Let's roll the calendar back one year....
In Spring 2007, Channa's car had to get an overhaul to fix the engine modifications that went from bad to worse (long, dishonest mechanic story). We paid the bill (and we're still trying to find the arm & leg it cost each of us when the check cleared!) and Ryan noticed a used 5.0 engine sitting in the corner of the shop and asked our new mechanic about it. It was for sale. Channa immediately saw the wheels a-turning in her husband's head and she promptly put her foot down (the right foot because the left leg was missing.) Over the next few weeks Ryan would come home from work and casually mention that he'd visited the mechanic's shop and "that engine" was still there. Each evening the conversation became more detailed about "that engine" and it was very apparent to Channa that Ryan was trying his best sales pitch on her. Now mind you, Ryan can go out and buy anything (within reason) that he wants if he really wants to - - - after all, he's the breadwinner of the family and the king of his castle (Channa just helps choose the kind of bread, and tells him where to build the castle.) But we'd just had some very expensive vehicle repairs over six months' time, and the words "engine" and "replace" were enough to send either of us into a seizure at any moment.
Now Father's Day 2007 was coming up and Channa wanted to get Ryan something really cool. There have been only a handful of "really cool" gifts that Channa has pulled off throughout our 18-year relationship, and it was time for a really good one. After all, Ryan had just spent a lot of money modifying Channa's car and he deserved something, too, right? Okay, so not really, financially, but we did need an engine and it was a great deal. So one day Channa dropped by the mechanic's shop and talked to him about "that engine". And then she bought it. She told the mechanic and his employees that they had to keep it a secret from Ryan, who now found it fun to drop by quite often on his way home from work. Father's Day was 5 weeks away and Channa wanted this to be the surprise of all surprise gifts for him. She didn't dare tell the kids about it.
The next day Ryan come home from work pretty bummed out. Someone had bought "that engine"! He couldn't believe it! It wasn't fair! We'd never find a deal like that again! The world may as well just come to an end! How DARE that person buy HIS engine! How DARE that mechanic sell that engine to someone else! Darn it! Let's take turns kicking ourselves! Channa sympathized and consoled him as best as she could, ever the understanding wife. "It's okay, honey, we couldn't afford it anyway. You need to let it go."
A couple weeks later we had to take Channa's car in to get the A/C charged before the summer heat kicked in (She was pregnant and A/C was a necessity, not an option at that point!) Channa was so nervous that someone at the shop would blow her cover and let something slip about "that engine" - - - "So, when are we installing this for you, Mr. Pender?" Ryan asked the mechanic so many questions, but our mechanic was so awesome and played it all off very well. With the gesturing and looks Channa was giving the mechanic behind Ryan's back, you'd think it was a catcher/pitcher relationship at a baseball game! But Ryan didn't have a clue... hee hee hee. And he went home so disappointed and disgusted that the buyer was just going to let the engine sit there for awhile because he wasn't in any hurry to install it into his car just yet.
Father's Day came and Ryan got the surprise of his life when he opened his card and found a receipt for one bonified 5.0 Mustang engine. By the time Channa got to church that day, he had told everyone he knew what he got for Father's Day. He was absolutely glowing! We trailered the Mustang down to the shop a few weeks later and the engine replacement process began. We should have the Mustang back in a couple weeks.
Well, putting a 90's engine into a completely original 65 Mustang wasn't easy. Lots of things had to be replaced, refitted, updated, moved, reattached, computerized, etc., and two weeks turned into two months, four months, six months, a year. Could it have been done quicker? Yes, but we didn't push it. Our mechanic was swamped with other cars (including two more of ours on two or three separate occasions), and besides, we had replaced the Mustang's place in the garage with junk, so there was no room to park it even if we could bring it home.
The phone call finally came.... a year almost to the day. "This is Method Motor Works. Your Mustang is ready to go." Ryan didn't let himself get excited because we'd heard this before and when he went to take a look, it didn't start, or it was leaking something, etc. But we headed down there and our mechanic fired it up and took Ryan on a test drive. This time it was for real and Ryan was going to drive her home!
