My New Old Colt 1911

My dad’s Colt 1911 was the first pistol I ever saw, and I was instantly in love. Thirty years later, I purchased my first handgun, a Kimber TLE 1911, black-on-black, just like Dad’s. It wasn’t Dad’s, though, and that was always in the back of my mind. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great piece, but there’s something cool about a Colt.

Recently, he gave the Colt to me. Just like that. It was mine. I did some research on the gun and I found out that should a person want one today, he or she had better have about $1,500 to shell out, because it’s now a collector item.

The 1911 in question is a Colt MK IV Series ’70 Government Model .45. I looked up the serial number and found out that this particular gun was manufactured in ’76, making it an original specimen. It’s in wonderful shape, too.

Colt re-introduced the Series ’70 in the early 2000s, but the purists weren’t big fans because the gun was really an 80 Series with Series ’70 internals. Just about any Colt 1911 lover covets the original ‘70s, and they have become highly desirable.

The only thing I didn’t like about the gun were the wrap-around rubber grips. They looked out-of-place on such a beautiful pistol. Besides, age had gotten the best of the ones on my dad’s gun, and they weren’t in the best of shapes.

When I bought my Kimber, I also bought beautiful wooden grips to put on it. When I received the Kimber, however, I found that I really liked the feel of their synthetic grips, and so I opted not to change them out. Good thing I kept hold of them, though, because they look spectacular on the Colt.

I have yet to shoot the thing, but I did take it apart, clean and lube it. The gun is amazingly tight; I don’t think Dad sent many rounds downrange. It does feature an annoying “finger-collet” barrel bushing that makes the gun extremely hard to get back together, but is supposed to vastly improve the inherent accuracy. We’ll see.

So, I finally broke down and bought a metal detector. I had been doing loads of research on them, and I even joined a forum. They aren’t exactly cheap, so I wanted to be sure it was something I wanted to do before I chucked $200 or more out the window.

After reading tons and tons of information about the various types, I ended up with a Fisher F2.



I liked some of the other detectors such as the Garrett Ace 250 but honestly, I’m real picky about how things look, and not in a normal way. The Garretts are awesome, but they are yellow; I have nothing against the color itself, but the thing reminded me of those waterproof radios from the late ‘80s that folks in the commercials were taking into the shower. Yellow electronics were lame then, and they are lame now.





The only yellow electronic thing I can think of that is not lame is the DeWalt construction site stereo-boom box with the roll cage around it – that thing rocks all day.



Even when I was a kid, I would buy shoes based on how the soles looked. Yes, the soles; I didn’t really care what was up top, but the tread and the colors of the rubber had to be bitchin’, or no-go. It may actually explain a lot, but I’m no psychologist and so I just pretend it doesn’t.

So anyhow, I have only had the chance to use my detector once, but the thing actually works. In the span of a single hour, it netted me a rusty screw, a rusty nail, two old bottle caps, and what could be half a coffee can or some aluminum siding. Exciting stuff! And, what’s even cooler, is that all those items were in my very own backyard.

My house was built in 1934, and I’m hoping that someone in the ‘40s or ‘50s buried a fortune back there, all preserved in mason jars. Then I can retire and have a lot more time for blogging and writing novels. How sweet is that?

I’ll keep you all updated on my groovy, life-changing metal-detecting finds.

New 1981 Smog Bill

So, rumor has it there’s a new bill on the docket that is trying to raise the mandatory smog date all the way to 1981. Let me tell you, that would change lives, and not just a few of them.

If we didn’t have to smog pre-1981 vehicles, then millions of ’76-’80 work trucks just became a viable option for the little guy who makes his own cash. It means that low-income families who are more or less forced do drive something from the late ‘70s get to save money and hassle. Unless, of course, CA triples the registration on vehicles from those years; wouldn’t surprise me a bit.

It also means that you can drive that ’76 Cordoba you always wanted without having the referee futz with it – who could ask for more?

This bill really needs to pass. Also, if it *does* pass, I know a lot of folks (myself included) who’ll be a little upset that they sold some vehicle or other. My dad gave me his ’76 Chevy long bed 4x4 that he’d owned since ’77. I put a new engine in it, I had a lot of fun with it, but I eventually had to sell it because I couldn’t afford to register and smog the thing while also getting a neat 8 mpg.

