Archive: 1958 Packard Hawk electrical issues, schematics and an Indian Summer bike ride for Annalyn and Ellerie
Posted By RichC on November 12, 2020
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If it were not a video, this golf shot would not be believed
Posted By RichC on November 11, 2020
This golf shot has been making its way around the “Interweb”and news/sports TV channels and highlight rolls this week. As of today, Twitter alone has over 20 million views. I’ll add it here for a few more. Impressive!
The new Packard Hawk modified battery hold-downs are great
Posted By RichC on November 11, 2020
Tweak by tweak I’m staring to enjoy working on my dad’s Packard Hawk. For the past five years I’ve been unmotivated or shy about calling the car that was my dad’s and before that his uncle’s, mine, … but as the list of non-working repairs and fixes grows, I’m seeing a path to making it mine.
After sending the car out to have the transmission fixed, I started listing the things I’ll need to do in order to make a car older than me safe to drive … either for me or for someone else’s classic car garage. Some of the items are going to be bigger than others, but after replacing the battery, I realized just how “janky” my dad’s battery clamps were… so reworked it (they were obviously not original). I’m pleased with the new turnbuckle set-up and steel hold down strap painted and wrapped with heat shrink electrical tubing. (I was paranoid that the metal strap would touch both the negative and positive terminals, besides it looks appropriate)
Also, after watching the sparks after starting it up last week, I ordered new plugs and Studebaker ignition wires. They should be here this weekend.
Opinion: Do we know who the 46th POTUS will be yet?
Posted By RichC on November 10, 2020
It has been a long week since the 2020 Presidential Election and I haven’t posted or commented on the vote or “media reported results” regarding several projections as to Joe Biden being our president-elect. For me, the tabulation of votes in key swing states is very close and 
legitimately contested based on several questionable issues … so here it goes with an “attempt” to be reasonable and logical.
First, the United States is more divided than ever, but I personally don’t think it can be taken at face value based on a person’s or party’s political ideology. Those who hold left-leaning political views areas a whole not likely as close to the Marxist and socialist philosophy those of us on the right would have people believe. Personally, I sense a lot of people who voted “for” Biden/Harris really votes “against” President Trump … and have noticed a “few” in my extended circle of friends who are just excited to see a woman on the Biden/Harris ticket. A lot of people also vehemently dislike President Trump (ok, “hate”) and are convinced he has mismanaged COVID19 response and purposely divided America or are convinced he is a racist. I suspect a number of anti-Trump voters would have voted for “any other candidate.” Donald Trump without a doubt has fired up his enemies as well doing the same for his base. Unless you have been asleep for the last 4 years, that is pretty obvious.
It is my sense that many who voted “for” Trump don’t approve of Donald Trump the person, his tweets, his bluntness or his audacious personality … but are concerned with the rise of Democratic Socialists and their influence on the Democrat Party. Most voting for him appreciates how he has worked tirelessly to bring back jobs, better trade deals and has improved our economy. The “taking care of America first” has an appeal and resonated with those who felt forgotten by politicians regardless of the political party. The Washington DC establishment, the globalists, the think-tanks, much of academia and the shapers of thought in the mainstream media and social media want their leverage and power back – to me that is pretty obvious. Traditionally during election season, most politicians give lip service to the kitchen table concerns of working Americans, but very few ever follow through on their promises. They make to Washington DC and become “team players under the gavel of Congressional leaders” and prioritized political ideology and often lofty globalist issues. That aside, Donald Trump is also the kind of populist who can, like leaders throughout history, can rally fervor with the best of them.
How does the above relate to the current election results?
It doesn’t … but summarizes that with a tightly split and close vote as to why I think there is a possibility of more voter fraud and corruption than usual in our system. Hopefully, we will find out if it is enough to impact the result (usually it is not). My biggest concern is that the very close toss-up states have large cities which in the past have had political corruption when it comes to voting. The likelihood is that it may have occurred especially due to the contentiousness of the election. When the stakes are on the line, politicians mired in corrupt politics may have run fast-and-free when it comes to following the rules. For now, it is the speculation of irregularities around certain cities, preventing observers, huge numbers of mail-in and provisional ballots showing up late and changes in laws in the final months and days of an election as to when votes can show up. There is “smoke” but when 150 million national votes are separated by a few thousand in certain states … it is only prudent to be sure every legal vote is counted and every illegal vote is not. 
