Folks Of Interest 50 years of "Playing ON the Freeway"

BEULAH IS ALIVE! SHE'S ALIVE!

Update just IN as of 7pm tonite!

Beulah's heart is beating [ engine running ]

for the first time since she was "killed" 10 August 2011

still a loooooong road ahead for body repairs, electrical rewiring, paint, chrome, right rear frame straightining & reinforcin , ft bumper reinforcin, etc, etc, etc

pics to come soon

 

That is definitely a step in the right direction. HRP

 

Congratulations Thomas,,,,,I know your a happy camper now

 

>chuckle< GOOD ONya wingnutz a leetil slow on the uptake here I am -- just got yer joke

speakin of -- a car with EVERYTHING -- EVEN the KITCHEN SINK! --

Check these videos out




I was IN a car show @ the concourse W Louis and his Caddy back in 68 -- His Caddy was right across the aisle from my "Wanderer" [ What I called my wagon then ]

Unique fella Louis, had a muffler shop down on Imperial Ave -- I visited once as he was changin out onea the tailpipes on that Caddy -- took him TWO WEEKS of work because of ALL the assorted gear under he had to deal w to replace the pipe -- HOLY COW was it complicated under there!

What *I* had in 68--- -- ONLY 2 door wagon I've ever had --

 

I was about to tell "Hoss" to shoot low... cause I thought you were riding a Shetland pony!

 

Thomas , your a good man.Thats why I belive in Karma.Bruce.

 

progress

 

a coupla "situations" I encountered today -- BOTH successfully rectified smile emoticon

first, headin IN on the WB I-8 @ the I-805 off GP -- an older MH that ran OOG and after it sat for a relatievly short time w it's hazards flashin ended up w havin a DB
[ Dead Battery ] too -- worse -- my heaviest jumper wasn't enuf to crank it [ I suspect the battery IN the MH of bein in poor condition -- SO - I brought out aNUTHER jumper unit [ I carry three ] and hooked it up W the bigger one -- *THAT* did the trick! smile emoticon we "primed" the carb w gas, buttoned up the aircleaner and closed the "doghouse" against any possible backfire and WALLAH she's agoin fine

second was folks stranded w a BA [ Bad Alternator ] which resulted in a DB [ Dead Battery ]
luckilly, in a not TOO dangerous spot -- coulda been MUCH worse! -- they'd *jist* crossed the Coronado Bridge and if it had died there well, let's just say EVERYone's glad it didn't

edit THIS littl gal DID bring my battery back

 

thisun's from about 2006 or so --

http://www.wattpad.com/72968916-the...ook&utm_content=share_reading&ref_id=36876250

 

Thomas,
Just great to hear that your baby will be back on the road.
You deserve every bit of kindness you receive. That's just so cool!

 

this is Kansas City Marc's donated front clip -- found on Craigslist -- in Texas -- purchased BY him and shipped FROM there via a father-son team -- and delivered here by them -- FOR Beulah!

 

The front fenders are back!,,looking good! HRP

 

Dang Thomas I thought I had a lot of wiring on the 56 buick wagon but you have me beat!!!!lol.Bruce.

 

You don't know the 10th of it Bruce under the dash, thru the roof console, the sides, the roof ---------------WHEW -- HAD this car since the mid-60s -- it *was* 6V originally -- added, subtracted, modified and changed SO many things over the years as I and she progressed in education, experience, and abilitys ---

A goodly portion of the underthehood wiring I'd already removed as I worked to clear out the damaged parts -- what you see in the pic is what *still* remains for tracin back to sources -- lights, strobes, flashers, PA, air compressor, air horns, battery jumper, Trico ElectroVac [ for wipers ] remote battery charger, electric radiator fan, engine heater , etc -- etc etc

now, about that *other* wiring

some of it's pretty convoluted -- just fer instance -- my hand made "SUPER brake lite" on the rear roof is actually 8 led brake lite strips fitted into a piece of PVC pipe [ made this back beFORE these kinda things were redaily available ]
the control switches and button for this on my roof console over my head in front of my face allowed me to have it operate full brightness *with* my ordinairy brake lites -- seperaetly "steady ON" -- seperatly "rapid flash" totally off -- OR [ w a momentary button ] -- I could even flash Morse code w it if I wanted had "indicator" leds to show what it was doin --

