"I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." ~Rita Rudner

My husband is the best. Really. He's funny and quirky and I might just be the only person who could ever live with him. Well, me and Archer. Oh and his parents - but they got rid of him fast! :)

Sometimes he leaves stuff laying around.
You know like this:

and this:

But that is all good because he is kind and funny and smart and kids LOVE him. 

And...he's really helpful. Like he lets me know when sloppy joes for dinner would be a good idea. 

And...he's good with colors and clothes. I know, I know some of you who KNOW him think clothes? fashion? Troy? NO. But really, he is. He chooses to wear those clothes from the 1940s. I swear he can match stuff and make great outfits if he wants too!

Case 1: I come home from shopping with a new skirt, shirt, whatever.

Troy: It's nice. But you're never going to wear that.

Me: YES I am! (slightly indignant)

Fast forward a year (or so). I pull said garment out of the closet.

Me: I never wore this.

Troy: I know. I told you you wouldn't. 

In these cases I think he is undermining my freewill. Just saying.

Case 2: Recently I came home with two new tops in color (i.e. not black) - turquoise-ish and purple-ish/pink (I could ask Troy what colors they are but he isn't here). He takes one look and says that they are nice...and then he says what I'm really looking for...

Troy: The purple-ish/pink one will go with anything. Jeans, the green shorts, the brown shorts. The blue one with jeans and the brown shorts but NOT the green shorts. 

Me: Ya. I knew that about the blue one. Not with the green shorts. (Note to self: Do NOT wear the blue shirt with the green shorts!)

See? He's helpful. Although there are times that he will tell me something matches and is just wrong. He does not believe in pale pink and brown. According to him that shouldn't happen. Just in case you were wondering.

And...If anyone is wondering what Mabel looks like RIGHT NOW...

Poor girl lost her insides. She's getting 'em all redone. I'll have Troy update on that later.

Happy Monday friends!

Mondays with Mabel

that engine is amazingly small when you take all the bits off......

I guess every truck restoration has to have a point at which all the parts are in the bed.

1 little, 2 little, 6 little cylinders....

well here it is, all the bits of mabel laid out on the operating table.  We have had to go to the heart of her, a partial engine rebuild.  This is frankly a bit much for me.  I had planned to do a simple restoration, and ease into the whole concept of rebuilding her engine.  Was looking toward next winter.  But this is, obviously, not part of mabels plan.

Which leads me to some zen and art of military restoration.  Instead of a tutorial on how to rebuild a chrysler designed, dodge built flathead in line 6 cylinder engine I would rather like to explore some of the things I have learned so far.

Troys rules of restoration:

1.  You are never to old or young to learn.  You are simply too stubborn or to egotistical.  Put aside your pride and you will find a big open area in which to plant an assload of insight (that is technically a farming term-an assload is how much you can carry on a donkey.)

2.  When you are wandering around in the fields of self doubt, guilt and feeling a bit overwhelmed ask a friend for help.  That is what friends are for. 

2a.  The flip side of 2.  When you see someone that looks lost and bit stuck in sometimes just helping, no matter how mundane the project, can give them the path back to solid pastures.

3.  Words of encouragement are nice, but actions of encouragement are better.

4.  Just start.  The first step to the other side of the mountain is actually just putting a foot forward. 

5.  Anger is best saved for something that can actually talk back.  Other people do things to you, not wrenches.  Most often it is your fault, so go easy on yourself, remember you have to live with that jerk for the rest of your life.

6.  The length of the road is always the same.  Your perception of how long it is is what changes, so when it suddenly seems way too damn long just close your eyes and try not to run off into the ditch.  (this is metaphorical-please keep your eyes open while actually driving.)

7.When in doubt about the outcome do something simple.  The great thing about success is that the little ones will add up and next thing you know you are closer than you thought.

8.  Many hands do make the load alot lighter. 

9.  Nekkid girl calendars, although distracting, really make a garage a home.

10.  Cats love car restorations.  Probably cause they don't have to do the work, but they do get the benefits. Jerks.  But you gotta admire their Chutzpaw (get it?-paw?huh?...Funnneeeey!)

