Kennie B.

I have often thought for the base line engine, the Mercedes 230 SE engine might have been a good alternate. Later on, a Pontiac Sprint OHC six with 4 bbl card would have certainly had the beans for a base or the Buick aluminum V8.

Now, before the Schrock brothers stop doing steering wheels, get that part properly restored!

Well, my last day here in Birmingham AL. I left Pasadena CA a week ago (Saturday) and drove across on I 40 and arrived on Thursaday for the vintage motorcycle races and festival the the Barber Motorcycle Museum puts on every October. I conceed, it is a small affair, only 80,000 attendance! So far Laurence has carried me across the better part of the USA, passing through; AZ, NM, TX, OK, AR, TN, MS and AL. The return will add GA since Jerry Forrester' plating shop is rather close and only adds a dogleg to my drive up to friends in Mc Minnville TN tomorrow. I haven't determined the details of my return from there but a dogleg north in NM will have me with cousins in Durango on my way home so I will be adding CO to the list of states I have driven this car through for a total of 12 besides my home state of CA. The 2 additional are OR and WA last year going to the international meet in Tacoma. Wish me luck getting home. And Lew, I guess I will need to chronicle this for the magazine like I did the last time, there have been a few hiccups along the way... Kennie B.

I did run a couple of short, vertical beads on both the inboard and out board sides using a MIG welder. I did sand off the chrome plate near where I welded.

When I installed my engine 10,000 + miles ago, I installed a new exhaust system as well. I bought the Silvertone with loud mufflers. Sounds great but...how do I put this...anti social perhaps? I like it but here in Cali there is a new rule regarding sound emissions, some of which does take away subjective opinion as to how loud you are but should you be sent to the Bureau of Automotive Repair, the test will cost $1,000.00 plus any fines you are subject to if you emit more than 96 dba. Not a good idea to draw a lot of attention. I have a friend who handles these tests for small manufacturers and he came out to test my car. He did mention that typically, neither the cops nor courts are really interested in middle aged men driving casually with an occasional brap of a loud engine. What they chasing are the kids running around with loud exhausts always deep in the throttle with engine devoid of the emissions equipment. His advise though was I better keep my nose clean, at 3,200 RPM my car puts out 102.4 dba! That happens at 80 mph. At 2,500 RPM, it's 98 dba and that works out as 70 mph. I am adding a pair of Hedman resonator exhaust tips to hopefully knock back the bark, https://www.jegs.com/i/Hedman/500/17120/10002/-1. I'll let you know if these get me close. If you live in an area with tough enforcement, go for at the least the medium tone mufflers.