If this bill passes, it means I could have kept it. Well, I guess it’s for the best, because I really, really like Dodge trucks better. I’m a MOPAR guy, and there’s not a thing I can do about it.

Anyhow, below is the information about the bill, and contacts you can make to voice your opinion in the matter. Do the right thing, here, and get Uncle Sam’s greedy-ass hands out of our older vehicles.

Information:

In 2004, legislation was enacted to repeal California’s rolling emissions-test exemption for vehicles 30 years old and older and replace it with a law requiring the lifetime testing of all 1976 and newer model-year vehicles. This year, a bill has been introduced in the California Senate (S.B. 1224) by Senator Doug LaMalfa (Senator.LaMalfa@senate.ca.gov ) to exempt all motor vehicles prior to the 1981 model year from the emissions inspection requirement. The bill will be considered in the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee on March 27, 2012.

We Urge You to Contact All Members of the Senate Transportation and Housing Committee (Contact Info Below) Immediately To Request Their Support for S.B. 1224

· S.B. 1224 recognizes the minimal impact of pre-1981vehicles on emissions and air quality.

· S.B. 1224 acknowledges that pre-1981 vehicles still constitute a minuscule portion of the overall vehicle population and are a poor source from which to look for emissions reduction.

· S.B. 1224 endorses the fact that pre-1981 vehicles are overwhelmingly well-maintained and infrequently driven (a fraction of the miles each year as a new vehicle).

· For years, legislators, regulators and stationary source polluters have felt the heat from failed efforts to meet air quality goals and have looked to older cars as a convenient scapegoat, using false data and inflated annual mileage assumptions to further their case. S.B. 1224 helps validate the truth. The old car hobby should not continue to carry the burden of past mistakes!

DON’T DELAY! Please contact members of the California Senate Transportation and Housing Committee immediately to request their support of S.B. 1224. Please e-mail a copy of your letter to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org. Also, please forward this Alert to your fellow car enthusiasts. Urge them to join the SAN and help defend the hobby! Thank you for your assistance.
Senate Transportation and Housing Committee

To e-mail all members of the Committee, copy and paste the email address block below:
senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov; senator.gaines@senate.ca.gov; senator.harman@sen.ca.gov; Senator.Kehoe@sen.ca.gov; Senator.Lowenthal@sen.ca.gov; senator.pavley@sen.ca.gov; michael.rubio@sen.ca.gov; senator.simitian@sen.ca.gov; Senator.Wyland@senate.ca.gov

Senator Mark DeSaulnier (Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4007
Email: senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov

Senator Ted Gaines (Vice Chair)
Phone: (916) 651-4001
Email: senator.gaines@senate.ca.gov

Senator Tom Harman
Phone: (916) 651-4035
Email: senator.harman@sen.ca.gov

Senator Christine Kehoe
Phone: (916) 651-4039
Email: Senator.Kehoe@sen.ca.gov

Senator Alan Lowenthal
Phone: (916) 651-4027
Email: Senator.Lowenthal@sen.ca.gov

Senator Fran Pavley
Phone: (916) 651-4023
Email: senator.pavley@sen.ca.gov

Senator Michael Rubio
Phone: (916) 651-4016
Email: michael.rubio@sen.ca.gov

Senator Joe Simitian
Phone: (916) 651-4011
Email: senator.simitian@sen.ca.gov

Senator Mark Wyland
Phone: (916) 651-4038
Email: Senator.Wyland@senate.ca.gov

Lookin' for a '70s Dodge Pickup

So, I’m in the market for a ’72-’75 Dodge 4x4 pickup. Why? The reasons go on and on, actually, but I think it comes down to “I’m getting older”. Here are a few other reasons, though:

1. I love that body style; the ’72-’75 Dodge trucks really get me going. The ones released just before that look pretty weird, most of the time. Sure, some of 'em look hot when they are lifted and have big tires, but those “swept side” trucks are all a bit strange to me. I have liked a few of them, and they definitely have personality, but I’m more drawn to the ‘70s truck look. Maybe it’s because I was born in ’75 and my dad drove a ’76 Chevy long bed forever.