Channa followed Ryan home and took pictures while steadying the camera on the steering wheel. The junk has been redistributed throughout the garage and the Mustang is back in it's proper parking spot. (Basically, Channa's sign workshop got shoved up against the wall, and to use any power equipment the Mustang has to be backed out of the garage first..... *sigh*) Ryan has washed and vacuumed it, and he drives it around the block on Saturdays. He actually bought himself a Ford Mustang t-shirt while we were in Utah last week. :) We're not done with this car, but we're taking a break for now.
Now Father's Day 2007 was coming up and Channa wanted to get Ryan something really cool. There have been only a handful of "really cool" gifts that Channa has pulled off throughout our 18-year relationship, and it was time for a really good one. After all, Ryan had just spent a lot of money modifying Channa's car and he deserved something, too, right? Okay, so not really, financially, but we did need an engine and it was a great deal. So one day Channa dropped by the mechanic's shop and talked to him about "that engine". And then she bought it. She told the mechanic and his employees that they had to keep it a secret from Ryan, who now found it fun to drop by quite often on his way home from work. Father's Day was 5 weeks away and Channa wanted this to be the surprise of all surprise gifts for him. She didn't dare tell the kids about it.
The next day Ryan come home from work pretty bummed out. Someone had bought "that engine"! He couldn't believe it! It wasn't fair! We'd never find a deal like that again! The world may as well just come to an end! How DARE that person buy HIS engine! How DARE that mechanic sell that engine to someone else! Darn it! Let's take turns kicking ourselves! Channa sympathized and consoled him as best as she could, ever the understanding wife. "It's okay, honey, we couldn't afford it anyway. You need to let it go."
A couple weeks later we had to take Channa's car in to get the A/C charged before the summer heat kicked in (She was pregnant and A/C was a necessity, not an option at that point!) Channa was so nervous that someone at the shop would blow her cover and let something slip about "that engine" - - - "So, when are we installing this for you, Mr. Pender?" Ryan asked the mechanic so many questions, but our mechanic was so awesome and played it all off very well. With the gesturing and looks Channa was giving the mechanic behind Ryan's back, you'd think it was a catcher/pitcher relationship at a baseball game! But Ryan didn't have a clue... hee hee hee. And he went home so disappointed and disgusted that the buyer was just going to let the engine sit there for awhile because he wasn't in any hurry to install it into his car just yet.
Father's Day came and Ryan got the surprise of his life when he opened his card and found a receipt for one bonified 5.0 Mustang engine. By the time Channa got to church that day, he had told everyone he knew what he got for Father's Day. He was absolutely glowing! We trailered the Mustang down to the shop a few weeks later and the engine replacement process began. We should have the Mustang back in a couple weeks.
Well, putting a 90's engine into a completely original 65 Mustang wasn't easy. Lots of things had to be replaced, refitted, updated, moved, reattached, computerized, etc., and two weeks turned into two months, four months, six months, a year. Could it have been done quicker? Yes, but we didn't push it. Our mechanic was swamped with other cars (including two more of ours on two or three separate occasions), and besides, we had replaced the Mustang's place in the garage with junk, so there was no room to park it even if we could bring it home.
The phone call finally came.... a year almost to the day. "This is Method Motor Works. Your Mustang is ready to go." Ryan didn't let himself get excited because we'd heard this before and when he went to take a look, it didn't start, or it was leaking something, etc. But we headed down there and our mechanic fired it up and took Ryan on a test drive. This time it was for real and Ryan was going to drive her home!
Channa followed Ryan home and took pictures while steadying the camera on the steering wheel. The junk has been redistributed throughout the garage and the Mustang is back in it's proper parking spot. (Basically, Channa's sign workshop got shoved up against the wall, and to use any power equipment the Mustang has to be backed out of the garage first..... *sigh*) Ryan has washed and vacuumed it, and he drives it around the block on Saturdays. He actually bought himself a Ford Mustang t-shirt while we were in Utah last week. :) We're not done with this car, but we're taking a break for now.
1 comments:
Congratulations on the mustang! What a nice wife you are Channa!
--Ana
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