I will be the first person to admit at this point I am totally out of my depth.  I cannot see the plan, I am just following the writing on the wall (but not the bathroom wall-never follow the bathroom wall advice).  

Mabel has become a task of faith, I know she will one day be done.  But right now I cannot actually tell you how that will happen.  I am angry, tired and just plain grumpy about the fact that I cannot play with my new toy.  But I am also beginning to realize there is perhaps a little more to this than just a toy to play with.  I am both scared and excited at the same time.  Sort of silly when it is about a hunk of metal.

Thank you Mom, Dad and Jerrie for letting me learn this lesson.  Thank you to Pete, Gordon, Fred, Travis, Christian, Jayson, Dirk, Jake and Sam for your helping hands.  The load is certainly lighter.

mondays with mabel on tuesday

Here it is, more mabelly goodness!

Today I got a rare item indeed. (Found thanks to my eagle eyed father-eagle eyed cause no hair gets in his way!) A WC-55 ration box! (bottom 2 pcitures) These are rare items indeed and this is a replica. But even replicas are rare! The gun truck version of mabel had ration boxes by the driver because the driver of such a cool truck needed to have a place to put his candy bars and soder pop. This was often kept cool by a special big box of military flavored ice cream!!!!!! (mmmm OD green flavor), then they would eat it with big wooden spoo........

WAIT!

Sorry-some pesky slavs took over the post while I was going to get a bag of peanut m&ms.

Any way. The ration box was placed on the driver side simply because they had a bunch of gas and water on the passenger side. It was intended to store a weeks worth of food (rations) for the crew as they would often be deployed for an extended period.

Tomorrow I will drill the holes and mount that bad boy then I will begin looking for some of the best c-ration to ever be made to put in it. Fruit Cake! Now you are probably thinking that some more pesky slavs have grabbed hold and are writing but no I assure you I am in full control of my faculties and keyboard. Fruit cake was a highly prized meal for our boys overseas in WW2. I had some once when my cousin scott visited when I was a kid and it actually tasted pretty good. Looked like a festive christmas turd though. So just as you cannot judge a book by its cover so you cannot judge the taste of c-rats by their looks.

Here is the other corner (please see top of the above three images). This one is an exercise in taking out dents and welding bits. Which I am actually enjoying. I have learned a few things as well. DONT weld with fleece on. It lights up like you are covered in lighter fluid. Luckily it goes out quick too and doesn't burn with a flame.

Mondays with Mabel

I know, I know you have all been wondering about Mabel. Is she still around? Is she okay? Did she just decide one day she'd had enough of this cracker jack operation and head for a better garage?

No, no. She is still lovingly housed in "her" room. She still receives much tender loving care from her Troy (and a few others who help out frequently, namely Pete...he's an awesome guy - an actual mechanic from WW2 - lucky Mabel).

Putting in the foot pedal dust sleeves. Wouldn't wanna get too dusty she is a girl for crying out loud!

Lookey. She's got some new gauges. Yay for Mabel. Now she knows how fast she's going and if she's hot or cold. Good for her.

And what's that?
Do you notice anything different between the picture above and the one below? Huh?
HEADLIGHTS! Now she can see. At night. Poor thing hasn't even been able to read a book in the dark of night - she's been stranded in the garage - bored I'm sure!

But really, headlights are a huge step forward in the electrical department. Things should, hopefully, go smoothly from here.

Happy Day Miss Mabel!

This is for Erik...



Merry Christmas! It truly is a Christmas miracle!

Mondays with Mabel (on Tuesday)

Don't worry. Mabel is still around (really, where would she go?) and her restoration is coming along nicely. Our garage is like a spa for military jeeps. Go figure.

Mabel has been outfitted with some great new *stuff* and I think she's feeling pretty good about it.

Leather covered windshield cushion for when the windshield gets folded down (fancy!).

