Projects Recreating the jesse lopez coupe

So I am arriving at yet another transition in this saga. I'm living my teenage fantasies at a level that is a mind blow for me.

I had to come to Texas, and I had to hear that voice in my head saying "you've never thanked God for your life." My response was "what an absurd notion."

It was only after an extensive investigation that's still going on that I started to realize that the lose of many of the things that I valued in my life was mitigated by this gift of "yeah, its going to be cars." It was an all consuming force that kept me fascinated and shielded from the forces that were trying to destroy me, and any future that I might have.

This consisted of the many things that a young man considers important in his life, like a home/property, family being a father, having self worth etc. Things that most of us value in our lives.

This car stuff that included the fascination with custom cars, with the dynamic challenges of choosing the right car, and then the right parts etc. These powerful things kept me shielded from thinking constantly about the reality of what was happening to the things that I loved, and loved me.

to be continued...

 

One for the money, two for the show...

 

They look fantastic Jerry! Nice job!

 

Thanks Doc.

 

One for the money, two for the show, the signs are ready, let's go to a show

 

Yeah, your right LB, but there's some new dynamics that we need to talk about.

 

Just one of the things that we share on the H.A.M.B. is the comradery of this age group, and the fantastic life experiences we've had together as we navigate this fascination with this car stuff that we're involved in. We think we're going to live forever as we go about from project to project, until life smacks us upside the head and we realize that maybe there is an expiration date on this, and us after all.

My birthday is Aug 26, and on the last one I turned 81 years old (how can this be?) I've been blessed with good health all my life, part of this is good genes. I realized after briefly looking at Clint Eastwood's later years that we pretty much share the same diet. This should be good news, right?

When I turned 80 it was almost as if someone had flipped a switch. The things that I had taken for granted were now in question, like my stability, my stamina, my eye sight etc.. I need to check in with my doctor regarding hyper fatigue that causes some light headedness. I'm finding that my lazy boy doesn't like being lonely, and/or cold. I have an older son that I'm trying to get through a family legacy project with that's taking longer than it should. This is producing headaches and stomach problems.

Oh yeah, the cars, shows, etc. I've got to find a way through these issues and then I/we can start putting together a plan for the "new" display concept, car prep and transportation. Ha! that's all.

I'm glad we're in this together.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS from both of us!!!

 

I need to check in and explain my absence. It's not from neglect, it's from opening a present under the tree and finding a nice, vigorous case of bronchitis/flu waiting for me to unwrap. This is my first venture out into the world to see what works and what doesn't. Things do work to a certain degree after all, and I'm encouraged. I just had my best night so far, and that can get me some more. So stay tuned, my time card has a lot more punches to go before I'm/we're done.

 

That stinks Jerry. Glad you are feeling better!

 

Well, at this age you definitely don't "bounce back" like we used to do we? Thanks for the support, there is progress on the healing front.

 

Well, the fun never stops. My wife and I are being told that we have the "thirty day coughing flu". So I 've gone from a chest full of phlegm that sounds like a whimpering animal when I take a deep breath to it all being in my head with lots of fluids being expelled by blowing my nose constantly. We're laughing about it so I guess that's a good sign. Maybe two more weeks.

The task at hand is to get the JCC moved over to the section where the JLC is.

 

Sorry you are fighting the crud. We passed it around here for about a month. No fun

 

'Tis the season.. hope for a rapid recovery Jer.

-Dave

 

REPORT: After a wild weekend with wanting to put G/ma in the hospital because of her behavior, she finally demands that I call 911 and get her to the local E.R. in Fort Worth. They pick her up, I wait a couple of hours to let her get settled and seen by the docs. I arrive to hear that she's got the Flu and Pneumonia, which explains a lot. Of course, it means that I also have it. Not the same symptoms.

Oh yeah, the cars, they are now united sorta. Maybe sometime this year.

 

Sorry to hear about the ER trip. Hopefully she's feeling better and on the mend.

