Saturday, October 6, 2018

Car Show in Denison 10-6-2018



 It's that time again in Denison,.. the Fall Festival is a day where Main Street is blocked off and vendors present all kinds of handy stuff or the most delicious food you can find.

    But you know me,.. I show up for these type activities just to view the car show that takes place.. and I was NOT disappointed.



    First out of the box is a 1966 Chevy Chevelle.. Fairly clean, but check those crossed flags on the front fender... Hard to see from here, but does that say 427?



    Yes indeed it is a 427 cubic inch/390 horsepower big block engine from Chevy...and this engine and car combo pretty much ruled the streets in the late 1960's.

A car that I really thought was rare was this 1964 Plymouth Vallient. I have never seen a convertible model of this car..


   
   ..and to make it even more rare was the engine in this particular car..



    ..a slant six cylinder with three two-barrel carburetors.. Surely this was not a package you could order from the factory...but I could be wrong.


    I have always loved 1937, 1938, 1939, and 1940 Chevrolet Coupes.. This 1938 was a beauty and sparkled in the mid day sun with a flawless black paint job.



350 Chevrolet engine with air conditioning almost too much for the cramped engine compartment, but it fits to perfection.



      Most younger car fans will not recognize this old girl, but it is a 1950 Studebaker convertable. The green paint really looks good on this old car..

Even from the rear the Studebaker looks great. One of the great things about these cars is the motor mounts are the same for Chevrolet;...meaning it is a simple job to insert Chevy engines in these old Studebakers..



   Speaking of Studebakers,.. How about this Avanti from Studebaker? Really a super model from 1965 but poor marketing and repair parts doomed it.
   

      This 1939 Ford coupe is a common participant in local shows but always draws attention from car fans. It belongs to a woman and she loves to talk about it.. Car still has its original 85 horsepower flathead V8 engine.



    Another of my favs... 1966 Nova Chevy II.. This one has a 327 V8 engine and a 4-speed transmission. Lightweight body means you could smoke the wheels in any gear if so inclined..



      Okay,...take your best guess... Turns out to be a 1938 Dodge. Check the small Ram logo at the bottom of the front grille! Nice paint job and really clean throughout.



Another '38 Chevy, but this one is a sedan and not a coupe, and extremely clean. The paint was a somewhat flat maroon and looked great from all sides...



.... including the inside. Check the 4-speed transmission to go with the Chevy V8 engine... Air conditioning was unheard of in 1938.



    Several Chevy Camaros were in the show today... This 1969 model was probably the most authentic. That lime green paint was available from the factory in 1969, and so was this..



     Chevy put the 283 crankshaft into the 327 block and used pop-up pistons...Bingo! The very powerful 302 engine makes the Camaro Z-28 an instant success..



     There was a lot of cars entered, but I will close with this one.. A 1954 Chevy Bel-Air.. I am pretty sure this color was available from the factory in '54 but my Dad had one that was blue with a white top.



235 cubic inches of Chevy Blue Flame power from this straight six-cylinder engine. Really clean engine compartment with just the essentials on the beauty.



    The pleated interior was not available in 1954, but the dash is authentic, with the exception of the digital radio.
    Thanks to all the participants that brought out their cars and trucks for viewing. The hot sun and high temperatures made things a bit uncomfortable, but at least it didn't rain as the forecasters were predicting... Hope everyone had a good time..

Sunday, August 26, 2018

Denison HS Football Schedule for 2018






                  Denison Yellow Jacket Football 2018

August 31    Sherman 16                        
                    Denison   41                         1-0

September 7   Denison  49                       
                       Burleson Centennial 52    1-1




     End of Non-District Schedule: Beginning of District Play

September 14  Frisco Lebanon Trail 14
                        Denison                     41      2-1         1-0 *

September 20  Denison              20
                        Frisco Reedy      45           2-2           1-1 *

September 28  Princeton  20
                        Denison     45                  3-2             2-1 *

October 5      Denison        35
                      Lake Dallas  52                 3-3              2-2  *

October 12    Bye Week/No Game   

October 19    Frisco           20
                     Denison         56               4-3              3-2 *

