue, cant wait to see all my firends... Safe motoring to all that have some miles to cover before arriving to Dayton.

Matt P

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Hey everybody!!! I am back.

Last year I made an attempt to try and get every motortopian I could find at the nats to get their picture taken with their car. I missed a few and gained a few new members. It was suggested that I try to coordinate a place and time to try and get everyone together this year.

Please post some suggestions. It would be awesome if we cups cruise to the Tipp City cruise in together, but I know that will be hard. Bt it would make for an awesome video opportunity. Anyhow, please make suggestions and see if we can't get something worked out. Last year I took over 1000 pix. This year I will have a car, sa maybe not as many, but I still want to try and get all the motortopians into 1 album.

Looking forward to getting back in touch with all of you.

Thanks
mattp

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Well, as most of you know, i got this poor little ole carearlier this year, and just had to try and save her. Loyts of clean up, install killer stereo system, purchase some body parts here and there, new plugs and wires. (shoulda went ahead and replaced water punp and opti, but lessonlearned.)

Need to water sand the runs out of the clearcoat over the next fe days. Then do something with those wheel. Then the list just continues. :D

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Once again, i dont know what it is about Texans and their ability to be put into situations where they can tell stories like this, but again, i gotta wonder if this story was originally told by 1 of our beloved Motortopians. :D


Warning - If you can read this whole story without laughing out loud, then you need to develop a sense of humor.



Note: Please take time to read this slowly. If you pay attention to the first two judges, the reaction of the third judge is even better.



For those of you who have lived in Texas, you know how true this is. They actually have a chili cook-off about the time Halloween comes around. It takes up a major portion of a parking lot at the San Antonio city park.



The notes are from an inexperienced chili taster named Frank, who was visiting from Springfield, IL.



Frank: "Recently, I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cooking contest. The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be standing there at the judge's table asking for directions to the Coors Light truck, when the call came in. I was assured by the other two judges (native Texans) that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy and, besides, they told me I could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted." Here are the scorecards from the advent: (Frank is Judge #3)



Chili # 1 Eddie's Maniac Monster Chili...
Judge # 1 -- A little too heavy on the tomato. Amusing kick.
Judge # 2-- Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
Judge # 3 -- (Frank) What the hell is this stuff?! You could remove dried paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put out the flames. I hope that's the worst one. These Texans are crazy!



Chili # 2 Austin's Afterburner Chili...
Judge # 1 -- Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight jalapeno tang.
Judge # 2-- Exciting BBQ flavor; needs more peppers to be taken seriously.
Judge # 3 -- Keep this out of the reach of children. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to taste besides pain. I had to wave off two people who wanted to give me the Heimlich maneuver. They had to rush in more beer when they saw the look on my face.



Chili # 3 Ronny's Famous Burn Down the Barn Chili...
Judge # 1 -- Excellent firehouse chili. Great kick.
Needs more beans. Judge # 2 -- A beanless chili, a bit salty, good use of peppers.
Judge # 3 -- Call the EPA. I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano. Everyone knows the routine by now. Get me more beer before I ignite. Barmaid pounded me on the back, now my backbone is in the front part of my chest. I'm getting sh*t faced from all of the beer...



Chili # 4 Dave's Black Magic...
Judge # 1 -- Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
Judge # 2 ---- Hint of lime in the black beans. Good side dish for fish, or other mild foods; not much of a chili.
Judge # 3 -- I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to taste it. Is it possible to burn out taste buds? Sally, the barmaid, was standing behind me with fresh refills. That 300-lb. woman is starting to look HOT...just like this nuclear waste I'm eating! Is chili an aphrodisiac?



Chili # 5 Lisa's Legal Lip Remover...
Judge # 1 -- Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding considerable kick. Very impressive.
Judge # 2 -- Chili using shredded beef, could use more tomato. Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong statement.
Judge # 3 -- My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead, and I can no longer focus my eyes. I ripped ass and four people behind me needed paramedics. The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her chili had given me brain damage. Sally saved my tongue from bleeding by pouring beer directly on it from the pitcher. I wonder if I'm burning my lips off. It really pisses me off that the other judges asked me to stop screaming. Screw those rednecks.



