it's turning out to be a Smokey Yunick day, by coincidence! Lance is putting together a 55 Chev for his son... magnesium ZLI block, mag trans, mag Ramchargers Dana 60 for it, mag Hurst brakes, and mag Halibrands.

Lance says he bought these magnesium T10 cases for 20 bucks at a garage sale. He doesn't say that it wasn't Smokey's Garage sale - but, how damn cool to have some parts from Smokey?!?!?!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4047981518825253&set=pcb.4664884107122164

FYI, there is a single book, made from the 3 hardcover books, and used copies on Amazon start at about 130, on Ebay, there are a dozen copies and the price starts around 95. 

Thrift Books Seattle has 2 copies and the other is for 155

the 3 book set is said to be fantastic, but ridiculously overpriced by anyone with a set for sale. I don't believe I've ever seen a set.... whoever owns the rights to the books, should really print a 2nd run, and make a killing from the imaginary demand for a 1200 dollar set of books. Sell them new for 100, and it's probably 40 dollars of profit. 

There are 10 sets on Ebay, and everyone of them is stupid overpriced compared to the set for sale at 225 bucks

A new story about Smokey clashing with Nascar

Smokey's stock block 207 CI twin turbocharged Chevy engine in an Eagle chassis (no modifications)

Everyone gathered around to look at this creation. In his 24 foot white Chevy box truck that he drove in, there were 6 turbo engines on the floor, 3 on either side 

First thought. Smokey is serious about this engine. Second, Smokey may be expecting trouble. Smokey was asked "how much HP'? The answer directly from Smokey "over 1,300 HP"

The comments,: That thing is going to spin the tires all the way down the front stretch.
What kind of brakes on it?
The paint will come off that car.
Well, there was a reason for the amount of engines Smokey brought with him.

Listen to this, he had one helper with him, Ralph Johnson. One, yes one.

They blew engine after engine. When I whispered to Ralph (did not want to upset Smokey) what is the problem? He said burnt pistons. Problems with the injectors. Those two guys worked day and night. Changing engines. They made the race and it lasted about 20 laps or so in the race (burnt piston, go figure).

They were working on only a few hours of sleep. Smokey and Ralph were at the North end with the board and the wave off flag and they took the time.

They then started to walk down pit lane for the photo and the entire crowd and there were huge crowds back then, erupted in cheers, whistles and a standing ovation. What a sight to see.

By the time he got it figured out by year three, they finished 10th. Now Smokey is full of enthusiasm and ready for 1976. Got a note from USAC, they are outlawing the stock block engine.

Years later, when I was with Newman Haas, I'm sitting on the pit wall with Smokey. NASCAR was running at Talladega with the new plates to slow them down. They were blowing engines left and right.

I asked Smokey, how come they are blowing the engines at Talladega? He looked at me and said "those G.D. drivers. Now Smokey is deaf. I figured he didn't hear me. I said again, why are they blowing all those engines? He said again, those G.D. drivers in his rough voice.

Being the guy I am (not to smart) I said, I don't understand. Smokey says. I did all the dyno work for Chevy with the restrictor plates. When you have that engine at top RPM (didn't tell me what that was, I wanted to know), you come off the gas to shift, because of the stupid, dumb, #%#^&*@ plate, the engine leans out and burns the pistons.

I told those stupid #$&%@# NASCAR people the problem they have, but those $%#&^# idiots won't listen. I told them the drivers cannot come off the gas to shift, they have to keep the revs up. Got it, it's the drivers. Smokey says it's NASCAR, they don't know anything over there. They couldn't find their ass with both hands.

https://www.facebook.com/tom.hanley.908/posts/pfbid02nehHVnEHJTuPQ14SKoAq8iUmAgXN8H69BJ2gqg3Xggq2tnJh8j1aUNfVqbazUWHtl

no doubt these have been on a farm since the day they arrived, never leaving the farm for repairs. Those were done in the barn. Never taking a day off, until something broke that couldn't be fixed. Then they became the parts to fix the replacement.

https://dailytimewaster.blogspot.com/2026/05/projects.html

vintage Blackhawk SJ80 floorjack handle with the original key still in it

https://www.facebook.com/englebrosfabrication/posts/pfbid02NnTT1jKnNshNCvtNPRa9qa1vaP6nv3Z9sHS3PVR1GvWbLcyxFir8nvXViM465sNQl

a "Jeem Smeeth" (Jimmy Smith) cartoonish drawing from the cover of Rod N Custom some +16 years ago finally came to life courtesy of Sqeeg's Kustoms! !!!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/2018022462092447