October 25    Denison              59
                      Frisco Memorial  14        5-3              4-2 *

November 2  Lovejoy          23
                      Denison          13              5-4              4-3 *

November 9   Denison          44
                       Denton Braswell  7           6-4              5-3 *

* = District 7 AAAAA Games




                              Sting 'em Jackets

Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Dallas Cowboys 2018 Schedule




                                               


Pre-Season Games:                                                  Record

August 9th-        Dallas 21                                          0-1
                           San Francisco 49'ers 24

August 18th-      Cincinnati Bengals  21                     0-2
                           Dallas  13

August 26th-      Arizona Cardinals 27                       0-3
                           Dallas  3

August 30th-       Dallas  6
                            Houston Texans  14                        0-4



Regular Season Games:

Sept 9th-          Dallas   8                                   0-1
                        Carolina Panthers  16

Sept 16th-        New York Giants  13 
                         Dallas                   20                 1-1

Sept 23rd-        Dallas                   13
                        Seattle Seahawks   24                1-2

Sept 30th-        Detroit Lions        24
                        Dallas                    26                 2-2

Oct 7th-            Dallas                  16
                         Houston Texans   19  OT          2-3

Oct 14th-          Jacksonville Jaguars  7
                         Dallas                        40           3-3

Oct 21st-           Dallas                   17
                        Washington Redskins 20         3-4

Oct 28th-           Bye Week    (No Game)

Nov 5th-            Tennessee Titans    28
                           Dallas                     14            3-5

Nov 11th-           Dallas                      27
                           Philadelphia Eagles 20           4-5

Nov 18th-           Dallas                  22
                           Atlanta Falcons    19              5-5

Nov 22nd-          Washington Redskins 23
                            Dallas                         31       6-5

Nov 29th-            New Orleans Saints    10
                            Dallas                          13      7-5

Dec 9th-              Philadelphia Eagles    23
                            Dallas                          29 OT   8-5

Dec 16th-            Dallas                        0
                            Indianapolis Colts    23         8-6

Dec 23rd-            Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20
                             Dallas                            27    9-6

Dec 30th-            Dallas                          36
                            New York Giants         35       10-6

Wildcard Round of the Playoffs

                          Seattle Seahawks       22
                          Dallas Cowboys         24

Divisional Round of the Playoffs
                          Dallas Cowboys        22
                          Los Angeles Rams    30

E N D    O F    S E A S O N





       

Thursday, June 14, 2018

License to Carry practice session



After years of putting it off, I have decided to attend the class and get my license to carry a firearm. Admittedly, I have carried a gun on occasion in the past but luckily never was caught. As previous postings here on my blog will attest, I have a pretty good collection of firearms, but for one reason or another I have never applied for a license. That will all come to an end on June 23rd.
    
Today I just wanted to get in some practice as I continue to get acquainted with my newest purchase, a Polish P64 semi-automatic pistol. It is a military surplus pistol that I bought a couple of months back.



    The certification test calls for a series of shots from nine feet, twenty-one feet, and forty-five feet. I decided to start with the longest distance right away. I figured if I can hit something from 45 feet, then the closer distances should not be a problem. Logical, huh? I selected the same target they will use in the certification test (Target #17 by Champion) and sent that puppy strolling all the way out to forty-five feet.



      Every shot in the X, 10, 9, 8 rings is worth 5 points.. In the 7 ring is worth 4 points, and everything else on the green silhouette is 3 points. On the white edges gets you zip points. You need a total of 170 points out of 250 possible to pass the test. Again, all of these shots came from 45 feet or 15 yards away. I realize it looks pretty good, but I am concerned about the constant striking of the left side of the kill zone. I know I could just use Kentucky windage and aim to the right side of the target, but I plan to let my range buddy try the P64 to determine if its me or the pistol. I plan to use my CZ75B on my test anyway.
   While I have you here, let me pass along some info on a new ammunition that I was testing today. I carried my trustee Red Army Standard ammo and also a couple boxes of Fiocchi from Italy. Previously, I have told you how great I think the Red Army ammo is, and again it leaves very little residue for the cleaning process..  But not only is the Fiocchi a dirty ammo; it also gave me four 'failed to feed' issues in the box of fifty.