Chili # 6 Pam's Very Vegetarian Variety...
Judge # 1 -- Thin, yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spices and peppers.
Judge # 2 -- The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic. Superb.
Judge # 3 -- My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous, sulphuric flames. I sh*t myself when I farted and I'm worried it will eat through the chair! No one seems inclined to stand behind me anymore. I need to wipe my ass with a snow cone.



Chili # 7 Carla's Screaming Sensation Chili...
Judge # 1 -- A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
Judge # 2 -- Ho-hum; tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of chili peppers at the last moment. **I should take note that I am worried about Judge #3. He appears to be in a bit of distress, as he is cursing uncontrollably.
Judge # 3 -- You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a thing. I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. At least during the autopsy, they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing; it's too painful. Screw it; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.



Chili # 8 Karen's Toenail Curling Chili...
Judge # 1 -- The perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili. Not too bold, but spicy enough to declare its existence.
Judge # 2 -- This final entry is a good, balanced chili. Neither mild, nor hot. Sorry to see that most of it was lost when Judge # 3 farted, passed out, fell over, and pulled the chili pot down on top of himself. Not sure if he's going to make it. Poor fella, wonder how he'd have reacted to really hot chili?

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If i didnt see the name of the person who wrote this, i would vow that this was written by a certain Motortopian from Texas who has attended the BR 08 and plans on being ther this year. It sounds just like a story that could come from him. LOL

Subject: Security Fence Logic


We have the standard 6ft. fence in the backyard, and a few months ago, I
heard about burglaries increasing dramatically in the entire city.

To make sure this never happened to me, I got an electric fence and ran
a single wire along the top of the fence. Actually, I got the biggest
cattle charger Tractor Supply had, made for 26 miles of fence.

I then used an 8 ft. long ground rod, drove 7.5 feet into the ground.
The ground rod is the key, with the more you have in the ground, the
better the fence works.

One day I'm mowing the back yard with my cheapo Walmart 6hp bigwheel
pushmower. The hot wire is broken and laying out in the yard. I knew for
a fact that I unplugged the charger. I pushed the mower around the wire
and reached down to grab it, to throw it out of the way. It seems as
though I hadn't remembered to unplug it after all.

Now I'm standing there, I've got the running lawnmower in my right hand
and the 1.7 gigavolt fencewire in the other hand. Keep in mind the
charger is about the size of a marine battery and has a picture of an
upside down cow on fire on the cover.

Time stood still. The first thing I notice is my balls trying to climb
up the front side of my body. My ears curled downwards and I could feel
the lawnmower ignition firing in the backside of my brain. Every time
that Briggs &Stratton rolled over, I could feel the spark in my head. I
was literally at one with the engine. It seems as though the fence
charger and the POS lawnmower were fighting over who would control my
electrical impulses.

Science says one cannot crap, pee, and get a nut at the same time. I beg
to differ. Not only did I do all three at once, but my bowels emptied 3
different times in less than half of a second. It was a Matrix kind of
bowel movement, where time is creeping along and you're all leaned back
and BAM BAM BAM you just crap your pants 3 times. It seemed like there
were minutes in between but in reality it was so close together it was
like exhaust pulses from a big block Chevy turning 8 grand.

At this point I'm about 30 minutes (maybe 2 seconds) into holding onto
the fence wire. My hand is wrapped around the wire palm down so I cant
let go. I grew up on a farm so I know all about electric fences... but
Dad always had those POS chargers made by International or whoever that
were like 9 volts and just kinda tickled. This I could not let go of.
The 8 foot long ground rod is now accepting signals from me through the
permadamp Ark-La-Tex river bottom soil. At this point I'm thinking I'm
going to have to just man up and take it, until the lawnmower runs out
of gas.