NO wisecracks bout my spellin today please my "spellchecker" is out fer a walk jist now

 

Shela was in the back of the cage she was in @ the Sherman St Humane Society location -- when I saw her I said "Shela, would you like to come home with me?" [ they called her "Little Girl" but I had already decided her name was to BE Shela ] "She jumped up and came forward to the cage door and put her muzzle thru the wire and said "Get me OUTTA HERE! PLEASE! [ of course, not in so many words -- but *that's* how I interperted her yips, whines, and beseechments ] I signed FOR her right away, and it was LUCKY I did [ she'd *just* been brought IN and had to go thru all the "procedures" beFORE "She" could be adopted ] -- 2 weeks later, they called to say "Little Dog" was ready -- I jumped into Beulah and headed down to GET her -- there were SIX other folks there who'd signed for her as well -- AFter I had -- ALL hoping!! WHEW! They have a procedure where they have you and yer chosen dog come into a "meeting" yard togeather to see if all goes well. Shela was brought into the yard and the attraction was INSTANT Better STILL, when I opened Beulah's passenger side door for her "She" jumped right IN -- crossed over to the DRIVER'S side -- sat down, and placed her front paws ON the steering wheel, turned and looked at me w a smile on her face that said "oK, I'm ready, git IN and let's GO! --- She wern't exzactly happy when I hadta tell her she wasn't going to get to DRIVE Beulah -- but, she crossed back over to the passenger seat, where my previous dog's safety harness was folded, sat down, and lifted her front paws one by one to be belted in just as if she'd done it a hundred times before -- "She" DOES this EVERY time she gits IN since that day! but *now* I haveta LIFT her IN -- [ She can't make the jump herself anymore @ 15 YO ;( but, that's OK -- "She ain't heavy -- she's my ANGEL! AND COpilot

 

Rust free doors, liftgate, & tailgate for Beulah -- hadem stored in the barn attic for over 20 years -- also power windows and door locks to make my life easier -- had *them* a looong time too --- always *planned* on "renovatin & updatin* Beulah sometime in the future -- and so, they're gonna be ON her soon! She's lookin jist now like she did when I first found her in a vacant lot in OB back in the 60s -- her whole front clip was smashed then -- hence the 56 Vicky front clip -- gave $35 for the WHOLE *wrecked* car
[ but it ran ] $50 for the Vicky front clip outta a Brown Field wreckin yard -- for about a hundred dollars total,
[ and a LOT of work ] I had a running 56-55 Ford station wagon that my first wife drove to the old "castle" [ San Diego High School ] to finish her schoolin --
It was Peacock Blue w a white top & tailgate then [ courtesy of "the Earl" Hi, I'm Earl Schieb, I'll paint any car any color for just $29.95 ] -- w flower stickers & decals all over it



today -- out "Playin on the Freeway"

 

She *might* be gittin disk brakes we talked about it some -- Rick was surprized when he DROVE it last week that I'd been able to stop it when loaded always been carefull I have in the videos here one kin SEE that I leave a greater then most "following distance" --
https://www.youtube.com/user/SanDiegoHighwayman
just makes SENSE to me to KEEP a distance --

Now, toDAY, comin back from Vista on the SB I-15 passin Via Rancho Parkway, I spotted a small black car on the RS w a LR blown & shredded tire -- I managed to stop the Merc & trailer & back up TO it to render aid -- asked the driver if she had a spare -- said she did -- had her pop the trunk to git it out and git it ON -- guess what? that car doesn't COME w a spare -- anyways, bout now a 18 wheeler pulls up behind on the RS and stops a distance back -- *I* think he's done that to provide cover because this is a busy traffic area so I mention it to the car's driver and she says "No, that's the truck that HIT me!"