     As of this writing, I have gone through about 300-350 rounds of Red Army Standard without a single issue. The Fiocchi is 95 grains compared to the 93 grain of Red Army, but I don't think that is the problem. Last week I shot 115 grain ammo by Lawman and it was also dirty, but I didn't have a single FTF issue with it. I have cleaned and shined the feed ramp of the P64 to a high sheen. I think I will stick with the Red Army Standard for all of my 9 X 18 needs.

   In regards to the 'License to Carry'...I have submitted all paperwork the Texas Department of Public Safety has requested. I had my fingerprints taken by the same lady twice within six months. When I updated my Commercial Driving License, I had to have them taken for the 'Hazardous Materials' endorsement on my license. I first submitted my LTC application back in April, so the CHL-100 form is all I need to complete the process. The CHL-100 is the verification by a licensed instructor that I have gone through the classroom instruction and the actual firing test. Wish me luck.

Editors Note:  I passed with flying colors. DPS trooper looked over my shoulder on the firing range and said, "Not bad shooting for an old guy." Scanned and emailed my TLC-100 form as soon as I got home. Should have my license soon.

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Vintage Car Show in Town



     I am lucky enough to live in an area that has a lot of car enthusiasts and they love to show up and show off. This past Saturday was one of those occasions and the weather was simply super..
   When I arrived at the show the first car to demand my attention was this 1932 Ford..



   And this beauty was not only super looking on the outside..The top, running boards, and the interior was a very clean tufted leather.



    Nice, nice, nice...Just can't overstate how gorgeous this deuce
is. Sign says owned by a local couple but I have never seen it before this show. Rumble seat in the back was also upholstered just as meticulous as the rest of the car.


  
    Being a former owner of a 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air, I have a fond attraction for that year and model. This is a very good example of how beautiful that car actually is. Chevrolet sold more cars that year than ever before, and it was a record that would not be broken until 1962. The above car was a deep bronze and metallic silver....and look under the hood.



    Turbo inducted Corvette power, more than enough to keep up with the traffic. Air conditioned and just remarkable detail in this car.



    No,..not the same car, but built by the same guy. The first one can be seen in the lower right hand corner. This one is a hardtop while the first was a sedan. Also Corvette powered and just great workmanship in both cars..



   1941 Chevrolet pick-up truck. It also has been updated with a V8 engine and air conditioning. I like the fact he retained the running boards too...but the real eye catcher was the bed of the truck.



    Yes, that is oak and it was as beautiful in person as it looks in this photo..



     1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster coupe.. V8 power plus paint and chrome without a blemish. Note the 'frenched' headlights, and the taillights had the same treatment....and check it out inside.



     Automatic transmission and a completely custom made dash. Door panels and seats were two-toned just like the paint outside. He even installed seat belts to make it up to date legally. Nice steering wheel too.



    What car show is complete without a Model A?.. This 1930 5-window coupe is a good example. Deep metallic silver combined with Henry Ford's beloved black. Chevy V8 makes sure this old codger is not left behind in the traffic flow.



   Suede interior on door panels, seats, and headliner. Check key ignition on far left side of the dash.



     1946 Chevy coupe.. Check the V8 engine with air conditioner. Very clean and detailed under the hood. Something not a lot of people will notice is the wheels. The center hub has been removed and installed from the backside. This gives the wheel a 'dished' look about it. Very popular back in the 1950's and 60's.



   Interior of the '46 coupe.. Leather bucket seats and console. Auto transmission and A/C. I like the way the treatment on the door panels has been carried through to the kick panels.



    1937 Ford 2-door sedan...These were very popular hot rods in the 1950's and 60's..  especially the coupes. Outside it looks pretty tame doesn't it? I like the iconic windshield wipers from the top of the glass instead of the bottom,...and those teardrop headlights were the mark of a Ford until 1940.



