Spring Thaw

My brave new world

2007: Quit Smoking
2009: Quit regular soda
2010: Quit fast food
2011: Quit 'junk' carbs
2013: Quit diet soda & all artificial sweeteners

2013: Began incorporating organic produce, grass fed beef, and non-GMO items

2013: Began drinking daily green juice

2013: Began tracking walking & fitness

In the pictures, you can see a big part of my daily routine at the office. A salad for lunch, with dressing from home. Filtered water. Green tea, which sometime I make into iced tea.

The Friday Footie

Keep Improving / Keep Trying

So...I've been pretty quiet around here lately. Doesn't mean I've been idle!

In the past few months I've quit diet soda, quit all artificial sweeteners, quit coffee, quit decaff tea, and started drinking water, fresh cold pressed vegetable juices, added several pieces of organic fruit to my daily diet, continued with my daily lunch salads (with very minimal dressing), and I've been adding several servings of fermented foods each week.

The results? Absolutely ZERO weight loss, very surprisingly. However, and I cannot overstate this - it's totally worth it! I feel fantastic, and my health has not been this good in a L O N G time.

I'm out of A-fib, the daily walks are going well, and I have only a tiny fraction of the headaches I used to have.

I will continue, I will move forward, and I'll continue to learn & innovate with my plan.

New Beginnings

Lost in the Wilderness

Remember the scene in the Steve Martin movie 'The Jerk' where he walks off, mumbling, taking the chair with him?  I feel a bit like that lately... with too many things going on my brain feels muddled, and an old quest has (perhaps) bit me in the ass.  Most of you know I recently bought a 1969 Spider, which was a very good deal, and was something I'd been looking for ever since one slipped through my fingers in 2008. These cars have always 'spoken' to me, and this one was SUCH a good deal, I just couldn't say "No".  ...but I broke two of my own cardinal rules. 1) Only own one 'project' at a time, and 2) don't get two cars that are too similar.  My '74 Spider is the project that'll never end. Something I never foresaw was that after modification on top of modification, the required little continuing adjustments never seem to end. You modify one thing, then something else has to be adjusted around it, and then a third thing isn't quite what you expected. It's tough to know when it's 'done'.  In the meantime, I have so little time that it's just too easy (and too damn much fun!) to drive, so I end up never WORKING on it. The '74 has a dozen small projects that have been hanging over my head too long, making me crazy. That damn exhaust braket rattle will drive me around the bend soon, and with less time than ever for my Fiat 'habit', I haven't even had time to open a box of parts I recieved a few weeks ago.  With the '74 projects behind, the new '69 needing attention, the 'ole Wagon felt like too much - so the poor thing languished, only to eventually be sent off to be "out of sight & out of mind". That wagon deserves a better owner than me. I collected a number of parts off the '68/'69 series cars for my '74, but I know in my heart it'll never 'really' be an earlier car, and darned if that damn '69 doesn't just have charm coming out it's ass. It is a shockingly different driving experience, and not just because it has a fraction of the power my '74 puts out. That little 1438 motor is surprisingly 'spry', and I can't help but think that after rebuilding the carb & giving it an electronic ignition & good tune, it'll be remarkably better.  The '69 needs a lot of work to bring it up to snuff, but in a VERY different way from my '74. The '69 is sooooo close to stock, it's really easy to measure & list what it needs. That line is VERY blurry on my '74, which will NEVER be stock, and likely never 'done'.  So what do I do?  My original intention was to spiff up & buff out the '69 for an easy flip, early in the summer. The proceeds would help get The Great White Wagon back in service, which would then mean I'd have time to wrench on the '74 guilt-free. (And the clouds would part, and the sunbeams would shine down on me while the angels sang!) ...in the meantime...damn, I love driving this '69...  After all I have done & gone through on my '74 (and all the bruised knuckles of everyone who helped!), can I even imagine selling The Beast? Would it be absolute lunacy to even consider selling the '74, and keeping the '69???  Or do I need to just focus on one project at a time, some day arriving at that mythical nirvanna where all the cars just need periodic maintenance?  Sometimes, that's the part of the Fiat Ownership Quest that always seems to be one step too far...or one step inside the looney bin...

A truly shit day

After a delay in Feb, (due to being laid off after nearly 12 years with CEC & dealing with COBRA & whatnot), I went in for knee surgery today.  After being put under General Anesthesia, I was the 'exciting patient of the day' when I went into Atrial Fibrillation.  

(Please forgive spelling & terminology issues, as I'm still in the hospital, posting via free wireless.)

Atrial Fibriliation means that the top part of the heart is fluttering around, which could cause blood pooling, or a risk of clots.  This isn't uncommon in the elderly (which I am not), those with chronic high blood pressure (which I don't have), those with chronic sleep apnea (which I've not been 'diagnosed' with), and it can be...hereditary.