'Damn!,' I think, as I remember I just filled the tank! Now the
lawnmower is starting to run rough. It has settled into a loping run
pattern as if it had some kind of big lawnmower race cam in it. Covered
in poop, pee, jizz, and with my balls on my chest I think 'Oh God please
die... pleeeeze die'. But nooooo, it settles into the rough lumpy cam
idle nicely and remains there, like a big bore roller cam EFI motor
waiting for the go command from its owner's right foot.

So here I am in the middle of July, 104 degrees, 80% humidity, standing
in my own backyard, begging God to kill me. God did not take me that
day... he left me there covered in my own fluids to writhe in the misery
my own stupidity had created.

I honestly don't know how I got loose from the wire... I woke up laying
on the ground hours later. The lawnmower was beside me, out of gas. It
was later on in the day and I was sunburned. There were two large dead
grass spots where I had been standing, and then another long skinny dead
spot were the wire had layed while I was on the ground still holding on
to it.

I assume I finally had a seizure and in the resulting thrashing had
somehow let go of the wire. Upon waking from my electrically induced
sleep I realized a few things.

1- Three of my teeth seem to have melted.

2- I now have cramps in the bottoms of my feet and my right butt cheek
(not the left, just the right).

3- Poop, pee, and semen when all mixed together, do not smell as bad a
you might first think.

4- My left eye will not open.

5- My right eye will not close.

6- The lawnmower runs like a sumbitch now. Seriously! I think our little
session cleared out some carbon fouling or something, because it was
better than new after that.

7- My balls are still smaller than average yet they are almost a foot
long.

8- I can turn on the TV in the gameroom by farting while thinking of the
number 4 (still dont understand this?)

That day changed my life. I now have a newfound respect for things. I
appreciate the little things more, and now I always triple check to make
sure the fence is unplugged before I mow.

The good news is, that if a burglar does try to come over the fence, I
can clearly visualize what my security system will do to him, and THAT
gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over, which also reminds me to
triple check before I mow.

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1/22/2009 Update:
It has the body work done, sanded, primed sanded, wiped down, sanded, dings and scratches fixed, sanded, cleaned and sanded. Have i mentioned sanded. Dang there is so much sanding that goes on. Yeesh!!! As of this morning, it is ready to tack down and paint tonight, then in the morning we will be doing some touch up stuff and doing a little of custom stuff. Nothing major, just adding that little personal touch! No show car expectations here, but it will look good and hopefully turn a few heads. :)

In preperation for BR09, there is no way i have the time and/or the $$$ to finish the TATA in time, so the next best thing in my book at this time is my 95, A (but maybe i may have to help someone get a particular "Red Bandit" ready too :D.) She should be painted by the end of the week next week. Then some typical LT1 mechanical stuff, and if i happen to have time before the Run, the i will focus on the interior, but that is low on list of priorities right now. Yeesh, it is still 4 months away, but the clock is ticking!!!

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This sint new, but i thought it was worth passing along.

http://caroly...hevrolet.html

Here are the lyrics:


"Tune of Jingle Bells"

DASHING THROUGH THE SNOW
IN MY RUSTY CHEVROLET
DOWN THE ROAD I GO
SLIDING ALL THE WAY
I NEED NEW PISTON RINGS
I NEED SOME NEW SNOW TIRES
MY CAR IS HELD TOGETHER
BY A PIECE OF CHICKEN WIRE

RUST AND SMOKE THE HEATER'S BROKE
THE DOOR JUST BLEW AWAY
I LIGHT A MATCH TO SEE THE DASH
AND THEN I START TO PRAY
THE FRAME IS BENT THE MUFFLER WENT
THE RADIO IT'S OK
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO DRIVE
THIS RUSTY CHEVROLET

I WENT TO THE IGA
TO GET SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER
I JUST PASSED UP MY LEFT FRONT TIRE
AND ITS GETTING HARD TO STEER
SKIDDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY
RIGHT PAST THE NEGAUNEE COPS
I HAD TO DRAG MY SWAMPERS
TO GET THE CAR TO STOP

RUST AND SMOKE THE HEATER'S BROKE
THE DOOR JUST BLEW AWAY
I LIGHT A MATCH TO SEE THE DASH
AND THEN I START TO PRAY
THE FRAME IS BENT THE MUFFLER WENT
THE RADIO IT'S OK
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO DRIVE
THIS RUSTY CHEVROLET

