" The Mighty Mouse" Has Left The Hangar

[Wyandot Jim]

Well Guys,
To day the Son and Grandson took the Camaro to it's new home in Corpus Christi. It was in storage for 23 years in my hangar. It has taken about 2 1/2 years of not to serious work to restore it. It has been a fun project and I'm kind of sad to see it leave. Well I'm glad the painting and buffing is over. :roll: :roll:
I will probably start on the restoration of our 1952 Piper Pacer in the fall. It is in good shape but I can make it really a GREAT Pacer








We Have two hoods this is the one we added a scoop to


This is the fiberglass L-88 Corvette style hood










The Next Project.

 

[Snake45]

The Camaro's paint job is a bit garish for my taste, but otherwise I dig it. :wink:

Is that a Piper Pacer?

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I like the Pacer better than any car! And I like it MUCH better than a Tri-Pacer!

Keep us informed, please.

 

[Rick Courtright]

I like the Pacer better than any car!

Hi,

I wasn't sure whether to worry about you w/ that comment or not, Mike, but I think I got it figured out: you meant Jim's PIPER Pacer, not THIS one, right?

Rick C

 

[Wyandot Jim]

 

[WendyZXZ]

Great looking classic muscle car!

 

[jgt]

He is going to have to really take care to stay ahead of the rust down there. Tell him if he likes the car to never ever drive it to Padre Island. The car wash just won't cut it when he comes back. I had a beautiful 63 Chevy Impala convertable when I came home from the service and within three years of coming home it was rusting through the splash panels. Wash often and thoroughly. Wax often. Remember the air is full of salt. A garage is your friend.
Congratulations to him. I know he is a good son and grandson. I'm happy to see good things happen to good people.

 

[Lee Martin]

Stout looking ride and thanks for photos.

 

[muzzleloader]

Don't you miss those tidy engine compartments?

 

[Eaglestroker]

Dad's first new car was a '78 Z28, same red interior, had a black exterior. Drove the car until '99 and it's currently wasting in their back yard after 380k miles of service. Your pictures brought back a lot of memories and I'm sure your son and grandson will make a lot of their own in that car!

 

[doccash]

Justifiably proud grandson. Dr.C

 

[Mike Armstrong]

Yeah, Rick--you "translated" my scribble correctly! Although those old Pacer cars were "unique," at least.

Since nothing rusts in southern CA, we still have a few around and you wouldn't BELIEVE what people pay for them....

Not so many Piper Pacers, I'm afraid. Glad one's gonna be restored.

 

[eric conrad]

Jim, nice work. Your a good man and a Great grandpa
Eric

 

[Kevin]

That is a great car. I think the paint job fits the style of the car perfectly. The only thing I would worry about is the low front bumper. It looks like it would get scraped pretty easy while parking.

otherwise great job.

 

[Badger Matt]

Does your grandson have any idea how fortunate he is to have you as his grandfather? Very cool!!!

 

[Wyandot Jim]

That is a great car. I think the paint job fits the style of the car perfectly. The only thing I would worry about is the low front bumper. It looks like it would get scraped pretty easy while parking.

otherwise great job.

Kevin and all the rest of you great guys, thank you so much. As far as the front spoiler. Yes he is aware of the low clearance. He spent a lot of time getting that spoiler ready for me to paint. Well I also told him that he has the same penalty as his Dad had. That penalty being DEATH if you mess up the paint
And yea anybody can come up with a solid color paint job. This is a street car.
Matt Yea I think so. We have great times working are arseh off on stuff :wink: :wink: He just sent me a check for part of the paint work. That took him a lot of jobs to come up with that. :roll: :roll:

 

[Colt Hammerless]

Hey Jim, is that an original PA-20 or a PA-22/20? If PA-20, I assume it originally came with an O-235? My friend sold his fully metalized 1955 PA-22/20 about a year ago. It had an O-320 with a tuned exhaust. He didn't want to sell it, but his home airport has frequently horrible crosswinds. He's got a partnership in a 172 now, and even then the winds keep him on the ground often.

Paul

 

[Geoff Timm]

Weird paint job, I don't like it, but I love it. Only way to describe it.
Geoff
Who wishes he could afford to buy a Dodge and paint it in the old AMC racing colors.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Hey Jim, is that an original PA-20 or a PA-22/20? If PA-20, I assume it originally came with an O-235? My friend sold his fully metalized 1955 PA-22/20 about a year ago. It had an O-320 with a tuned exhaust. He didn't want to sell it, but his home airport has frequently horrible crosswinds. He's got a partnership in a 172 now, and even then the winds keep him on the ground often.

Paul

Hey Paul,
Yes it is a 1952 125 Pacer. At the time they made the 125 and the 135 Pacer. It had an O-290D 125 HP that was changed to an O-320 150 HP. Makes for a lot better short field and climb and adds a little to airspeed. O-235s were in the PA-12 and the Clippers among others and were 100 and 108 HP.
Yep the Pacer does not like a cross wind at all. After Piper came out with the Tri-Pacer very few Pacers were sold so production was stopped in 1952/53.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

When I'm asked does your Grandson appreciate what you do for him? I think this sums it up pretty good. There are Pictures in the Gallery of the Car.
This letter arrived today along with $4oo of his money that took awhile to make for part of the paint job.



Dear Gramps,

Here again I find myself writing in the summer time, luckily I am happily writing this one. I just hope you can read it. ( I made him write his story when he flew the Pacer from WA. to Texas)

This letter is just not about the car (though a lot of it is) but it is about how thankful I am that to have you as a Grandfather. It is unbelievable how much love and time you put into a car to completely amaze your grandson once again with your abilities. I do not believe there is another kid out there other than me that has the opportunities to be around the talent and smarts that you have. I just can not wrap my head around how lucky I am. The amount you have taught me and the traits you have passed down to me I know will benefit me the rest of my life. I am just so excited to and will take every chance to continue learning from you. I don't know anyone else that can even compete with your level of perfection. It is literally perfect anything you set out to do you accomplish it perfectly. Just like your quest of the hood. You wouldn't stop till you knew it was perfect, and it surely is. I just hope it rubs off on me. I will just try my best to say that we did it together. ( I told him When asked who did the work? To say WE did) I just wish I could have spent more time helping you. I am as thrilled to show off your work of art though I know nothing else can compete to The Mighty Mouse. I know I don't show my thankfulness as much as I want to but I hope you know how grateful I really am, because you are truly the best grandfather I could ask for.

Thank you for everything. I love you so very much.

Love ,

Chad