I go to actually LOOK at the blown out tire and I see that not only is the tire shredded, but, the left rear quarter sheet metal is destroyed as well -- truck driver walks me back to inspect his RF wheel which shows evidience of having had contact w her LR -- states he was driving in his lane and she cut across lanes INto his wheel which destroyed her tire!

I asked him if his truck had a dashcam because of what the car driver had said to *me* it didn't -- unfortunaetly - -so he may be up the same creek *I* was w Beulah when *my* cam wasn't on and the woman driver cut me off and then lied about it

nobody injured, [ there were 2 young women and a baby in the car] so I left -- thinkin about it all the way to Poway Rd where I turned around and went back intendin to take some pics w my digital cam of the damage to the car and the marks on his wheel as I beLIEVE what he told me, and I'm afraid he's gonna have some "issues" becausa [ what she said ] this and driving is his livelyhood

I feel for him and would liketa help him -- just WISH I'd thought to whip out my cam while I was *there*

*I* didn't SEE it happen-- but -- the damage would be pretty self-explanatory in pics -- I think those young ladies can thank their lucky stars that their car didn't go sideways in front of that truck like a couple I've seen on the internet recently --

*MY* bet is that she did exzactly what the truck driver said she did --

When I got back to the scene, the 18wheeler was gone and a tow was loadin up the car so I didn't stop --

 

Thomas that IS a lot of wiring. Now that I have removed and replaced the burnt wiring from the P.O short cuts she fires right up. I am a happy guy. Bruce.

 

Cool!! Glad I stumbled back across this.....really glad thats getting fixed and you are using the parts that were dontated previously. I sure you have your reasons for how this all went down, I am just glad its getting handled. Cant wait to see it all buttoned up!

 

more recently bout my Shela -- I didn't think "She" was gonna be around long enuf to "RIDE" agin in a reconstructed Beulah

BUT

things are lookin UP for her TOO!

I'd SO liketa git my hands on the dickheads that decided that puttin antifreeze componants in dog food would be a good thing!
My Shela [ Shotgun Shela ] has been OFF Beneful brand food now for 6 weeks!!
and VASTLY IMPROVED in her health!
"She" was exibitin "symptoms" losing weight, vomiting, drinking LARGE amounts of water, odd lookin craps, etc. described by others as to their dogs problems and so, when I read about the complaints of others aBOUT Beneful's ingredients, we ceased to feed her Beneful brand dog food 6 weeks ago and threw the rest of the bag away and Patti began to prepare and cook her meals as she did ours -- Shela's "sensitive stomach" improved "She was NO LONGER throwing up or vomitin every other day or so -- "She" is more active, smiles more, and the opaqeness in her left eye is clearing up as well.
We're feeding her Iams "senior formula" and "She" is HAPPY, HEALTHY, REGAININ HER LOST WEIGHT -- and NOT throwin up anymore!
My COpilot is sittin UP in the Merc and hangin her head out the window like she usta aGIN!
I'm OVERJOYED!
I'm SO sorry I was poisionin her w Beneful WTF? is WRONG w corporations these days?! Is it ALL about PROFIT? [ MUST BE FERENGHI in charge ]

 

Hi Thomas.Glad to see things going your way.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Good to hear poochie is gettin' better.

 

thanks shadams it's been a "long and winding road" & it ain't by a long sight over --

 

BTW, the dog food thing....they use propylene glycol in all sorts of food stuff including items for human consumption, and dog food. Antifreeze uses ETHYLENE glycol, which is poisonus to humans but esp animals. The news once again had it wrong.... for some reason it keeps coming back to Beneful Dog food, but as far as I know there has never been a cut and dry case proving it was something in the dog food. Either way, they dont put antifreeze in dog food....not saying I would keep feeding her the food, obviously if shes doing better on something else then that is that...

