Reply to "Racing Numbers"

Nice to have your insight, Jim, thanks for sharing, man, I learn from you.

Chuck, I'm doing high volume petty misdemeanor criminal defense, and people want to get out of jail right now, or come in a week before thier trial when they are facing jail, so it's haul a.. all the time. Like your 'business', probably not too pretty to outsiders if they think about it too much, all the details and whether it's right or wrong. I have to go fast.

I guess you and I have had a problem in the past and maybe I let my sketptical mind wonder, so I just took care of it. That's what I do, take care of peoples problems, and if I show up without numbers, or don't think about something in advance, it creates a problem. I'm ready for trial at least five times a week, and this is a speed trial for my thrills, so it's getting attention from me in spare time. Right now :-)

Do us a favor, and just get back to us and let us know when to expect something, so we can know we're being heard.

I'm a patient guy when I know what to expect. My cat's on jack-stands now, my half shafts are off, I broke my buddies axle nut removal tool, 2 new axle nut tools are coming from Florida. I got a new brake upgrade kit after waiting four or five weeks, and after disputing with that guy because he priced the freight way lower than actuual cost, I made him hoonor the deal, but he decided since I got firm with him, he wasn't going to be nice and throw in the dual stage vacuum assist brake booster and master, since they weren't in the original ad. So, it goes, have to get things done, the brakes are what I wanted, but no instructions came, and then Jim helped me out with pictures. Looking at the rotor hats, mounting inboard, showed that if I wanted ventilated cross drilled slotted rotors, I better put them on now while it's coming apart. So I ordered them too, only they have to be custom machined, so add another two weeks from Oregon. And I'm waiting for new wheels and tires from a California vendor who doesn't sponsor this BB, after carefully considering his 5 spoke wheel deal, I went with 10 spoke wheels, which had to be made to order, but that was faster than 8 weeks delivery time for Simmons "F" style wheels, 16" front, 17" rear, plus no air leakage from 3 piece construction. The pieces all arrive next week, but I can put on the new clear front turn lenses this weekend and change the oil. Next weekend, it's slam-time, total focus and effort, and I'll get the new braided ZF hose installed while I'm making a mess. Then I have to go get a headlight relay installed, and over to the body shop to get a weld done on a crack on the rear part of the frame by the sway bar bracket. While I've got the old sway bar off, that's a good time to get the weld done, and weld on the steel jacking pads underneath, while I'm there. They'll probably want to keep it over-night, then another day too. Then install the 7/8" sway bar which couldn't ship because it had to get chromed 1st from the another Pantera vendor I like too. And so it's going to come up and down the jack stands a half dozen times before leaving for Vegas, and my 2005 Pantera budget is then shot, like over by $1,500 to $2,000, so I'll be taking in clients on weekends and happy to meet them at 7:00 AM or 10:00 PM all thru the rest of the year. Heck yes, it's worth it. Budget blown, I'll get out my tin snips and fabricate some aluminum underbody panels and try to find the best solution for air-shocks to lower and raise the cat. Another buddy, actually a competitor in business, had a heart attack and the doctor said it's because he didn't have a vacation for 15 years. I'm going on vacation to haul a.. around the track with you guys, 1st vacation in 13 years. Another competitor said he's never done anything like this in his life, but has always wanted to go to Sturgis on his Harley and take his Indian.

Life is for living, and so I'm sort of counting down at age 47, and I'm going to Vegas every year, for my health, to have fun, to haul a.., to socialize a little, to learn, to get inspired by some people who have ideas, and to get time-goals and ideas for work on my Pantera.

When I'm dead and gone, my estate will auction off my Pantera, and it'll have electronuic paddle shifting on the steering wheel, 575+/- horsies, and have functional, adjustable ground effects, and it will outlast me and the next three guys who own it. Maybe last longer than some homes.

I have to do some home chores too. Painting, new HVAC heater, new water heater, and I'll gather intel and slam the projects out as fast as I can, so they'll get done and I can not worry about that stuff for the next twenty years, and just focus on my Pantera projects. And there are Pantera projects I can't even imagine, since they haven't even been invented yet.

Ever feel that way? Must have, you constructed that BB, Chuck. Jim's been going racing 25 years, so you must have too, Jim. Talk to you guys later, Ron 'aka' VFI