Category Archives: Dave’s News

Dave's News, Drag Racing, Technical

Old is New Again

The refurbishing of a early 90s aluminum race trailer

About 18 months ago, I bought an early 90s Aluminum Trailer from a racing buddy. The reason was that I had a Motorhome and a Stacker Trailer for week long races, a pick-up truck and gooseneck for weekend races, and a Toy Hauler and pick-up for motorcycle trips. The Toy Hauler needed to be replaced because it was shit and cost me money every time I took it out. I came up with brilliant money saving idea that buying an older, quality, aluminum trailer would allow me to sell both the Toy Hauler and Gooseneck. I could take the Motorhome and trailer (If I set up to carry both my son’s and my Harleys) on motorcycle trips and pull it behind the pick-up for weekend racing.

So I buy this early 90s trailer from Jim Bailey. I paid a premium for it, but it was well cared for and I felt I could freshen up reasonably. To this date, I modified the interior floor to accept the “Lock ‘N Loads to transport bikes, added a winch, some D-Rings, and move the wheel stops to accommodate a bigger car. I then scuffed, prepped and painted the exterior walls white with Red & Blue Stripe. It cost me a gallon of Rustoluem white and a quart each of red and blue Rustoleum – plus some supplies. I also painted the A-Frame gloss black. I later replaced the red and blue stripes with red, white and blue reflector tape – and wrapped the bottom in red/white safety tape. Electrically, I replaced all marker and tail lights with LED and the 7-blade trailer wiring. Finally, I installed an electric jack. Below are a list of shop update links on Maniacal Ravings of Dave Schultz, where I posted Details and Photos of this work.

So the above brings you up until this last week. Everything on the wall was removed and the interior walls were scuffed with 400 grit on a DA Sander, wiped down, taped off, and painted while with a roller.

Then I started to outfit to my convenience. I started with buying a black Yoga mat, cutting it in half, and riveting into place (with 1″ aluminum stock) at the back of the trailer. I then mounted a broom holder, strap holder, cord and hose holders and the Spare tire. I also mounted a hanger for the Director’s chair carrying case.

Moving to the front, I mounted a double helmet closet next to the bench. Onto it I installed a Kenwood stereo and a pair of speakers. To pick up the track radio from pitted in the Boonies, I mounted a high quality antenna on the street side – extending above the roof.

You’ll also note the 12,000 pound winch with a wireless remote mounted against the wall and a removable snatch pulley in the center. Also on the floor are the Lock ‘n Load plates for the removable motorcycle chocks.

Moving to the door, I mounted a door cabinet with fold down table. Below that is an oil bottle shelf, which also holds wrenches and screw drivers. That should alleviate some of the running in and out of the trailer for the most basic tools.

And speaking of convenience, I bought another cheap Yoga mat with carrying strap and riveted the sprap above the door. That makes it easy to grab for those times in the pits when you need to lay on the ground or work under the car.

I still need to:

  • Replace the trailer lights junction box with waterproof new
  • Mount dual batteries with cutoff switch under bench
  • Wire stereo and speakers
  • Wire roof exhaust fan
  • Run air lines under the trailer from rear and side door to air compressor under bench, and wire a on/off switch on bench
  • Make a rack for a set of 4 jack stands
  • Mount a rack for two bottle jacks and tire spinner under the spare
  • Mount a front strap holder and wall protection
  • Mount a 12V fan under upper cabinets
  • Mount a intelligent trickle charger for when the trailer is plugged in
  • Mount a set of Charging Lug on A-Frame to charge batteries
  • Install an inverter to provide AC power from a pair of DC batteries
  • Replace 4′ florescent ceiling lights with LED
  • Mount a LED pit light
Dave's News, Drag Racing, Technical

Shop Going Ons – 1st Week January 2020

More work on outfitting the Stacker.

The goal is to organize a 2′ shorter trailer with far less storage than the last one.

