I purchased a suitable pickup from Florida, and had already purchased another donor vehicle to use for a full frame and component swap. I lost my job quite unexpectedly in July, and have basically shelved the EV project for now. I sold the F100.
I decided to simplify my life, so I took the money from the F100 sale, and immediately bought a 1958 Chevy Biscayne. See, for a car guy, somehow simplifying your life equates with buying another vehicle. I swear this made sense at the time, although I can’t recall how. The plan for the Biscayne is to eventually turn it into a daily driver. Hopefully it will take the place of whatever I would need to buy when my 2000 Dodge finally bites the dust. This project is stalled due to the job loss also.
I had adamantly planned to sell my Altered Roadster drag race car. I have reversed course on that as well, and decided to keep it for the time being. Since the economy is in the toilet, I doubt I would sell it for anywhere near the amount I’d like to get for it, and there’s no need to take a big financial loss on it right now. I did zero drag racing this year, and I really miss it. That’s not so cool.
I did get to do some work on EV-Steve’s electric vehicle: brake system, new cab mounts, new battery boxes, removal of unneeded 4WD parts, and hydraulic clutch system. This will get him a little closer to getting back on the road.
In the fall, we did the famous plow project. There was 9” of snowfall last week, and let me happily report that the plow “works a treat” as they say in England. It is truly a joy to use, 1000 times better than the snow-blower. Well worth the cost, although you will spend probably $10,000 on a decent truck to attach it to. I already had one. I will reinforce the corners of the plow blade this spring; they got a little benty-bent.
I think my new idea to do my EV as a dune-buggy style vehicle is a good one. The donor S-10 chassis sits abandoned in the far corner of my backyard, cut off from civilization by what is now a vast flood plain. I have not yet been motivated to row out and rescue it, get it inside, and get started on it. I thought I’d let K park her car in the warm garage for this winter instead.
On a personal note, my handyman side business is a complete bust. I did a couple of jobs for what amounted to like $5 per hour, if that. I was hoping Hudson Valley Hot Rods would take off when I introduced my EV project to an appreciative public, but I wussed-out and declined to risk spending the money on completing it once I lost my job. Based on my experience doing vehicle repairs this year, I don’t think I want to do vehicles for a living now anyway. Frankly, it’s tough work, and you can’t really charge for all the problems that arise. I have decided to get a real job, and to continue to do my own vehicle projects as a hobby.
On a more personal note, I have decided to be productive this next year by returning to college yet again, for an accounting degree, and hope to take the CPA exam by this time next year. I figure it’s better than sitting home doing nothing. I enjoy going to college more than I do working anyway; if it paid anything, I’d be a full time student forever. After I graduate, I hope to get some experience in accounting and open my own office within 5 years. Then I’LL be the boss and I’LL get to make the stupid decisions. Gonna have my own office, and commute in my EV, and my ’58, and make a lot of money, and life will be great. And I can never get laid off again since I own the place. That’s the plan anyway.
On a most personal note, K and k and I have had a fun year, and we are thankful for our great friends and families. We have more than we do not have, and for that we are grateful. We miss those whom have passed on this past year, and we pray for those that are struggling, and in a worse situation than ourselves. At a time when the world is in more flux than ever, we optimistically look forward to next year with great hope. I have enjoyed blogging, and I thank everyone that tunes in to read this. I hope I have been at least entertaining, and at best informative. Love to all, and Happy New Year 2009!!!
4 comments:
Sounds like you had a good year despite your unemployment. I can't speak for anyone else who reads this but you have been entertaining and informative these past 8 months or so.
Bravo! Nice post. Except you forgot to say that one of your New Year's resolutions is to blog MORE! :-D Happy 2009! May it bring health, wealth and happiness!
Best of luck in your new endeavors!!! I have to pick a new profession too since I also am a great student, but can't seem to make it in the workplace either. Got a doctorate to be Dr. Mom. :D Of course, I'm eternally grateful that I can be home with my kids and be my own boss...the pay stinks though. LOL I still have to figure out what I'm going to be when I grow up, and no matter what, it will probably involve more school as well. Good luck with your CPA!!!!!
I understand where you are coming from with the EV thing, wanting to drive an old car that you can work on, etc. I am almost 40 and my project car is still under a pile of kids bikes etc in the garage....
I don't want to bring politics into it but I think you and I should be part of the Bail Out Bill. Hey Throw $150,000 to each of us and tell us to be active in the community AND come up with some sort of a working EV!! If you took 1% of the Bailout bill and did this you would have 46667 happy car people (933/state). Maybe 46667 EV's at the end of the year (some working, some not so much). 46667 customers for auto and EV parts...
Sorry to be political.
I like to do the math to put things into perspective. (Did I do it right ($700Billion x 1%)/$150000?)
I am not an activist or anything but I am trying to swing the EV project just like you and I get frustrated at every turn. Check this one out: http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/17365004.html So we got electric buses but they didn't work out. I heard the problem was with the service techs in charge of maintaining it all didn't understand enough (or weren't trained) to keep it in top condition. If one of the 46667 picked up those buses and spent some of the money to get them going....
Anyway. I have been trying to figure out how to make a career out of EV's too. Can't figure it out. the industry is fickle. The cost benefit doesn't work out well enough. People that drive EV want to drive EV's if it was all about saving money they would drive corolla's. I don't know how to skew that in the right direction.
Keep up the blogging.
Post a Comment