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I just returned from a 45-day work detail to Harlingen, TX. It was a good experience and I made a lot of good contacts for the future and met a lot of good people there. However, I had to leave the Lil' Red Devil in my driveway, covered up. I thought about adding some gas additive, to prevent gumming up of the gas in the tank or moisture build up. I thought about giving my landlord my keys so he could go out there every couple of weeks to run the engine. But, no, I decided to chance it. With every passing day, I would wonder if my car was O.K. Today, the moment of truth, which I was very hesitant to go do. I did, finally, venture out, remove her cover, unlocked the door, and slowly sink into the driver's seat. First thing I noticed was Leilani, the dashboard hula girl, has taken a fall from the dash. I knew I was going to have a problem with that and I need to find a way to adhere her down solid on the dash. At any rate, I digress. I deliberately plunged the key into the ignition, gave the pedal a few pumps and turned. She reved and reved and reved, so I gave the gas a few pumps and like a charm, she turned over. I was happily surprised that she didn't need much time to get warmed up. I was amazed and let her run a few minutes to get her juices flowing. I was home and it really felt like it now. I will be going later today to run some errands, get my daughter, and come back home to pack for our trip, yes again, I'm off. We will be going to Michigan for a few days to visit family. I'm sure Lil' Red will do just fine.

To Style. . .

Pretty Clean Bill of Health

Well, the Corvair man came over to my pad this past Monday and took a look at the Red Devil. Other than to comment on the pristine quality of her, he did discover that al the shrouding around the engine was missing and should be replaced. He took her for a test drive, with no incidents and no belt slippage. He did hear a little pinging and thinks it is probably one of the rods. He also recommended a tune up, both fixes I will do in June. I think I'm gonna take her out tonight, when I get home and cruise over to South Pasadena. Wish me luck.

To style. . .

First Meeting with the Devil

Well, I went yesterday to test drive my new Corvair. It was an awesome sight! I love her and the paint job was even better in person, mind you there were a few scratches on her, but nothing that can't be touched up. I also discovered that the front seats are permanently afixed in place and there is kind of cramped leg room, but I can relocate the seat rails and move the seat back a little. Also, there are so factory installed seat belts, which is also an easy fix. I'm going to pick up a pair of one point, old school seatbelts for her. You know, to stay true to the original standard features of the time. One more thing; radio does not function, but again, no problem. I found a web site, retrosoundusa.com, that sells replica rasios for all models of classic cars. However, with a mondernized twist. They have AM/FM, digital display, 30 presets, and auxillary jack. I'm also going to pick up a Satelite radio receiver and mount it on the dash. Also, on the dash, I already bought my obligatory Hula Doll complete with swaying hips. Overall a great little car runs great and shifts smoothly in all gears. All the chrome is emaculate and a little more work and she will be show ready.

To style. . .

From the Ashes

I have parted ways with the Green Goblin, #0206. I got rid of her and moved on to a classic lady, a Chevrolet Corvair Monza. I will up date you all with photos of my new love.

To style. . .

7 Days in Exile

Day 1 - Went to the bank, got the Bullitt serviced, went grocery shopping at Trader Joe's. Damn, I always hate going to Trader Joe's! I can never get out of there without spending less that 100 bucks. So, $187 later, I had at least, completed my shopping for the next couple of weeks. Then I headed home and unloaded all my 200 cubic feet of groceries into my 100 cubic foot of fridge. Met up with Frances, hooked up with Jennifer, and said good night to Frances. Walked her to her car and went back to the house, with Sammy and watched a couple of movies on DVD, drank a few beers, 9, Rolling Rock.
Day 2 - Woke up as Noon, had some cereal, coffee. Cleaned up the back yard, completed some admin shit from work. You see I'm in exile, but still receive work e-mails from my Blackberry. Found out that the big mouth time and attendance clerk knew about my exile and I am trying to get that remedied. I still don't know why she is my time and attendance clerk, but if I find out anyone else knows about my exile status, I am going to file on her faster than she runs out of the door at the end of her shift. Anyway, later, I am going to take my truck's battery to get it serviced or change it out. In the Bullitt, of course. Three days of exile to go.