So far the oil shelves are up and the lift control mounted to side of top cabinet; coat rack, helmet hanger, and baskets for racing gloves and shoes are on the front wall.
The telescopic pole for the weather station is mounted on the wall. for storage.
A fire bottle is mounted to attic ladder.
Some of the Specialty Tools are in the lower cabinet. Sill more ae needing to be stored there.
Logs and cleaning supplies in upper cabinets
I still need to mount something to store my folding Director’s Chair.
In the attic I started drilling holes.
Pressed in some threaded inserts
Bolted in some angle iron, which can be quickly unbolted if I was to need some more flat floor space.
Spare Parts tubs ain’t goin anywhere. Yes, I need to flip the front floor bracket around.
Buster, my Ole Chocolate Lab, has been goin to races with me since 2005. He’s been having a rough time lately and can barely walk. However he was so excited that I was working all day in the Stacker that he found the strength to climb in and keep me company. His tail was wagging like he was a pup again.I sure hope he makes it long enough to go to a few more races. He’s never happier than when were. racing.
A couple feet of three in pipe with an end cap, and s a notched 4″ to 3″ reducer
and a little pewter paint
and I have a holder for the High Strength clear RTV that I use to seal my oil pan to the block
I mounted a couple baskets on the rear-side door to hold various items (gloves, carb caps, ..) often needed when working on the car in the pit. Also riveted three magnetic bars to door to securely hold a set of wrenches for convenience.
The other side door is also outfitted for convenience.
And a Wall Mount for my cordless drill. I’ll mount another for cordless Impact wrench

I still have to mount and wire up the winch, mount a cord-reel and air hose, install a radio and speakers, make a rack for Jack stands and mount some arrangement for hardware.

Ginger, My Magnum XE

The Gear Vendor Overdrive unit is on the transmission.

The master power switch is mounted in the console as is a USB port and 12V outlet for Bluetooth my Amazon Music and Sirus from my iPhone. The LEDs and the enable/disable switch for the overdrive are mounted on the console plate.

Plans are to change out those screws with something more appropriate.

I’m waiting on the driveshaft from Victory and I’ll have to modify the exhaust system as the overdrive interfere with the cross-pipe and need to make it curve away from the solenoid on the overdrive.

MoHawk

MoHawk is going to be part Mopar and part Studebaker Hawk. It is a custom Tube Chassis frame, rack & pinion steering, a Mopar 8.75″ rear end, a 340 ci Mopar motor, Tremek transmission, 63 GT Hawk body with 60 Plymouth rear fins, and a 53 Commander front clip.

This is where MoHawk’s chassis stands. Frame is powder costed in Satin black, as is the 8.75″ rear-end and Super Stock leaf springs.

The Skipper – My GT Magnum

Trunk has been taken tp bare metal, repaired and painted. I’m waiting on the floor pan plugs so the carpet can be reinstalled.

The grill is removed and will be dechromed and painted black. The bumpers will be removed, blasted and powder coated gloss black.

I’ll be reconditioning the clear plastic headlight covers and corner lens. The motor and transmission will be pulled, cleaned, painted and dressed up. Everything in engine compartment will be removed and the compartment also cleaned and painted before the engine and new under hood components replaced. The door jams will also be cleaned, scuffed and repainted.

And that’s it. The next report will also include work on the Screamin’ Woody and the Petty Tribute.

Dave's News, Drag Racing, Technical

Shop Goin’ Ons For December 2019

Petty Tribute

I aged some 15″X8″ Wheel Vintiques wheels to look Rusty, and mounted 245/60-15 Goodrich TAs on the rear. I still need to do the same for the fronts.

I repaired the old steering wheel, primed and painted to match the interior.

I tried three different shifter handles and all hit the seat, dash, or both. I finally made a 6″ adaptor to raise a pistol grip shifter 6″, which was enough to clear the bench seat and stay under the boot.

I bought all of the pipes needed to get the block hugger collectors to 2.5″ side exiting exhaust. This is all that is required to finish the car. These are the pipes needed to do the right side.

Magnum GT

If you’ve been following along on the Magnum GT, You’ll know it was recently treated to a new poly-urethene paint job, and the leather dyed before that. This week, everything was taken out of the trunk, the Surface flash removed, it was then masked, primed and painted. Since the car is pure black, it was an easy rattle can project. I’ll give the a paint a week to get hard, and then clean and replace the carpet.

The Screamin’ Woody

The engine was reassembled with a new crank, rod, and set of lifters; and stabbed into the car. It will be started and tuned next week.

