2019 Reflections

[Cudajason]

Hey Folks!

Happy New Year!

We did this last year and I really enjoyed reading everyone's.  I have not seen it for this year, so here we are!

What are you best worst moments or just reflections on 2019.  Automotive related or otherwise.

For me, my best was the trip my wife and I took to Chicago / Peoria.  Just a great week end.  Got tot drive on Route 66, saw a great show (Zac Brown Band) and then some great music in the House of Blues.  Also had a great time with my wife.

Automotive wise, kind or crappy, killed a new cam and then killed the trans in the car and had limited seat time, but it is all fixable.

We had a bit or a rough time at the end of the year, just some family stuff that has my wife and I on edge, but I am hopeful it will al work out.

All in all it was a pretty good year for me, but I think 2020 will be much better.

Jason

[ec_co]

started a new job. wife started a new job. between the 2 finally able to start pushing the Barracuda to the finishing line, should be a kick ass 2020!! the bad was the suckass job I had at the start of 2019 and losing a couple close family members. no cool road trips this year, but making plans for 2021 (I'm talking to you AL!! .... get that Slanty up and going my friend!!). best moment was loading up the Barracuda and dropping it off at the body shop, lol.

[RUNCHARGER]

All good, Only bad thing was health issues for my brother but that's about it. Best thing was deciding to quit selling parts effective Dec 1st and having no plans to work again ever. I may do some work on Mopars for people or drive semi occassionally (just because I actually enjoy it) but that's it.
Auto related not too exciting. I passed on a beautiful 68 300 convt. project just because it was too big for my garage but I'll get something else shortly. Didn't drive the Viper much this year because the weather was pretty bad all summer, so looking forward to more seat time in 2020.

[blown motor]

2019 was a totally awesome year. Started out by retiring in January. Went to Australia in February and met a couple of the members on here. In the spring I bought a 15 Challenger to use as my daily driver and a week and half later landed an awesome 68 Charger RT. In May I met a lady that has since occupied a lot of my time. In June I did two days of the four day Ontario Hot Rod Tour. BIGS and his wife came here in August to attend Moparfest with me and we had a blast greatly exceeding the speed limit with the Charger and my 74 Challenger. 
I'm really looking forward to 2020 with time on my hands, no debt, money in the bank, cool cars to drive and great woman to spend time with.

[Chryco Psycho]

Glad to see 19 over with ...
Got the kidney stone out after dealing with it for 3.5 years .
Had 3 amazing opportunities to get back to work & make some real $$ again ...  all fell through .
Went to Canaduh in June planned to go to Carlisle but that fell apart also & I lost a friend of 35 years as part of that .
Met Up with Murray, Ian & his sons , Jason , Brad & Mike & had a good time !!
Was busy in AB for a few weeks got to see a lot of friends & made it to the Edmonton Mopar show , left Before the snow barely !
Back to the usual getting by  day by day & loving the weather in Panama !
No goals or plans for the future at all other than 2020 Carlisle
Found a Mopar I want to buy but without the job it looks really unlikely ......

[JS29]

Spring and first half of the summer was so wet, I got a late start on my sisters house. the dormer was in bad shape from a previous roof leak and water backup from poor insulation. got that rebuilt, two new windows, insulated, sophetts vented, new sheeting, house wrap and trim (beige) new siding (green). got the back wall sided and the porch roof redone in metal. As far as my barracuda go's new torque thrust wheels installed, but still chasing a hideous vibration in the front end, steering wheel want's to come out of my hand. Maybe by the grace of god i can finish my sisters house and track down that vibration.                                                            Happy new year to all.                                                                                                                                        Mark.   

[70/6chall]

A great big 2020 Happy New year to all of my fellow E-body enthusiasts. Here's hoping this year will be stellar. Personally I've had a couple of set backs this past year pertaining to dealing with my parents estate, and taking one of my sisters to court for fraud. I and my other brothers with the help of a very good, but expensive attorney won victorious in court. She has since fled the state to the Mid-west somewhere to escape an arrest warrant for fraud and elder abuse. What a mess, however she will not be able to sell any property or file for bankruptcy without paying the estate back the $200 thousand she absconded with.
On the other side of the coin, I purchased 2 new Apple I-pads for me and the Mrs., and 2 new cars a '19 Jeep Cherokee Limited, triple black, V-6 , 4 wheel drive. My oldest son will use for work, since his wife uses the other car for her job. He will make monthly payments to me and will pay Ins. and registration. The other car I purchased this year is a '19 Hyundai Santa Fe XL SE, V-6 , White, 7 passenger. Good for taking and picking up Grandchildren from school and necessary daily trips.
To Cole (EC_CO) great talking to you the other night, yes more than anything in the world want to get our Slant6 E-bodies side by side. Hope for the best this year. Again Happy New Year to all.   Thanks,   Al

[captcolour]

Didn't get to drive the 'cuda too much.  No car shows other than Carlisle which was great of course.  Daughter got divorced and now lives with us with the two grandkids (6 and 4).  Planning to build a house for them on the property in 2020.  Spent two different stints in the hospital for bowel blockage.  First caused by eating an apple; the second from sunflower seeds in a salad.  Bacon would never do that!

Helped my son and his wife buy their first house in TN.  Surprised them with a fenced in yard the day after closing.  My industry band, Color Eye Blind, got to play at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in September.  That was probably the highlight.

