My Kind of January

Thought I would share a photo or two to demonstrate how on and off warm our January has been in Southern Ontario. Now that I write this we will no doubt be snowed under.

This is my 59 series 62 convertible Cadillac, which I have had since I was 16. The 59 Cadillac was my first and still number one dream car. It has travelled to Gettysburg, Nashville, Memphis and Graceland, it served as our wedding car, it has been rebuilt twice. The 59 has the rare Q engine option, a 390 V8 with tri-power carbs. My father and I rebuilt the engine, well mostly him. I assembled the Caddy from a trailer full of parts without an manual, I know every inch of her like the back of my hand.

There was the time she broke down coming back from seeing the Blasters in Toronto and my friend Tony and I had to leave her by the side of the road as it was two in the morning. The next morning I called a tow truck and the driver said yep saw her on that back road out side of Peterborough already, have her home to you in an hour. True to form she started right up.

Saturday was my first drive in the Caddy as April (though I was dressed to work on cars not to impress). I may end up selling her to pay for FFS or even SRS if the provincial government changes what surgeries they cover. It will break my heart and I don't think I could ever look at another 59 Caddy again.

In other old car news….and you thought this was one of those trans type blogs….silly girls and boys.

Coming back from the grocery store, I noticed that the Lincoln was pulling to the right when braking, hmm think I have a sticky LH calliper. The 75 and 76 Lincoln Mark IV's have four wheel disks, best stopping ever on a large car but need a little TLC from time to time. Urgh time to get dirty again.

Really you must think this is a FtM blog, don't worry I will confirm to stereotype tomorrow and talk about some recipes I have had success with and what I wore to my meeting.

Here is Dave Alvin:

one time I took it like a man…..and I am never coming back in a long white Cadillac

Extra bonus version:

Hugs,

April

Recognized?

Or the perils of owning unique cars and being transsexual.

I have spoken before of the dangers of driving vintage cars and being outed before I went full time.

On Saturday I zipped over to the gas station to fuel up the Mark IV Continental, sans makeup just jeans, flats and a black jacket (LuLu Lemon, but unisex). As I am pumping gas a cream coloured Lincoln LS pulls in slowly drives around me, the driver is starring, perhaps a Lincoln admirer so I smile back.

The Lincoln LS is now on the other side of the pumps and comes to a stop, minding my business I continue to feed the Mark crushed dinosaur juice and self consciously strike a girly pose (is that possible while filling up your car). I don't hear anyone get out so I turn around to see that the guy I thought was starring at me was actually female (it is hard to see through the dark glass) as the Lincoln pulls away I notice the vanity plate. OMG it is the wife of the guy I bought the 76 and 72 Mark IV's from!!!

I kept in touch with the previous owner and often consulted him for advice but have not informed him of my transition as we have not spoken for over a year.

Was she concerned the car was dirty and the paint faded (although she looked good when I bought her the Florida sun had done a number on the paint and it has not faired well over they past 15 years of my ownership…..yes you are right I was only 14 when I bought her HA HA.

In my defence the Mark IV received an expensive custom built 460, transmission upgrades, dual stainless exhaust, custom made coil springs to lower the ride height and two sets of mag wheels amongst numerous upgrades and mechanical repairs. She has also been rust proofed every year and remains sold as a rock.

OR was she thinking who is that strange women driving our old car, I thought we sold it to that guy a few blocks over. About an hour later I am walking down our street with my youngest and her best friend, escorting them back to our house to play when I see the same Lincoln LS pull away from in front of our house.

"J" tells me some woman had stopped to look at my Mark IV and even tried to open the door to look inside.

Hmmmm, I think I better drop off a letter to both her and her husband, explaining some of the anomalies see witnessed. Funny thing she is cosmetician, I am sure we could have an interesting conversation.

Hugs,

April

A smooth rocker from Australian rockabilly guy Colin Cook:

Duraspark

No new job yet but offered some freelance work helping compile an automotive directory. Not as fun as writing articles but good experience and a high heel in the door so to speak.

Girls went to Build A Bear with "J" and came home with new outfits for their bears then treated me to an extended fashion show. Very cute!