....and like all good Fords, this one is powered by a Chevy V8 engine. Throw in power-brakes and air conditioning and it makes for a tight squeeze in that tapered engine compartment.



      This 1940 Chevy coupe is a local car and it passes by my house fairly frequently, and I never tire of seeing it. That two-tone paint job really screams for your attention. 350 Chevy V8 engine and features all the niceties you would expect...A/C, power brakes, and digital radio.



    The interior is fabric instead of leather or Naugahyde, but it still looks great. The dash is all original and I like the wood looking paint job. Great looking ride.



    I'll close with this one... a 1937 Chevrolet coupe. It belongs to a Oklahoman, but he is always willing to bring it to Texas to share it with his neighbors. Really a great looking coupe with a terrific paint job. 350 Chevy V8 allows this old timer to show the young whipper-snappers how its done.




     The rear end really shows how clean and smooth this car is.. and yes, those are Volkswagen Beetle taillights. Note how the fenders blend in with the body. Back in 1937 Chevy used molding between the fenders and the body..



    The interior shows just how great this old coupe is. Basic black dash is accented by the wood-looking panels for the glove box and the instruments. Four speed transmission and leather throughout.. I have seen this car several times and it really is a clean example of hot rodding.
    Again, my thanks to all of the car owners that took time to answer my questions and allowing me to drool over their cars. It really is a thrill for me and I get to inform my grandchildren about the great era of the 1950's and 60's. Thanks to you for coming along.

Thursday, May 31, 2018

9mm (9X19) vs 9mm (9X18) Comparison



 
      I went to the range today to make a comparison of the Red Army ammunition against the ammunition of Wolf brand. Both being the communist caliber of 9X18 nine millimeter. The Red Army brand is manufactured in Poland, while the Wolf ammo comes from Russia. The boss of the range threw a wrench in my plans when he noticed the Wolf ammo is steel jacketed and not allowed. He has an automatic sweeper and I think it fouls up the machine so he can't sell the brass to some re-loader..
     Since 'Plan A' went down the tubes I immediately thought of different comparison...I brought my Polish P64 to do the original test,...BUT I also had my trustee CZ75B in my range bag. Why not compare the two 9 millimeter handguns?



    I recently purchased the P64 from Classic Firearms to be my daily carry pistol. The decision was made because the CZ is too heavy and too large to not be noticed by innocent bystanders. The P64 (on left) is almost perfect for this purpose. I have an inside the waistband holster and it is barely visible above my beltline. I have owned it for about a month and I already love it. My only criticism of the pistol is the European style magazine release button on the bottom of the grip handle. It takes a little longer to change magazines than when I am shooting the CZ (on right).



       I had the target set at thirty feet and began firing. The P64 does have a little bit more recoil than the CZ, and this was despite the Red Army ammo being 93 grains versus 115 grains in the 9mm Lawman ammunition in the CZ. Both boxes of ammo was full metal jacket rounds.
    At this point let me inject something about the ammunition I am shooting. When I got home to clean the pistols I was surprised to find the Red Army ammo left very little residue in the P64, but the Lawman left the CZ very dirty. Both pistols have chrome plated barrels and the difference was very obvious when held up to a light source. I used some gun scrubber by Birchwood and both cleaned up nice and bright.


Back to the comparison of the ammo at the firing range. It was not until I had also shot the 9mm parabellum in the CZ that I noticed a difference in the targets.




  Note the holes in the targets. The 9X18 ammo does not make as clean a hole in the target as does the 9X19. As I said, this was at thirty feet and I think the 9X18 bullet is beginning to wobble at this point and that is causing the ragged hole in the target as compared to the clean punch of the Luger 9mm. If so this could be a benefit similar to the model 1911 .45 ACP round. The forty-five travels a slow 800 feet per second and begins a tumbling motion upon impact, causing extreme damage. The P64 is an excellent firearm and I highly recommend it to anyone in the market for a concealable weapon. It features a single stack magazine with a capacity of 6 with one in the chamber. The fixed barrel gives it amazing accuracy. Any errors in the above shooting can only be attributed to the senior age of the shooter.