I've Been Lurkin' Long Enuf!

[Rrumbler]

Greetings, All, have ya' got room here for another "old guy"? I've been visiting here, and been registered for a few months, now, so, I suppose it is time to introduce meself. I've used the user name Rrumbler, 'cause that's what all of my neighbors used to call me; they said that they could hear me coming for a mile because of the rumble of my exhaust: here comes the rumbler, night or day. These fancy new car alarms are really fun!

My real name is Merrill Fish. I am 62, now, retired/disabled, and living in the splendor of Las Vegas. I spent most of my growing up years in the greater Los Angeles area, notably, Temple City, and Azusa. My folks moved to Twentynine Palms in 1958, and after I graduated high school, I got a job with Southern California Edison (actually, a company that preceded Edison in that area), and except for a three and a half year vacation with "Uncle Sams Canoe Club" in the early sixties, continued that line of work for my entire working life. This is all in the Southern California area, for those of you who are not familiar with it.

I've been playing with mechanical things, things with nuts and bolts, or that went "putt-putt" for longer than I can remember, and with cars/trucks since I was about twelve. I was always turning wrenches on somebody elses ride, 'cept for my own bike, until I got my own first car after I graduated from high school. It was a Fifty-One Ford custom two door sedan, with a v8 that used so much oil I carried a five gallon can of reclaimed in the trunk; that is, until I got a chance to rebuild the thing. The "after-the-rebuild" was great, though; bored, ported & relieved, "3/4 race" cam, finned Offy heads, three strombergs, shop built headers, and big bore 24 inch "packs", exiting thru four 2 inch megs; the first "Rrumbler". The front end was "raked", with bigs and littles. My poor brother drove it after I went to the Navy, and got so many tickets for noise, and the frontend being too low, that my Dad sold it. I never have figured out just how he got away with that; it was registered in my name. Oh, well!!

Since then, it has been one after another, a few real muscle cars, but mostly, just everyday family cruisers with a bit of personal attention. My wife accused me of trying to make our first station wagon, a '70 Chevy Kingswood Estate, into a hot rod. I don't know what she was talking about; all I did was put headers and duals on it (two and one quarter inch), changed the cam to a 300 horse corvette grind, put a Weiand "sp2p" between the heads, and tweaked the Quadrajet and the ignition a bit; nice runnin' family wagon. The only real constant has been the '59 Chevy Big Window pickup that I have had since 1971. It has been a commuter, driveway denizen (worn out 283), commuter/work truck (with the engine and tranny from a '67 Camaro), driveway denizen (again - broke engine), commuter/hotty - new 350 with "some enhancements" - and then retired driveway denizen again; this time it was because of health problems on the human front, though. Now, it is in the early stages of a complete teardown; if my body will allow me, I will get it to where it deserves to be, this time. I've never had a " 'real' hot rod" - '32, roadster, coupe, sedan, T-bucket, etc. - but I'd sure like to. Time will tell.

Now, you all know who I am, probably more than anybody thinks I should tell; but, heck, I've never hidden from anyone in my life; why should I start now? I'll be dropping in here fairly often, maybe just to peruse the threads, might offer some bit of bull, from time-to-time. As one famous Gov said: "I'll be back!"

By-the-by, I do have another consuming interest: Cowboy Action Shooting, and the appurtenant hardware. If any of you are also of that persuasion, drop a line.

Later!

[drg84]

Welcome to the club, rumbler who lurks in shadows.

[john gemmer]

hey Merrill welcome to club hot rod your wife sounds . cource she was no to happy when I traded her 77 vet fer my truck had to have that 65 if ya know what i mean beside I gave her my 77 T/A w/stock 455 much faster then that dumb vet .las vegas your close it get crazy here once in a while but ant that the way we like it

[hambiskit]

Welcome to CHR Rummmbler...sounds like you'll fit right in...

[pro70z28]

Welcome to CHR Rrumbler

[Don Shillady]

Rrumbler, Welcome to CHR, I can just imagine (filling in with memories) the sound of that flathead. I am building a 350 but don't know how it will sound, although a kid up the street took the cats off a '99 Z28 350 and it sounds "crackier" than the old flathead with steel packs, a truly great sound, especially decelerating to a light! A low rumble with just an occasional "fap-blap".

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

[Hot Rod Angel]

Welcome to the CHR Merrill - We've always got room for more !

My husband and I are interested in the Cowboy Action Shooting, although at the moment we are not active in it...maybe some day...

[treekiller]

Welcome to CHR Rrumbler

[Dave Severson]

Welcome to CHR, pull up a chair and set a spell.

[Walt Zander]

Originally posted by Rrumbler
Greetings, , I've never hidden from anyone in my life; why should I start now? I'll be dropping in here fairly often, maybe just to peruse the threads, might offer some bit of bull, from time-to-time. As one famous Gov said: "I'll be back!"

Welcome to CHR Rrumbler...Like your style. Your presence for sure will be appreciated. Cheers.