Well I am back at work after the holidays thought I would add mine since I have
enjoyed reading the others...
I am 40 years old, married (15 years with same wife Sally McClaskey
sally3mac(at)aol.com) and have three daughters (Abigail-11, Lesley-6 and
Maggie-2). We now have three cars (see trailer), and hopefully have two running
on any given day! I have two bachelor degrees from Kent State University
(Physics and Theoretical Mathematics). My Ph.D. is in Astronomy from Ohio
State. I work at Battelle, a not-for-profit research company in Columbus, OH.
Battelle is famous for developing the xeroxgraphy process, bar codes, "Iron
Byron" golf machine and the desert chocolate bar (dosen'y melt) given to the
troops in the Gulf War. Unfortunately I was not involved with any of the
above. I develop computer models and do work in computational fluid dynamics
(including galaxy formation in the early universe).
Prior to coming to Battelle, I was a Surface Warfare Officer in the United
States Navy. I served on USS DEYO, a Spruance class destroyer homeported in
Charleston, SC. I have also lived in Boulder, CO (two years of grad school),
Newport, RI (Officer Candidate School), Topsham, ME (ship overhaul). My family
currently lives in Worthington, a suburb on the north side of Columbus.
I owned my first Alpine (Series V) when I was an undergrad at KSU. I didn't
know about any of the specialty places dealing in Sunbeam parts then. This car
most definately had a DPO and required a great deal of work. However it sure
was fun when it was running. I let an old roommate drive it on his last day in
kent in 1978. He took every shift to the redline. Later that day when I was
driving home to New Philadelphia, I threw number three rod. Needless to say
this joker is no longer a friend. The journal on the crank was > 0.050 out of
round. The largest bearings I could find were for 0.040 over stock. The
machine shop said they could weld it but would not guarantee the weld. I
couldn't find another crank, so the car sat at my mom and dad's house for two
years before I finally sold it for the money. (If memory is correct, I paid
$250 for the car and sold it for $400)
Fifteen years later I have another Series V. Even with all the stuff I have
had to fix on this one from the DPO, it is way more reliable than my first
Alpine. The kids love to ride in it (Abigail thinks she is going to get it
when she turns 16, HAH) and Sally thinks its better (and cheaper) then some
other hobbies I have tried. The highlight of owing this car was the time I
told her it was easier and cheaper to repair the Alpine than to change the
transfer pump in the VW. Changing the transfer pump was easier, but don't tell
her that!
I really enjoy this list and have received much useful advice. I was a member
of the list for a year before I bought my car. The advice on purchasing an
Alpine was most helpful.
I owe a special thanks to those of you who tried to help my wife get the AE/TE
calendar. Opening a present on Christmas morning with 7 e-mails in it about
how to get the calendar (she lost the hint I gave her) was neat. She is
signing me up for AE/TE and the calendar this year. Thanks again!
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Mike Fisher
fisher(at)tomahawk.dst.battelle.org "The leader has a sense of humor. He is not a stuffed shirt. He can laugh at 614/424-3620 himself. He has a humble spirit." 614/424-3918 (FAX) If I knew what I was doing, it wouldn't Battelle be research. 505 King Avenue Columbus, OH 43201-2693 "In science we can't let some guy from Podunk have the same vote as Fermi."
'93 Volvo 940 Turbo Wagon (for mom and the kids) '85 Jetta GLI (to get me to work) '68 Sunbeam Alpine Series V B395017314 (just for fun) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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