Running boards, straight drive and recaps

 An American car

 1928 Model A Ford. the running board is just below the door, there is still a hole at the bottom of the radiator to insert a CRANK to start the car without a battery.
 
And now:
Older people remember running boards, recapped tires and pushing a car off to get it started.

      (Okay they were officially called retreads)
Cleaning the old transmission gave me plenty of time to just think. I remembered when I had a rough time affording new tires, so I seemed to always run recapped tires.
 
It was probably in the mid 60s that most folks could afford a new battery. Up until then many people drove straight drive cars and parked on an incline so they could let it roll off the incline and then drop the clutch to start the car.

That was a good thing about the old 3 speed transmission, it allowed you to ‘crank’ the car by pushing it off. Many times growing up I have jumped in behind and helped someone pushing their car to help them start it. It was a normal thing. Even at red lights, some people let the car die and several people would give him a push by hand if the ‘bumpers’ did not match. Back then we always cranked the cars, a carryover from the time you actually did turn a crank to start the car.(Rick still does, and I smile when I read it.)

Bumpers! Yeah there was a time you could jack up your car with a bumper-jack, or easily give someone a push without any damage to your car. There were many ‘bumps’ between cars back then that would ‘total’ a car now.
 
I am amazed at myself now. It is hard to believe I am now the OLD person, I was young for so danged long. Some of us still call that plastic at the front and rear of the car, bumpers, but they ain’t! 

 The Bumper became decorative....

I have told this before, but once in Dale Hartness’s ’48 Desoto he lost his brakes coming down Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tennessee. He hit the car ahead of him and the man slowly braked and stopped both cars. Both drivers got out and the man only said he was glad he could help! No fuss or accusations. That was in 1955, how things have changed.

BTW: Running boards was the protrusions just below the doors that you could run alongside the car and jump on to ride or make it easier to get into the car, like a step.

Nite Shipslog
PS: The Oxymoron for today:

Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one?

 

Crazy Horse, A TWO Life time project

 An American car

 1959 Cadillac Cyclone (never produced!)

For today:
Leaving my 'giant' sculpture work, the dragon head, let's go to the Badlands of South Dakota.
The actual project began in 1948, but the plans were years before. The Native American leaders wanted the white people to know they had heroes also. This thought grew after the work on Mt. Rushmore was in the works.
Long story, The carving of Crazy Horse. He is the Uglala Lakota Warrior most famous for the Winning of the battle of the Little Bighorn. It was undertaken to depict a hero of the American Indian. When it is ever completed it will be the 2^nd largest sculpture in the world.

Korczak Ziolkowski began the actual blasting in 1948, over 70 years ago. He died in ’82 and his wife Ruth took over as CEO along with her 7 children continued the project until this day.

The Indian leaders along with Korczak, refused money from the Federal Government.  A fear that again our government would ‘take over’. After all we didn’t have a great track record. Millions of $ yearly have come in as donations. When we visited no one could climb the mt for a close look. Now they charge, and with a guide you can go on up to the face at certain times.

Obviously the work is slow, it has been in the works over 70 years and only Crazy Horse’s head if actually detailed. At least one of the Ziolkowski children has become a certified sculpture. She has even modified some of her dad’s plans.

 This is the view I shot in 2004

 

 
 This is 2019:

This is  picture of a picture of a night blast of dynamite.

Talking about a lifetime project!!!!
I read the other day that a travel agent listed Mt. Rushmore as one wasted trip and suggested you do something else on your vacation.  I disagree. If you ever go to Rapid city, you should take in Rushmore, Stugis!! (My sons say), Deadwood, Custer National Park, and Crazy Horse.
We have enjoyed it at least 3 or 4 times. The Crazy Horse project may be a two life time or maybe three project. But remember it is not financed by the gov’t. but private donations as a whole.
If you  have visited the area, did you think it a waste of time?

Nite Shipslog
PS: The Oxymoron for today:

  Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

                                               

Climate Change and other stuff

Another All American car

1956 Ford Thunderbird

Have you ever heard of the Milankovitch Cycles? He is positive that the earth has changed its axial "tilt".  A great theory.  I am a middle of the road person on climate change. But I do think we can improve our earth by some recycling and conservation. I also think we should walk more.  I think kids should walk to school if they are within 2 miles, yeah thru 2’ of your snow up north.  LOL

I wish I was smart enough to solve the world’s problems. I know I cannot, but I think I should do my part.  As a builder I once I drove to Atlanta and attended classes on using steel vs wood in my homes. The winning points were less termite damage and also less chance of major damage by fires.

But when I bounced that against the fuel and less renewal elements, I opted to stay with wood lumber. It is POSITIVELY renewable. More trees are being planted than are harvest every year so it is be an unending source of building material.

Steel is definitely important in huge office buildings, but for the average home, wood is better and more cost effective.

All that is mostly an opinion, and some educated guess work.
 

Ever do something just because you wanted to. Something that would be in reality a waste of time for the most part, but possibly gratifying to your psych?

I did that a day or two ago. Son Mark brought a rusty piece of gear and left it at our house. “Dad, Scott says this is a 1955 Chevy transmission.”  He said nothing else. I looked at it a few days. Then after finishing chain carving I actually picked it up on a table and cleaned it up, it looks brand new. I enjoyed every minute of it. Google is good, it is  55 trans, used in chevys '51-59', Need one?

It is probably worth $7.50 as junk, or $50-$300 to someone who needs one. . I have no idea his plans for it, but I had fun.

At times it does you good to have fun doing nothing really important. Speaking of Feral cats:

Sherry caught this old man watching Zero nurse.

 He leaves the teat and heads for my legs . He loves to climb.

I love to see mama playing with and washing her kitty. Honest, I am really a dog person.... LOL

Nite Shipslog
PS: The Oxymoron for today:

Why do we wash bath towels? Aren't we clean when we use them?

(The above must have been a man’s opinion!)