A New Automotive Adventure

Crystal started this blog for me quite some time ago so that I could write down thoughts and important events in my life so that friends would better be able to keep tabs on what I was doing. It sounded like a good idea, but I didn't really follow up on it so well.

I have recently decided to put this blog to use, however. In the fall of 2008, I purchased a 1983 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS. Up until recently I have not had very much time to work on her. Yes, it is definitely a girl with all of the mechanical tantrums that it throws. Grousing aside, I really love my car and am thankful that my wife allowed me to pursue my hobby again. I am also fortunate that thus far all of the identification numbers on this car match up and prove that it is one of the 4000 of these cars made in 1983.

So on to the purpose of my blogging expedition....

For those of you who don't know, my dad, commonly referred to as Butch, Pop, or Dad, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. For those of you who don't know what that is, please take a minute and look it up. In a nutshell, it's a degenerative disease. While I was growing up Butch and I didn't see eye to eye on many things in life until he and my mom allowed me to buy a rusted out 1967 Mustang Coupe. Dad and I worked on that thing, along with my Uncle Jimmy, whenever time and money would allow. That car was sold to be replaced by a 1966 Ford Falcon which was also sold. Dad and I could cuss, sweat, and bleed together while working on these cars, but it was ok because it gave us something to work on and grow together with; even through a lot of frustration. It was probably the best thing that could have happened to our relationship.

Well as you can guess, Dad and I have embarked on another automotive challenge with the Monte Carlo. Thus far we have done a lot of routine maintenance type items to get the car up and running again so that I can drive it and have some fun with it. The first day that I brought it home, with the help of a good friend Jeff Holt, I was amazed at how quickly Dad and Jimmy were able to disassemble and rebuild a four barrel carburetor from memory. There have been a number of challenges thus far, but it has certainly been worth the effort. In the next couple of days I will try to come up with some pictures and bring you up to date on what has already been done.

Hopefully this blog will be a way to document some of the adventures that dad and I work through and overcome before he's no longer healthy enough to work with me.