1/27/08
I went Friday with Roy and Randy to the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona. I went yesterday with Doc Holladay. Bob Patterson called this morning and wanted to know if I wanted to go to the GNRS. What the hell. Sore back, and several more miles of walking. I took pix of the KK with me today and handed some out to a photog from Rod and Custom, Blackie Gejian of Fresno Car Show fame, and showed color and other pix to Troy Trepanier who expressed sincere interest in the build. Not to do it, as I didn’t propose that, but interest and near amazement. His waiting time depends on how hot he is for the project. His build rate is reasonable, at $75/hour, but that’s $150K per man per year. He has 19 employees, and they are busy ALL the time. Do the math, that’s around $3M of billing per year!! The only thing he does not do in house is chrome.
Gejeian was blown away, and said so. I also stopped by the Scott’s Hot Rods booth again today and showed everyone there the pix, and they were all expressing excitement. They also had a magnificent roadster in the show.
I also gave pix and my card to Bill Dunn Interiors owner Hector, and got a quote of around $7500 for the interior. I stopped at Gabe’s booth, and he quoted about $12,000. I also visited Armando’s booth and he quoted around $8500.
So the GNRS was a large networking event for me. I’m hoping to get invited to several shows as a result, make made some good connections, and found another key part needed: that right angle master cylinder setup at Scotts for the master cylinder. Brilliant solution to my particular situation, for about $675.
I will order the master soon, in a double-diaphragm version (more line pressure). The master has a remote fill reservoir located on the firewall, a tiny little thing. Neat deal.
2/3/08
Scott’s HotRods also won the AMBR trophy at the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona for the roadster they were building while doing my frame system and suspension. Good for them.
I have been looking at some power vent systems (maybe for the pop-up vent in front of the windshield, and exploring some wiper systems as well.
The next thing is setting the column and power master, AC unit under the dash, all designed to allow Montalto to do the firewall when he takes the car.
Time is flying by, money is horrifically short due to the (hopefully now completed) costs of litigation, and very skimpy work schedule. VERY tough time economically, not to mention emotionally with the plethora of predatory clients. Two down, one to go there.
It continues to rain, so I can’t move anything out of the garage for any restaging.
I’m looking forward to Tuesday when Roy and I can do some work on the steering column placement, mock up some seat configurations again, and maybe even procure that right angle master setup. I’d like to get the engine couplers on all four locations, take some measurements for the short axles, and check the engine alignments again. I feel I need to get some inexpensive pencil lasers and set up some jigs/fixtures to mount them and align them. These jigs can be machined on the mill/lathe, and made all the same to insure alignment. I think I need 6 of them, one for each end of each motor.
As noted before it is absolutely NOT necessary mechanically that these motors be perfect to each other. Rather, it is the visual (after all, this will also be a show car) and common rocker covers that require it.
As the Condor is closing in on completion, I might have some money available down the road to apply to the KK.
2/29/08
I have not gotten the pencil lasers as yet, although I do have one pen unit.
The money keeps vanishing, although I have miraculously managed to create enough to cover bills for the month.
Tooth triage yesterday will take $1682 when I find that somewhere, so things continue to sit on hold.
I did find a parking brake solution. Mark Williams makes a kit for $366 to convert my MW brakes to e-brake. I get no credit for my old but unused caliper brackets. I will have to find/create a handbrake/footbrake to actuate the e-brake cable. Perhaps a hydraulic master moving a bellcrank and cable might work.
I spoke with Josh Deeds of Deeds Performance in the Valley here, and he thought I should have starting capability on each motor, to allow for each one to be dialed in prior to linking them. I don’t know if that will be possible, and I can’t think of a ready-made NOT bolted-in starter setup to spin the motors independently. But perhaps I could make up something that hangs on the frame rail with a belt around the coupler adapters. I might be able to have the adapters notched for a Gilmer-type belt for more grab. Josh feels the stock controllers with re-programming will work just fine. He suggests a Painless Wiring harness to cap off unused senders and simplify things. He notes I should run a separate trans computer.
Joe Montalto had noted he intends to take the KK up to his shop in April. I hope so.
We still have to finalize a lifting scheme for the front and rear clips.
Money permitting, I’d like to see Jay make the fuel and water tanks, set the steering. And plumb the brakes before it goes to Joe.
3/23/08
I spoke with Montalto, who confirmed he intends to get the truck up there in April.
I met a fellow named David Barnett who responded to an ad for a shear I was selling. He bought the shear, and noted he had CNC machining equipment at his home and would be interested in making things for the KK at a reduced price. I will be calling him for sure.
I hope to have Roy help me finalize the steering column position, perhaps tack some temp brackets in, maybe reset the transmission case, and perhaps even send the transfer case for plating at Van Nuys Plating.
Nothing new, but I need to get a center support bearing here and mounted to get the driveshafts fabricated.
And, I need to locate a parking brake setup.
Oh, and locating HUGE money would be a nice start, too.
Todd Armstrong called and said he was having a fellow tech come over this week and inspect the motors for proper blower mounts, etc.
4/4/08
Montalto visited the other day, falling back to his “wait until it’s running” scenario. As I have been hit with a MASSIVE loss from the Judge arbitration “award” (to him), I am desperate for cash. I have borrowed HUGELY to pay the judgment, subtracting all the money earmarked for this project. I hope to repay that loan with the sale of the Hemi, hopefully soon at auction in Indianapolis.
Montalto feels the steering column needs to be mightily adjusted. I need to run up to a nearby junkyard and get SOME kind of seat to establish the column position, even it if is not the final seat.
Jay Dykes is willing and able, but I am not fiscally feasible at this point. VERY frustrating. Perhaps if I can sell off the Hemi, Regal, and Graham, I MIGHT have some cash to move a little. I still have the Condor and Impala to complete as well. Triple YIKES.
5/29/08
The Hemi and Regal failed to sell in Indy, and I’m now on the hook for $7200 in shipping fees. This is due to Dependable NOT shipping them, and my having to spend triple the money to get them to auction in just three days using expedited shipping with Reliable Transport. The universe was telling me not to go. I should have listened more carefully.
I will be leaving a message in a moment for Montalto telling him to pick up the parts and get to work. I have prepaid $48,000 of work, and it’s my money to use right now. So he can do it twice if that’s what it takes to get this moving. His complaint was that he predicted his bodywork prep would be damaged once we get the parts back and do more work. So be it.
6/8/08
Went to the GM Show at Woodley today with the Impala, and did some inquiring with a radiator vendor there about building the radiators for the KK. Mike, the owner, seemed less than thrilled, wanted drawings (but not on the spot). Frank, a friend of Mike’s and the food vendor at the Bob’s and Flames cruises, stopped by and saw the reality of what I was proposing.
I have not heard back from Montalto.
