My Car Projects & Lots more!!
Its pretty hard to find the money or the time to customize cars anymore...
Specially with the recovery from the idiot that ran our country from 2016 to 2020.
Got to pay Medical Bills, Insurance and Groceries, as well as the "American Dream" (House & Property) that have to continually be fixed or upgraded!
I have seen my Grandfather pass away shortly after retiring, my step dad pass away shortly after retiring and many others (friends & relatives) that waited until after retirement to really enjoy life, and then got cut short. Well I am going to enjoy each day and probably work the rest of my life, because I do not have a any retirements other than SS to look forward to!
Take each Day and treat it like its the Best and Last!!
Update: 3/2021.
Got a great deal on a 2019 Ram 1500 Bighorn truck with only 14K miles on it!! Could not pass it up. LOVE the HEMI!!!
My new Tractor!! John Deere 3038E with all the goodies!!! I love it!!
Update Oct. 2016
Just bought this 2006 Ford F150 Supercrew pickup. Needed a Truck with an auto trans due to my knees. Its a one owner, nice truck, but dought it will last as long as my old 1993 Dodge Truck. This one is more my wifes pickup anyway. lol
Update 2011
Inherited this from Mom. 2000 Ford Chateau Van. Very Heavy Duty! Had Handicap Lift (since removed). Has 5.4L Triton engine, plenty of power, and gets 14 MPG regardless of how you drive! LOL Whom ever put the engine in this Van from the Factory, needs to have thier head examined!! NOTHING can be gotten to to service it!!! A Mechanics nightmare!! But only has 99K miles on it, so hopefully wont need much for a while. LOL
Nov. 26, 2012. Got a NEW project!!! A 1979 Toyota Liftback SR5, with the 1600cc Toyota 2TC Hemi engine and 5 speed trans. The car is the same year as my wife I were married in, so its a special one!!
I added a Holley 2 BBL Carburetor and some other work as described below, and drive it daily!
Stay Tuned for updates!!UPDATE!! May 2013
Toyota is in the barn getting a new timing chain and new AC system installed. 5/21/2013
CLICK HERE FOR PICTURES
Update 08/15/2013 Installed all new tie rod ends, pitman arm, and idler arm on front suspension, and did a damd good shade tree mechanic alignment! Also new front brake hoses. She now goes down the road straight and does not rattle in the front suspension any more! Great Little Car!!
Update 11/04/2013 Front Strut cartridges are seizing up, got new strut cartridges ordered, will install later this week or next.
Update 11/16/2013 Installed new front strut cartridges, brake pads and Brake Master Cylinder. Back on the road again!
Update: 06/24/2014, Patched rust holes in roof and coated with Herculiner Truck Bed liner. Looks good!
Update 03/26/2015 : Shes still running strong!!
UPDATE! Toyota is for sale! Asking 2000.00 Cash OBO (have too many cars on insurance, need to downsize some)
SOLD!!!! Went to a Man on Louisiana/Texas Border that is going to restore it to original again! I am going to miss her.
Finished my "Thought I Needed to Have" Slot car Track, click on picture to see an album of pictures of it:
NOTE:(as of 1/2016 it is now used as a storage shelf, and all slot cars have been sold. Fun while it lasted.LOL
.UPDATE: Track is FOR SALE. If interested email me at obarsdeals@yahoo.com .
Did have a pretty neat 2010 Malibu that I enjoyed a lot.
Sold to Father-in-law, so they would have a good dependable car.
My pulling Truck! 1993 Dodge Turbo Diesel. Wow! What a truck! This dude will pull whatever you hang behind it and not complain one bit. And gets super mileage as well!
Update 7/15/2013 Took out that stupid K&N air filter (not worth the money at all), installed a Donaldson Commercial Air Filter, and got 30 MPG on 2 different trips to New Braunfels and back driving at 55-60 Mph.
Averages 23-27 regularly now.
Update: 04/2016 New Moog Front Springs, All New Ball Joints, and alignment.
Now she sets level again (that 900lbs of motor takes its toll on springs after so many years)
Update 8/20/2013 Installed all new Brake Rotors, Pads, and Calipers on it.
UPDATE 2021. Sold the old Dodge.
In 2007 I turned 50 and decided to relive some younger years over again. Built a homemade buggy from a 1961 VW Beetle!
Wow, it was a hell of a lot tougher to do all that hard work at age 50!!
Made it completely street legal and on the road!!
Had to sell it to pay taxes for 2007...
Damd Government Squeezes every last bit out of us!!!
2005
Heres the engine I built for our "72" VW Beetle Its basically a stock 1600 engine, dual port, 87MM jugs, headers, etc... Baja'd the rear end for easier engine access. Runs great and lots of fun!!! You just can't get old in one of these!!! You got a VW??? We loved this old car!! Its was real cruiser! Had the original (rebuilt) 260CI V8, Auto trans. Very clean original old car. Original paint!! I added A/C and Cruise control, which made this old car very drivable. Got about 17-20 MPG, and left most newer cars standing at the traffic lights...
