Crash Dummy

No... I am not talking about someone breaking in and stealing anything. I know all of you are going through the same thing, but I really think every service we deal with(mortgage, electric, gas, IRS, property taxes, water dept) has direct access into our bank accounts to see what extra money we have and then take it from us before we get the chance to spend it on something we want. And frankly.... I'm flat freakin(the nice version) tired of it with the surprises I recieve in mail asking for more money. Again... I know all of you are going through it, but I really don't see how anyone on a fixed income could be surviving in this crooked world we live in where insurance, medical & property taxes are skyrocketing.

Although I will be dropping the engine in this vette this weekend I see at least a 1-2 month delay of going any further as in the last 2 weeks alone my mortgage company underestimated my escrow fund by $700... the IRS kicked back my taxes and said I owed them $3059 instead of a refund of $300... and for the 3rd year in a row I get another one of those notices that my county had again accessed my property another 10% increase in value which will in effect make the above $700 shortage even worse next year. And go figure it that I overpay my escrow each year $300-$400 just so I don't get one of those surprises, so you can guess that insurance rates that have gone up 200% are a big part of it too. It's just not funny at all and I am pretty darn :mad.

Why did the IRS say I owed them that money? I dare you to go through their automated *idiot* system and get passed around like a hot potato until you finally have someone who can actually look at what the problem is. I'll leave it at that *they* were wrong and I will get the refund whenever they get it straight. When? Who the *flock* knows! So... there's $300 off into oblivian somewhere that was to be used to buy a draw-tite load leveler system for the car trailer. And I need that just to haul this unfinished vette around to a couple of shops to finish some things.

The $700? That was destined to buy angle reducers from Sanderson to ease the angle to the headers... have a muffler shop connect the sidepipes to the Sanderson headers... align the front end after the front end rebuild and a start of $$$ for a hard-top that will be required for the drag strip.

Enough of being pissed. I now have a question. And serious answers would be appreciated. I should have everything hooked up to fire this motor up within the week after I drop it in, but will not have the headers hooked up to the sidepipes. Do I fire it up with open headers and run it 20 minutes at 1800 RPM's to break in the cam like the engine builder suggested or will no back pressure at all not be a way to go? It's not a radical cam, but it is a Comp cam with 522/520 lift & 1.6:1 rockers that should run well with open headers.

Wait or go for it? I will e-mail Mark at AR the same questions. Curious to hear what you all think.

Smokehouse69

Are your headers ceramic coated? If so, becareful and make sure you are rich on initial fire up. A lean mixture will heat your headers red-hot and burn the coating right off them.

PatsLs1vette

bgrice i know where your coming from,mortgage company did the same thing to me this year i was short $375 in mine,i owe the irs $500 this year but luckily my taxes stayed the same. :rolleyes: Thats alot of good mods i couldve done to the vette. :mad

JRD77VET

Do you have any motor head friends in the area that have a pair of header mufflers laying around? Maybe someone with a 4 X 4 or truck?

If not, bolt up reducers. This will create some back pressure.

:seeya JRD77VET

C3 Shark Tank

I hear you loud and clear. My taxes went up, as if they aren't high enough already thanks to a money grubbing school board who sees fit to waste millions and continually scream they need more, now they want to spent 18 million more! My escrow was short too, thanks to them underestimating, and taxes going up. Then I get a notice that my homeowners insurance (which keeps going up at insane rates) was cancelled due to non-payment! WHAT?! GMAC decided to not pay it because they had moved offices and didn't get the invoice, they didn't give a rats butt when I called them on it either and when I asked why this wasn't all computerized I got "I dunno." and the same when I asked why I wasn't contacted. The insurance company tells me it's "my" responsibility to see that it's paid....sorry but I paid a fee when I closed so that GMAC would make sure it gets paid. Luckily it got straightened out.

It's a little tougher owning a house on a single income, so there went the front suspension rebuild, and if things keep going like this I'll be forced to sell the house in 5 years...or become a male ho which won't make me much money either :jester

Schmucker

I paid about $2500 into taxes (only made 12,000 too...), but I don't know what I'll get in my return.

