[JCAllison]

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Originally Posted by KULTULZ

I am @ 71 at this writing.

Hey Mr. K,
We first met in 2007. You seemed to be wise beyond your years.

I got the impression that you had experience with Fords that was well beyond that of the others who were also on FMF at the time.

My referencing the term "Hard-Top Convertible" when referring to Ms. American, took many by surprise. They'd never heard the term before.

Remember Mr. Deadhorse? He seemed to be totally nonplussed by it. His comments were a mixture of amazement, and incredulity. His comment: "I'd like to see THAT!" was part curiosity, and part challenge. And he was joined by Deb Demele, and Gary Kitchens.

My being a NEW arrival, impelled him to doubt what I had written, and THAT lasted till YOU intervened, and explained to everyone that back-in-the-day, that what is today is simply called a "Hard-Top", was called a "Hard-Top Convertible". THAT seemed to satisfy most of those involved. Then once everyone had digested THAT bit of information, the realization that Ms. American, was not just a Four-Door without a "B-Pillar", but was also a PI seemed to FURTHER "boggle" the locals there.

It was THAT "boggle" that was my FIRST realization that Ms. American was GENUINELY unique and unusual.

At the time, I knew that she was somehow "special" due to having stopped at a Classic Car place in Houston looking for Shock Absorbers (which BTW, on the REAR of a PI are what would be considered up-side-down), and when I told the guy that I needed Shocks for a PI, he looked out the window at Ms. American, and said: "That's NOT a Police Interceptor". He then took the time to go out and look at the old Gal's Warranty Plate, and then at the VIN Tab over the Heater.

At that point, he perked up, and we went back into his shop, and he made a phone call, explaining to whomever he had called what he had just seen.

When he had finished with his call, he told me that he didn't have any Shocks for a PI but that he could get them, but they would have to be a "SPECIAL ORDER".

His next step was to give me an exorbitant quote, which I had to refuse because at the time they were un-affordable.

THEN he asked me if I'd like to sell Ms. American! Of course I wouldn't.

I went quite a while before finding Shocks that were configured properly, and when I finally found them, and set out to install them, I found that before Ms. American came to live with me that someone had put Shocks on her, but they were just NORMAL Shocks installed up-side-down, and they were full of water.

The Shocks that were RIGHT for a PI came from the John Mecom Goodyear Tire outlet at the Hobby Airport in Houston, which was also the headquarters of Mecom Racing Team.

It (aging) has been put on hold after the last tragic birthday.

"Tragic"? You're still a young man!

I have too many aches and pains to get use to on the time left and of course there is the bad case of ugly.

I know what you mean. But a strange thing has happened on THAT account. In the past twenty years, since being diagnosed with this Terminal Liver Illness in December of 1998, that was supposed to kill me in five months, there has occurred a "separation " between ME, and the Body.

I don't know if this happens normally as one ages, but I have come to realize that I am NOT my Body. IT aches and pains, like IT sweats and strains, and while I can "feel" what it is feeling, it is ITS feeling, and NOT mine. I am able to make it DO stuff that hurts, but I have also learned that when THAT happens, that I have to be considerate of it, and not to over-do it because IT doesn't stop hurting when I stop making it do whatever.

It's a matter of being careful not to "damage" IT, which is of what ITS pain is warning.

I keep getting questionnaires from Johns Hopkins, should I be concerned?

They are probably wanting to initiate a "screening program"? At Seventy-One, you should be on Medicare, and Medicare prefers (almost to the point of demanding) that one gets screened for health issues. They'd rather have you find out early if something is amiss, than have you wait till it is already SERIOUS and is going to cost a LOT to deal with.

The main things that they screen for is cancer of all kinds, prostate, thyroid, cardio, blood pressure, kidney, liver, pancreas, and gall bladder issues.

It's a matter of finding a GOOD Primary Care Physician, and working out a schedule of screening. It's not something that just happens automatically. It's like having a maintenance schedule for one's car. Many are unaware that it is not only available, but necessary. The BODY is a vehicle (of sorts).

Was out and about in Ms. American today. She does quite well, although there is an occasional "shudder" which I suspect is due to the Pilot Bearing in the Flywheel allowing the Clutch to grab the Driven Disk a bit off-center, which "shakes" the Transmission. When THAT shudder is felt, all it takes is to push IN on the Clutch Pedal, rev the 3.14 a bit, and slowly re-engage the Clutch.

By the time we got home, put everything away, had something to eat, and a bit of a nap, it was too hot to do anything outdoors.

But am all caught up on everything, so that means that tomorrow morning while it's still cool, will be working on Lorrie Van Haul's Sheet Metal Center Section installation, and ultimately painting with Herculiner Bed Liner.

Anyway, when THAT is finished, am going to take a couple of days to catch up on other stuff, and then we're going to be starting on Lorrie's Steering System.

Hope this finds YOU feeling well, and taking care.

JC