Outfitting the Stacker

I spent a day getting the Stacker trailer mostly outfitted. On the door I installed a door cabinet fire bottle holder, tire gauge holder, rack of screw drivers and a pair of clamps that hold the weather station in travel mode, and the telescopic pole it goes on (to raise 5′ over the stacker’s roof) when in the pits. Another set of clamps were installed inside the door to hold the pole in travel mode.

On the front wall of the trailer, I mounted a stainless coat rack with 4 stainless steel hangers for my safety suits. Above the coat rack I mounted a pair of stainless steel baskets for racing shoes and gloves. On the ceiling I mounted a swiveling hook to hold my helmet.

Next to the overhead cabinets I mounted an Oil Rack and used Industrial Grey Velcro to hold the lift’s remote control in place. To the rear of the trailer is a strap holder, jack pouch, a blower holder and a couple cord holders.

I also put the hand tools in the appropriate drawers, but I’ll need to go back to clean and oil them before the first race.

In the attic I mounted a holder for four 5gallon fuel jugs.

I still have a day left to finish organizing myself into a 2′ shorter trailer.

Other

  • Installed an electric gate
  • Replaced all bulbs in Magnum XE with LED
  • Replaced AC blower motor on Magnum XE
  • Removed the Grill to the Magnum GT to paint when it gets warmer
  • Figured out I had the wrong parts to install an overdrive in the Magnum XE, and ordered the correct ones
  • Did a little cleaning and organizing in the shop
Dave's News, Technical

Detailing the Trunk of my Magnum GT

Started to Detail the trunk of my GT today. While there was no leak or rust through, the last 40 years has seen a little surface rust from wet items thrown in the trunk over the years. Pulled everything out, Cleaned the flash to bare metal, scuffed, prepped, masked and hit with coats of Grey primer.


A day later I hit with Black paint.

I’ll give the paint a week to dry hard, as I have other stuff to do anyway, before putting the carpet back in.

Dave's News, Family, National News, Technical

What I’ve Learned About CBD

Slightly after midnight on December 19, 1974, I was in the backseat of a Mazda RX2 that took a curve in the Everglades at over 100mph, rolled – throwing me from the car. I was Life Flighted to James Archer Smith Hospital in Homestead, Fl. I had many broken bones, a head injury and took 177 stitches in my face and head. To this day, 45 years later, I still have a chunk of windshield in my head.

In the ensuing years, I developed the same type of arthritis that plagued Evil Knievel, which was caused by too many broken bones. By 1980, I would stop by the VA Hospital each morning at 6am, on my way to work, for treatments. I was prescribed Indocin – which made my hair fall out; Napersin – which caused stomach problems; Zomax – which was taken off the market for liver problems; Viox – which was taken of the market for causing heart issues; and finally high dosages of Celebrex – which I quit taking because of concerns. I just muscle through the chronic pain with 800mg of ibuprofen twice day. I’ve lost 80 pounds, which has helped some – but much.

I’ve had about a dozen orthopedic surgeries, including three on my shoulder. After the last one (about 15 years ago) I was told I’d need a shoulder joint replacement, which I’ve yet to do. I can no longer throw overhand, reach above my head or in back of my neck. All of the discs in my back have degenerated, and after my last MRI, the surgeon told me that the arthritis surrounds the nerves and I’m too far past surgery. He suggested shots into the spine and burning the nerve ends to help the pain, but I have a brother-in-law who having that treatment who scared me away from that because of side effects.

So family, friends, former athletes on tv and others have been preaching CBD. To me, it sounds like snake oil. For kicks my wife bought a month’s supply of 750mg CBD at the pharmacy – for $89.95. I’ve been taking one each morning for the last week. I’m told it takes at least a month for it to help.

The last few weeks my right shoulder has given me unbearable pain. Again at our Pharmacy, my wife buys 3ozs of 500mg CBD topical lotion, again for $89.95. I scoffed at it. She put some on her back, which was aching. A couple hours later she said it felt a lot better. So I tried a squirt on my shoulder before going to bed, as my shoulder makes it hard to sleep. I actually slept through the night and had less pain in the morning. I’ve used it twice since then and feel like it is giving me some relief.

