The Root of Character

If I turn this t-bird into a hotrod, how far am I willing to go?  Some folks have turned their little birds into fire breathing monsters:

Note that this is NOT the same black-with-flames t-bird that I showed in my last post!  This is a full-on "Gasser", or gas fueled dragster, that is neither safe nor legal to drive on the street.  While this little bird is probably pretty fast, it is also probably not very pleasant to drive, nor is it very polite to the neighbor's eardrums!  I wouldn't want my car to end up like this.

Early t-birds in their stock form have some truly endearing aspects to their character.  The simple lines and clean interior convey a kind of innocence, while the V8 motor and open cockpit invite a kind of playfulness.  I've come to a place where I believe that it's OK to be playful, and that a zest for life can be a very good thing, a blessing.

So, what about the 'bird do I really want to keep?  The heart of the early t-bird is the Ford Y-block V8, a  competitor to the venerable Small Block Chevy (which has been in continuous production, for almost 60 years, now in it's 4th generation).  Y-blocks are solid motors, and made up the backbone of Ford's truck line until the early 60's.  Parts are plentiful, and there are folks to know how to make them run well.  I have no desire to do a heart-transplant on this little bird... it would be distressing to open the hood and not see those finned aluminum Thunderbird valve covers!  I can, however, give the engine a pacemaker (electronic distributor), and maybe help it breath a little better (manifold, carburetor, ported heads, headers..).  I also think I'd like to keep the Ford-o-Matic transmission.  It may be a little clunky by modern standards, but it has a reputation of being fairly reliable and not particularly annoying.  Keeping this old transmission means that I need keep the upgraded horsepower of the engine within reason, or else run the very real risk of breaking something!

Brakes and suspension, however, need to be adequate for traveling on modern freeways.  Luckily, there are plenty of kits available along these lines... disc brake kits, steering upgrade kits, sway bar kits, heavy duty shock absorbers, etc.  I'd also like to have modern tires, mounted on suitable 5-spoke wheels.  It won't look stock, but it will look like I had envisioned for this car as a teenager.  Kind of a '70's retro look..With these changes, the character of the car will change slightly, but arguably in a good way... in a way that makes the car more pleasant to drive, if not to look at:

As I see God undertaking my own spiritual restoration, I need to keep these things in mind.  It's not my preconceived vision of myself that is important, that pristine "stock" engineering achievement that I decided on so many years ago.  What is important is how I can be useful to my owner today, how I can bring him pleasure, how I can become that inviting vehicle for his journey, someone he will want to be with on a sunny Sunday afternoon, driving along the coast with the top down!

Lord, I give you permission to replace my brakes, to tighten my steering, to do anything that will make me more pleasant to you.  I trust you to preserve and restore those aspects of my character that endear me to you!