Building a New Mighty Grape

My father used to own the Engelwood Motel in Portland in the 50's. It was a
real dump. But, it was full all the time.

He handed out those little miniature booze bottles to everyone that checked
in. Just like the airlines used to do in flight in the 50's.

Also, your wife should dress up like stewardesses used to!

"Curator"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
Congrats. Sounds like you've just about got it finished up! But did
I
hear you wish for snow?! Dusting on the ground here this morning but the
sun combined with a warm wind had taken care of it.

Hey -- we actually got a few flurries this afternoon!

Our warm, sunny skies abruptly disappeared with a front that blew
through -- but there's just not enough moisture to make any real snow.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that THIS is "the year without a
winter". Man alive, that would be nice -- although our "snuggle in
your hot tub" marketing strategy at the hotel is clearly not working,
when the temperatures are so warm.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Here is what the stews dressed like when I worked for PSA. Dress Mary up in
one of these outfits and there ain't gonna be a hell of a lot of work done
around the old hotel.

http://www.catchoursmile.com/Flight%20crew.jpg

Jim


"karl gruber" wrote in message
...


Also, your wife should dress up like stewardesses used to!

"Curator"
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Here is what the stews dressed like when I worked for PSA. Dress Mary up in
one of these outfits and there ain't gonna be a hell of a lot of work done
around the old hotel.

http://www.catchoursmile.com/Flight%20crew.jpg

Dang, Jim, it's hard enough to get any work done with the Kiwi in the
meeting room...

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:
Some car parts stores carry a little clip that fits over the piston
rod and stops it from going back into the cylinder, kind of like the
thing that keeps a screen door closer propped open.

Yeah, I half-heartedly looked for that little collar the other day --
couldn't locate one, and didn't know what they were called to ask for
it.

I have no idea what the "official" name is. Looking at the one on my
screen door, all you really need is a washer with a hole a little bigger
than the diameter of the piston rod. The problem, of course, is getting
it on there... *sometimes* the end fittings unscrew from the piston rod
but other times they are pretty solid. You could cut a slot in a washer
and turn it into a U-shaped clip, but then you'd have to be careful not
to lose it - tie it to the gas spring with a string?

JC Whipme sells a "lift strut repair bracket" (ZX134688T) for $10 that
is a little fancier. It has a collar that goes around the piston rod,
and a hinged stick that is attached to the collar and one end and bears
on the gas spring body on the other.

A small pair of locking pliers (Vice Grip or equal) would probably work
well. This does presume that you or others could resist the temptation
to "borrow" the gas-spring pliers from the truck to do actual work.

Rat Shock sells a two-pack of 10 ohm 10 W resistors (271-132) for $1.79.
Wire two of them in series and attach to the body of the gas spring with
hose clamps. Connect the string of two resistors to +12 V and they might
warm up the gas spring enough for it to work. WARNING: Don't leave the
resistors connected too long or the gas spring may explode.

Or just make one of your kids hold the window up for you.

Considering I only need the windows to stay up while fueling, I'm
loathe to spending another $80 for pistons.

Hmm... 100LL self-serve at KIOW is apparently $3.60/gal. The going rate
for mogas (assuming it's real mogas and not the stuff with bourbon in it)
in Iowa City is apparently $2.19/gal. So, you need to haul about
$80/($3.60-$2.19) = 57 gallons of gas in the new truck to pay for the new
gas springs. I think that's less than one full airplane tank for you.

Matt Roberds

RST Engineering wrote:
Here is what the stews dressed like when I worked for PSA. Dress Mary up in
one of these outfits and there ain't gonna be a hell of a lot of work done
around the old hotel.

http://www.catchoursmile.com/Flight%20crew.jpg

From Jay's description of Mary's height ... these dresses would go
clear to the floor on her! :-)

Matt

The dresses were adjusted to the height of the stew. We must have not been
making much money at the airline in those days to have to buy such little
material for the uniforms {;-)

Jim


"Matt Whiting" wrote in message
...
RST Engineering wrote:
Here is what the stews dressed like when I worked for PSA. Dress Mary up
in one of these outfits and there ain't gonna be a hell of a lot of work
done around the old hotel.

http://www.catchoursmile.com/Flight%20crew.jpg

From Jay's description of Mary's height ... these dresses would go clear
to the floor on her! :-)

Matt

In article .com,
"Jay Honeck" wrote:

Here is what the stews dressed like when I worked for PSA. Dress Mary up in
one of these outfits and there ain't gonna be a hell of a lot of work done
around the old hotel.

http://www.catchoursmile.com/Flight%20crew.jpg

Dang, Jim, it's hard enough to get any work done with the Kiwi in the
meeting room...
;-)

Hmmmm... Kiwi hostesses, Kiwi hostess dresses...

Hmm.... Kiwi Airlines went TU...
I think short skirts were due to a weight issue... they had to cut down on
the weight of the uniforms for W&B purposes. Nothing is lighter than...
um... nothing!
Jim

Now, does anyone know where I can find replacement hydraulic pistons to
replace the ones that used to hold up the back and side windows on the
topper? I'm tired of them hitting me in the back of the head!

Most car parts stores carry them. They get used a lot on hatchbacks and
sometimes on hoods. If it's an aftermarket topper, the store may not
have a way to look up the right part - your best bet is probably to find
out how many different kinds you have (by inspection) and take one each
of the old ones to the store and match them up.

This is exactly what I did today, and we now have topper windows that
pop up -- and stay up.

They're not cheap -- between $15 and $20 apiece at "O'Reilley's Auto
Parts" -- but, wow, what a difference. To not have the danged windows
falling on your head while refueling is a small, but very nice,
thing...
--
Jay Honeck
Owner/Innkeeper
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Hey Jay, do you have a grounding cable on The Grape? If so do you know where who makes it?



"Jay Honeck" wrote in message oups.com...
: Now, does anyone know where I can find replacement hydraulic pistons to
: replace the ones that used to hold up the back and side windows on the
: topper? I'm tired of them hitting me in the back of the head!
:
: Most car parts stores carry them. They get used a lot on hatchbacks and
: sometimes on hoods. If it's an aftermarket topper, the store may not
: have a way to look up the right part - your best bet is probably to find
: out how many different kinds you have (by inspection) and take one each
: of the old ones to the store and match them up.
:
: This is exactly what I did today, and we now have topper windows that
: pop up -- and stay up.
:
: They're not cheap -- between $15 and $20 apiece at "O'Reilley's Auto
: Parts" -- but, wow, what a difference. To not have the danged windows
: falling on your head while refueling is a small, but very nice,
: thing...
: --
: Jay Honeck
: Owner/Innkeeper
: Pathfinder N56993
: www.AlexisParkInn.com
: "Your Aviation Destination"
:
: