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Well, I cannot say I'd be capable of that, either, but I might approach it. I was able to set aside some fear regarding fabrication several weeks ago. It's like, you cannot see what you cannot see until you can see. I hope that makes sense.


One epiphany I had when I first got into full custom house construction was when I walked into a house at drywall stage and I knew where everything was and was supposed to be because I had "seen" the house in my head from the plans. So I know that I have the ability to see things when I have a little while to spend with them. When I can ignore the little piece in the back of my head, that nagging little fear of failure, and I can look at what I'm doing, then I get to have one of those Zen And The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance moments.


I don't see myself messing with any other kinds of engines from here on out save Packards and the incidental Mopar big block. There is stuff about Mopars, but it's almost non-existent on Packards. And that is one thing that draws me to them. Biggest flatheads outta Detroit, so let's get all we can from them. Any fool can build a Shivverlay or a blue oval, and if not, there are half a gazillion books on the subject. There are some basic principles that we get to apply and a lot of groping in the dim lighting.


So I'd like to do some of the things that I mentioned earlier to mess around and to see how much ooomph can be had from a high-300 CID inline eight banger with 9 mains. My goal is more torque than HP anyway - always is. Torque is the range that we drive in. I got my Harley built that way and it does just what I thought it would - a nearly 900 pound machine that runs like it weighs 225 pounds less. I've never had it over 4200 RPM, not like I was looking at the tach.


If I had the tools and the space and the skills, I could do my own block machining. Parts-n-bits, too. As it is, I'll have to cipher it out and then farm the work out, and that's a recipe for waiting. Wat doesn't wait all that well, but there are other things to work on in Wat's pile of toys.


I'm on the downhill skid to retirement age and doing the best work of my life, and my health is basically excellent, so I doubt that I'll retire any time soon. Besides, I'm making more money than ever and can afford more toys than ever before. It would be nice to have more time, but I have some things to pay for, so this way is okay. Today.


Each day, I do my best not to be my own worst limitation . . . .

I’m that way too with blueprints and errors where things can’t possible fit just jump out at me. That often saved the customer lots of money by not having to remake anything! Even on our recent remodel (which was done through the height of COVID) I would see things on the blueprint that the architect and contractor missed. Of course, I am also a techie so it’s a small but very high tech home now that it’s done!

As for engines, I’ve been enjoying working on them again after years (decades) of seeing the cars just sitting there and wish I had done it sooner while I was still young enough. I am even in the midst of rebuilding a Mopar 413 for my 1965 Imperial LeBaron.

Apparently, I'm a minutia/detail freak. So be it.


I moved my stack of Mopar blocks two weeks ago. a 440, 3 400s, and 2 383s. Two hundred 30 pounds per block, except for the one that's still most of a short block. Not for the faint of heart.