So because I’m such a cheap Bastard, I decided that I needed to find it cheaper on-line. I go to Amazon at find stuff claiming to be ten times stronger and ten times cheaper littered all over the site. I’m the type that believes that if its too good to be true (the strength and price) then its not true.

I spent the next five hours researching. What I found was the following:

  • Amazon doesn’t sell real CBD, but only sells Hemp Oil claiming to be CBD
  • Hemp Oil is pressed from hemp seed, and not true CBD chemically
  • Hemp Oil has no anti-inflammation or pain reducing qualities
  • True CBD is extracted from the mamajuana flower with an expensive process using CO2
  • The expensive stuff that the pharmacy sells is Green Roads, and it is legit.
  • The other well respected legit CBD product is CBDMD. It uses the same process, a 3rd party lab analyzing every batch, and is same price as Green Roads.
  • The difference for me is that CBDMD will give Military/Veterans a 30% discount, and Service Connected Disabled 40%. You need a military id, DD214 to prove military or veteran status; and a statement from the VA on your disability status.

https://www.cbdmd.com/military-disability?rfsn=2915221.841272&subid=xyyCCxyy211348090

So for me, I’m not 100% convinced. However, I’ll give it a month or two to see if I get some long term relief. More importantly, I’ve learned that:

  • Real CBD ain’t cheap
  • There’ currently no real regulations to protect the end user that they’re getting legit CBD, and not Hemp Oil being called CBD
  • Less 1% of the CBD bought is real CBD
  • I’ll save 40%

I hope this helps others from getting suckered into Hemp Oil claiming to be CBD. I’ll post a follow up a month or so down the road. I’m a skeptic, and feel like I’m hard to fool. If anything, I’ll most likely error in feeling that I didn’t get relief when I might have received minor relief.

Business, Dave's News, Family, Internet, Technical

My surface Pro X Nightmare

I violated my rule of “Bleeding Edge”

I’ve been into computers since the late 70s — when you had to assemble them yourself. I was a business computer salesman in 1982 when the IBM-PC came out with 16KB of RAM and a pair of single side floppies. I automated a collection agency I had ownership in back in 1983, sold that software to many other agencies. Was behind rewriting that system again to run on PCs, and started over again in 1990 with a clean slate – with the system know as WinDebt. I’ve owned a couple of computer software companies — and consider myself pretty savvy computer guy for an old man.

Every couple of years I treat myself to a new computer — always the top of the line as I do lot on it. I use to have a desk top in my bedroom, home office, main office and shop — but a few years ago I bought my first Surface Pro (a 2) and I have a hub, keyboard and monitor in many locations and just bring the tablet from place to place. About three years ago I upgraded the Surface Pro2 to a 2017.

For the last few months my 2017 has been showing signs of age. I have to have it plugged in all of the time as battery has expired — and the tablet mode (which I use most) has had the touch screen acting flakey. I knew the new Surface Pro X was coming out in December — so I hung in there and waited.

I received my X last week and immediately regretted it. It started with McAfee antivirus failing to install. The only message was call tech support. I did, and then hung up after 45 minutes on hold. I completely factory reset the computer and started over again — same deal. I uninstalled Windows 10, reinstalled and no soap. After wasting 3 hours I started doing Internet searches. There was nothing on the Internet about this problem — so I started looking for reviews on the Surface Pro X.

That’s when I started to find out that that while the hardware is Top Shelf with the fastest ARM microprocessor and 16GB Ram — on a 64-bit operating system — it changed a 25 year-old school method of how it uses DLLs. That rendered applications that didn’t get it together and rewrite their application to the faster standard inoperable – Just about all of them.

After finding out that I had to use Microsoft’s Firewall and Anti-Virus because none of the others yet work, I found most everything else I use is also useless. Fortunately Quickbooks Desktop and Quickbooks online both work. However, I use a virtual printer called Chax — which prints checks on blank check paper. I called their Tech support — and was lectured by their techie who knew nothing from what he speaks about Surface Pro being like an iPad — and not a computer. I explained to him that I had the most powerful personal computer on the market and it is nothing like an iPad. I tried to explain to him that its a new type of Microprocessor (ARM) and that I’ve read that there was going to be compatibility issues with older software. He told me that their software wasn’t older and that he could get it working. I gave him control of the computer with Gotomeeting — and he jacked around for an hour. I finally convince him to go to my Settings and About to see what I was running. When he did, he said “oh, your got a very powerful computer that is too advanced for this application” — I’ll have to tell management that we need to get to work on this.