Ding!  We have a winner!  

My (almost) 91 year old Grandfather has it, and...well....this isn't what I'd choose to inherit!  However, we have two BIG! FUN! tests tomorrow to figure out 'next steps'.  

Medication may help, they may shock me back into submission, or we may have to live with it.

THEN .... we can decide when to go back & do the darn knee surgery!

So....amidst the tests, pic-cushion-practice, and inevitable Hospital Food, I get a whopper of a headache going, just in time for a phone call.

From Allstate.

You know, where I had a GREAT interview, which went almost twice as long as scheduled, and where halfway through she began interviewing me for the position ABOVE the one I'd been brought in for!  A week later I had a phone conversation with her boss, as I'd "be part of his management team".  It went VERY well.  They even asked about my availability!  They were supposed to call me yesterday, and the implication was that it'd include an offer letter.

No call yesterday.

In fact, for the last week, the recruiter never followed up on my question regarding the higher level job's salary range, and in fact, never called after the initial "It went GREAT!" phone conversation.

...but I didn't expect him to call and say the positions had evaporated.  BOTH positions.  One to fresh budget cuts, the other to a recent new hire.

It really caught me off guard.  

Something about it stinks, but it's a moot point, it's gone.

So, it was a double-barrell-shit day, and rather than compensating by grilling a good steak, and having a nice bourbon with a good cigar ... I'm up late & unable to sleep in the cardiac ward of St Alexis.

Nothing Fancy Here

Interesting stuff?

Looking at this picture on my wall, for some reason today it caught my eye.

Thunder Bay Falls

No more understrapping!

Mr. Booze-hound

Clyde's new collar spells out "It's 5 o'clock somewhere"!

Snow Removed

Prepared for snow removal

American Heritage Shopping

The other customers were 'real' American working men - Tire Shop employees, and various construction types. When I asked about the Iron Rangers and some of the other boots in the heritage line, I was told "Those are for poser 'office-types". It was a beautiful store, with experienced & knowledgeable sales staff. I didn't stay long.

Aloha Friday

Bourbon & Ginger Ale, with a chicken, bacon, and avocado flatbread.

Good for the soul...

The Barn Coat

Waxed canvas, plaid lining, brass zippers. Stand up collar, a bit thin for truly cold weather, but a nice timeless design

Randolph Engineering Aviators

The new interview outfit

It's not 'standard issue' East Coast Navy Blue Blazer & khaki's...but it's still very traditional...

-Lee

Thumb typed on my iPhone

Preferred method of contact:

Email leeputmanjr@mac.com

Next best method of contact:

Text me at 847.687.7291

The Ups & Downs

It's important to mark the occasions of our lives, even when times are tough.

In fact, I think it's even more important to do so when life is challenging.

It's easy to celebrate when things are good, but during times of stress it can feel difficult to be 'up for it'.

...But the effort is worth it. In the same way that the spirit of giving is what brings us happiness, celebrating the good things reminds us that no matter how dark the hour, we all have things to be thankful for.

The Pink Slip

I always thought 'pink slips' were supposed to be...PINK?

In this day & age, apparently not.

Eleven and a half years has come to an abrupt end. I've had at least six different positions with CEC, moved halfway across the country for CEC, I've had some wonderful opportunities & I've met a lot of really great people.

I keep reassuring the people who reach out to me that this is...ok. It's the best version of a shitty thing.

It'll be ok, because I'll MAKE it ok. I don't know how that'll happen, and while that's a little scary, I have faith in myself.

I've been through worse times, and comparatively, I'm very lucky.

...but you're right. It still sucks...

Style Icon: Thomas Magnum

Pink rugby shirt? Hell yes! Where do I get one...?

It's that time of year!

A family tradition

Family History

A sad day

Little Booger

A Thousand years ago...!

Follow the leader

Our club’s annual Fox River Cruise, always a favorite of mine

Swapped

I swapped a few bands around, still not 100% happy, but it's improvement & I'm happy with the results.

Today's 'American Heritage' look

Yes, I know the belt doesn't match the shoes...shut it. I swapped the black belt for my vintage brown belt with the nice contrast stitching. 'Look' achieved!

Old vs. New

We’ve all heard the old saying, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to”.  Ray Ban Wayfarers have been around since before I was born, which gives us a good opportunity to test that old saying.  I cannot think of another style of sunglasses that’s been in production for, literally, decades.  That’s quite an accomplishment considering the fickle & disposable American fashion sense.  How did it happen? 