An aside: As for the above mentioned “changing of law” … I’m referring particularly to Pennsylvania … and I’m on the fence when it comes to judges changing the legislature’s voting laws when it comes to accommodated late mailed-in ballots during COVID19. As someone who wants the Supreme Court to rule based on the law when it comes to who can change election law (legislature makes the laws) … I also am sympathetic to wanting legal votes counted when a voter mailed them prior to the election (although who really knows?) even if the USPS didn’t get them canceled/dated and to the board of election on time. I’m not sure how I would rule … and am glad I’m not sitting on the court.
For now, I’m with the folks that say “let the legal challenges and recounts” play out before confirming the next POTUS … and wish we were more united as a country. Oh for the old days of saying, “it really doesn’t matter who we elect, all politicians who go to Washington DC … do a lot of bloviating … but get little accomplished for the American people.” (ie. 47 years of Joe Biden – ok, so that was a cheap partisan shot, even though it is true!)
Music Monday: Gerry Rafferty and working on cars memory
Posted By RichC on November 9, 2020
The music of the late Gerry Rafferty hasn’t appeared on Music Monday and I’m disappointed not to have yet included him in my heavily 70’s mix of musicians. 
Having to pick one song out for today’s listening is a challenge, but “Days Gone Down” (Night Owl) is a good one since it triggers a memory for me … so indulge me.
When I was a sophomore and junior living in Founders Hall at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio (above between Park Hall on the left and Maglott on the right), 
a college friend and I would spend our evenings and weekends working on “rebuildable wrecked cars” in his garage, which to me was far more lucrative and enjoyable than a part time on-campus or off-campus job. Dallas started at ONU due his father teaching at the university and benefitted with free rent by taking care of his family’s rental house even after his dad took a teaching position at Wilmington College. He continued to finish his junior year at ONU while living in half the rental house with his roommate (we rarely saw him). The great part was that we had full access to the garage and tools there and could work all hours of the day and and sometimes night! It was a great escape from the dorms for me.
Dallas and I became close friends and enjoyed Christmas break trips to Florida together (mentioned before). Unfortunately the “good life” changed our senior year as he transferred to Wilmington (free tuition) and I stayed in Ada moving out of the 
dorms with three of my roommates … which was just great too since that’s when and where I met Brenda.
| Gerry Rafferty – Days Gone Down | 1979 |
Back to the Gerry Rafferty music memory:
Dallas had a collection of 8-track tapes and while working in the garage on our junkyard deals (late model rebuildable cars), we would "crank up the tunes." Gerry Rafferty’s 1979 Night Owl 8-track tape was one in the “Bondo dusted” covered stack … as well as music that I didn’t have in my collection of vinyl albums or cassette tapes. It was, and still is, great music!
Following up on replacing the BMW X5 35d diesel fuel cap
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2020
Although I’m embarrassed to admit forgetting to put the diesel fuel cap back on my 2010 MW X5 35d during the last fill-up, replacing it was far less painful than I had imagined … both in price ($11.70 total), finding one that fit correctly and in the few seconds it to to pop back in place. Whew!
Adding Truth For Life Devotional link to MyDesultoryBlog.com
Posted By RichC on November 8, 2020
The menu “navigational links” just under the header of My Desultory Blog are primarily there for my own short-cuts … and I haven’t changed them for years. 
A few aren’t really used much anymore, with improved browser bookmarks – one click bookmarks are just much more convenient.
This past week I made a change.
I added the syndicated Truth For Life / Alistair Begg daily Devotional link to my personal blog and am hoping it becomes 
a daily habit. Perhaps the link might also encourage others to turn to the Bible … anyway, that is why it is there.
Besides the Daily Devotional inspired by C.H.Spurgeon, the Truth for Life website is an excellent source for Christian enrichment. If you enjoy growing it your faith, check out their ministry, listen to the podcasts, read a series of two, pick up a couple books and even watch a Parkside Church service or their excellent Christmas service.
Full disclosure: Parkside was our home church when Brenda and I started our family in Aurora and Hudson, Ohio (even before its naming when we met in Solon High School) . The ministry outreach with Alistair Begg and Truth for Life has continued to be important to our family even though we are no longer in NE Ohio.
