Hello - My Name is Supercharged and I am Insane

[supercharged]

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines insanity thusly

in•san•i•ty
noun \in-‘sa-nə-tē\
: severe mental illness : the condition of being insane
: something that is very foolish or unreasonable
plural in•san•i•ties

Full Definition of INSANITY
1 : a deranged state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder (as schizophrenia)
2 : such unsoundness of mind or lack of understanding as prevents one from having the mental capacity required by law to enter into a particular relationship, status, or transaction or as removes one from criminal or civil responsibility
3 a : extreme folly or unreasonableness
b : something utterly foolish or unreasonable


I searched for my truck for over four years, and I purchased my truck a year ago knowing this would be a slow and deliberate restro-mod, taking my time to work on the truck when I had the time and felt like it and doing things to the truck that would make it uniquely mine. Not a showroom restoration, nor a show custom car, or even a hot rod, just a safe running truck that reflected my interests and personality. Therefore, it was to be a very fun and stress free “project”.

The fact is this was not my first restoration, as I have restored over half a dozen cars and trucks from the early-fifties to the mid-seventies. Therefore, I thought I knew all the pitfalls and perils of our hobby. This project would be started with my eyes wide open and my expectations realistic.

I bought the truck a running and somewhat drivable, but badly rusted survivor. Someone years ago had replaced the I6 and column shift with a 454 and drive-train from a 1972 Chevelle and a Mustang frontend. Not a professional job but well done enough that it had run that way for years.

So once the truck was in my driveway, I started to work on the rust and some interior cosmetics and a few minor mechanical issues, thinking that by this summer it would at least ready to enjoy while I continued the mods and updates. Periodically I would start the truck and let it idle until it was hot and checked for leaks.

This weekend I decided to start the truck after it has sat idle for a couple months, so that I could perform a mild tune-up. But, nothing. It tried its best but it just would not fire up. So out came the gas poured directly into the carb, still nothing. Then finally, after many attempts it fired up for a second, backfired so loud it set off car alarms and the neighborhood dogs and then there was nothing but silence.

After settling the more sensible side of my marriage, I slowly put my tools away and retired back inside defeated and dejected.

It seems I perform this act of insanity every year. This utterly foolish and unreasonable attempt to make a silk purse out of a sows ear!

After over 50 years of such extreme folly and unreasonableness, I have finally come to terms with my wife’s diagnosis that I am truly INSANE.