ironmike

Those who succeed come to realize they have effectively made a lifestyle change, and it is to be maintained as such. The benefits are not just physiological, but psychological as well. You did this--no one did it for you. Savor the sense of satisfaction and well-being--you earned it. Resist the urge to look critically upon others who have not your sense of commitment and dedication (despite any obvious need on their part); but, rather provide quiet yet competent influence by continuing to lead this lifestyle of healthy example. Congrats, and carry on!

A old friend who curates a collector's private museum used tubes whenever necessary rather than alter the integrity of original (OEM) wheels/rims. Some of these bikes were ridden (as can be required in some show venues), but carefully as you might imagine. In this peeling-chrome case, I'd look for and acquire a set of OEM wheels, then take my time experimenting with potential solutions. (That would strongly appeal to my OCD, which I've come to appreciate can, in detail-oriented issues, be deemed a superpower! 😉 )

Happy Birthday! The first fifty are preparation for the real test--the next fifty. Work smarter, not harder, and savor every day--it really does work. 😉

ECU & relevant sensors connected/grounded as needed . . ? Key switch on, run switch on, sidestand switch on (up), fuel pump running/pressurized, trans in neutral/clutch lever pulled in . . . it should start. Are we missing anything . . ?

Nicely done; creativity, patience, and deliberation pay off. Congrats!

These may be more advanced/sophisticated/expensive than your friend might need, but it's worth looking into--their stuff is pretty awesome. They're in Denver, CO. https://system76.com/

Had a similar problem with ants (drawn to seepage around an old plumbing junction in a wall). The old plumber who fixed the problem spread some diatomaceous earth in and around the area of the ants--all traces of them were gone within a couple of days. He explained that he used it as "green solution" for any insect problems on his jobs. If you don't disturb the ash-like powder it can be a permanent solution. https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/diatomaceous-earth-non-toxic-pest-control-for-your-home-and-garden/

Sprockets with holes for retainers are usually intended for use on spline shafts with threaded ends to accept a securing nut (and often safety wire). In these cases, the sprocket does not float along the splines but is secured by the shaft's nut to a fixed position on the shaft.

I remember aftermarket sprockets with similar threaded-holes designed/intended for the application of generic puller assemblies--no idea if that's the intention here.

Crunch all the numbers, to include those that will incur recurring costs (taxes, utilities, etc.) before making any decisions. Compare to the cost of periodic short-term hotel/motel room rental. Always consider the inherent quality of life & peace of mind aspects for everyone involved. A forty-minute drive diminishes in importance.

We get native green moss on parts of our heavily shaded front sidewalk (we like the look). The local birds will take it for nesting material. If it becomes too much, it can be scraped up with a flat shovel and placed on patches of bare earth. What the birds don't take will adhere to the the bare earth as ground cover if there's sufficient shade. That works well for us. It's an old-school Louisiana gardeners' trick.

Things to do: Fix/replace the leaking fuel filter--do NOT delay, do it right away--clean up any & all traces of the issue, and disclose the repair in the maintenance documentation. Get as much original documentation together as possible (title, maintenance records, etc.). Write out the entire tale of your Dad's experiences with the car (reference any lore regarding previous owners if known). Never underestimate the power of the story that accompanies the car. A 2-door hardtop is more desirable than a 4-door, but less than a convertible; a powerglide (2-speed) trans is less desirable than the 3-speed auto. Nonetheless, there will be some collector interest. Originality will be this car's primary strength in an otherwise softening part of the market ('50s through early '60s non-muscle cars). Your estimated price range may be reasonable, with the usual dependencies (geographic market, erratic auction ROI, etc.). The vehicle's attraction is somewhat niche; so, be prepared to wait for the right buyer. Best of luck!

Been there, done that . . . This was my experience; my current opinion is based thereon. YMMV . . . From '90 through 2017, I was an absentee landlord for a large (mortgaged) house in a desirable neighborhood on the north side of San Antonio, Texas. I did use a management company. At first, it worked out passably well; tenants were almost all military families (overall, great people). At best, I broke even; mgmt fees and routine maintenance ate up any residual profit. In 2008 the economy tanked--everything changed. Fees increased, then the mgmt company was bought out, the quality of services plummeted, essential maintenance was ignored, and the military cut back on housing subsidies (off-base housing). Local laws changed, disproportionately favoring tenants both in application aspects and "squatters' rights". The quality of potential tenants, and their commensurate credit standing, declined appreciably, but such issues were no longer adequate (or legal) reasons to deny tenancy. By 2012, I'd had enough. After the departure of the last tenants (with whom I had to threaten legal action), I had to completely renovate the home (to include repairing all the damage and replacing stolen appliances and fixtures--not even a light bulb was left). No more renting, we kept the house as a second home for five years, selling when the market sufficiently recovered. The current atmosphere (2024) is not especially conducive to being a landlord--especially for a house one might care about. Get some squatters in there, and you've lost. Raw land may well be another consideration, but that's circumstantially debatable. No, I have no interest in being a landlord again. My advice . . . sell the property, pay off any liens, and invest any profits.

Hmm, $5500-7500 . . . One owner? Maintenance documentation? Stock parts? The more it's OEM, the closer to the upper range.

As I recall, this was popular among folks who wanted to enhance fuel mileage and temper cruising rpms. The (analogue) speedos tended to be more accurate (stock they read a bit high) but the odo will be off (recording fewer miles). There was a slight decline in 1st gear acceleration, but most hardly even noticed. It was an easy mod that usually only required rear chain adjustment. the stock sprocket (17T) has a rubber-like bushing; most of the aftermarket (18T) replacements did not.

Now, y'all best leave Grandma Precious outta this, y'hear? 😔

Beyond the basics, it could be a failing power booster (vacuum canister behind the master cylinder). As I recall the test, car ignition off, pump the brake pedal three times (full range to release vacuum), pause, press pedal to its firm spot & hold. Start engine; if the pedal, still under your foot pressure, drops a slight bit (as vacuum rises) that's normal (booster working as intended), if it doesn't drop at all, the booster is not working as designed (internal diaphragm may be compromised). Booster replacement is recommended--trying to fix one can be a massive PIA. Don't know which model you've got . . . here's some pics. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=2023+Buick+brake+booster&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fi5.walmartimages.com%2Fasr%2F3b525375-65a7-4f8a-aa15-bec2a7b684b4.04a3415b2b85c47fe516bebca56e4d48.jpeg&t=ffab

Smart, Tom . . . I'm 76 this year as well, and have also learned that moderation is like the secret sauce that can keep anyone stronger and healthier. Pumping iron every other day has become more about lighter weights, a few more reps, and better form. I still do the pushups/sit-ups routine on alternate days; but somewhat ironically, those rep numbers have slowly increased (600/330 stacked in eleven sets within a 2.5hr session). Maintaining health, strength, & stamina are the goals; consistency and judicious moderation are the keys that I've found work for me. I gotta believe they'll work for anybody. I realize my six-days-a-week routine might be too much for some folks, but I've been doing something almost every day for more than six decades so it's pretty much the norm for me. If I go more than two days in a row without some exercise, I feel sluggish and may not sleep as well. It's true that we're all a little different (genetically, culturally, mentally/emotionally, etc.), but I believe we could all likely be a little healthier, too--in all respects.

Aside from one's general health, the two most significant issues with aging are gravity and inertia--and they're intrinsically related. The dichotomy is that they're both simultaneously detrimental and beneficial. It could be said that gravity will always win, but the consistent application of dynamic inertia puts up a helluva good fight--forestalling the inevitable. Remember, a body at rest tends to stay at rest; whereas, a body in motion tends to stay in motion. A lifestyle of smart dietary decisions bolstered by a persistent regimen of exercise--using gravity and inertia to your advantage--will unequivocally enhance the quality of life, for oneself and those who care about you. It's never too late to start . . . but someday, it will be.

Best of luck with the sale, Tom. You might want to mention where it's located for those of us who suffer from CRS . . .

Agree with black; at first glance I thought it appeared to be OEM--yeah, it looked that good.

Very hopeful news . . . I applaud the effort. It's been twelve years since my last bout with this cancer--I continue to take every precaution.

This was a fairly common practice in the muscle car era, '60s thru the early '70s. The HP/combustion efficiency improvement was very subtle at best, but it was not that subtle on some high performance/built engines (i.e.; anything with a hemi-style combustion chamber). The trick was to mark the corresponding plug gap placement on the plug's ceramic insulator prior to installation; once torqued you could see the gap's relationship to the intake valve. Copper shim washers were available in various thickness to fine tune the plug gap/intake valve angle (using more than one shim/washer was ill advised, but was done by some). You wanted to point the gap past the intake valve seat and about midway toward the area of the chamber in which the incoming intake charge/spray of fuel would swirl the most (somewhat akin to aiming for center of mass).

Awesome creativity--one never knows when or where one finds genius . . . unfetter your imagination and sometimes it might be in the mirror. Celebrate creativity!

Typically you find 20 frets on a fretted base, whereas 24 frets gives you a full two octaves on each string. They're not that common, but in the custom genre, anything goes. One's height and one's wingspan tend to be close to the same dimension, but genetics can manifest anomalies in some folk's actual reach notwithstanding their height. It's all about what's comfortable for the individual musician.