By Craig Sparkes

Here we are in December getting ready for the holidays and bracing for colder, wetter weather. For us car guys, this means starting all those winter projects we have been planning (or putting off) all summer. Like a lot of you, I’ve been gathering parts and pieces; buying some special tools; and figuring out just which one I’ll do first. Here’s my “short list”.

For 1967 442 – I’ll finish refreshing the 3:55 posi rear and bolt that in. While I’m doing that (and since I’ll have to disconnect and bleed the rear brakes to do it) I’m replacing the power brake booster with a new chrome booster. I do have a small vacuum leak in the booster and since it has to be replaced — why not chrome !! I also picked up a dual quad intake and will try and assemble it with carbs, linkage, and air cleaners. I won’t install it until the summer, but get it ready to drop in.

The Scarab Z — needs a new throwout bearing (I’ll check the disk and pressure plate at that time). To get at the bearing I’ve got to drop the exhaust and transmission. The car currently has a set of Sandersen block hugger headers and I’ve found an original NOS set of Hooker long tube headers that we made for Scarab Z sbc conversions. So, I’ll bolt them on, and then it’s off to the muffler shop (very loudly) to get new pipes.

Sounds like a big list, but actually these are fairly simple “wrench spinner” projects. Just what we hobby guys enjoy. I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year. We’ve updated the Garages here at Wild About Cars (Now Automotive History Preservation Society) and encourage everyone to post pictures of their cars. If you’re bringing one “back from the dead” we’d all love to see photos of your progress. The fun part of this site is seeing what everyone is doing with their cars. After all, we are Wild About Cars.