Dropped off my Rust Proofing article at World of Wheels magazine this week, will be my second published article under my new name.

Temperature was above freezing so took an hour to recurve the distributor on the Mark IV. The 76 Mark always felt that you had to push it through the air while my 72 Mark felt much more lively. In fact I would often find myself well over the limit when I troubled to glance at the speedo. Does that mean I am a fast girl HA HA!

After some prolonged research I found out that the Ford Duraspark electronic ignition has a reversible distributor cam, unfortunately mine only had a choice of 21 and 16 L slot meaning the car had a 32 degree centrifugal advance. Combined with the 8 degree initial advance the 460 V8 had 40 degrees of timing not including vacuum advance. So no wonder she pinged when ever I tried to advance initial timing.

Apparently the trick is to reduce centrifugal advance to 20 degrees and make initial 15 for a much peppier engine. I did my best to limit centrifugal advance by making as bushing to limit advance and then reset timing. A test drive didn't reveal any pinging and the Lincoln was much happier. All by eye ball and seat of the pants need to track down the correct distributor cam or buy a digital calliper to set exactly.

If you want to see what it all looks like go here:

http://reincarnation-automotive.com/Duraspark_distributor_recurve_instructions_index.html

And here is my fav Lincoln burnout video on You Tube, not my car by the way.

Bad news, broke a nail…damn.

Kumpf Lincoln Mercury

After that flurry of pre Christmas posts I thought you might be sick of hearing from me dear constant reader so I gave you a well earned brake. Weired title but I had no idea what else to title this post.

What have I been up to? Not too much, at home with the children who are off school for another week.

On the automotive front the Seville is not back from the shop as the only pair of lower ball joints in Canada had to come from Quebec, really is 1985 that old?

While the Lincoln waits patiently for a new LH exhaust manifold gasket I took the time to catch up on a couple of mini projects, fixed and reinstalled the correct factory aluminum licence plate frames, made a custom surround for the aftermarket stereo (even added a chrome stereo button from an original 72 Ford Philco radio to give it a more vintage factory look. Set of vintage experimental GE halogen high beams.

Also installed a rare dealer plate from Kumpf Lincoln Mercury in Colorado (no longer exists) where Elvis bought a similar 1976 Mark IV:

Elvis often played shows in Denver, Colorado where he formed a close relationship with Jerry Kennedy, captain of the Denver Police Vice and Drug Control Bureau. Captain Kennedy was in charge of security for Elvis when he appeared in Denver. On January 14, 1976 while on vacation in Vail, Elvis visited the Kumpf Lincoln Mercury Dealership at 9th Avenue and Broadway in Denver. There he purchased a 1976 Lincoln Mark IV for $13,386.69 which he gave to Kennedy.

The actual car can be seen at the Tupelo Auto Museum, http://www.tupeloautomuseum.com/elvis.php

I met one of the museum owners at the first ever Stutz meet in Memphis in 2005 and even considered buying their Stutz before I acquired my 71.

One above freezing day I also tuned up the 460 adjusting timing, idle speed and air fuel mixture.

On Thursday the children and I accompanied my father and step mother to the pantomime at the historic Elgin theatre in Toronto. Hope you like the outfit, worried it was too short but not worried enough to change.

New Yeas Eve spent eating junk food and watching movies with the children, time to get back on the treadmill after too many helping of turkey and too many chocolates.

Yesterday was the coldest we have had in Southern Ontario this season at -14 (felt like -26 with the wind chill). Also the first day this season I plugged in the Lincoln. For you in warmer climates that means plugging in the block heater, which is like a kettle element that fits into one of the engines freeze plugs and warms the coolant and by proximity the oil so the darn car will actually start.

In Northern Ontario it is common for truck drivers to leave the trucks running over night as it would be almost impossible to start again in the morning. I spent some time at Laurentian University in Sudbury (about a five hour drive north of Toronto). Temperatures of -40 were common, what did I drive in that extreme environment…an Austin Marina!

