Any tools under the Christmas tree?

Well here we are two weeks into the New Year and I haven’t seen any posts on what kind of gifts & tools we found under the Christmas tree.

My wife gave me a 150 PSI 30gal Air Compressor and some air tools. Yes she’s a dear but as great as this sounds – she had does have a hidden agenda. Ya'see she drives one of those infamous Ford Explorer and tire pressure is kind of a touchy subject around our household. Especially with a three year old and our second due early in March.

Truth be told Pregnant women are kind of hard to read when they are in their last couple of months. And I wouldn’t have been all that surprised to get a lump of coal in my stocking Christmas morning. But I guess she still loves me – go figure?


[ 01-13-2003: Message edited by: Bret ]</p>

I won a digital tire-pressure gauge at our car club's Christmas party, if that counts.

To be honest, I wish I'd bought one a long time ago after using this one, it's actually pretty neat.

Not a thing. Other than the almost obligatory handkerchief set and wallet, most everything else was good (including a set of sheepskin seat covers) but not a single tool did I find.

Question for you Bret....I paid a visit to your website, and the wheels on your MGB look pretty nice. Who makes them, and where did you get them?

no tools but I did get a ZS Carb rebuild kit

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Steve:
Question for you Bret....I paid a visit to your website, and the wheels on your MGB look pretty nice. Who makes them, and where did you get them?<hr></blockquote>

Hey Steve,

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Bret:


Hey Steve,<hr></blockquote>

Sorry about that friends - not sure what happened but here is the answer to Steve's question about my tires.

The wheels are 14x6 Alloys made by Western Wheel. I got them off of ebay for about $200 w/shipping. According to the seller these came off of his old 280Z. They looked a little haggard & rough when I first picked got them. But after a good acid wash, I used some flat black spray paint to blacken out the spokes a little from the back side. The center caps were the “real” tricky part. I couldn’t locate them anywhere so – I used some good old fashioned LBC know-how and made my own. Starting with some old Rostyle center caps, I first removed the retaining clip and hard bolted them to a set of plastic (generic) after market center caps I picked up at a local tire store. I did have to do some cutting here to get the center caps to fit just right. I know it sounds kind’a hodgepodge in writing, but as you can see from the final results – they look really great.

I got a fold up engine crane, now I have no excuse not to pull the engines I need to do

Bret:

They do look good. I seem to recall seeing something similar on Datsuns now that you mention it -- good to know!

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by aerog:
Bret:

They do look good. I seem to recall seeing something similar on Datsuns now that you mention it -- good to know!<hr></blockquote>

Thanks for the compliment. I’m not really 100% sure - but I don’t think these wheels where OE for any of the Z cars. Perhaps someone else knows for sure? Anyway I always thought that Western Wheels made only after market stuff. Matter-a-fact the wheels I replaced was an old rusted set of phony steel wire wheels made by WW.

Got an electronic stud finder and one of those levels that has a little laser light in the end (kind of neat). Is this the wife's way of saying she is not to happy with the way I have hung her pictures in the past?

Dave

Now that you mention it – I have recived many tools over the years as gifts that seemed like a great ideas at the time but since then have none nothing better than collect dust on a Garage shelf. Here are two great examples of how a well-meaning and thoughtful wife can get it right sometimes and on the flip side - tragically wrong:

Best All Time Gift Award – Given for practicality & actual usage is concerned (thus far):
Christmas 1996: Wife bought me a Milwaukee Super Sawsall. While the compressor I got this year is in the running I really love this tool and still look for any opportunity to use it. Really fun cutting things up.

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time Award: This category is for those gifts that where given with the best of intentions and truly seemed like a good idea but didn’t really work out as planed.
Christmas 1997: Porter Cable Router w/plunger. When I first opened saw this I thought what a great tool. Hasn’t seen the light of day since I unwrapped it. I guess I’m not “cut out” for wood working. Pun intended.

Note: All awards are based on 20/20 hindsight.