Black out light.

Center console dust cover.

And new wiper blades, windshield and little screws to hold the windshield in...and Troy showing me how the wipers move back and forth (thanks Troy because I totally didn't get that!).

As you can see Mabel is getting a fair amount of love. No one is neglecting her. Not at all.
If you have any questions for Troy regarding Mabel please feel free to leave them here.

Mondays with Mabel (a tad belated)

OH MABEL! She's coming along great - looking pretty and feeling the love.

Troy received an original windshield in the mail. He's working to getting the frame striped of old and rust and then repainted. He hopes to have the windshield installed over the weekend. The front end is completely cleaned and painted. Next up: painting the seat backs. Wowzers this girl needs a lot of work!

Love those hands. Working hard on the windshield frame.

Gotta have lots of wrenches to fix up a girl like Mabel.

Hehe! Sometimes Mabel makes Troy silly.

mabel rare finds

Well, as mabel moves forward there will be a period of less noticeable improvements. So that is why I elected to add some bits that wont go on for a while but that were discovered and to give you an idea of where this whole thing is ultimately going.

So far......

The headlights are in and wired. They dont connect to the dash but they are in and when the dash switches are installed then bada bing, bada boom.

Under the skirt-where I spend most of my time......mabel is getting her axles polished and undercarriage scrubbed. I expect to have the front end fully painted by the weekend.

The brake lines have been reinstalled as when bleeding them last thursday a huge leak in the line was discovered. Lets hope they work this time (fingers and eyes crossed.)

But now for a quick glimpse into the future.

You will notice 2 items that seem oddly out of place- a can and a big leather scabbard. These are items discovered over the last week that are part of all the gear that will go with mabel. The can is a water can-each WC was issued 2 gas cans and a water can. The scabbard is a BAR (browning auto rifle) vehicle scabbard. It is what you kept your gun in so that it didnt bounce out going over rough terrain. They were often mounted in the position you see here or across the dash.

But what is the end result? Mabel was born to be a workhorse. She was made tough to go places and carry things a gang of guys could not. One of those things was a 37mm anti tank cannon. Mabel will ultimately be a tank killer. She will look like this (another fellows fine efforts at restoration).....

Here is what mabel will become-a line of USMC tank killers on Guadalcanal.

And her is a cousin from North Africa waiting for a german tank.

Next week we will have the front undercarriage painted. Hopefully the rest of the windshield inner frame put in and the last of the pieces for the front engine compartment and lighting on the way (the weather stripping, and Black out lights, etc.)

mondays with mabel

I'm a little late. Why? Cause I was busy putting a truck back together! Anyway from the pics below you will see that the outer windsheild frame has been painted and reassembled and that I am feverishly working on lights so that I can reinstall those. Slowly but surely more gets done to bring mabel back from the memories of yesteryear-if only all those old fogies out there could have a "restoration" done. Perhaps that will be the next big thing-buy an old person and "restore" them. I also found a great deal on an inner windsheild frame and bits on ebay so I hope that will arrive soon.

Any hoo I hope to get the brakes filled and working this week with a little help and to get under the fenders ground and painted. (half done).

Then it is on to the seat backs, seat belts and the remainder of what they call the "tub" (where the drivers and passengers sit.) A little tender lovin scrubbin there should get me ready to do the big dash and dine of the cock pit proper (jerrie can stop laughing now).

The first week of November will see some of those items purchased that will "finish" the front end. Weather stripping (jerrie stop laughing)-which them old timey folks back then called "lacing", a black out light-for driving "blacked out" which is not a drunk driving term, but instead of explaining it I will let you google foo find out the meaning, plus some various bumpers, spacers, liners, etc that will fill in details that need filling.

Well on my way to having her driving for my birthday.

more with mabel

After Jerrie left to get herself fit at cycling class, I replaced Mabel's hood making her look more the like the truck she started as.

This week I will get the rest of the lower wiring hooked up to what it is supposed to be hooked up to and begin to work on sanding off the paint from the seats and install the seat belts. Everyday and everyway an old memory is being brought back to life.