Days 3, 4 - Had my daughter. We hung out and went to go see the film, "The Lovely Bones." A very emotionally stirring flick. The Chester, played by Stanley Tucci, plays the role a little too creepily well. Hum, I wonder? Never mind, nah. Very uneventful, anyway, the weekend turned out to be. I still had dinero, so I wasn't thinking about my days in exile too much.

Days 5, 6, and 7 - These days were almost a complete blur. Monday, I ran some errands and mailed some letters. Monday night I went by the Eagle's and had a few beers, went home and drank some more, and crashed out. Tuesday, I did some laundry, cleaned a little around the house. Later that evening went to get a bite, donated $20 to a local high school cheerleader fund raiser. I ran by the Eagle's and bought two squares for the Super Bowl pool. At about 7:30 went to this bar in Silverlake called, Cha Cha's. Met a couple of friends and we had a few drinks there, until we decided it was far too boring, and then two of us went across the street to the Red Lion. This bar was pretty cool. It was set up like a German beer garden and consisted of two levels, the upper level being the outdoor beer garden. I and a friend from work, proceeded to down a few hefeweizens at this place and found the karaoke guy. He was making his way around the bar, complete with 70's sunglasses and big blond hairdo wig. Later, I discovered that this guy was impersonating Heino, who even later I discovered was this 60's and 70's super-pop star in Germany. He wore the sunglasses all the time due to a medical eye problem he suffered from. Pretty cool affair at the Red Lion; I will definitely be back there. Got pretty tuned up over there at the Red Lion, so after I crawled across the street to the nearest taco truck and scarfed down a couple tacos, as hot as I could tolerate, which is pretty damn hot, and drank a Jarritos de naranjo. Went home, which is when I discovered who the hell Heino was, on YouTube, and went to sleep. Wednesday, caught up on my sleep and then some; woke up at 2:00 PM. Well, it was actually 5:00 PM by EST, so what to do? Drink! Got something to eat and got my stuff ready for the next day, back to the grind and then proceeded to put away some adult refreshments.

02/04/2010 - Back to work and glad to be here. Don't want to do that again, ever. Got my first, post-exile paycheck on 02/06; $1,332 net! Fuck, enough to pay the rent and about $30 left. Good thing I shopped already and had enough groceries until the next paycheck. Now, when the other shoe drops, it will be three days off of my paycheck. Can't wait to see that one. Like I said, never again.

To Speed. . .

Update to, "Fuel Pump."

It happened again, DAMN IT! About two weeks ago, while tooling around with my daughter, the Green Goblin sputtered out again. This time, I was at a little less then a quarter tank of gas, so I thought it might have been a malfunction in the fuel gauge, from my last fuel pump replacement. So, I went to the nearest gas station and put a couple of dollars in, just so I could get to a 76, Mobile, or Chevron. However, it still would turn over and I did what I have become very familiar with and that is calling Ford Road-Side assistance. They came and towed her away to the dealer again. After having the car there for about a week and a half, the Service Rep called me and told me it was now the, "Fuel Pump Module." He stated that the Service Manager was giving the car a final test drive and would come to a final conclusion soon. A couple of days later, he followed-up with a call that my Bullitt was ready for pick up and that, "you will never have this problem again." I won't hold my breath, however. Still, I can't wait to be reunited with my Green, V-8 dream. This car has been like a relationship with a hot, temperamental woman. Off and on, with a lot of drama and pain, but well worth the ride. Wish us luck.

To Speed. . .

Fuel Pump

to follow up from my last, it was in fact the fuel pump for the series of stalls my Bullitt was suffering from. Since receiving her back from the Ford Dealership, I have not had any further stalls. Mind you, it hasn't quite been a week yet, so I am not out of the woods yet. I hope that this will be the fix. I don't want to have to impose the, "three strikes," stipulation in the Calif Lemon Law regs. I have never been in love with a car like I am with the Green Goblin and hope to have her around for many, many more miles to come. I will keep you updated.

To Speed. . .

