Here is a little something I added to my webpage:
Six months had passed since the roadster returned from the body shop. The
problem is that I am now living in Tempe, AZ and the car is in Santa Ana, CA.
Though I was working in Los Angeles at the time, I had little time to return to
my in-law's to work on the car. The few days I had, Paul Bauman came over. We
got the body properly bolted on, the gas tank on, cleaned up the head and put
it back on as well. The car was almost ready to fire up, but it was still far
from drivable. We had our first son and third child in October, which more or
less stopped me from visiting the car until December. Upon my return, my
in-law's had filled up the garage. I could hardly find the roadster. I knew
that I had to get the car out of their house or the parts would be too hard to
find. My father passed away on December 19th after a six-month battle with
cancer. He never saw my car, but a car fan himself, he was very anxious to see
it. That being said, I know he is watching from above and hope he is smiling as
he sees me drive her home.
Paul Bauman again came to my rescue. He volunteered his time, his garage, and
his expertise. On December 27th, Paul and Pam Bauman and Jon Frampton came to
my in-law's house with a truck and trailer; the car was towed to Paul's house
where we worked on it for the next eight days. Two days were spent on the
timing, with my wife on the phone and Pam's first attempt to turn the ignition,
the car fired right up. After that we got the clutch working, then put the
windshield together. A few leaks in the brake system were solved with some of
Paul's ingenuity, the dash was put back together, lights, bumpers, hooked
up/screwed on. The door windows were installed. The steering wheel/column was
connected, I bolted in the seats, we put on the soft top!- And it was January
4th. I had worked 8 straight days on the car, Paul spent much of his free time
with me as well. I drove the car out of Paul's garage and parked her on the
street. Wow! Though the soft dash and interior is not yet completed, the car
looks like a roadster! She is road-worthy! I drove her to my in-law's with the
top up and will have her in Arizona in a few weeks.
A friend and I are going to driver the car home to Tempe on Wednesday, I'll
post more pictures then, sorry about not having any completed car pics, but
they are coming.
Ryan Bird
67 1600
www.picturetrail.com/ryanrbird
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