OK...I 've been know to run with what i'll call limited brakes.it's a rep i got from claydog and jawz..
espacially on barfly, my ol sporty pepper and dixie. i've run without front brakes and run with them.
i've rode to kansas city to meet jawz and crew for a beer on the way home from sturgis on dixie without rear brakes and no seat but a 46 springer brake...but that is my scooters...
then i happened into a 54 buick with my dad (his first car ever, so we got it). a roadmaster. 4 door. 4215 pounds. BIG. i had the front end COMPLETLY redone and the brakes by another guy..(soon you know how i felel about him)
i love driving that car as much as i like my dixie. i really really do. i get to sit low and putt along at my own pace. (60) and see the world go by with my arm at a right angle out the window. (try that on your new mini van) it relaxes me i get to think (radio is pulled out for repair) all i hear is a nailhead engine rumble (still wondering if someone somewhere camed it) and just takein time.
SO im drivin home. home from crane which is 30 miles from home... no biggie in large town but if you know the midwest and all the towns ever 15 miles you understand my drive... 60 then 45 then 60 then 45 then 60 then turn left.....
turn left. huh.. maybe i should slow for the turn lane... letting off the gas at a good distnce.. (hey it aint a race car,.. yet)
press the LARGE brake pad to slow..... some... then
TOO THE FLOOR IN 5:30 PM TRAFFIC I GOTTA GET ACROSS THE LANE GODDAMMIT!.(remember im turning left at an intersectionand gotta get right to the shoulder)
so flayin my arms, honkin the horn.. and everything else i could do to warn everyone around me i start my slide under power and when i hit right lane...I shut off the ignition and slide over a lil more... im not puckerd just busy and working it.. (remember.. i pist in spfld coppers boots so no road pops for a while) so i had no beer in my lap. or i'da a spilt it and cryed..(lol) anyway.. i know i still got my emergency brake.. mechanical.. always trust the mechanical they never fail.... til this afternoon.....I know in my head i CAN stop...
pull out the release and press the emergency brake... to the floor...now... i cannot stop a 4500 pound beast pist off and lookin to hit sumthing with her big ol chrome "tata's" (look up a 54 buick bumper you understand, i hiit a turkey with 'em and johnny t name 'em.. the tata's)
FUUAAACCCKKKKKKKKK now i was afieeeerd.. and pucker set in but i made the shoulder an breathed a sign of relief.... and a thought of... im gonna beat the fucker i had work on this set in.
my father an i are close i guess i'd say.. he dont like my sideburns or my goatee but i dont like his rebocks and shorts but we get along pretty good. real good in fact and we at some point in my life came to the agreement you need 3 things in a car to NEVER fail brakes, steering and tires... in a car (speciall with out seatbelts) they will kill you if they fail...we agree on this more than we agree on wheither or not to buy america. (remember garment trade died due to NAFTA and now i rarely get to hang with dad ( he is in the dominican republic.) when we got the car we didnt have time to do it so we panned out the work for us,,, some kid learning cars at a shop failed me. (no names GOODYEAR KEARNEY ST Springfield MO)
brakes.
brakes brakes brakes.. goddammit i gotsta have then now!...
nuthing.
i got coasted to a stop. and hadda make a quater mile walk.. (anyone remember that i fucked up my ankle in MB?) gimpin along...singing neil young to myself make things better i find a 50¢ pay phone and call tona....
let it ring 3 times and hang up...(anwsering maching) and call again and again. 30 minutes.. finally Johnny T who is sittin here wait on me says.. just fuckinanswer it..
he show up to pick me up 20 minutes later... (shakes now start ) tell him the story and get the "jesus butch!" i always find comforting...
i rode with johnny T and (he brought road pops) home and decided tosit her and tell ya while tona cooks pork chops. i may have one... but,my dinner tonight...
oats a barley..
i beat the man again..
wonder how many more # i got?
all hail
el butche
ever lucky