 

Report: G/ma is in a brand-new rehab facility that's about 10 minutes away, which makes things very easy and convenient, I see her twice a day. I ask the doctor why I don't have what she has, and the reply is that my immune system is functioning. I just got back from seeing her and she looks and sounds better than she has in quite a while, very encouraging.

I'm almost 100% and I've learned that my oxygen level is down from where it should be and getting it up where it should be probably will make a huge difference in my ability to navigate all these deficiencies that I mentioned earlier. This should/could mean that ill have what I need to get these projects done.

One sad note, I ran "our" partner in all this through a wash cycle and I no longer have a cell phone that works. That means no pics until it's replaced which I'm getting help with this weekend hopefully.

I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

 

I have a spare I-Phone 11 if you need one, Frank

 

Sounds like y'all are on the mend there Jerry...glad to hear it. I don't know why your phone didn't enjoy the swim....ungrateful little thing. LOL

 

Hang on, big life changing news coming!

 

You've heard me say from time to time that "life is a period of adjustments", and that's defiantly what I'm facing, big ones.

My oldest son Dan, the one that's helped me the most on these two cars, moved a little over a half hour drive north, and built a 3600 square foot home on 5 acres near Robson Ranch, a retirement community, in Northlake. There wasn't much there when they built their house, but it's pretty well built up now.

Our closest son John is about 15 minutes away, and our two sons Todd and Tom are over an hour away.

Too be continued...

 

Ever since G/ma came down with the flu/phenomena. there's been rumblings amongst the sons about a better situation for us then what we have now. My response has been that where we're at now is easy to keep up, and it's the place where I had my "rendezvous with destiny", and I'd just as soon stay right here for the rest of my days. I even stated that if G/ma has to be up there closer to our sons, I'll stay here and visit her from time to time. Silly me.

When she was in rehab, I visited her twice a day. She was in the farthest part of the facility from the front door and that walk was about 200' feet each way. I did this until she came home a week and a half ago. That last week my left foot started to tell me that it wasn't going to be a participant much longer.

I've been to the local podiatrist, and I don't like what's happening so far.

To be continued...

 

Sounds like I need an "unlike" button.....

 

So, a couple of Saturday's ago, my four sons met me at Robsons Ranch, and we got the "grand tour" of the club house and the model homes. Mom is still in rehab.

This is something that's waaay out of my comfort zone as I've mentioned before. After the tour we went to Dans place, which is nearby, for about three hours and had a thorough discussion of the issue. I told them that I understood the issues of us being closer to them and was ready to accept the idea and start to do the things that are going to have to be done to make it happen.

The "house" will take a year to build, Dan wants to build a shop on his property. Somehow the idea that it's going to take a monumental effort to get the JCC, and the JLC finished was assumed until I explained that actually it won't take much to put them car show shape. Mecum has an auction coming up in Dallas in September and that would probably be the easiest and most effective way to "rehome" them.

To be continued...

 

Seasons of change...not all of them fun. No doubt doing the right thing for you and mom, but hard for you both I'm sure. We are facing the same thing with our folks. Praying for all of ya....and wishing I could be the winner come September.

 

Jer, much going on,
My dad sold the home he built, lived in for over 40 yrs, the place mum passed in, it was a big deal, the new place doesn't have the same work shop space, but the burden of upkeep & distance from kids is gone/reduced, there are many blessings with the change all the same. Hang in there, sounds like your son's have your backs.

I wonder if the Jalopy Auction site here would be appropriate?

 

One of the big things I appreciate about The HAMB are the many friends I've made over these years, which Doc and Outback represent. My life is made better because of guys like you, and I am forever grateful.

 

OK, while my world is changing all around me, I still must contribute to "the cause" as much as I can. My sons have full time jobs and in spite of the "just let the kids do it" that's ringing in my ears I have to do what I can.

My focus has to be the JCC so that it can be "wrapped up" and put away. We start here.

 

There probably is a fair amount of you that haven't been exposed to the thread on building the JCC. Those who have, will remember the adventure that what needed to be under the hood was exposed. We're about to relive the most important issue that threatened to sink the whole project. See pages 7-8.