From Wikipedia: “Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses have been manufactured by Ray-Ban since 1956, when their design was a revolutionary break from the metal eyewear of the past. Wayfarers enjoyed early popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Though the sunglasses had faded from the limelight by the 1970s, a lucrative 1982 product placement deal brought Wayfarers to their height of popularity. Since the mid-2000s, the sunglasses have been enjoying a revival.”

An American company gets bought out, tastes and times change, and products evolve.  To stay current, a product HAS to evolve, right?  Here – we examine exactly what those changes amount to. 

The two tone Wayfarers are a current model, the black ones are at least as old as I am.

In the top left – notice the branding on the temple.  Apparently, we didn’t always have to have labels!  Also note the change in the joint geometry – the new pair has much more material on the main frame’s corner with a square joint to the temple arm.  The older pair has much less frame material and a 45 degree mitre cut.

Next row down – the printing on the inside of the temple arm not only discloses the country of manufacture, but the new pair has printing so smooth you can’t feel it, while the old pair has printing that’s stamped into the plastic.

Bottom row – perhaps the most telling difference is the quality of the hinge.  Look at the old pair, how many fingers overlap in that hinge!  That’s a seven finger hinge – compared to the new pair having just a three finger hinge.

Now note the two pictures with the side by side comparisons on the right hand side.  The top picture shows how the shape has evolved, and the bottom picture shows us more branding.  Again, part of the difference is how the marking is applied – the newer pair has the Ray Ban script printed on the (plastic?) lens, and the older pair has the Bausch & Lomb logo etched in the glass.

 

A healthier alternative

No preservatives, fewer chemicals, MUCH less sodium, and yet it tastes pretty good! It's also cheaper, and involves 95% less waste. No more plastic bottles or aluminum soda cans to recycle...and the C02 can be refilled.
I'm thinking it's a win/win...

Productivity!

End of the season

Eight Fiats & one Lancia - we had half the total attendance at The Chick 'n Dip's end-of-the-season Cruise Night

iOS 6 - First Impressions

Why yes, I do like the improvements!

I should have gone to Stanford...

The Revs Program at Stanford is pleased to announce a Stanford Continuing Studies course taught by Professor Michael Shanks, automotive archeologist and faculty at the Revs Program at Stanford.

 

This class is open to the public. Course and registration information can be found at https://continuingstudies.stanford.edu/courses/course.php?cid=20121_DSN+203.

 

Churchill's Landy

One of my favorite blogs posted this today:

http://www.thewilliambrownproject.com/2012/09/churchills-landy.html

 

Look what I posted back on August 29^th (three weeks ago!):

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151047846414077&set=a.38115339076.49594.517919076&type=3&theater

 

It’s good to know I was on the right track…

 

Not too shabby

Best of a bad situation

Sometimes you have to make-do with what you have...

1976 Polski Fiat Pick Up Truck

From the seller:

In 1975, aiming to extend their sales network beyond Europe, FSO (Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych) officially exported three Polski Fiat 125P vehicles to the USA: a sedan, a station wagon, and this pick-up. These three vehicles were sent over to be modified to conform to American DOT and EPA standards, so that type approval could be granted and durability testing done in American conditions. Any modifications were done primarily in the USA, by Olson Engineering in Fullerton, California. San Francisco super-dealer (and super-enthusiast!) Martin Swig was the primary mover and shaker of the project on this side of the Atlantic, but in the end he and FSO were incompatible partners and the deal fell apart. This unique American-spec 125P Pick-Up that you see here is the sole survivor of the three, having full DOT and EPA approval.

At one time, as many as a dozen 125p sedans or wagons were in the US, used by Polish diplomats at embassies or the UN; all long gone. Of the three cars officially exported by the factory to the US, one was reputedly crash-tested into a barrier. The other did not end up fully conforming to US safety and pollution codes before its 90-day federal waiver was up, and it was subsequently scrapped (as required by law at the time), making this pick-up absolutely unique.

This Polski Fiat is a genuine low-mileage collectible, with almost entirely original parts and trim. The odo stopped rolling at 20,029, but the owner is confident that the actual mileage is not much more than this (and going by the overall condition, and the fact that the original tires were replaced because of weather checking, rather than tread wear, this seems very realistic). The body was repainted in a slightly brighter hue than the original green. The owner has done fluid changes, cleaned the fuel tank, and added an electric fuel pump. Rear brakes were rebuilt too. The interior is 100% original. The seat covers are torn, and need to be replaced, but there are decent looking slip covers in place. The interior is otherwise in good shape for its age. The owner even has one of the original Polish “Stomil” tires as a spare, and original Polish filters in boxes.