2. NO SMOG. I repeat, this cesspool of a state doesn’t require owners to smog vehicles that were built before 1976; that’s what I’m talking about. I’m so tired of computers, sensors, harnesses, smog junk, and the inability to radically modify an engine, I could scream. I’ll take an old V8 any day, because I can slap on a 4bbl, a mild cam, some headers and an electronic ignition whenever I’d like to for more power. Substantially more power. Plus, I save on the stupid smog bill every couple of years. Screw The Man. I don’t wanna Go Green; I want to run 300 horsepower or more in an old, carbureted truck. So there.

3. I can work on the shit. There is nothing sweeter than working on an older vehicle, in my opinion. Everything is simple, it’s right there, and problems are very easy to diagnose. Changing the alternator isn’t a finger-breaking nightmare, and there are *no* sensors to go bad, causing me to have to hook the vehicle up to a code reader in order to figure out what the hell is wrong with it. Not for me. I like a simple engine that makes simple power in a simple engine bay.

4. Pickup trucks rule. Yes, this cesspool of a state charges me for that, but so be it (CA tacks on a “weight fee” to all pickup trucks unless they have a permanent shell). There are things I can do with an old pickup I cannot do with my current Jeep Cherokee. Like towing. Sure, the Jeep can yank things and it got my boat home fine, but it was pushing hard to do so. Even the smallest V8 in a pickup will do much better. I wouldn’t tow a travel trailer or another vehicle with my Jeep – not a chance. I can get more shit inside it, which is good for camping and whatnot. Even adding a shell to an old pickup is superior to the storage space in the Cherokee. There’s way more room in the cab, too; I get tired of squishing into the thing sometimes. I’ve never been one for small vehicles. Plus, I’m a big fan of bench seats; I actually and truly love 'em. About the only thing an old Dodge pickup won’t, for sure, do better than the Jeep is trail. The Jeep is superior in that aspect but as I said, I’m getting older; the trails aren’t near as fun as they used to be. I’d rather just yank a cool old camp trailer somewhere and setup for the weekend. Old people style. *lol*

5. I can lift a ’72 Dodge four inches and fit 37s under it with zero issues. A Jeep Cherokee with a 4.5” lift still has to be trimmed to properly fit 33s. I do realize that because of the size differences of the actual vehicles, the 33s are likely as big on a Jeep as the 37s are on a bigger tuck, proportionally, but still, it’s hard to argue with 37s. 35” tires actually look small on a big truck with a four-inch lift. That’s what I’m talking about. Oh, the lift kits are far cheaper, too, but probably because they aren’t designed exclusively for flex and/or trailing. However, I’ve seen a few of the ‘70s Power Wagons straight-out getting down on the trail with nothing more than a lift and tires. Trucks are versatile like that.

So, anyhow, there are probably more reasons, but you get the idea. I once had an old pickup, too, but it was a Chevy (Yuck!) and it had a gutless 400ci small-block, and it was a 1976 – smog monster. In fact, it was the one my dad had that I mentioned earlier. It could climb anything and go anywhere, though, and it was fun off-road while it lasted. Now, on to bigger and better (Dodge!) things.

NAXJA Christmas

Last night, the SoCal chapter of the Jeep Cherokee club NAXJA held its annual Christmas bash in Upland, CA. John Hudson (JohnX on the NAXJA forum) was gracious enough to let us defile his home this year. It was a good turnout, and everyone had fun.

It was really nice to see old friends and meet new ones. Grimmy, it was good to see you, man! Avery, Julio, Cory and Candice, Carol, bails85, our new chapter president John, DJ Josh, Jeremy, Falk (a really super cool guy), Beamer, and a few others were able to attend.

There was an awesome raffle with a few really big prizes, there was fire, there were guns, there was a chess game, there was food/drinks/booze, and there was a feeling of friendliness in the air. NAXJA wins again. Even the nuts jokes were a hoot.

I had planned to lightly sip a few beers throughout the evening but, by the time we left, I had put away a twelve pack. Oops. Ah well, all in good fun. This year’s party was a great success, and I thank everyone who was able to attend and contribute. Even Julio.

Falk, you are certainly an interesting character. I had much fun talking with you about engines, immigration, guns, and off-road stuff. People like you don’t come around very often, so it was extremely nice meeting you. Cheers!

