05-16-2020, 10:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 06-17-2022, 02:21 AM by Terry Bentley.)
Chapter 37
So far I have captured some pictures of the Cates reconstruction. Unfortunately I didnt think to get a before pic. Or that would really be an after pic. After I tore the frame up trying to make it fly in the little incident. But a couple of months ago it wasnt my kart yet either.
That first Sunday of spring break, is when Steve surprised me with something covered over with a tarp. He pulled it away and exposed this pile of carnage. What could have made for a perfect before picture. The pile of rubble sitting there did not look recognizable especially as kart or even like something that could be salvaged. It actually looked more like the skeletal remains of some wild animal you sometimes find out in the woods.
I picked up a Kodak Browine Hawkwye at a garage sale Ms. Tally was having one weekend last fall. She has to be pushing close to a hundred years old. But just as nice of a lady you would ever meet. Her husband had died a long time ago. Might have been before I was even born. Since then she has been living by herself on the next street over all this time. I dont even know if she has any family at all. Well she wanted fifty cents for the camera. That took most of the money in my pocket.
I have been mowing her yard for years now. She has always been fair on what I was paid. So no reason to try and beat her down on price. This is way less than cost of a new one. It is even a later model with provisions for a flash. Several people have told me the newer Kodak Starmatic is a much better camera. But for me this one is working just fine. I read in a magazine that color film is available. Unfortunately way more expensive than I can afford.
With this camera my plan is now to keep track of the work done on any projects I get involved with. Maybe try to update with pictures showing the progress made on this Cates kart too. The pictures may be delayed since I have to get them developed first. Or might just put it off until I get them back from the drug store. There is a decent break on price if more than 3 rolls getting developed together. So this way it will save me about a quarter. But that means holding on to several rolls of film for a while.
When I got back home from the drug store, my June issue of Karting World had finally arrived. It must have come earlier and I didnt bother to ask or check the mail box. Maybe just distracted by Steves visit. I am so stoked now. It has a complete write up on modifying the Clinton A-490. This could not have worked out any better. What a perfect time to go ahead and tear apart the engine and make sure it is in good working order. You know just in case. And while it is already apart....well why not?
![[Image: attachment.php?aid=4656]](https://www.vintagekartforum.com/attachment.php?aid=4656)
Since going on my head earlier this spring with the kart, I dont really know how well the engine fared. I wonder if Steve has any argument about modifying this engine. If not for him, I wouldnt have this kart at all. Maybe we can vote on what to do with the engine and majority wins.
Just thinking right now it has been over two months. School is out for summer and the kart is just sitting in the garage. We havent even tried to fire up the engine this whole time. That is not like me at all. You get the bug and nothing will stop it. Small engines around here either get run or torn apart. That is the rules.
I made it back from Skillerns just before everyone was sitting down to eat. A good home cooked meal is the hot ticket tonight. I am still tired from working this week. Not really sore tired now, but mentally drained. Like I had to give up a part of my life in exchange to do other things I really wanted. Give and take. Maybe turn in early tonight. But first I want to look over all of these new pictures.
Drivers are standing opposite the starting grid waiting for flag to drop. All of the karts are lined up on the grid for a Le Mans style start. In just a moment after the green flag drops, engines will revving up and karts taking off from the line and race down the track. Smoke will be filling the air. That sweet smell of castor oil topping off the very essence of racing. I have everything worked out with the pit crew. Well Steve anyway. He is to start the kart, just soon as I drop down in the seat. Then nail the gas pedal and take off. Right now just focusing on the flagman and holding here until he drops the flag to signal start of the race.
Wet, cold and wet. Why is my forehead getting wet? Its raining? No, NO! The race is about to start. It cant start raining. I am here. The kart is finally together and looks great. The flagman is standing there ready to drop the green and then the race is on. But its cold and wet! It cant be raining. Not today!
Something cold and wet. What the...? I open my eyes and Steve is spitting some cold water out between his teeth on my forehead. I jump up and swing my fist around aiming at his head. He yells, Woh there cowboy!, while swerving out of arms length missing my swing. The whole time laughing at me.
Hey man! I have been nudging you for like five minutes now. You were just laying there like a total zombie. Huh? I was asleep? Was that just a dream? No no it couldnt be, it seemed, no it was so real. Wow, what time is it? Steve says it was pushing about 10:30.