2003 1966 Triumph Spitfire. I had 2 of these at the same time, yet never seemed to get any good pictures of them! These were neat little cars, with lots of power, handling and looks! I would not fit in one anymore! LOL
Yep... We used to be avid Air Cooled VW Folks!!! Here is a Bug I built for my wife in 2005. Its has since been sold as well.
Update!!
VW is in the barn for a face lift!!
Got most body work done now. Closed in the hood (trunk) vents and Bumper holes. Waiting for paint to come in, Sunshine Yellow!!
Here are some prep pics:
Repaint is complete!! A few of the customized items are:
* Filled in front hood vents
* Filled in front fender bumper holes
* Dechromed and holes filled in
Bug is ready for the road again!!!
Heres some pics:
SOLD!!
Sold to pay taxes for 2005...
Here are just some of the pretty neat cars I have owned:
1976-2005
Here is our 1964 Mercury Comet
SOLD!!
Sold to a very nice young man in Houston, Texas.
1999
Here is the Volvo 4X4 that I owned a few years ago
Based on a Chevy Blazer Frame and drivetrane, hosting a 350CI engine, auto trans and fully functional 4WD. Had A/C, Power windows, power locks, power steering, power brakes, sunroof. A real pleasure to drive!! Lots of fun!! I ended up trading it off for the down payment on a house. kind of miss it though. Not sure of its whereabouts now.
Here Is my 1964 Ranchero.
I bought this car as a project as well. It had dents and wreckage from one end to the other!, a worn out tranny and a homemade driveshaft... I had the Tranny rebuilt, found the correct drive shaft and then did all the bodywork and painted it. Drove it for about 6 months, then Sold the Ranchero to a young Man in Austin. Again, had to pay the tax man...
With me, everything should have a better and easier way of doing the job. So with that in mind, I decided to build a front loader for my electric golf cart (as I had already built a crane on the front of it). The loader is made from box tubing and aluminum bucket, and uses the existing crane with electric winch to operate it. Works like a charm and can be put on the cart or taken off in just 2 minutes.
Some of the cars from my earlier years:
1969 Ford Ranger Short Wide Bed Pickup. This was my baby!! It had a 352ci Motor out of a Thunderbird (Big port heads), I rebuilt the motor and installed a 3/4 race cam. 3 Speed trans w/floor shift. Had in about 1978. Traded in for the New 1979 Toyota 4WD pickup in 1979.
Got Married in 1979 and bought this 1979 Toyota 4WD pickup (they were just introduced in the USA)(thats my bride standing next to it, and she is still married to me!). It would go virtually anywhere!! And yes, I did try! Traded it for the down payment on a House.
Here is my 1st VW buggy I built from an old 1964 VW Beetle in about 1980. I built this on the ground beside my house using nothing but old John Deere tractor shipping crates and a borrowed welder, and many many beers. We drove the wheels off this dude! I even used it in the Winter! Finally had to sell when a new baby came along. The new baby is now my 37 year old Daughter who is most important to me!!
My wifes 1973 Toyota Celica that she had when we got married. This was a super fun car to drive! Wife is Hot too!
I have had many nice old cars in my time. About all I can remember is:
1965 VW Beetle (ran off 15ft cliff and totaled)
1966 Ford Fairlane XL, 2 door hardtop, 289ci.
1966 Olds 88
1977 Red Chevy Nova Rally (bought New)
1979 Toyota 4WD Truck (1st year they came to USA)(Bought New)
(2) 1966 Triumph Spitfires
1961 Dodge Rail Buggy, had 318ci wide block motor, auto trans and 5:13 gears.
1966 VW Beetle 1300 with factory sunroof.
1971 Ford Custom F100 Pickup.
1965 Old Delta 88, w/425ci Motor.
1964 Olds 88 with Big Ass Motor!
1972 Toyota Corolla
1971 Toyota Carina.
1974 Toyota Corona.
1960 VW Beetle w/1600 engine.
1968 VW Beetle.
1967 VW Beetle.
1972 VW Beetle.
1969 Datsun Pickup.
1977 Dodge LWB Pickup, w/rebuilt 318 with Crane Cam.
1981 Toyota Tercel (bought new).
1983 Toyota Pickup (bought new).
1983 Pontiac 2000 (bought new and returned because it was a piece of crap!).
1989 Ford F250 Super Duty with 460 Engine
1969 Ford Ranger short bed truck with High Perf. 352 w/large race cam.
1979 Subaru 4WD wagon.
2) 1982 Subaru Wagons (Great cars!)
1989, 1990, and 1995 Ford Aerostar Vans (1995 was 4WD)
1989 Mitsubishi Galant (bought new) would do over 120 mph
I have had many many many others, but its too hard to remember them all! And they are still coming!!