Also, prop glycol is what all the kids are "vaping" these days....with all kinds of other bullshit in it for flavoring....

 

Hats off to you my friend. People like you are what makes America great. Keep the wheels rolling brother.

 

I'm aware of the difference thankee shadams -- MAIN reason we quit the brand was the similarity of symptoms others said of their dogs, some of whom DIED Don't want to knowingly risk my Shela's life -- GOOD onya!

 

Lookin like Beulah's gonna be GITTIN disc brake setup as well I'm a HAPPY Highwayman

 

been havin an "issue" w the Merc's fuel guage not workin right -- also a smell of raw gas if tank is too fiull -- cured both today -- fuel sending unit is on top of tank UNder the spare tire in it's well under the rear floorboard -- spare tire looks a LOT like toDAY's "space saver spares" in that, it's tiny compared to the tires ad wheels I've outfitted the Merc w to be safe and manurverable -- it's a 710x15 RAYon cord four ply bias ply Phillips 66 oRIGINAL 1956 tire that the ambulance CAME with OE! [ ambulance was originally owned by the Phillips Oil Refinery in Borger Texas ] had 30,000 original miles on it when I purchased it from an employee of the company in 1978 -- NOW it has 372,000 and change!! *this* spare STILL has the "nubbies" on it having been used just ONCE in the life of the ambulance -- from Spring St EB I-8 CD home to the ranch -- after havin a rear tire BLOW out there -- [ that story fer anuther time ]
pictures here --
https://www.facebook.com/sandiegohighwayman
anyways-- got the sendin unit out -- float was filled w gas tongue emoticon Luckily I HAD a spare smile emoticon but hadta painstakingly *make* a new gasket for the unit -- guage WORKS agin! WHOOPIE -- nearly ran OUT day before yesterday but didn't KNOW it till I filled up and discovered how close I had been TO empty!!

Last time *I* ran out of gas was moren 20 years ago when Beulah's guage had decided to become unreilable in the same fashion -- I had had several OOG incidents that day, and, I was in the CD, NB I-5 @ the "S" curves downtown, puttin gas into a vehicle on the other side of the CD -- [ SB ] when I heard Beulah's idle note stumble and stop gasp emoticon!! I just stopped pouring into the stranded vehicle's tank in time to have enuf left to put in Beulah's tank!

Fella I'd just helped asked if I needed him to go git some gas for ME? wink emoticon

Because she has a rotory electric fuel pump and I'd not turned the ignition off when she died, she started RIGHT UP when I turned the key after smile emoticon

Nope, said I as I did so smile emoticon

 

Can I ask a question? I have noticed from various postings of yours, that you have a had a large number of these old 50's ford and mercury wagons over your life. What is it that drew you to them?

Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!

 

good question Hitchhiker -- don't know -- my first was the only 2 door I've ever had, all the rest have been 4 doors -- w the exception of the Amblewagon Merc that is a FIVE door. -- had em fer MOST of my drivin life - -built five daily drivers outta NINE total -- ten if you count the 56 Crown Vic Beulah's first "nose exchange" came from -- eleven, if you count the one I got the power window setups outta for Beulah 25 years ago, that are just now gonna be installed as she is being "resurrected" -- twelve if you count the whole 4 door sedan KCM shipped to me from Texas to restore Beulah's front end aGIN --

this later became my first and only 2 door

Their "form" just fits me I guess I LOVE the roundy boxy shapes of the 55 -56 wagons - most makes Ford, Merc, Buick, Pontaic, Chevy, Olds, were similar those 2 years -- only had one truck in my lifetime -- 58 Chevy short-bed fleetside big window 327 3spd -- got me into TOO MUCH trouble [ too much temptation to open er UP! ] Was a beaut tho someone made me an offer I couldn't refuse [ OOPS, nearly fergot about the 72 Ford 1/2 ton I had after -- guess ya could say "I'm stuck in the 50s "