Dream? Yea that sounds right. You were doing some really serious deep sleeping there just now. Your eyes were like rolling around all over the place. Like enough to wear right thru your eyelids. Even a little bit of drool going on there too. Yuk! I bet you were dreaming about Becky Folsom. Haha! You were dreaming about Becky! You know she has a huge crush on you. Whats up with that anyway? She must be blind or just have no taste in guys.
Dude, seriously, sometimes you sure can get on my nerves! Not sometimes, all the time! Shut up already! No I wasnt dreaming about Becky. She dont have no crush on me. Besides she always acts so stuckup when I try to talk to her. Sooooo, you...you...do.....like her! I knew it. I was right. Steve shut up, enough with it already!
Anyway, I dunno, guess I must have been really tired. I remember going over some of these pictures. I dont even remember laying down. Hey! What the heck are you doing here? Steve had been standing in my room this whole time with a sleeping bag and duffel bag under his arms.
Thought you wanted me to spend the night? So here I am. Do you want me just to go back home? Well I didnt hear back and just figured.....Terry,......Terry, something really strange happened tonight. Steve just drops all of his stuff on the floor. Then sits down on the bed right next to me.
He is just sitting there with hands folded in his lap, looking down at the floor. First having Steve show up this late, is really odd. Like not ever. Especially without calling and letting me know ahead of time. I wonder whats up with him? You have known someone long enough to see a very common pattern. One that remains mostly consistent. But this breaks all those rules.
In a really quite solemn voice he starts telling me whats up. First he looks all around, then big wide eyes on me. Not all the way creepy yet, but just enough to get my undivided attention. Almost like being out on a camping trip with a bunch of us huddled around the fire late at night. Each taking turns telling spooky stories while holding a flashlight up to our face. But this time he was being dead serious.
So, dad had worked late again tonight and just got home a little while ago. I mean like minutes ago. Right before I got here. You know that big cabinet project he has been doing for the last few weeks? Yea, you told me he has been working a bunch of extra hours every night. Yes, that one. He has been working late almost everyday for weeks.
Well as of tonight that job is finished. Dad came home in unbelievably good spirits. His eyes looked really tired, but he was in a great mood. I have not seen him this way, well long as I can remember. For some reason, yet to be explained, seemed to really make mom extremely happy too. So, that is when I thought might be a good time to pop the question about coming over tonight.
She didnt even take her eyes off dad. She said, "Sure no problem! Dont you boys have a secret project you need to work on? Why dont you boys put some effort into it. If its alright, why dont you go ahead and spend the weekend. That way you two can get a lot of work done or maybe even finished. You know whatever that is so important you discuss all the time on the phone. What do you call it? A GOLFCAR? Yes thats a great idea. You have been stuck at home all week, go have some fun this weekend."
So just like that mom ditches me. She almost acted like I belonged to somebody else. Kinda weird. You know her well enough. This is not her normal behavior. Not at all. Strange to think about it. Real scary if you think too much. Now it gets worse. Or better. Dad takes his focus off mom just for a moment and opens his wallet. You know how rare that ever happens. Like never...ever. He hands me a 10 dollar bill. This very one right here.
Steve had pulled the bill out of his shirt pocket and now pops it a few times holding it between his finger tips. Then he tells me make sure not to be a burden on your parents. Or else, if you know what I mean. So try to behave and have fun. I cant believe I just got sold out by my parents for only $10. I got sold for a measly $10 bill. Do you know how cheap that makes me feel? Gee, Alexander Hamilton wasnt even a president.
I am sorry Steve. Didnt know it would upset you so much. Maybe they just need some time to themselves. How often do they ever go do stuff without you or your sisters? Every parent has to get tired of their kids being around all the time. At least once and a while. Makes sense doesnt it?
No, no no! You dont get it Terry. You are missing the big opportunity, just like I did. If I would have been a little sharper thinking... You know, on my toes, put my game face on, as they say...I bet I could have gotten $20 out of them. Maybe I should have mentioned about some parts I was needing really badly. Trying to figure out how to buy them and then might finally get a lot farther along on the kart. But no. I was bribed and conceded for a mere $10. That is so lame.
Dude! Steve, you are terrible! I couldnt ever take advantage of my parents like that. Thats horrible. Yea whatever. But I might have been a terrible $20 bucks richer too. Steve says this whispering, looking deep into my eyes with an evil smirk, that might even make the devil blush a little bit.
I havent ever seen mom act this way. I mean never! For longer than I can remember. Dad wanted to celebrate and is taking her out to dinner. I guess they really need some alone time. If you know what I mean. Steve now returns back to his normal loud speaking voice and says, "So looks like you are stuck with me for the weekend. Wanna go set up the tent out back? Or put it up in the woods for a creep out night?"