The body and frame are clean and solid, except for the floors, which have perforations and could use new panels welded in. Otherwise, the wheel arches, fender wells, valance panels, outer sills, sub-floor below the pick-up bed, and corners and crevices underneath are impressively clean and solid. Even behind the bumpers is clean and nice. Body is straight, with a few minor dings and small dents. Panel fit is decent, although the passenger side door needs adjustment at the hinges to fit better. This door also has a cracked window, which is still solid and rolls up and down without issues. Chrome bits show some light pitting on a few pieces. One tail-light is cracked. The bumpers are undented, although the he front one is slightly askew. No major defects or accident damage are evident. Amazingly, the cargo bed remains un-dented, and the tailgate nearly so, showing no signs of hard use. Under the hood, most everything is in its place and tidy looking.

At the curb, the overall impression is quite good, being that of a nicely preserved original rather than a sterile museum piece. It can be presented anywhere with pride.

What is a POLSKI Fiat, anyway?

FSO built Fiats under license in Poland for many decades, crafting over a million Polski Fiats of various models, and many more Fiat-based Polonez cars. In Europe, Fiat sold a “de-luxe” version of the basic 124 sedan, called the Fiat 125. FSO tended to tailor their Fiats for Polish conditions, and their version, the 125p (“p” for “Polish”!), used the push-rod engine from the old 1500 and four-speed transmission, instead of the twin-cam and five-speed of the Italian home-market 125 (and most US 124s). Confused? It’s pretty simple, really: This is a Fiat 125 sedan, factory redesigned into a pick-up truck, using the engine and transmission from the old 1500 Spider sold in the US in the 1960s, and built entirely in Poland with love!

This Vehicle and its History were featured last year in a cover-story by the excellent Polish magazine Classicauto (Issue #58, Lipiec 2012)

All Polski Fiats are becoming rarer. The pick-up trucks in particular: There were fewer of them built, and they tended to get bashed to death as beasts of burden, making them quite scarce today. Finding one in this condition is nearly impossible, which is one reason that news of this little pick-up created enough of a stir in Poland to merit a six-page magazine feature.

I’m happy to send an English translation of the original magazine story to anyone interested enough to ask (leave a note with your email address). It tells a more complete story of this individual machine and also the adventures of trying to sell Polski Fiats in America back in the 70s.

Tune-ups and maintenance can use standard, inexpensive Fiat parts. Major components are all related to Italian Fiat, but built in Poland. Example: The “Polmo” dual-throat carburetor looks like a Weber built under license (34DCMP). Body panels and glass from the doors forward are standard Fiat pressings, etc.

One idea bounced around for this machine is to transplant the 1500 pushrod drivetrain to a deserving Fiat 1200/1500 Spider (or 1500 Ghia coupe!), and to drop-in a “regular” Fiat twin-cam engine, five-speed trans, and rear axle with disc brakes and Cromodora wheels for a really super-sporty sleeper. We’re told these are common hot-rod mods in Poland, and very straightforward changes. In fact Polski Fiat 125p sedans were rallied extensively in Europe with these features. Of course, this would forever alter this little truck’s originality and its unique place in history...But it’s a free country: The new owner will have these options to mull over.

This vehicle will be sold with a very rare English language, hardcover, official factory workshop manual. It covers every facet of the vehicle, and is in clean and perfect condition. Also included will be several plastic bins of extra parts (detailed below).

It runs and drives, but it hasn’t been driven much in decades. The furthest the owner has driven it in recent years is a 30 mile round-trip to a car show in 2010. The motor starts quickly and idles without stalling. We were unable to find first or second gear without first shutting off the motor and then using a concerted effort to slot it in…Third, fourth and reverse presented no problems. Our opinion is that this could mean the clutch slave needs bleeding or fine adjustment, or the shift forks could be bent or need fiddling with. Otherwise, the truck ran nicely for us, before becoming progressively rougher due to a clogging fuel filter. With a fresh fuel filter, the little Polski felt eager and fun, with nice steering and firm secure brakes.

So…Can you drive it home? As it sits today, we wouldn't try. Long-term storage hasn't done the little truck any favors, and although we believe it is essentially mechanically sound, right now it is better suited for a trip around the block than a trip across town. Bring a trailer. In all honesty, the next owner will have to be ready to sweat the details to get this little truck whipped into shape to be a daily driver. There shouldn't be any major hurdles: Lining the gas tank and getting the shifter sorted will work wonders.

We are acting as the selling agents for the Polski Fiat’s owner, who is the third registered owner since 1976. Clear, clean Minnesota State Title will be transferred to the Buyer, and is suitable for importation and registration in any other country. We have known and tracked the whereabouts and condition of this vehicle since 1998. It has driven fewer than 50 miles in that time.

That which was lost...

...has been found again!