Freightrain

65* this morning. Nice. Gunno go to hell tomorrow and through next week. 45 high and rain. Yuk.

I used to pick up worn parts at Delco Remy in Indiana back in late 80s. Drive in, there would be 20 guys drinking coffee and reading the paper. They would chose the one guy to load me, the rest would watch. My sister was HR over the Ford Romeo Engine plant. The horror stories of having to pay workers to sit in cafeteria all day because they couldn't fire them for any of the crap they would do wrong every day. Cheaper then fighting the union or fixing the stuff they did wrong. And people wonder why cars are so freaking expensive?? All those costs just add to the bottom line.

Time to get the old wood burning kit out!! We had one as kids, was pretty cool thing. Imagine kids today having something like that? Oh geez......

Time to bypass everything and use jumper cables from a battery to the starter. That would eliminate all connections. Sounds like starter is cooked if all you did was replace the battery. Is it supposed to be 6 volt?

I always loved my 2000 Ford 7.3 Power stroke with a straight pipe. It sounded like a baby E9. I liked running with my rear slider window open as I pulled hills with my race trailer.

I remember popping a couple studs on my 673. I looked on ARP website to see if they had anything possible. I did find a couple originals in my part boxes so never looked further.

My 2000 F350 PSD, 6 spd, 4.10 gear would run up Fancy Gap with my trailer at 65 mph just barely holding the throttle in 6th gear. That 7.3 was only 235 hp. I would wonder if my 237 Mack would do the same today? I know the ol 673 would surely not do it. I'm only at 28K lbs GCW. I've more then once wished my 237 had just a "bit" more power on some hills. It's no slouch on flat land, but start out on a grade and it just creeps along. I'm just glad I found the 237 a few years back. Of course a 300 would really make me smile!

It is variable speed but with no gunk and new air lines if you crank the knob to the right it really flies now. Before it barely made a full swipe as it hesitated a long trying to fight through the stiff crap jamming everything.

I think a picture of the engine will help.

^^^ This is true in a LOT of things today. Too many products come and go so fast that if you don't buy what you need the first time, they aren't around 6 months from now to buy again.

Even after 22 yrs, I never pull both sticks in neutral until I'm stopped. I try to get in the gear I need before going around a corner, but if not, leave the compound in a gear, and get the main out and ready to pull back into a lower gear. You're "suppose" to have it in a gear going around the corner( don't coast more then a truck length I think is the rule), but we all know that doesn't always happen in the real world. If you downshift the compound down to underdrive by the time you get to the corner, the main will be easy to shift down as you will be in a low rpm and plenty of room to get it up 1000 rpm to get in a lower gear. You will find you can't "rush" driving these transmissions. It is not like a car where you can just put it in any gear at any time. You do have to look ahead and make a shifting plan. Even when I'm stopping for a light, I will goose the throttle to get the main in neutral but I'll leave the compound in gear until I'm stopped. That way I can blip the throttle to get the main back in to move again if the light changes suddenly. I rarely use the clutch unless starting out. I work the throttle to unload the transmission to shift up/down. Every gear has a road speed and you have to remember what each one is. That will make it easier to put it in the correct gear at the right time. It took me the WHOLE first summer just to get good enough to drive around town without grinding it to pieces.

Looks like your havin' a ball Bob! Baby steps. I remember when I stretched my truck and did the bunk. It seemed like I would never get it done. 6 months and presto!

Depends on intake. Single was 170? Split twin was 187? Seems that is what I remember. My 673 was a split.

So I was at R-R Mack at lunch picking up a new gasket for my 237 turbo. It was just leaking a touch and you could just hear it chirp as it was building boost. I pulled it last night and the gasket wasn't hateful, but the two surfaces were pretty pitted so I spent quite a bit of time with a large flat file getting them back to "cleaner" condition. Anyhoo, as I waited my turn at the counter this fellow was looking for a treadle for his truck. The parts girl(nothing wrong with that) was stating Mack had ONE in the system and wasn't too sure if that one even existed. He then asked the price and she then made me go "HUH?". Ya, retail was $10,000 for the treadle................and it was marked at $5800!!! For just a treadle? Geezus, wow!!! He pasted on that purchase and got a drain for his air tank and left. I then asked what it was for. I assume an R model or sorts. Nope..............a Midliner!!! Oh, now I see why it was a $10,000 part. The girl says ya, they just won't get rid of them even if you can't get parts for it. I got my $18 gasket and left happy. They aren't just copper anymore, they are multi layer stainless. Hope this takes care of my issues. Won't likely know til next year since I'm done for the season.

My biggest problem with the motor was it was gummed up and the reversing valve was sticky. Pulled it out, cleaned the reversing valve, cleaned the linkage and the main piston/bore and bolted it back in. Some new airlines and it will throw the blades off it runs so fast now.

He won't part with it, but just had to laugh because the guy told him basically what I was thinking all along. He was the fab skills to make it happen no matter what. Just not sure if he will ever get around to it in his current lifetime. He has too many projects now. Thus I think it would be much easier to just buy a bike. Even though he has 2 now that he doesn't ride.

Seeing it's a pumper, adding an aux transmission is likely not possible due to the pump in the middle? Changing to an OD transmission maybe an option? Depending on what rear it has, finding faster gears is another possibility(like 4.10 or the like). Or changing out the whole rear for a later model housing with faster gearing. Having enough motor to keep it going is likely not an issue. Even the limited power of that gasser, it should be able to hold 55 mph okay on limited size hills.

Spectacular work, as always. One question: did you put anything over the POR 15? It has no UV protection and will fade to ugly. I found that out when I did the frame on my B. It was glossy for about a year and now pretty ugly.

Ya, that's why I got the Softail Custom. I like the big tire look with the little skinny up front. Built for a gearhead. Friend with Deuce has been trying to figure out how to swap his swingarm(and fender) for a big one like mine. Funny story, while at bike swap meet talking with a fellow about what he wants to do. Guy looks at him and says "why don't you just buy the bike you want?". I had to laugh. He wants all new tins to paint so he doesn't hurt the anniversary stripes on his. The Dyna has the duck bill fender, but with smaller tire.

My friend has an 03 Anniversary Deuce. It might have 160? Been a few years since he's ridden it.

No. Painter friend did. He does high end cars and did a fabulous job. I found paint code and handed tins to him. The $30? That was me buying a brand new Eldorado high back air ride seat that was on the junk/return table at Summit Racing many years ago. It was a bit tall for the B but it was $30(still in plastic wrap). Couldn't not buy it. Step forward about 8 yrs and painter friend has dirt bike track and has an old Volvo water truck with a totally clapped out seat. Traded that seat for a paint job. One of the few times I actually made out on a deal.

All stock. The Custom has a 200 tire and polished rim. All other softails have a 150 tire. It was black originally. I wanted some House of Color blue pearl, etc. But that was going to be costly. This cost me $30!

My 07 Softail Custom. Painted it Hyundai Veloster blue.

Ya, I tell everyone that riding a motorcycle is NOT relaxing. You have to THINK for everyone on the road because THEY don't. It's getting worse every day. I still ride, but not like I used to. Had thoughts of just selling it but haven't got that desperate yet. I don't tell the g/f how many times I've had to save my own life due to stupidity on the road.

Nice. Is that rubber block suspension? Yowza...