So far I have captured some pictures of the Cates reconstruction. Unfortunately I didnt think to get a before pic. Or that would really be an after pic. After I tore the frame up trying to make it fly in the little incident. But a couple of months ago it wasnt my kart yet either.
That first Sunday of spring break, is when Steve surprised me with something covered over with a tarp. He pulled it away and exposed this pile of carnage. What could have made for a perfect before picture. The pile of rubble sitting there did not look recognizable especially as kart or even like something that could be salvaged. It actually looked more like the skeletal remains of some wild animal you sometimes find out in the woods.
I picked up a Kodak Browine Hawkwye at a garage sale Ms. Tally was having one weekend last fall. She has to be pushing close to a hundred years old. But just as nice of a lady you would ever meet. Her husband had died a long time ago. Might have been before I was even born. Since then she has been living by herself on the next street over all this time. I dont even know if she has any family at all. Well she wanted fifty cents for the camera. That took most of the money in my pocket.
I have been mowing her yard for years now. She has always been fair on what I was paid. So no reason to try and beat her down on price. This is way less than cost of a new one. It is even a later model with provisions for a flash. Several people have told me the newer Kodak Starmatic is a much better camera. But for me this one is working just fine. I read in a magazine that color film is available. Unfortunately way more expensive than I can afford.
With this camera my plan is now to keep track of the work done on any projects I get involved with. Maybe try to update with pictures showing the progress made on this Cates kart too. The pictures may be delayed since I have to get them developed first. Or might just put it off until I get them back from the drug store. There is a decent break on price if more than 3 rolls getting developed together. So this way it will save me about a quarter. But that means holding on to several rolls of film for a while.
When I got back home from the drug store, my June issue of Karting World had finally arrived. It must have come earlier and I didnt bother to ask or check the mail box. Maybe just distracted by Steves visit. I am so stoked now. It has a complete write up on modifying the Clinton A-490. This could not have worked out any better. What a perfect time to go ahead and tear apart the engine and make sure it is in good working order. You know just in case. And while it is already apart....well why not?
Since going on my head earlier this spring with the kart, I dont really know how well the engine fared. I wonder if Steve has any argument about modifying this engine. If not for him, I wouldnt have this kart at all. Maybe we can vote on what to do with the engine and majority wins.
Just thinking right now it has been over two months. School is out for summer and the kart is just sitting in the garage. We havent even tried to fire up the engine this whole time. That is not like me at all. You get the bug and nothing will stop it. Small engines around here either get run or torn apart. That is the rules.
I made it back from Skillerns just before everyone was sitting down to eat. A good home cooked meal is the hot ticket tonight. I am still tired from working this week. Not really sore tired now, but mentally drained. Like I had to give up a part of my life in exchange to do other things I really wanted. Give and take. Maybe turn in early tonight. But first I want to look over all of these new pictures.
Drivers are standing opposite the starting grid waiting for flag to drop. All of the karts are lined up on the grid for a Le Mans style start. In just a moment after the green flag drops, engines will revving up and karts taking off from the line and race down the track. Smoke will be filling the air. That sweet smell of castor oil topping off the very essence of racing. I have everything worked out with the pit crew. Well Steve anyway. He is to start the kart, just soon as I drop down in the seat. Then nail the gas pedal and take off. Right now just focusing on the flagman and holding here until he drops the flag to signal start of the race.
Wet, cold and wet. Why is my forehead getting wet? Its raining? No, NO! The race is about to start. It cant start raining. I am here. The kart is finally together and looks great. The flagman is standing there ready to drop the green and then the race is on. But its cold and wet! It cant be raining. Not today!
Something cold and wet. What the...? I open my eyes and Steve is spitting some cold water out between his teeth on my forehead. I jump up and swing my fist around aiming at his head. He yells, Woh there cowboy!, while swerving out of arms length missing my swing. The whole time laughing at me.
Hey man! I have been nudging you for like five minutes now. You were just laying there like a total zombie. Huh? I was asleep? Was that just a dream? No no it couldnt be, it seemed, no it was so real. Wow, what time is it? Steve says it was pushing about 10:30.
Dream? Yea that sounds right. You were doing some really serious deep sleeping there just now. Your eyes were like rolling around all over the place. Like enough to wear right thru your eyelids. Even a little bit of drool going on there too. Yuk! I bet you were dreaming about Becky Folsom. Haha! You were dreaming about Becky! You know she has a huge crush on you. Whats up with that anyway? She must be blind or just have no taste in guys.