Yeah Great! I spent the next hour ordering check printing on line for Quickbooks.

Next I tried to install and older version of Photoshop and it won’t install. I knew better that to waste my time — as the only option would be use the on-line per month charge version.
Next up was a VPN — Express VPN — the biggest, best, and most expensive. I tried twice to install and then got with Abi from their tech support. I explained that I had a new Surface Pro X and the ARM version of Windows X. He told me that won’t make any difference as Windows 10 is Windows 10. So an hour into this I have to reboot and he tells me that he’ll email me the steps to finish. An hour later and still no email — so I get ahold of Keajy and explain the deal. He puts me through the whole deal again — not listening to me explain about the ARM version of Windows 10. 90 minutes into it and I finally convince him to look at my about. I get the “Oh I’ll need to look into this.” After looking into it he says the only VPN I can do Spoofs my IP but adds no security. I don’t need to Spoof — I need security.

Next up is Microsoft, after my Brother laser printer driver won’t install and the Windows driver make white black and black white — to where documents look like negatives. At least when I explained to the Microsoft tech guy — he was prepared for a nightmare. I gave him control to the computer and watched him and someone else try like Hell to fix. The end result was that they were going to have to get with Brother to fix the driver and will get back to me in 24-48 hours.

So I write this to warn others — as this computer is so new that there’s nothing on the Internet about these problems. The surface Pro X is a great computer — but if you need a Surface Pro right now — get a 7 as it might be a year before all of this Windows 10 ARM app incompatibility is fixed.

Dave's News, Drag Racing, Technical

Petty Update

Shop today:
Detroit locker waiting for the carrier bearings and chunk gasket.
Took the rear wheels I painted along with the rear wheels to the Magnum XE to my bud at Discount. He took the 245s off the Magnum wheels and put on the Petty wheels, and put 255s on the Magnum.
Painted up the shifter handle extender and bought some Stainless Steels bolts, nuts and split washers.
Remounted the door cabinet 1/2″ to left as it interfered with other door.

Dave's News

Magnum GT Updates Coming

I’ve done a lot of work on this car, including new paint and leather restoring. Now…


Shop 1 is full with three cars all waiting on parts. So I move the Viper to a different part of the Bardominium garage, moved the Thug (its ready to race, just getting started and charge every Thursday) to where the Viper was and backed the GT in where the Thug was.

Next week, we’ll pull the GT’s drivetrain and everything else under the hood. The engine compartment will get cleaned and scuffed for paint. Same with the trunk and door jams getting scuffed and painted. The motor and transmission will get stream cleaned and painted. It will most likely also get a head, cam and intake change too – plus coated headers. The transmission will get a freshen up and a shift kit. The old window tint stripped off and the headlight covers polished. The bumpers blasted and gloss black powder coated. New Goodrich TAs and exhaust. The goal to be the nicest GT in existence.

Dave's News, National News

About Page At OldHippie.com

Old Hippie’s Social Network for Men

No Drama! Cars, Motorcycles, Babes, Racing, Sports, Guns and Other Man Shit.

This is a brand new Social Network created for Men. You won’t see pictures of cats, have coded posts begging for you to ask what is wrong, you won’t see questions on the best place to get your nails done, or complaints of migraines.

We are men! We burp, fart, scratch our balls, make crude comments and act like Men. We want a social network without Drama Queens.

Nor do we have a team of butthurt Snowflakes over-reacting to chickenshit and banning people over “Uber-Liberal Community Standards”. We don’t care about your politics, and won’t suspend you just because we don’t agree with you. Get on your soapbox and preach away. If we don’t want to see your posts, we won’t friend you.

This site is set up much like Facebook. There’s a marketplace to sell your general stuff, and there are Buy/Sell groups that are more specific. There are groups for cars, sports teams, local communities, regions, guns, and just about anything else men like to talk about. If there isn’t a group – feel free to create it. Join Groups to get their posts in your Newsfeed.

