Recent posts

#1

Car Guys Discussion / Re: Have you realized… ?

Last post by 426HemiChick - Today at 11:45:54 AM

I personally like driving my pos 91 Honda Prelude 4WS. The younger kids really like it and it's way more fun to drive than the charger or challenger ever were. Plus it pretty much infinitely repairable unlike my wife's 18 challenger T/A which will be obsolete in short order especially if the electronics start to go. On the plus side a 440 and 833 could be bashed in the challenger so there's that

Hi Frank,            19 May 2024
Forgot to mention the dealer took our Interceptor to the Smog shop for testing; she passed with flying colors. She now has an AZ title and an Arizona Navy Vet plate with the Hull number of the ship I spent the most time on. The new plate reads:  TAGS23

Miss the old gal, spent 5.5 years aboard her. She was declared "Unfit For Sea Duty" in 1975, three years after I left and then disposed of (meaning Scrapped) in 1977. Lots of fond memories.

Best Always
426 HC's

What kind of ship was it?

Hi LaOtto70Charger,          21 May 2024

Thanks for asking; she was a converted V2 cargo ship from WW II. In 1954 she was taken over by MSTS (Military Sea Transport Service), Later MSC (Military Sealift Command). At the time the project was so secret she was barely acknowledged publicly. When I received orders to her, no one at my current base had a clue as to what she was or did. Those orders sent me to an Army Base (Std procedure). When I walked into the post HQ the person I handed my orders to looked at them and said: "Your Navy, this is an Army post." A guy sitting way in the back of the office told him to send me back to him. He was the only one there that knew about our project.

He arranged a room for me and transportation to my ship when she came into port. We wore civilian attire and were expected to remain silent about our assignment.

Long story short, the project is no longer classified. It was a Black government project for the FBM Submarine program. We used a Multi-Beam Phased Array Sonar system to map the ocean bottom so the FBM Subs could safely navigate the seas without having to surface.

Most of the maps we created are still classified Top Secret and are still the best and most accurate maps ever produced of the oceans floor. I also have the distinction, shared by shipmates, of having swan directly over "Challenger Deep" located in the Marianas Trench; it's the deepest spot in the Pacific Ocean and the oceans of the world.

Dr. Robert Ballard convinced the Navy to loan him some of our maps so he could try to locate the Titanic. He found her right where our maps indicated she was lying on the ocean floor.

It was an honor and privilege to have served in this project. The folks selected for it were highly skilled Engineers and Technicians. Unlike most Navy ships, we wore civilian clothes, had staterooms, ate in a dining room, sat at tables, picked up a menu and ordered our meals from a waiter. Our food was served on dishes not trays. It was an Elite assignment and I am proud to have served in the program.

After my enlistment ended in December 1966 I received calls from General Instrument Corp offering me a job as an Engineer for assignment aboard one of the three ships in the program. As fate would have it, I was sent to my first ship USNS Michelson T-AGS 23. I spent four more years aboard her as a civilian DOD contract engineer.

I gave 8 years of my life to the NAVY; in return the NAVY gave me a Lifetime. I am thankful for the honor and trust they bestowed upon me; my selecting TAGS23 for my license plate is my small way of honoring the ships and crews that served in the program.

Hope this post doesn't offend this sites self assigned elite guardian: kern dog.

Thanks again for asking.

Best Always
Chris for the 426 HC's

#2

Interior / Aftermarket wood grain wheel

Last post by will - Today at 11:03:30 AM

   I got a P&G Classic wood grain wheel and I have it ready to go on. The holes for mounting the horn button don't line up. Would I need to drill new holes or is there something I'm missing? Does the wood grain wheel get a different horn button? I have the horn button mounted to the adapter, no matter what I do it doesn't clock right on the wheel. The adapter will not land right on the wheel when I try to use the predrilled holes. BTW this is for a 68 Charger.

#3

Off Topic Discussion / Re: 3d Printed Dodge Ram proje...

Last post by timmycharger - Today at 09:03:45 AM

This pic is before I started the lighting wiring, shows the 3 mini servos that control the front and rear locking diffs and the transmission.  The battery/tray is removed so I can hide the wires.

#4

Charger Discussion / Re: Where to buy 69 charger ta...

Last post by 69hemibeep - Today at 08:29:40 AM

I was over at the shop and talked to the guys about producing the part again while picking up parts. They say the guy refuses to use ABS from anywhere but his supplier which makes the part too expensive to produce.

#5

Off Topic Discussion / Re: 3d Printed Dodge Ram proje...

Last post by timmycharger - Today at 08:16:29 AM

Yea its pretty wild what you can do with scale RC these days and combining that with my new skill of 3D printing, makes for unlimited ideas.

Here is a shot of the Chassis as it sits right now. Everything is a mess still, I am working on sorting out all the lighting (headlights, reverse lights, brake lights, turn signals). They all feed through a module that can be later controlled via smartphone adapter on the transmitter. I will tidy up all the wiring once done.

I am in the process of retrofitting this lighting kit that was designed for a Ford Bronco into my Truck so lots of cutting/gluing to get it right.

Working on the interior now as well, It will have the steering wheel move along with the wheels. I plan on making my own decals to get the gauges just right, more pics of that in the future.

#6

Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust / Re: Strange S60 Gear oil leaks...

Last post by b5blue - Today at 07:55:10 AM

Sweet, I think seals are needed. 

#7

Off Topic Discussion / Re: When did you last: Pull an...

Last post by b5blue - Today at 07:51:49 AM

Did you ever figure out why your 440 self destructed? 

#8

Car Guys Discussion / Re: Have you realized… ?

Last post by b5blue - Today at 07:49:14 AM

puss

[that I never installed inner seals on the tube ends.]

#9

Engine, Transmission, Rearend, & Exhaust / Strange S60 Gear oil leaks - S...

Last post by timmycharger - Today at 06:44:56 AM

Sorry, no pics for this one, I was in the heat of the battle and never took any. I have been leaving small spots of gear oil on the ground by my back wheels for a few years now and finally got to work and solved it.

This is a Dana 60 built by Strange engineering (S60) that came in a crate with the axles installed but no backing plates. The axles had the "green bearing" type that I have used before when I had the 8.75 rear end which I know are better designed for drag racing vs street driving.

I bought this rear end back in 2006 and assembled it back then, putting on my old backing plates and brakes from my old rear. 

After draining the gear oil and pulling out the axles I quickly realized that I never installed inner seals on the tube ends. I don't know if I just neglected to do so or if it was a decision I made because there seems to be differing opinions on whether or not inner seals are used with green type bearings.

Regardless, I tapped in the new seals after cleaning everything, re assembled the brakes and changed out the breather vent to a more modern style as the one I had on was a tiny porous screen that barely let any air by. Filled it up with 2 quarts of Lucas and a tube of additive.

Drove it a few times and so far so good, no leaks! 

#10

Off Topic Discussion / When did you last: Pull an eng...

Last post by Kern Dog - Today at 03:48:01 AM

Rotate the tires? Reupholster a seat? Rewire a car? Replace a fender? Paint a car?
Change torsion bars? Install new shocks? Flush the coolant? Tune up your car? Drive 100 miles in the classic?