Crash Dummy

Smokehouse69...

Yes, I have ceramic coated Sanderson headers. That's interesting to hear about breaking in ceramic coated headers. Thanks for the info. I got the wild idea years back and nitrided my headers on the SuperGasser at Houston Unlimited out of Chappel Hill, Tx. Can't tell you yeah or nay if it was a bad idea or not, but spray some oil on them and fire it up and they would burn right back to the satin finish.

Pat...

I hate this time of the year. All of the adjustments/surcharges seem to come in March & April. Maybe it's just their assumption that they know most will have a refund coming, so spring it on you while the money is available.

JRD77VET...

One thing I have to admit about Mark & AR is that you can e-mail him at night and get an answer. Nope.... he suggests to not fire this motor up without the exhaust hooked up so that I can listen to it to see what is happening and fine tune it. And while I was at it I got the plug gap settings. So much for that thought. It is just not acceptable to let this engine sit when it is completely put together, so I will just have to get creative and come up with the money. My next door neighbor has a supercharged Saleen Mustang that we could steal and part out. Anyone in?? Just kidding!!

C3 Shark Tank...

I've been really lucky so far on this project that I had some extra money saved up to do it. It's getting harder & harder to find the money anymore and things like those bills sure can take the enthusiasm out of it when you are *just* that close. I know.... I know.... another month or so won't hurt, but putting the engine in is like a milestone where you want to keep going.

LAvetteman

I hear you guys, I am feeling it too. Work is slow, starting a new job soon. Mortgage went up some from last year. I haven't got a return in years, allways owe. I know insurance will go up in this area sooner or later with the huricane and all.

There is just to much tax dollars being thrown away. Is it just me? Shouldn't Uncle Sam be in a severe panic right now when he looks at his income to debt ratio!!!!! :confused:

I can't lie, I have SERIOUSLY considering letting my 71 go for now. I know I will miss it, but I have to do what I have to do.
:(

NHvette

I guess I won 2 outta three here.
Got $$ back from the IRS :)
School renovation plan voted down :)
Escrow payment went up $150/month :mad

Desertdawg

Let see
I get a refund from both the state and the feds.
No increase in the home mortgage.
No increase in the tax base.


BUT wait second...

I just bought the 17 year old her graduation present. (2003 F150)
And College bills are adding up fast, and thats still 6 months away.
Plus I also have another teenager, and its another female.

Anyone want to pay for my toilet paper bill :crazy:

LAvetteman

BWAHAHAHAHA!!!! Your right Dawg. I have 4 sisters and a wife.

Females= Mucho toilet paper
:yesnod: :lol:

PRNDL

It is very frustrating! Times are tough, people are out of work, they are forced to economize. Utility rates go up? OK, you have to tighten your belt, lower the thermostat, turn off lights. Insurance rates up? Maybe in an extreme case you reduce coverage. So what does the city/ county do? Revenues are behind projections because there are more broke SOBs not paying their property taxes. It's simple for them! Just raise the tax rate so they can collect more taxes! :mad :mad MJ

Crash Dummy

The last time I saw *sand* had not appreciated in value in the last 10 zillion years, so take your 61% and SHADDUP! :lolg: :lolg:

Sense of humor only Dawg!

Desertdawg

:thumbs: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

chevyjeff

I feel you pain I had to fork out 900.00 for understemated escrow along with the insurance increase and raise in property taxes. It kills me that everything is going up in cost but my income is staying the same. I like to take out my frustration on telemarketers that want me to spend money with them, gives a little satisfaction. For intance I got a call for Bank of the northern hemisphere at 9 am on a saturday telling me why I am such a valued customer that they want to offfer me, thats when i cut him off and said since Im such a good customer why dont you refinance my boat loan, reduce my fees and lower my intrest rate on my credit card. All I heard was uhh.. click.. :rant: