"Did I ever tell ya about the bump in the road?"

I have waited all week to post a picture of my rearend but all day Jon kept telling me he didn't think that was a very good idea. So today as we journeyed for 6 and a half hours to Shingle Springs California to pick up a hard to find Lincoln Versailles rear end for the car Jon and I began swapping stories and one of Jon's stories began, "Did I ever tell you about the bump in the road?" As I drove along between traffic jambs and radar traps not to mention what Jon called "Stealth Mode" highway patrol and maniac jerks with a license the story began. But when Jon was finished I had to "one up" him with my "Bump in the road" story about a trip I took to Mexico back in 1970, as a matter of fact to where we are headed with the new race car. The difference between Jon's version and mine... I had pictures. LOL.

When we arrived in the "country" where the wrecking yard was I swear we could hear Dueling Banjos in the distance. As we turned off road in what appeared to be a driveway (at one time or another) we found our self amongst "critters" which should have set off red flags. "Hey Jon, there's some wild turkeys! Gobble Gobble. Hey Jon, there's some deer!" Jon ask, "I wonder where them fellers are headed with the canoe?" Then it happened, we drove out of the woods (and piles of wooden pallets) and as far as the eye could see was a field of wrecked and obsolete motor homes. Then over on that thar hill was the makins of what used to be trucks, cars, I think I saw an old bathtub, a shed with steering columns tied on the outside, but nothing that anyone would want to steal. Then Jon pointed out a sign that said, "ABSOLUTELY NO PICTURE TAKING!" As Jon and I began laughing I said to him, "Daddy!?" And he said, "EVIS.. IS THAT YOU? WE KNEW YOU'D COME HOME!"

"So, you must be the city slickers who have come ta fetch the rear end. Foller me on down behind that thar shed. As we drive down the holler to the shed down the hill he says, "Hey fellers, looky here what these city slickers brought. What say we take it fer a spin in the mud?"

As we were leaving Jon says, "Hey, isn't that Burt Reynolds behind the counter?" But we made it home and lived to talk about it and that's all good. And if we are to make a successful run on this demanding and grueling endurance race we may just need what is considered to be the best designed rear end ever made for a race car. Oh... and if you're good I'll post a photo of my rear end when Jon's not looking.

Days like to day may seem to prove race car drivers have breathed in far to much exhaust over the years but the truth is, it was an awesome day shared by two friends who took an ordinary day and had a blast with it. Thanks Jon. PS: Why did you ask Bubba for his phone number?