Narrowing it Down

It happened again; the stall. My Bullitt died out on me again a couple of times a few weeks ago. Once on a side street and then once on the 91 Fwy in the middle of traffic. Both times, I waited a few minutes and she restarted, felt like she blew some clog out of the injectors and started right back up. The next day I took the Goblin to the dealer I have been dealing with for quite some time. I had taken her there prior and they could find nothing wrong. This time they kept her for over a week, made some repairs to some wiring, which was not grounded properly and installed a, "Black Box," in her. The box is a flat, square box, with a cord and joy stick attached to it. I was instructed that when she died out I was to just click the button on the joystick and the box would record exactly what the engine was doing at that exact moment. Then, when I took her in to the dealer, they would download the stall info onto a computer and transmit it to Dearborn, MI. There, the powers that be, would diagnose the problem and submit a solution. Well, for one week no stalling, she was running like a champ. Then, on the 4th of July, as I was about to take my daughter to her Aunt's for dinner and fireworks, the most unexpected thing happened, or should I say, did not happen. She wouldn't even turn over. The engined cranked, but no spark. Immediately, I had roadside service tow her to the dealer, where, after five days of examination, they found that the fuel pump and fuel lines needed to be replaced. In addition, for good measure, they also dropped the fuel tank and gave that a once over, without finding any thing wrong.

I am hoping that second time is a charm, cause if we experience a 3rd time, then the Calif. Lemon Law comes into play and I take the Green Goblin back from whence she came. I hope it won't come to this, but there would be no other choice. I have seen very few other Bullitt owners complain of this particular problem, so I am hoping that it is just a glitch in the fuel pump/fuel line and not a production problem. I would hate to have gotten a nearly one-of-a-kind classic, that turns out to be practically an Edsel.

To Speed. . .

Hog Wild

Well, it is finally here!

I don't mean to make light of biblical prophecies, but it seems like the plagues are coming. Wow, talk about cutting into my drive time with the Green Goblin. This is like a black cloud out of nowhere! How small the orb of Earth seems when perceived through the eye of a virus, huh? But, not to worry; just keep washing those hands, cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing, and keep administering the normal dosages of alcohol. Stay clean, as Motorhead would say.

To speed. . .

A Great Conversation Starter

Never before, in my short life-span, have I ever had a car which can spark conversation from the clear blue sky. Recently, when tooling around in my Bullitt, I have received some very interesting comments. This past Saturday, in Pasadena, a bus driver, idling next to me, yelled out, "is that a Bullitt?" I have never had a bus driver speak to me, while not as a passenger in the bus at the time. This guy was awe-struck by my Green Goblin and commented that it was beautiful. Sometime later in the day a gentleman approached the car, while I was parking, and asked if it was a Bullitt. He also commented on how nice he thought it was, but in addition, also asked if I would rev the engine. Do you think I would pass up a moment to display the classic musical sounds of this beauty? Needless to say, he was impressed and that stretch of block I was on, was much cooler. Looks and stares abound, as most people have never seen the green shade of my Mustang. Even if they have never heard of the Mustang Bullitt, Mustang Fastback, the movie, Bullitt, they still seem to be struck by its, "one of a kind," look. I will, no doubt, own many more cars in the future, but never will I own one such as unique.

To speed. . .

Revell Bites the Bullitt

It was shortly after my Bullitt acquisition, that I began looking for die cast models of the 2008 Bullitt. I could not find a one, so I suppose it takes the toy industry a little while to catch. However, recently, I found a couple of sites, for us die cast collectors and model builders alike. The first site I found: http://www.revell.com/catalog/products/85-4234.html, is a 1/25 scale plastic model. Upon first inspection, the green hue of this Bullitt seems a little bit light, but I guess it is the Light Highland Green version. It might just be the artist's interpretation, I don't know, but I haven't seen one so light before. Having not built a plastic model since high school, I wasn't so keen on getting back into piecing together and painting this version. So, on went the Web surfing. I then found another site ,which featured a DIE CAST Bullitt, all be it, the 1968 Bullitt Mustang, but a die cast Bullitt, none the less. The site: http://www.mintmodels.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5918, even has a display stand, name plate, and complete with Steve McQueen's signature on the trunk. Going for $195.00, it is not your impulse buy, but it looks like it has very good collectors value, as it was limited to 6,800 issues, World-wide. Get it, 68, as in 1968 and the year the Bullitt was made? The die cast model is Franklin Mint issue, so you know the quality is impeccable. Now, I know there are many die cast models out there of the 1968 Bulllitt, but none as high quality and holding its collectors value as the Franklin Mint edition. I will definitely make this purchase in the not too distant future. I have even included the Franklin Mint web site, as well: http://www.franklinmint.com/product1.aspx?SID=2&Product_ID=9678. E-Bay even has them in auction, but they also are going for $195.00. I haven't checked with the Franklin Mint to verify stock, but they may be out of stock of these green, miniature beauties.