Mondays with Mabel

Uh oh! She lost her top! But on a good note we get a little peak inside...the inner workings of Mabel's engine. Pretty neat huh?
Her hood is getting the royal treatment. Stripping away the old layers of paint and getting a fresh coat of gorgeous camouflage green (ultra flat...wouldn't want to be shiny now would we?).
Here she is...no hood, no windshield, partially painted...I bet she feels so exposed.
And to address the question of how Archer is dealing with the new addition. No sibling rivalry. No hostility. He enjoys her and is looking forward to taking her to prom (uh...we'll see about that). Archer has been helping a bit with the restoration...now that tennis is over (or almost over) he will have a bit more time to hang in the garage with the men.

Mondays with Mabel

Mabel has had a pretty good week. Lots of attention from Troy which means she's feeling a little bit like her old self.

This is Mabel's hub. Evidently this means that her brakes are in working order (every girl needs brakes) and her wheel cylinders are in (uh...I don't know what that means). Evidently, she just needs her brake lines bled (what? ick!) and she's good to go...or to stop...you understand, right?
Here's her grill...ya..spicy! Both fenders and grill have been sanded and painted (this paint is like her foundation...more beauty to come). Notice the headlights are missing...uh oh!

And...now this is exciting. SEAT COVERS! Makes her much more attractive...her old seats weren't really seats...more like lawn chairs with big holes...Now, with these beautiful olive drab seat covers she is much more inviting!

There she is. Lots of hard work (much thanks to Alex who spent his Saturday sanding and painting and cleaning) and love and she's looking better everyday.

If you live local and haven't seen Mabel yet make sure to stop by...she loves visitors.

Mondays with Mabel

Good news! Mabel made her way out of our yard and into her room. While I think she enjoyed her night under the stars I'm sure she enjoys being in the comfort of her own room a little bit more.

It's a tight squeeze (not quite as tight now that Troy's friend Christian built a great workbench) and the lack of breaks make backing down the driveway into the garage kinda iffy.
It might not be proper, but I had to catch a picture of her undercarriage. Nice huh?
That Mabel - she's got some nice headlights. This one has been replaced.
Another possibly improper shot. Mabel with her top down. Eeks.
Troy has been working hard on getting Mabel looking good. Her right side is looking less rusty, more green.

Thanks to those who have come out to visit and our help with Mabel. Tonight Alex spent quite a bit of time stripping her...

"There can only be one state of mind as you approach any profound test; total concentration, a spirit of togetherness, and strength." - Pat Riley

I would like to introduce you to Mabel.
She is about 66 years old.
She came to us from Minnesota.
She's lost a bit of her get-up-and-go, however is hoping a move to Lynden may help her out.
She looks a bit rough on the outside, but I hear that she is sure sweet underneath.
She seems to love our yard.
She has her own room.
She spent a lot of time with Troy yesterday.

This is Mabel. Welcome home old girl.
Mabel, every good truck needs a good name, is a 1943 WC-52. I figure with a nice name like Mabel she's gonna be a good girl who behaves, right? RIGHT?

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” - Harriet Tubman

This is Troy's project, as you may have guessed. Maybe a little more than a project. I think he loves her. I think I may have some competition.

Troy and his dad are military history buffs. So with the help of his dad, lots of help from him in many ways (emotional, financial...), Troy is going to set off to restore Mabel to her original glory.
and I, dear friends, am going to practice patience and strength and patience and acceptance and patience...Have I mentioned patience?

“The greatest power is often simple patience.” - E. Joseph Cossman

P.S. Don't tell anyone. Ok? OK? I kinda like Mabel. She's gonna be fun to have around. Troy is so happy (do you see that HUGE smile?) and I know that he is going to enjoy himself enormously while undertaking this project. I love that Mabel's room is the garage and that I can watch and possibly participate (I held a screwdriver yesterday!) in this undertaking.

What a ride!