BOUNCING THROUGH THE SNOWDRIFTS
IN A BIG BLUE CLOUD OF SMOKE
PEOPLE LAUGH AS I DRIVE BY
I WONDER WHAT'S THE JOKE
I GOT TO GET TO SHOPKO
TO PICK UP THE LAYAWAY
CAUSE SANTA CLAUS IS COMING SOON
IN HIS BIG OLD RUSTY SLEIGH

RUST AND SMOKE THE HEATER'S BROKE
THE DOOR JUST BLEW AWAY
I LIGHT A MATCH TO SEE THE DASH
AND THEN I START TO PRAY
THE FRAME IS BENT THE MUFFLER WENT
THE RADIO IT'S OK
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO DRIVE
THIS RUSTY CHEVROLET

RUST AND SMOKE THE HEATER'S BROKE
THE DOOR JUST BLEW AWAY
I LIGHT A MATCH TO SEE THE DASH
AND THEN I START TO PRAY
THE FRAME IS BENT THE MUFFLER WENT
THE RADIO IT'S OK
OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO DRIVE
THIS RUSTY CHEVROLET

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I want to take a few minutes to wish all my Motortopia friend a Very Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Safe New Year!

At a time where most families are struggling like most of us never have experienced, it is important to remember the meaning of Christmas. It is truely a time for family. A time to appreciate what we do have, and care for those who are less fortunate. Too many families wont even have a good meal. Most of us are really blessed in life, even if we arent as prosporous this years as we have been in the past.

And for those you here on Motortopia who have suffered losses this year and those of you who arent doing well, Please know i and all your other Motortopia friends will keep you in our hearts and in our prayers. Those who are or have family serving our country, a very special Thank you, you are some very special people who need to know we appreciate them and what they do for us each and every day.

Thank You to all my friends for all the nice comments and wonderful conversations we have had over the past year. May you all have a safe Holiday Season!

Matt

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I dont know how to catagorize these pix, but he is very talented.

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This was sent to me from my mother. She was on here for a little while last year and had a different one that many of you seemed to like. She asked me to post it and forward it ti some of you she talked to once in a while.

She said Merry Christamas and Happy New Year. She was screen named "SheWolf"

http://www.bo...7&SPEED=2

Here are the Lyrics;

(Parody of Feliz Navidad by José Feliciano)


Police stop my car
Police stop my car
The police made me stop
Walk a straight line and blow a balloon up

Police stop my car
Police stop my car
The police made me stop
Walk a straight line and blow a balloon up

They wanna wish me a sober Christmas
That’s why they always pull me over Christmas
They say they’re just making sure
That there’s no open bottles in my car

They wanna wish me a sober Christmas
That’s why they always pull me over Christmas
They say they’re just making sure
That there’s no open bottles in my car

Police roadblock
Police roadblock
Police roadblock
I can smell the donuts as they smell my breath

Police roadblock
Police roadblock
Police roadblock
I can smell the donuts as they smell my breath

They wanna wish me a sober Christmas
That’s why they always pull me over Christmas
They’re gonna let me out on bail this Christmas
From the bottom of their hearts

Police lock me up
Police lock me up
The police lock me up
‘Cause when I blew, I blew a 2.1

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Just wanted to take a moment to wish all my friends and family the warmest wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!!!

And please be safe!

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Friends Craig and Sonya are looking for another car to build. He would like to have more time to build 1 exactly like he wants. Please look at the attatched listing for parts wanted.

http://www.mo...a_or_trans_am

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Even though it is not complete, it did make the trip to STARS, and i took 1st place in "C" stock class. Way to go guys...

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11:45pm Friday, Day 16. Although not finished to the point originally wanted, it was as done as it was going to get.

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Time is running out.. But progress has been made. This has been fun to watch, with this being the first attempt at tackling any project like this, Craig and Sonya are still talking nicely to each other. :p In all honosty, i probably wouldnt talk nicely to myself after some of the things they have dealt with.

