Oil This Up
I was just enjoying the Shop Manual section of your April, 2009 edition and was inspired to send this constructive criticism. On page 182: "...to intersect with the oil galley." From what I can determine, the correct wording should be "oil gallery." Please verify this yourself, but it seems the word galley is either an ancient ship, a ship's kitchen or an implement used in the printing industry. Gallery when defined as a passageway would seem the correct word for the oil passageways in an engine block. Please let me know if I am incorrect.
Roger Haro
Via the Internet
Roger, we thought it best to turn this letter over to Senior Editor Ron Ceridono who gave us the answer. "The term oil galley has been used by Chrysler and other manufacturers in their manuals and can be found in some automotive text books and in magazine articles. On the other hand, our style guide shows oil gallery as the proper term, and as it certainly is more widely accepted, so that's the term I should have used."
One Good Turn
I would just like to pass on a ton of thanks to a fellow street rodder. I was returning from an East Coast trip. I am and was pretty busted up at the time with injuries from my Nam days finally coming home to roost after 40 years. I had been doing the "punishment" hops to afford the ticket. I was among the first boarded and had to bust butt to get my single, small carry-on bag into the over head compartment of those Canada Air Jets (which are noisier than a 3/8x3/8 Flathead running Hedman headers). I finally manage to get the bag in the overhead several rows behind my seat and myself sat down for the Dallas to Denver leg of the trip.
When we arrived at the gate in Denver I was prepared to wait until everybody else was off and then pull the bag down with my one remaining working arm. Then a true gentleman handed me my bag and proceeded to run interference for me off of the aircraft. When I tried to thank him his reply was." Not necessary friend, I am also a street rodder and saw your STREET RODDER in your bag while I was getting my own bag and we take care of or own." I never got his name but here is to you friend, many sincere thanks!
J. D. Robertson
aka El Grande Gringo
J.D., you experienced what street rodding is about first and foremost--great friends, even the ones whose names we do not know.
Who's Your Daddy?
I bought this 1939 Chevy in Minnesota in pretty rough shape, but I fell in love with the 5 1/2-inch chop. So far I have fixed all the paint, redid the motor and put on new hoops. A chronic over heater I put in a Be Cool radiator and solved that problem.
My real interest is who built this car. The guy I bought it from was a broker and I tracked the previous owner who told me the car was built in Nebraska, then the trail went dead.
If anybody knows anything about this car I would love to hear from him or her.
Phil Denofrio
pdeno@ameritech.net
Phil, you asked and we will help. We have run the photo and have included your email address for anyone wishing to contact you with any pertinent info.
Future Hot Rodders
I have been reading STREET RODDER for about 25 years, and let me say that it is probably the best magazine of its type on the market today. I read a lot of magazines, but always end up going back to yours.
In the April 2009 issue in the Rodder Mail, you have a letter from Tom Gault, an auto shop teacher from Mammoth High School, who talks about a car he and his students built. I liked what he said, because it's nice to hear something good being said about the children of today. I also liked what you had to say. But, I think there is an opportunity that is being missed.