Felt like a slob (with grease under my nails) the last few days at home so dressed up today for my electrolysis session today, grey dress, black fur coat and black gloves.

Very elegant if I so so myself.

Keep warm everyone,

April

Christmas Wrap Up: Beach Boys

Christmas day has come and only just gone here in Ontario and I am ready to go to bed. A long day, children were up at 7:01 exactly and raring to go!

Pancakes, bacon, coffee then the great unwrapping.

Friends and relatives came by, at four in the afternoon "J" and the children departed as is custom to my brother in laws for Christmas dinner. Not being invited I instead burnt through many gallons of crushed dinosaur juice in the Lincoln visiting my parents, friends both trans and otherwise with Christmas puddings in hand.

I had a nice time and the go go afternoon and evening flitting from pillar to post was an exhilarating change from the normal apres turkey catatonia.

The Lincoln responded well to its gift of new spark plugs and rotor, blasting along the traffic jam free QEW highway at 80 MPH with the cruise on and Christmas carols on the radio was a great gift.

Some great presents, spa day card, earrings, necklace, hat, gloves and a book I had been waiting to read, feel quite spoiled.

OK last Christmas tune of the season and for a change this year I am sad to see it go. The Beach Boys with Little St. Nick, an alternate version faster than the original borrowing from Drive In and Cherry Cherry Coupe.

Christmas Countdown: Consumers Eve or I Really Don't Hate Christmas

Don't worry I am not going to lay some anti-commercialism of Christmas rant on you. Rather consider this a tribute to all parents out there staying up late into the night wrapping presents only to face the terrors of some assembly required come Christmas morn.

I even made it to church this evening (children were beyond fidgety), though they made up for it earlier by presenting us with their renditions of their favourite Phineas and Ferb Christmas songs. I have included a sample below for those of you who do not have children of a certain age.

Also one of my favourite Christmas songs ever, The Sonics Santa Claus. Love the line, "I want a brand new car, twangy guitar and cute little honey and lots of money." Well don't we all! Size and gender of your honey may vary , some settling may occur during shipping.

Since I am running out of time I have a few other Xmas gems, Charlie Rich with Santa Claus' Daughter.

Church was also a chance to finally wear the black lace skirt and gold blouse I had bought ages ago. Even did my nails in matching gold.

Morning was spent on last minute shopping and for a change of place cleaning the plugs on the Lincoln and installing the specially ordered distributor cap and rotor. Amazingly got a new old stock piece with brass contacts not the easy to corrode aluminium ones you usually get nowadays. Even vintage cars need a Christmas present.

Get some sleep and have a great Christmas morning.

Hugs,

April

Christmas Countdown: Talking Suburban Shopping Mall Christmas Blues

Off for some last minute Christmas shopping today, making sure we watch the pennies.

Bank in the morning to sign some papers, felt like total crap and quite uncomfortable as I am not working. Just feeling off today, feeling ugly and like I am not passing at all. Put me in a terrible mood, argued with "J". Made me feel even worse. Ate a good half bag of barbecue potato chips….my one weakness.

Once again thank God for modern pharmaceutical science.

Waiting in line at Canadian Tire parts counter, guy starts explaining that I have the wrong furnace filters. Turns out he was just back from Afghanistan servicing HVAC systems. You really need the corrugated paper style that you cannot see through he tells me. Gave him a big smile and picked out the other kind (assume I passed!).

Turns out the store no longer stocks distributor cap and rotors…OMG I feel old. Next time I will ask where is the kerosene for my horseless carriage's headlamps.

Think I am just about over feeling sorry for myself. Will try to channel some traditional Christmas cheer and help bake cookies. Maybe watch the Alastair Sim's Christmas Carol later and cry when Tiny Tim lives.

I know I don't have it as bad as many transitioners and I should be more grateful for what I have, the support I have and the continuing friendship of so many.

It is a tough road for many of us so a double shot of Christmas blues to hopefully mellow you out from that mincemeat pie high and contemplate what we have to thankful for. Some of us are alone this season so pick up the phone, e-mail or just go visit them.

Hugs,

April

PS. Picture is of Bettie Page of course