Although, not a Restoreamusclecar quality project by any means, (and a BIG thanks to Dave and the crew over at Restoreamusclecar for bailing the Bishops out AGAIN last minute. The first time they helped out was when Sonya's car was finished and she needed wheels. They were received in less then 24hrs. WOOWEE, thats service. She made it to STARS! This time Craig needed some parts, and they should be here the day they leave for STARS with his car.) They can say they did almost all the work themselves and for the first time, a 17 day timeframe, and such a wonderful specimen to start with, a lot of lessons have been learned and it is going to turn out as a really cool ride with 1 heck of a story. :D I am certainly looking forward to tomorrow when it all comes together, just before it heads south to Florida for the weekend.

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A derelict drag car without engine or transmission has turned out to be one of the original six Pontiac Factory Super Duty Tempest coupes, and it fetched a surprising $226,521.63 when the 9-day eBay sale ended on November 9.

The seller bought the Harrison, Michigan car after the owner died, and bidding opened at a mere $500. Questions from buyers - there were 71 bids in all - determined that the car had plastic windows, a race track plaque on the dash and a heavy duty rear suspension with long rods to the front of the cabin.

Research indicates it appears to be the missing Stan Antlocer racer, which was the fastest car in its class in 1963. Midway through the sale, the seller turned down an offer of $160,000 because he was worried about negative feedback, and it looked like an expensive decision when bidding stalled at $95,000 with under seven minutes to go. But a furious rally began, and $125,000 later the gavel fell at more than $226,000.

http://cgi.eb...%7C240%3A1318

http://www.au...-for-226-521/

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Mystery solved, in a day where i am used to seeing bondo and fiberglass, i never thought to look for lead filled holes. We found the holes and were nicely filled in with lead. Old school, whod a thunk it?

This is a Trans AM, the VIN, cowl tag, and build sheet all match!

In the blogs i have been posting on the 17 day transformation, the Trans Am in question along with a 78 belonging to "kirk78400ta" dont have the wheel spoilers. I have seen the build sheet for the 1 belonging to "77TA'' and can verify it is a TA. So can anyone tell me why these cars dont have wheel spoilers? I thought that was part of the TA package.

Correction, the other Trans Am belonging to "kirk78400ta" has the holes for the spoilers. Sorry i didnt see them. Still questioning the 1 my friends are working on though.

More info, there is a RPO code of B97 with the designation of "RR WL Spoiler" on the build sheet.

Thanks
Mattp

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This pilot had to have gotten out of his plane and kissed the ground after this!!!

http://www.yo...v=96DQk72ruRk

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Day 5 has come and gone and the car is in primer. Waiting on windshield and back glass to be installed. Seats are at the upholesterers, decals ordered, and parts flying everywhere.

Stay tuned.. the fun is just beggining.

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Update from day 5... TA is primered, and sanded. Some more work needed, but glass should be in tomorrow, and maybe some paint by Wednsday. They have been really putting in sometime on this thing. Stay tuned!!!

This photo, not representative of the start of this project, but maybe true to the outcome.

Some friends of mine have bought a 77TA that spent alot of its life in the wrong hands. Their intentions are to transform it from junk to a really cool driver. This being done on a budget and in record time. Try a timeline of about 17 days. Not expected to be a Nationals quality show car, but a fun car to take out and have fun in.

stay tuned, as i will try to update this daily as possible.

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I have tried to focus my attention on the 10th TA, so the 95 has sat in the corner needing some attention itself. Well, i have been searching for parts and picking up things here and there. Now i am down to trying to find a drivers side fender. Then i can start on gatehring the parts i need to make it run like it can.

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Just something of extreme interest to some of you!

Sorry, after looking at this a few times, this link is not the greatest, seems like the site rotates listings or something. Stiil a cool picture though, wish i had a garage like this!

http://images...3Den%26sa%3DN

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Happy Birthday to the man we all love and wish to thank for making the Trans Am such an automotive icon. Born Feb. 11, 1936, he turns 72. Still going strong and continuing to make the Trans Am a very special car.

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