DRIVE

Went to pick up plywood for the stage, and in the parking lot discovered that I’d run out of oil. As in, the valve cover gasket had gotten so bad it had dumped all the oil out of the truck. Poured in a spare quart, drove it home, replaced the gasket & two shady-looking bolts; then rode my bike to the dollar store and picked up another five quarts. Reset the timing and the truck is driving like a freakin’ luxury car.

It’s kind of amazing. 18 months ago the most intense auto work I’d ever done was installing speakers. I didn’t know what a valve cover was, let alone how to fix a problem like this by feel. Now I’m not lying when I tell people I’m into classic restoration; and I’ve actually rebuilt most of the engine in the vehicle I drive every day.

Ironically, febrile originally convinced me to start this journal so we could document restoration of the 200sx; but apparently at some point last night it transcended its earthly being and rose to a higher plane. Given all the soul-searching we’ve done together, and its more efficient tendency to exist only as itself in both spiritual and physical senses; I can’t say I’m exactly surprised it beat me there, but it is sort of a bummer given that we’d finally gotten it rolling again.