It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I let you in on what's going on with the car. I hoisted it up on jacks so that I could get a better look underneath and so that I could also have it at a better working height. I removed the bumper, tail light assemblies, windshield, and steering column. I still have the front grill to take off, and then its on to stripping.
I had a week of grad classes, and a guy in there with me is restoring an old VW Beetle. He told me that I should strip the car instead of sanding it down because it would give a smoother surface for painting. I said no thanks, but then I realized that I didn't want 200 lbs of pink dust in my garage from sanding the paint off. I have the stripper, which is used for aircraft, sitting in there waiting to be opened up. I am now hesitant to start that project as I fear that stripping it will cause the metal to develop surface rust due to the acids involved. Since I don't plan on priming it anytime soon, I really don't want to strip it just so that it forms rust. On the other hand, for me to be able to find any other rust patches I have to take the paint off.
Taking the car apart has been very therapeutic. There is so much fun in discovering how the car was put together, and even finding traces of original paint and parts that haven't been touched in fifty years. I am so excited to keep working on this car, as I know I can restore it to its original (if not better than) glory. Until the end, though, I will enjoy the work and toil. It is hard to even call this work toil.
Our preacher believes that in heaven, all of our inventions from and for this world will burn up. All that we will be left with is God's creation. I completely disagree. I hate gardening and farming. Those things are difficult and don't bring me any joy. That is why our front yard is covered in weeds and our garden has no vegetables growing in it. On the other hand, building this car has the type of work that seems redeemed to me. Most people hate their jobs, some don't. Some find joy in what they do, and their work fills them up. That is essentially what our work in heaven will be. I don't think we will only be tending to the garden, but me and a bunch of nerdy car nuts will work in God's garage. We will have our own projects and work on each others together. God will stop by and help me rebuild a transmission or put bigger valve seats in my head. Ayrton Senna will test drive my car and let me know where I went wrong with the suspension while at the same time having just blitzed the lap record in heaven. Then, Colin McCrae will take it off road and tell me it's perfect.
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