I delivered a few of the family history books to some of the local relatives. I'll be sending a few more out by mail this upcoming week even though I'd really like to be out on the road with Cuzzin Ricky. I dropped Rick's book off to him the other day and he said he'd even be willing to sit through a modified race if it meant a chance to watch an open wheel race again - and that's saying something coming from Rick.
I've got several cousins that live about an hour away that I rarely see. I might throw a few copies in the saddle bags on the Himalayan and take a ride down that way this week, depending on the weather. I did do just that on Friday for a short hop. It was nice to be out on the bike, plus it was nice to have a chat with my cousin - at a safe distance of course.
I got an e-mail from Freestyle Photo about a line of new view cameras. The one in the photo has been made using 3D printing. It sells for $599.00 plus lens board, lens and film holder. Pretty cool camera. Also pretty cool that someone would put all the development time into a large format film camera. They also sell higher end models made using more traditional methods of manufacturing. Other than architectural photography, I don't know what the target audience for these things would be since digital has progressed as far as it has. I know some black and white prints are still being made in the darkroom rather than with a printer for certain applications - hard to beat a good silver gelatin print made from a large format negative.
I set the block down between the frame rails on the jitney project. I had done a bit of preliminary cipherin' and bolted a piece of 1x1 square tube to the front of the block at the height I guessed it would work nicely. The tube was centered off the crank centerline and was cut to the same width as the outside of the frame rails. Made it real easy to set and align in the frame. I left the mount from the engine stand attached to the block so I could level and support the block with a pipe jack. Worked slick enough and I think it's actually where I need it to be.
If I leave the block in its present position I'm going to have to notch the one frame rail for clearance around the oil filter. I'm going to pick up a filter today and see what size the OD is. I need to make sure the block is located in its final position before I notch the frame. I'll box the frame cut-out with a curved plate and put a fish plate on the outside to compensate for cutting the frame.
I've got a pair of rubber motor mounts to support the block, so I'll start working on those this week. I've got the dimensions of the Chrysler automatic transmissions so I can layout the rear crossmember location. I won't know the elevation until I get a tranny but I can check and see if the auto and manual trans take the same mount. If so I can pick one up and make the plate for the crossmember. Maybe make the crossmember out of a piece of channel where it will span the distance between the rails. Weld a tube on both ends that will fit between a bracket with a couple of ears welded to the frame rails. As long as the crossmember doesn't hang down too far below the frame rails, I won't have to bend it. If it does, I'll make a crossmember that bends down so the brackets on the frame rails don't look too unsightly from the side view of the car.
When I get the engine mounts made up I can bolt the head and intake manifold on and see about coming up with the design for the header. I bought a couple of pieces of tubing to get started on that. The headers they sell for the Slant-Six are two piece but I'm thinking 6 into 1 like they used to run even if that's not the most efficient way. I'm a ways off on making that decision, however.
I don't think even Chuck Norris can convince people to wear a mask. As a guy with a Libertarian bent, I'm in the camp of do what's best for you. But of course that comes with the caveat that it had better not have an impact on me. Meaning be responsible for your actions - that includes having health insurance because I don't want to have to pay for your cooties treatment. It's bad enough that I'm assessed a brain injury tax at the BMV because of motorcyclists not wearing helmets. So wear a mask when you're out shopping, wash your hands and toss your used masks away properly, not out the car window in front of my mailbox.
Looks like temps in the nineties coming up again. I'm thinking July is going to stay hot. The hottest time of the year around here is usually the end of July and the first week or two of August. If the temps now are in the low to mid-nineties, might see some triple digit temps in a couple of weeks. Not looking forward to that and it won't help me trying to shrink the to-do list. I'd really like to put that list on hold and work a little more on the bucket list. Just like the Cubs, there's always next year.
Have a good week and stay safe.
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