Yet, another site I found, http://www.danburymint.com/diecast/prod/Bullitt--1968-Ford-Mustang-GT_11409.aspx, is the Danbury Mint version of the 1968 classic. This site does not specify how many issues were minted, but the detail on this Bullitt model is outstanding. The price for this model, $149, seems a little bit easier to stomach. However, the availability is still the question. One site I saw the Franklin Mint 1968 Bullitt listed for $235.00. Oh, well, won't know until I sit down to actually order the car. if anyone has already ordered any of these or found out they are unavailable, let me know, so I can seek elsewhere. I might be headed for
E-Bay.

To Speed. . .

It's All About the Gas

I have now seen that the octane value really does seem to make a difference in the engine performance of my Bullitt. I started using 87, as advised by the dealer and by Ford, however, I immediately noticed problems. As I have referenced in my previous blogs, I experienced power loss, stalling, poor starting, and seemingly, clogged fuel injectors. When analyzed, the dealer could find no problem with the fuel injectors or related problems. At that point, I began using 91 and 93 only, which seemed to do the job. My next service visit I need to have my IAC, (Idle Air Control Valve), checked to see if that is bad. Ruling that out, it would seem to come back to the fuel. I was told, by a friend, that Union 76 sells 100 octane at a select few of their station in and around L.A. I'm told that the 100 octane is good to fill up with every once in a while, in order to, "cleanse," the fuel injectors. We shall see?

To Speed. . .

Can't Wait!

9 days and counting! Already, I can feel the excitement, as we approach the 2009 Spring Training schedule. As every season past, I am eternally hopeful of the Tigers' prospects this year and am hoping for a healthy, successful season for, "The Boys," I have really been encouraged by the new additions to the bullpen, such as the acquisition of Lyons from the D-Backs and the health reports on Bonderman and Zumaya.

Let's hope the hype lives up to the actual play on the field.

Bless you Boys!

To Speed. . . and baseball. . .

It was Just Gas

Follow up from my last post, in which I queried about fuel injection problems. I took the Green Goblin, 2700 miles, to the Ford dealer for regular servicing and to check the possible fuel injection problem I had. The diagnostic was negative for any problems and the service rep said that the cause was probably the octane level of the gas I was using. The service rep indicated that if I was cruising the Bullitt at "grandpa" speeds, 87 was fine. However, if I would be, kicking it into overdrive, very now and again I would need 89 or 91. I was even informed that Union 76 carries 100 octane at some of their So. Cal. stations. This was recommended as a, "once in a while," choice to clean out the fuel injectors of any built-up gunk. So far, so good. Today, I ran it almost empty and replaced the empty tank with 89 from Union 76. The next fill-up, I will find that 100 octane and give her a good gas enema.

To speed. . .

Anyone had this problem with their Bullitt?

A couple of weeks ago, while cruising on the freeway, I had a sudden drop in acceleration in the Green Goblin. I was traveling about 65 or 70, with the cruise control engaged, when suddenly the speed dropped and I lost acceleration. I down-shifted and hit the gas, but lost more power, so I down-shifted yet again and lost more power. I clicked on the emergency blinkers and started to move over to the shoulder, not wanting to think I was going to have my first major mechanical disaster in the new Green Goblin. As I was pulling over, I shifted up and hit the gas. This time I fell a slight shudder, as if the fuel injection kicked in or spit out something and just as suddenly as the problem began, I was up to full speed again. I ten proceeded about 15 miles back home, with no subsequent problem. I have not driven it since then and have made an appointment with the dealer. However, I have heard that Ford has had a reputation for faulty/bad fuel injection systems in their vehicles. Can anyone confirm this? I hope this is just a simple repair, covered by warranty and I can continue the love affair.

To speed. . .