I Chose Marlin over Winchester

After a bunch of research, days of reading forum posts, reviews, and watching videos from various lever gun owners, I have finally decided that Marlin was the way to go. Ten days ago, I actually purchased a 1976 Marlin 336 chambered in 30-30 at a gun show. Here in the lovely cesspool – er – state of CA, we have to wait to pick up our firearms.

Why a Marlin over a Winchester 94? Several reasons, really, made my decision an easy one. First, the Marlin fetches a much lower price, normally. Same rifle, lower price? Yea, I’m all over that. Also, the Marlin features side eject, which makes it easier to mount a scope. I won’t be mounting a scope, but the side eject was still a better choice, I believe. At the very least, it allows less of the elements into the receiver. Also, more of the 94’s “guts” come out when the lever is pulled, something I did not like. The 336 breaks down easily whereas the 94 does not.

Also, because my weapon was made in the ‘70s, it has no safety. The hammer can be half-cocked, stopping the trigger from moving, which is about as safe as it gets with the earlier models. I like that. Not that I’m against safety, I just like a simpler weapon. The most effective safety always lies with the shooter, anyhow. Right, guys?

So, why 30-30 instead of a handgun caliber, or maybe even the 45-70? The simple answer is that I don’t believe the hype. If you do enough research, you’ll see that the venerable 30-30 is capable of taking some pretty good game. I don’t feel that I need a 45-70 for almost any situation. Besides, if the 30-30 doesn’t drop whatever I’m shooting at the first time, I have six more chances. The odds are in my favor no matter what the target. The handgun calibers are all much weaker, and I want something that goes boom. That isn’t to say I won’t pick up guns in those calibers in the future, but for my first one, the 30-30 sounded perfect.

I was going to pick the carbine up today, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I’ll have the gun in my hands on Thursday. At that point, I’ll update the blog and include a few pictures.

What are your thoughts on the Marlin 336?

California Smog Laws: Going Exempt

I love driving off-road in my Jeep. The thing climbs like a goat on crack and its size and wheelbase allows me to traverse a wide variety of trails. I do, however, have two problems with the rig: it’s a six-cylinder, and it has to be smogged every other year. Poop on both counts.

Now, I’m all for a clean environment and everything, but having to smog my vehicles is really getting to be an expensive pain in the arse. First off, there’s the smog fee itself. If the government wants me to smog my vehicles so bad, why don’t they pony up the money for it? They make the rule and the cost falls on the consumer. Second, if it doesn’t pass, I have to buy expensive things like catalytic converters or oxygen sensors and hope it’ll pass the next try. I don’t like it one bit.

Therefore, it’s very possible that I’ll be paring down my fleet in the near futures to include only pre-1976 automobiles. No computers, no catalytic converters, no mess of wiring and hoses. And no six-cylinders. I’ll take a ’72 Dodge with a 360 in it any day over a gutless 4.0 liter straight-six that has to be smogged.

I’m a do-it-yourself kind of guy, and that includes working on my vehicles. If something goes wrong, I do not want to break out a code scanner so that an on-board computer can tell me what’s happening with my vehicle. With an older vehicle, it’s almost always obvious where the problem is coming from. Parts are a load cheaper, too, and you can actually get to them without having an engineering degree.

Now, many of you may be thinking that older vehicles aren’t as reliable, and that they nickel-and-dime us to death. Sure, if you try and keep a thirty-year-old car on the road you are going to have maintenance. But, when’s the last time you completely rebuilt an engine and replaced all its crappy, Pep Boys components with quality ones? That, I feel, is the ticket. I mean, if you keep replacing remanufactured water pumps and alternators with $30 remanufactured units, they aren’t going to last long. Purchasing quality components will surely keep the vehicle running longer.

Anyhow, my plan to only drive pre-smog vehicles goes into effect immediately. It may actually save me a bunch of money in the long run, because if I score an old Dodge 4x4 truck that can pull the Jeep to trails, I can register the Cherokee for off-road use only (sometimes called “Green Stickering here in CA) and still not have to smog or insure it. Double-win in my book.

Older cars and trucks aren’t for everybody, that’s true, but they are definitely for me. I still have my ’68 Plymouth, and it’s being rebuilt slowly but surely as I write these words. Now I need to replace the station wagon with a late-sixties MOPAR one and find an early ‘70s Dodge truck. Can’t be too difficult. Wish me luck!