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1580241081026.66168.1685655614

"Snoopy I" a modified Convair B-58A Hustler nicknamed for its distinct 7-foot drooped nose, which housed the experimental AN/ASG-18 radar and AIM-47 Falcon missile system later used on the YF-12 and F-14 Tomcat.

https://www.facebook.com/travis.perrin.92/posts/pfbid0fTjPyyupNs5XGBwFJHZLoerRciYj9kmqSYax1qZR7C8PiZ98zM4tDirCDPPMjYEnl

Flossie Beadle's attempt to stop the destruction of the cork elms 1960s, trees that were doomed by the road expansion from horse and buggy use to 4 lanes wide

Lakeside Historian Flossie Beadle blocking the excavator

Flossie Beadle tried to save them from being cut down on Woodside but in the end even her shotgun could not stop the removal the the trees to make the road wider, so, instead she talked the community into helping her transplant seedlings/offshoots to all the lakeside schools, like Lindo Park school.

the Cork Elms on the West side of Lakeside were imported from Australia in 1893, by the El Cajon Land Co, and planted by the school kids in Lakeside

There were 50 planted on each side. These were the only lane of Cork Elms in the USA. 

In Feb 1956, seven of the shade trees were cut down from the south lane for an entrance to a proposed shopping center (Safeway Vons) and though the promoter was on record as having promised that the trees would be preserved as an asset to the shopping center, of course, he was lying his ass off. By 1967 all the cork elms were cut down, or destroyed by pipeline construction destroying their roots

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=3952879468177821&set=gm.2102025210362015&idorvanity=671136676784216

https://www.facebook.com/groups/671136676784216/posts/1102197400344806/

http://lakesidehistory.org/lakeside-township/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/497495314854913/posts/1078798483391257/

In 2021, history repeated itself just feet away from the Cork Elm location. 

Lakeside resident Billy Ortiz learned from the county that 22 jacaranda trees the Lakeside Garden Club paid for, that he and his grandson helped plant a decade before, were scheduled to come down.

Volunteers planted them on a property along Woodside Avenue, in tribute to some trees long gone.

the Jacaranda trees at the front edge of the land alongside Woodside Avenue had to be removed by April 9, 2021 because most were unfortunately planted by volunteers within a 50 ft. easement established by the City of San Diego to protect existing water lines that connect the property to the main water service. 

Others interfered with the construction of the parking lot and number of spaces for the library and construction of the building itself.

Nearly 130 years ago, and a few feet away, school children planted 50 cork elms. In 1956, county officials wanted to take the trees down to widen the road. In the way was town historian Flossie Beadle.

According to a county spokesperson, the cost of relocating the trees is $10,000 for each tree and not financially "viable."

https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/neighbors-rally-to-save-jacaranda-trees-at-site-of-new-lakeside-library

shout out of respect for Kenny from Dakota Fluid Power in Rapid City, SD

Luke hit a pot hole that destroyed the front hub. 

A part that you CANT buy new and is insanely rare to find used. 

Kenny literally picked it up, welded it back together, machined it for new bearings and returned it to Luke on the road same day. Simply amazing

I stand and begin the slow clap, join in when you can!

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=27862669140001174&set=gm.4342811089267943&idorvanity=2041856606030081

the most adorable movie you're likely to see soon, Mrs Harris Goes To Paris (1958 book)- has two adorable leads and great 1950s cars like this Renault, and Vespas

the main character goes to Paris to buy a Christian Dior dress, and meets one of the models and quickly becomes her friend... she drives this great choice for a movie car, a drop top Renault Caravelle

Just my opinion, but the ADORABLE supporting actress looks a bit like Audrey Hepburn

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mrs._Harris_Goes_to_Paris

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5151570/?ref_=fn_t_1

a very small pop up camper, for a mini!

https://newatlas.com/pickup-campers/ovrlnd-tiny-mini-pickup-camper/

according to what I read on a facebook post, this is a 1928 aftermarket hub cap

manufactured by National, their catalogue said fits all Chev 4s they used the 1928 Chevrolet winged wheel emblem so they avoided paying royalties for using the bow tie

https://www.facebook.com/groups/197491484165115/permalink/2066500593930852

Again, I think this winged wheel was what gave Von Dutch the idea for the flying eyeball

movie night in the back of an old Ford

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10107377191508078&set=gm.2472163493251165&idorvanity=580149545785912

there were so many VW Bugs made, that junkyard parts show up as car parts art

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=27142889138694074&set=p.27142889138694074&type=3

here's what a pile of unobtanium looks like

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122296212182235672&set=gm.2310785383072335&idorvanity=890839631733591

Harley Davidson seems to have gotten a good look at the economy, and sees that it's time to get affordable for the masses again, the golden era of yuppies is over.

