Between client meetings this afternoon, I got an email this afternoon from Mr. Scout, asking me would I like to stop over this evening for the inaugural first crank of the engine? I don’t think a squad of Marines could have kept me from seeing that sight, so I threw my cameras in the Jeep and hauled ass over there.
It’s gotten further along since the last time I saw it, and the first thing I noticed was the engine block painted with a fresh coat of International Harvester red. There’s a new Holley carburetor and a set of shiny new exhaust pipes hung from the frame to go with a MASSIVE new distributor, stainless steel brake lines, and huge new gas tank. It is, in effect, everything I wanted to do when I owned her.
Five minutes after I got there, the engine roared to life. It sounded fantastic, too—clean, smooth, and even. They let it run for about a minute before shutting down (the radiator isn’t attached yet) and we retreated to the yard until the exhaust dissipated. At this point, they’re done with the mechanicals, and it’s time to get the tub onto the frame.