[fryer1979]

I got my first welding lesson last night! I know a lot of people have been doing this their whole life and are probably thinking "big deal", but to me it is. Growing up, no one in my family was into cars as anything more than a way to get from one place to another. Most of my family would make fun of me working on cars, and my dad was a reliable source for discouragement. Over the years I met some people that taught me a lot, and I have learned a lot on my own through trial and error, then a 12 year run as a mechanic. Through all of this I really wanting to learn welding, but never had the opportunity. The friends that would teach me didn't have the equipment, and I could never afford the community college classes. So finally last night in a junkyard in Reno Nv., I got to run my first bead. Did some practice beads on a scrap piece of 1/4" sheet metal, then got to weld together one of the brackets for my bubby's transmission cross member. I was so excited about the welding i forgot to take any pictures, but I think my buddy may have gotten 1 or 2. I'll have to check with him when I get off work.

I also got quite a bit of tear-down progress on the '65, as well as brought my '80 parts truck back to the shop. I'll get the photos uploaded from my cell phone when I get home tonight.