There are pages for business. Have a business you want to pimp, create it. Like them to get their posts in your Newsfeed.

Like Facebook, you friend people to get their posts in your newsfeed.

The software running this site has a ton of features, but the Old Hippie has. only started off with about 50% to start, and will enable more as time goes on. You can currently use this site on your smart phone by going to www.oldhippie.com – and the software running the site will sense your smart phone and adapt to it. Thst said, there is a stand alone Smart Phone app in the works.

While you can choose any unused Username you desire, but we ask that you display your real name so friends can find you with a search. Speaking of friends, please invite your friends to register and participate. This site doesn’t aspire to be a huge Facebook, they’ve become a huge Rat’s Nest selling your information, and they can have all of that. So all of that said, jump in, register, join groups, make friends, and post away. That’s what the site was created for.

Dave's News, Drag Racing

Shop Update 11/20/19

Ginger

Ginger, my Magnum Xe, is in the air ready for it’s Gear Vendors overdrive. However, one of the parts was not the right one, so it was sent back for them to exchange.

I ordered a Four Seasons AC fan from Rock Auto, but the one sent was defective. The motor won’t turn – and you can see the shaft is cocked at an angle. I got the RMA , boxed it up, put a Fedex label on – and its waiting to be picked up.

Petty Tribute

Valve covers are swapped out, as the black ones and the MSD Billet distributor couldn’t play nice together. A banjo fitting and drop base air cleaner were ordered. Also ordered was a C-Body shifter handle, as the B-Body won’t play nice with the bench seat.

The Victory driveshaft came in a little long, and had to go back for a trim. When all of that gets here, it will be ready to start.

I wet-sanded the steering wheel with 600 grit, and hit the backside with another coat of paint. Tomorrow I’ll flip it over and hit with a coat. Then 4-5 coats of polyurethane gloss and some wet sanding the orange peel a week after it cures ought to have a nice and tough steering wheel.

Stacker

Unboxed the Pit Pal Stuff and put in trailer. Mounting it all is on the very long todo list. Also need to mount the winch in the floor compartment. Have a couple cord reels and an air hose reel also needing to be mounted.

Other

The place I bought the coach (in Hammond, LA) mailed the Texas DMV the certificate of origin for the Coach and Chassis, along with the check for the sales taxes collected. The DMV called yesterday and told me that I had 14 days to get the coach inspected and titled or they’ll send the paperwork back. I’m leaving for the lake tomorrow, and plan to stay there through the Thanksgiving holiday. So I had to go get it inspected and drive to the Katy DMV to title and register.

Coming back from Detroit in my Ram 3500 and trailer, in the dead of the night on a State highway in the sticks, I hit a 300 pound Black Boar with the cruise set at 80. Since then, my truck has felt like the wheels were way ought of balance. I called my old softball bud (from 25 years ago), who manages a Discount Tire and had him order me a set of Continental steering tires. I asked him to check the balance of the ones coming off. The left was 4.25ozs off and the right was out of round. All is well now.

8.75″ 742 rear end going into the Stude “MoHawk) was rebuilt with new races and bearings, cleaned and painted.

An automatic gate opener kit I bought bought was unboxed, laid out, and I went over with the Shop Rat how to install.

Speaking of Shop Rat, he spent the day detailing the Magnum GT as a guy is flying in from Boston tomorrow to buy it.

So that’s how my day in the shop went today.

Dave's News, Political

Why Carry a Gun?

My old Grandpa said to me, ‘Son, there comes a time in every man’s life when he stops bustin’ knuckles and starts bustin’ caps and usually it’s when he becomes too old to take a whoopin’.’

I don’t carry a gun to kill people; I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m evil; I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the World.

I don’t carry a gun because I hate the government; I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don’t carry a gun because I’m angry; I carry a gun so that I don’t have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don’t carry a gun because I want to shoot someone; I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don’t carry a gun to make me feel like a man; I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don’t carry a gun because I feel inadequate; I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don’t carry a gun because I love it; I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police protection is an oxymoron: Free citizens must protect themselves because police do not protect you from crime; they just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I’m too young to die and too old to take a whoopin’!