Dude, seriously, sometimes you sure can get on my nerves! Not sometimes, all the time! Shut up already! No I wasnt dreaming about Becky. She dont have no crush on me. Besides she always acts so stuckup when I try to talk to her. Sooooo, you...you...do.....like her! I knew it. I was right. Steve shut up, enough with it already!
Anyway, I dunno, guess I must have been really tired. I remember going over some of these pictures. I dont even remember laying down. Hey! What the heck are you doing here? Steve had been standing in my room this whole time with a sleeping bag and duffel bag under his arms.
Thought you wanted me to spend the night? So here I am. Do you want me just to go back home? Well I didnt hear back and just figured.....Terry,......Terry, something really strange happened tonight. Steve just drops all of his stuff on the floor. Then sits down on the bed right next to me.
He is just sitting there with hands folded in his lap, looking down at the floor. First having Steve show up this late, is really odd. Like not ever. Especially without calling and letting me know ahead of time. I wonder whats up with him? You have known someone long enough to see a very common pattern. One that remains mostly consistent. But this breaks all those rules.
In a really quite solemn voice he starts telling me whats up. First he looks all around, then big wide eyes on me. Not all the way creepy yet, but just enough to get my undivided attention. Almost like being out on a camping trip with a bunch of us huddled around the fire late at night. Each taking turns telling spooky stories while holding a flashlight up to our face. But this time he was being dead serious.
So, dad had worked late again tonight and just got home a little while ago. I mean like minutes ago. Right before I got here. You know that big cabinet project he has been doing for the last few weeks? Yea, you told me he has been working a bunch of extra hours every night. Yes, that one. He has been working late almost everyday for weeks.
Well as of tonight that job is finished. Dad came home in unbelievably good spirits. His eyes looked really tired, but he was in a great mood. I have not seen him this way, well long as I can remember. For some reason, yet to be explained, seemed to really make mom extremely happy too. So, that is when I thought might be a good time to pop the question about coming over tonight.
She didnt even take her eyes off dad. She said, "Sure no problem! Dont you boys have a secret project you need to work on? Why dont you boys put some effort into it. If its alright, why dont you go ahead and spend the weekend. That way you two can get a lot of work done or maybe even finished. You know whatever that is so important you discuss all the time on the phone. What do you call it? A GOLFCAR? Yes thats a great idea. You have been stuck at home all week, go have some fun this weekend."
So just like that mom ditches me. She almost acted like I belonged to somebody else. Kinda weird. You know her well enough. This is not her normal behavior. Not at all. Strange to think about it. Real scary if you think too much. Now it gets worse. Or better. Dad takes his focus off mom just for a moment and opens his wallet. You know how rare that ever happens. Like never...ever. He hands me a 10 dollar bill. This very one right here.
Steve had pulled the bill out of his shirt pocket and now pops it a few times holding it between his finger tips. Then he tells me make sure not to be a burden on your parents. Or else, if you know what I mean. So try to behave and have fun. I cant believe I just got sold out by my parents for only $10. I got sold for a measly $10 bill. Do you know how cheap that makes me feel? Gee, Alexander Hamilton wasnt even a president.
I am sorry Steve. Didnt know it would upset you so much. Maybe they just need some time to themselves. How often do they ever go do stuff without you or your sisters? Every parent has to get tired of their kids being around all the time. At least once and a while. Makes sense doesnt it?
No, no no! You dont get it Terry. You are missing the big opportunity, just like I did. If I would have been a little sharper thinking... You know, on my toes, put my game face on, as they say...I bet I could have gotten $20 out of them. Maybe I should have mentioned about some parts I was needing really badly. Trying to figure out how to buy them and then might finally get a lot farther along on the kart. But no. I was bribed and conceded for a mere $10. That is so lame.
Dude! Steve, you are terrible! I couldnt ever take advantage of my parents like that. Thats horrible. Yea whatever. But I might have been a terrible $20 bucks richer too. Steve says this whispering, looking deep into my eyes with an evil smirk, that might even make the devil blush a little bit.
I havent ever seen mom act this way. I mean never! For longer than I can remember. Dad wanted to celebrate and is taking her out to dinner. I guess they really need some alone time. If you know what I mean. Steve now returns back to his normal loud speaking voice and says, "So looks like you are stuck with me for the weekend. Wanna go set up the tent out back? Or put it up in the woods for a creep out night?"