[JH27N0B]

I have mixed feelings on '19, a lot of good, some bad, but thankfully nothing terrible.
Car wise, we had the worst year I can remember here weather wise.  In fact the weather here was pretty bad here most of the year.  The weather was cold and rainy all spring, and then seemed to rain almost every time there was a car show I was looking forward to attending.  More often than not my favorite cruise nights were weathered out too.  I'll never forget the Saturday evening I took my convertible to a cruise after checking weather and online radar where there wasn't a spot of green for hundreds of miles.  After I arrived, it clouded up.  My friend kept checking his phone and saying there was no rain around.  All of a sudden it started to rain, and I was several blocks from my car.  By the time I got to it and put up the top and windows the interior was pretty soaked and it took several days to dry it all out.  Turned out it was some freak convergence of humid air and wind off Lake Michigan formed a line 20 miles long 5 miles wide including the cruise area.  You just couldn't win!
But I got down to Mecum Indy in May and was awestruck seeing Steve Julianos collection.  Also, I had a great time at MCACN and had my (finally dry) convertible on display for its 50th birthday the Sunday of the show (SBD B24).
Never touched my T/A or even saw my stored '71 in '19 which bums me out.
Been buried with work with the overheated economy.  Had hoped to semi retire by quitting my "day job" as an engineer but haven't pulled the trigger yet.  Was very stressed at work, but they announced a few weeks ago we exceeded our bonus metrics and also my job role got reclassified to a higher grade so I will get paid out a nice bonus soon for sticking it out.
My side job in aviation is swamped too, I have been overloaded flight instructing.  I finally got access to and checked out in a cool Cirrus aircraft so that was a highlight of my year.
Isn't there a saying about when you have money you have no time to enjoy it, and when you have time, you have no money?  Very true!
I got laid up briefly last February for a hernia surgery and am now recovering from foot surgery for a painful inflamed nerve condition that's been dogging me called Mortons Neuroma, so those were negatives. I can't wait to get the stitches out and not have to wear this boot cast any more whenever I'm up and about.
I hope I can free up more time this year and not work so much, and get a lot of great weather for a change to enjoy my cars in 2020!

[benlavigne]

Happy new Year to all!
On a personal level, it was a great year, my wife took her pension at 54, after 35 years of working in the public health service, our financial planner says I only need one more year to get to our retirement goal, then I can slow down and do the work I want instead of the work I need to do...
On the car side, I drove and showed my new Challenger a lot, Carlisle, Moparfest, and got to show it to the original owner's widow and son. Another highlight was finding a letter in the car at Carlisle inviting me to show it at MCACN 2020!
2020 will be busy again, my youngest daughter graduating med school (Thank God for public university system here!), Carlisle, MCACN, can't wait to meet people from the group again!

Ben

[jordan]

Hi Guys.  Here is my 2019 update.  I started the year off rebuilding my Uncle's 1988 Harley he bought new.  It's been hot rodded over the years and was tired.  After a thorough mechanical rebuild, its working mostly fine enough to get my uncle over here this new year so he can ride it again. 
  My buddy talked me into racing vintage motorcycles.  That was a lot of work, but also a lot of fun!  I got the bug so bad I bought a different one last week to race this year.  Much much faster though!!
  I finally got to drive my 'Cuda in august.  Between all the wrenching and the crappy weather it just took until then to get driving.  I love this car!!
   In September I took a 4400 mile motorcycle ride to Seattle.  I visited my best friends along the way.  It was such a great adventure filled with the love of my friends I don't see often enough.  I'm heading back to Wyoming this next late summer since I thought it was so beautiful.
  My girlfriend and I finally got stuff worked out and we had a blast.  I feel lucky to be in love with a great woman again!  We will probably cohabitate this year.  Big moves!!
   I went to 15 or so concerts this past year.  Always a blast to see live music.
I have to admit, I didn't have any really bad stuff happen to me or my family this past year.  It is a nice break after  having my ass handed to me for a few years recently. 
   My hopes are that 2020 is a good year, and I get to enjoy my toys with out injury and I keep getting to enjoy my life with my girl. 
    I wish you all an excellent year too. 

[nsmall]

Adopted two kids.

Decided we dont want to raise my kids in California.

Planning to move to North Idaho in 6 months (If I can find a job) or 3.5 years (job or no job we are leaving in the summer of 2023)

Happy New decade everyone!!!

[torredcuda]

Hate to be negative and complain but 2019 was not a great year for us. Started out OK but went downhill after a car accident in May that re-injured my already bad back, still dealing with pain and going to Dr`s. Wife started new position with company at a new location as we acquired a paint shop and since then she`s had hives, itching, bronchitis and asthma, Dr`s don`t think it`s the paint/powdercoat and really don`t know what is causing it, she`s goes to an allergist in a week or so. Our company was sold to investers 2 years ago and things have gone straight downhill, quality is now a joke as management just pushes crap out the door for the $$$, I have zero respect for CEO and production manager as they have no clue how to manage or treat employees, we are both looking for new jobs. Car related still haven`t touched the Barracuda as I`m still trying to buy parts for the rebuild and currently working on a truck project. Hoping 2020 is better, need to get my back issues manageable, pay off some debt and get the cuda fixed so I have something to drive this summer.

[Chryco Psycho]

My condolences Jeff life can be a whole lot of no fun at times

[torredcuda]

My condolences Jeff life can be a whole lot of no fun at times

Sounds like we had about the same luck in 2019, hopefully you`ll have a better 2020 as well.