After Dale returned, they decided Darren would drive across town to pick up a complete 8 3/4, that he had agreed to purchase previously, but for whatever reason had never picked up. While he was gone, Dale, Boone, James, and Dad would once again be doing all the manual labor to repair the truck.
Honestly, it was more than I could take. After Darren left, I addressed the guys and pretty much told them if they were going to let him ruin their Drag Week, it was on them, but I was heading for Topeka. Rachael and I loaded up our coolers, and left about twenty minutes later. We took the same road Dad had sent John on, and after about four miles of potholes, twists, and switchbacks, I started hearing a clanking sound in the front of the Valiant. I pulled off on a private driveway, and crawled under the front end, only to notice the adjustable aluminum shock was attached at the lower point, but had torn loose the upper mount. When the car was originally modified for a v-8, the shock mounts were recessed to allow the headers to go right over the top of the shock mounts. They had tacked it in place about ten times and never fully welded it, and after twenty years, it finally let go.
"Top shock mount is broken on the driver's side", I told Rachael as she walked up from behind the car.
"What does that mean?" She looked puzzled.
"It means I have to tuck my tail between my legs and go back to Dale's house!"
"Oh, this should be entertaining!" She laughed as she walked back to the Belvedere.
I called Dale and told him to move the Gremlin off the pad, and have James warm up the welder.