The new chief executive said, the name of the game is volume sales—and affordability. 

HD confirmed plans to revive the iconic air-cooled Sportster as part of plans to draw a fresh crowd

The born-again Sportster, expected to arrive as early as next year, is reportedly set to use an 883cc V-twin engine and carry a target price of under $10,000 in the US.

the prospect of a new air-cooled Harley for under $10,000 would mark a significant shift for the company and could prove a major win for aspiring owners looking to buy into the brand.

Dropped from Harley’s range in 2022 after the company claimed Euro5 updates for the old Evo motor were not financially viable, the outgoing Iron 883 left a sizeable hole in the firm’s line-up.

Reviving the 883 marks the firm’s latest shift in direction in recent years as successive CEOs have attempted to rediscover the American giant’s former profitability.

https://www.wsj.com/business/harley-davidsons-new-boss-wants-to-sell-you-a-bike-you-can-actually-afford-15141fb2

https://www.motorcyclenews.com/news/2026/may/harley-davidson-sportster-returns/

the new Evel Knievel Experience in Las Vegas is set to open June 27 (thank you George!)

the new museum will be similar to the original Topeka museum, but much larger because it was too small to display all the Knievel items that had been collected

https://www.kmbc.com/article/evel-knievel-mack-truck-las-vegas-museum/71329573

tucked away in a garage somewhere... a Kellison with a big block

See facebook.com/reel/1712921206546741/?s=single_unit for the video

Washtenaw Community College in Michigan has an OUTSTANDING student, 21 yr old Mikala Sposito, who just won the USA Weld Trials in Huntsville, Alabama, and will be the first woman to represent the US in world welding competition in Shanghai, at the WorldSkills Competition

Sposito is the sixth Washtenaw Community College student to qualify in WorldSkills history. 

WCC has produced more WorldSkills welding alums than any other school in the United States 

One of them, Alex Pazkowski, who finished second in 2013, is Sposito’s instructor and mentor.

https://apnews.com/article/first-woman-welding-shanghai-trades-worldskills-afd7fdafe69e69242d8bbee1b45d0204

Sir George Dowty designed the hydraulic landing gear for the World War II Lancaster bomber, and a statue of him and the gear will be officially unveiled at the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincoln on Wednesday 27 May..... not many people get a statue for suspension!

The undercarriages and landing gear of the Lancaster bomber were "faultlessly designed and manufactured" and "instrumental to safe landings for our crews at the completion of their flights"

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgjpd1jd5q3o

with all the new tech that they are installing in vehicles, I suppose this shouldn't be a surprise... but had you heard that Ford has just patented a biometric data scan that runs the info through a criminal database? What are the ramifications? I leave it to you to guess (Thank you George!)

Start the video at 1:55

And keep in mind, I'm not out to freak you out, I am keeping you informed of the fact that mistakes have been made in identification, often, based on the databases with mistakes in them. Also, most people who have used Facebook are aware there are a lot of people with the same name. I will guess, there are people with the same biometric data too. 

Do with this, whatever you want. Me, I plan on not ever buying a car with too much tech. I only want a back up camera, and blutooth phone to infotainment center connectivity. And I can install a back up camera, I've done it before. 

You probably heard that Washington lawmakers are trying to pass a law about getting the manufacturers to install a kill switch in new made vehicles so law enforcement controls their operation. 

We are all aware that cell phones are recording your location and audio, constantly, and making that info available to federal law enforcement and car insurance companies. 

So, while most people won't be inconvienced by "big brother" nosing into everything, all those who don't want to be spied on have to do is leave the phone at home and drive an old car without electronics.

And if movies are an indication of what's to come, chose an old car that doesn't have electronic ignition, to prevent an EMP offensive weapon from blowing the IC chips and disabling the ignition. 

he came out of his garage to see his car starting to roll back down the hill, hitting two trees on the way down.

https://www.facebook.com/robert.standridge.547/posts/pfbid02C6UCXUmvWAsx75wmeNh5j4QX4JEYUii8qJ1Fkyb5ab1o3QFTsk1Yi6vgfZrMayDnl