Oh … since I downloaded an excellent Introduction to Mark 13 by Alistair Begg, I’ll include it below as a taste of what his teaching is like (this podcast episode was on my daughter’s recommendation – “God’s word is infallable, but no interpreter is an infallible interpreter of God’s word.”).
| Truth For Life / Alistair Begg Podcast Mark 13, an Introduction (mp3) | 11/5/2020 |
Picked a warm sunny day for the Packard Hawk to come home
Posted By RichC on November 7, 2020
After a long time in a repair shop, I brought the 1958 Packard Hawk back from some transmission repair work. It came back very dusty, but I didn’t notice any damage to the paint or body (yet). The entire process from initial quote to final bill and slowness was a bit 
disconcerting. It was not entirely the fault of Benhase considering I did have them do a once over of the cars mechanical condition … knowing I still had to work on the brakes.
The few repairs besides the initial work on the transmission (something I can’t do) was disappointing. Their service rate $$$ and “hack fix” of the leaking heater core was disappointing.
Hopefully I’ll find time and the budget to address the brakes in 2021 but for now it is back in my garage for the winter.
Once it was back home in the garage with the transmission able to move freely from P,N,D,R (yes, that’e the order), I replaced the old 2010 battery that dad and I put in for to take it to his local car shows. It is hard to believe this is the first time I’ve started it since my dad passed away in 2015, but no driving until I address the brakes this winter — do I keep it stock or upgrade to disc brakes? So far so good with the idle … but it looks like the sparkplug wires need a little more TLC than a bit of electrical tape. #humor
Tech Friday: Streaming services and a price increase by Netflix
Posted By RichC on November 6, 2020
Although it was announced in October 2020, most existing Netflix subscribers won’t be feeling the 8% price hike immediately (new pricing over the next few months) … but prices are going up again. In our house we also have Amazon Prime for the movies and Prime shipping, but haven’t added any other services … our monthly cable and Internet keeps going up even as wireless cellphone prices keep coming down.
Under fire from Brenda when I cancelled during the 2011 price hike, I caved and we ended up in agreement that the HD quality streaming plan was still a good deal, although that was when they still had a lot of good movies. This time I mentioned the hike again just after we were complaining about their losing movies to competitors. I broached the cancel our service to her once again considering “I” might only watch a movie a month (if that) … but she vetoed it because she continues to stream old shows.
To Netflix’s credit, we have enjoyed some of their “produced” shows and last month watched an insightful (or is it incite-ful?) documentary The Social Dilemma with Katelyn and Drew, so perhaps it is still a good deal for their HD plan?
Netflix Raises Price of Standard Plan in U.S. to $14 per Mo
Four-stream Premium plan increasing by $2, to $17.99 per month
Here comes another price hike for Netflix customers in the U.S.: The streaming giant is raising the price of the Standard two-stream HD plan, its most popular package, by about 8% — going from $12.99 per month to $13.99.
In addition, Netflix’s Premium tier (with four streams and including 4K Ultra HD content) is going up by $2, from $15.99 monthly to $17.99 for U.S. customers. The price of the company’s Basic plan (with a single non-HD stream) will remain at $8.99 monthly.
New U.S. subscribers who sign up for Netflix’s Standard or Premium plans as of Oct. 29 will pay the higher rates immediately.
Current subscribers will see the new pricing over the next few months, according to a company rep. Members will be notified through email and also will receive a notification within the Netflix app 30 days ahead of their price increase. The timing will be based on the specific member’s billing cycle, according to Netflix.
First time in my life, I’ve lost a fuel cap. OEM or aftermarket?
Posted By RichC on November 5, 2020
I’m officially “slipping” upstairs. For the first time in my life I forgot to put the fuel cap back on and lost it (don’t want to admit it to Brenda). I could try and blame it on distraction since I was also filling up the diesel jugs for the John Deere and Kubota mower, but making an excuse seems a bit lame at this point. I just forgot to pull the little
peg out of the fuel door on the BMW X5 35d after filling and moved to the fuel cans, but really should have looked back?
The little tether had long ago broken and so there wasn’t anything to keep it from disappearing. I did a u-turn when I realized it was gone, but obviously was too late to see anything. Oh, well … I’m probably not the first person to have done this?
Looked around and almost bought one for $18.88 on Amazon, but opted for this one on Ebay. Hm?
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.