Page 67 - Issue 34
P. 67

GE GE
                                                               WITH
                                                               WITH
                                                               WITH
                                                               WITH  GEOFF JOHNSONOFF JOHNSONOFF JOHNSON
                                                               WITH
                                                               WITH



                  egrets come in all shapes and sizes.  You can’t ets come in all shapes and sizes.  You can’t   store had them in stock, and they were so cheap, I
                  egr
                  be in the rat rodding hobby without having at
                  be in the rat rodding hobby without having at   almost bought two (thankfully I didn’t).  You know the
              Rleast one drawer full of regret in your mental
              Rleast one drawer full of regret in your mental   one with the top post cleaner on the bottom hiding
              toolbox.  We’re ambitious to a fault, sometimes, yet
              toolbox.  We’re ambitious to a fault, sometimes, yet   the little wire whisk in the top for cleaning inside the
              that’s what keeps us churning out new ways to look
              that’s what keeps us churning out new ways to look   cable ends.  Well, mine lasted almost one full use
              at something, new ways to build something, new
              at something, new ways to build something, new    before the unit self destructed: the top half detached
              ways to use something older than old.  These regrets   itself from the bottom leaving little metal bristles
              ways to use something older than old.  These regrets
                should not paralyze the creativity just inspire it.  It   at my feet, ripped chunks of tin in my hands, and a
                                                                a
                                                                at my feet, ripped chunks of tin in my hands, and a t my feet, ripped chunks of tin in my hands, and a
                should not paralyze the creativity just inspire it.  It
                  can be t                                      battery with one post still needing to cleaned.
                                                                ba
                                                                ba
                                                                battery with one post still needing to cleaned.ttery with one post still needing to cleaned.ttery with one post still needing to cleaned.ttery with one post still needing to cleaned.
                                                                ba
                  can be tough to fi ght off these feelings of regret,
                  can be tough to fi ght off these feelings of regret, ough to fi ght off these feelings of regret,
                   and I assure you…you are not alone.
                   and I assure you…you are not alone.
                       The project buyer’s level of remorse can
                       The project buyer’s level of remorse can   A quick look through eBay Motors
                     be one of the strongest forms of regret.    or your local Craigslist car/truck
                     be one of the strongest forms of regret.
                      It happens to the best of us—you buy      section will yield many examples
                      It happens to the best of us—you buy
                      something you shouldn’t have even been
                      something you shouldn’t have even been    of this buyer’s regret.
                       looking at in the fi rst place.  You lug it
                       looking at in the fi rst place.  You lug it
                                                                   As well as trying to save a buck by shopping in
                        home on a trailer (or in boxes), and you
                        home on a trailer (or in boxes), and you   As well as trying to save a buck by shopping in
                         realize you should have passed on it.    the aut
                                                                the automotive section of the dollar store, I was also omotive section of the dollar store, I was also
                                                                the automotive section of the dollar store, I was also
                         realize you should have passed on it.
                          Soon you try to fi nd someone else
                                                                too cheap to buy a new set of headlight lenses.  My
                          Soon you try to fi nd someone else     t too cheap to buy a new set of headlight lenses.  My oo cheap to buy a new set of headlight lenses.  My
                          who will feel the same way you did    old commuter car had lights of the foggiest yellow
                                                                old commuter car had lights of the foggiest yellow
                          who will f
                          who will feel the same way you did eel the same way you did
                        about it, then you try to sell it for as ou try to sell it for as   you’ve ever seen; brighter bulbs helped but still not
                        about it, then you try to sell it for as
                        about it, then y
                                                                enough.  The Minnesota salt loves to chew pits into
                                                                anything it can get its teeth on, particularly plastic.  I
                                                                spent more money on those ‘headlight restoration
                                                                kits’ than anyone should.  Once a year I would fi ght
                                                                with those different tubes of liquid polish promising
                                                                amazing results and various grits of sandpaper
              much of you have into it.  I am thankful I haven’t
              much of you have into it.  I am thankful I haven’t   with the best intentions.  I think I was using them
              bought anything too expensive I really shouldn’t   correctly following the directions to the letter, still
              have.  I think a strong spouse acts as a powerful   they never yielded anything more than temporary
              deterrent to avoid this (it certainly has worked this   slight improvements.  What I needed to do was fi nally
              way for me).  A quick look through eBay Motors or   break down and picked up a cheap non-OEM pair
              your local Craigslist car/truck section will yield many   of lenses online.  Sure, they weren›t going to be as
              examples of this buyer’s regret.  It breaks my heart   durable as the originals, nevertheless the salt would
              to see a decade-long project with a trunk full of   eat them up soon enough.
              dusty, new, unopened parts being offered for cheap.    If your weakness is picking up projects you know
                 Tool regret is never a good thing.  Nearly     you can’t fi nish, tools you know will fail, or bottles of
              everything cheap will certainly fail at the worse time   liquid miracles with labels you know are too good to
              probably causing bodily harm when it goes.  Cheap   be true, don’t let regrets get you down.  They should
              screwdrivers strip, cheap box end/open ends bend or   be something to learn from, to grow from.  Our
              break, and a cheap pair of pliers almost always slips   yearning to make, do, and build something in new
              straight out of the box.  I thought there were certain   ways will leave debris behind.  And, it is in that drawer
              tools even the cheapness couldn’t phase.  I learned I   in my literal toolbox that I keep these things.  Yes,
              was wrong.  Not too long ago I needed a new tool for   even what’s left of that battery post cleaner is still
              cleaning my top post batteries.  I knew my local dollar   there.  Hey, someday I might need it!
                                                                                     RATRODMAGAZINE.COM  RAT ROD MAGAZINE     67
         66x67_RR1601_Downshifting.indd   67                                                                  10/26/15   4:20 PM
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