I fitted both the hood and the trunk by installing the Dzus fittings.

Lots of work has taken place on the car. I fitted both the hood and the trunk by installing the Dzus fittings. I finished the transmission mount.

These two items seem like small accomplishments, but to me, they were major. Both were Very time consuming.

I welded the bracket for the right battery, which is right over the fuel pump and filter. The bracket had to be positioned to allow changing the fuel filter.

All in all I had three welding projects. Dzus tabs for the trunk, transmission mount and battery bracket. I should only have two more welding projects. I will have to weld a bracket for my electrical cutoff switch (IHRA says that switch must be “Push of Off”), and I will fabricate a mount for my switch panel. Most drivers like for that panel to be mounted either in the overhead, on the loop, or in the dash. I like for mine to be right over the trans. tunnel close to the passenger side. My delay box, trans brake button and shifter are also mounted in that same area. I like to be surrounded by switches and gauges like in an airplane (or submarine).

I did not go to Super Chevy, but attended a funeral in Daytona Beach, Florida on Sat. Feb. 7, 2009. A good friend, Mr. Earl “Tank” Griggs, passed away from heart failure. He was 71 years old. Earl was called “A Gentle Giant”. He was about 6’6″ tall and weighed over 300 lbs. One of the nicest persons that anyone could ever meet. He was the father of our “Class of ’56”. He taught school for 32 years and was a football, basketball and swimming coach for 23 years. He graduated from Morris Brown College and got a Masters from Rollings University. He played professional football for the Buffalo Bills, back in the early 60’s.

The new car is a dream on the highway. I drove from Baton Rouge to Slidell, about 75 miles, and Barbara drove the other 625 miles to Daytona Beach! She never got tired and would not let me drive anymore. I played with the XM Radio, On Star and the Nav. system until we arrived (You really don’t need both On Star and a Nav. System, but since On-Star if free for the first year, what the heck!). I drove about half way back home, Daytona to Tallahassee, FL. We had a very good and safe trip.

We happened to be in Daytona Beach for the end of the first week of “Speed Weeks”. The economy has hit NASCAR. They cut ticket prices by 1/2. All the hotels and motels that are usually full were cutting prices to get people to come and stay. In general there was not a lot of activity like I am use to seeing at that time of year. They had sold out (at 1/2 price) by the end of the weekend, but those tickets are usually gone well before the end of Summer.