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!

Being fat: This is why we can't have nice things

This terrible picture is taken of the lower corner of the pocket on my dress pants.
When sitting, the bending movement causes the pocket to 'pooch' outward, and then it catches on the armrest of the office chair, tearing the pant as my ass hits the seat.
A western style pocket, of course, doesn't have this problem. The diagonal line of the pocket makes it impossible to catch in this manner. Of course, pants with that style pocket are typically built more ruggedly to begin with, certainly more so than these delicate dress trousers.
And I can feel free to beat myself up, because if I wasn't this fat, I'd not be rubbing my outer thighs against my office chair each time I sit down.

Today's accents are green

Wanted

1.       1 & ¼ Shotgun Shell Belt in Big & Tall sizes from yourtack.com

http://www.yourtack.com/shotgun-shell-belt.html

2.       Satin lined duffle coat in classic Chestnut Big & Tall from Schott, NYC

http://www.schottnyc.com/products/lifestyle/military/satin-lined-duffle-coat.htm

3.       “Gentlemen’s” front pocket wallet form Over Under

http://overunderclothing.com/Product_9.html

 

Hints of red

 

Every Italian car I've ever owned...

A neat little collage I made...this is every Italian car I ever owned!

 

1. Orange 1972 Fiat 124 Sport - "Orangina" (Still miss this one)

2. Red 1979 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce - "El Bitcho" (Still have the steering wheel)

3. Blue 1979 Fiat Spider 2000 "The Benzina-mobile" (Gas leak!)

4. Burgundy 1974 Fiat 124 Sport - "Bella" (The one my Dad helped get running)

5. Blue 1983 Pininfarina Spider - "Azzie" (Good riddance)

6. Red 1969 Fiat 124 Sport - "The Red Baroness" (The one that got away)

7. Burgundy 1974 Fiat 124 Sport - "The Beast" (Current)

8. White 1978.5 Fiat 131 Wagon - "The Great White Wagon" (Currently non-functional)

I don't often pitch other's websites...

http://wholelarderlove.com

 

This Dude is in Australia.  Definite hipster with the Buddy Holly Glasses & double flap wool hat.  However, much more than most, he actually walks the walk. 

He hunts, fishes, and grows most of his own food.  Lives in an reclaimed schoolhouse.  Drives a 20 year old Jeep, and listens to his music on vinyl. 

A lot of what he writes is almost instructional, makes me think I could actually grow an edible thing or two.

Maybe...

Friday: Too many Crazies on the road

...better to stick to the side roads, and enjoy the drive...

The Little White Rental Car

2200 miles in 11 days, including the 29th annual Fiat Freak Out

Vacation view

Ah, Myrtle Beach...