85lebaront2 Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Well, I know most of you so far, Thanks Gary for setting this up. For those of you who don't know Darth Vader is the name my son and a group of his friends tagged it with. Originally black with silver and red sides (custom job for the original owners), from the front, the Lund visor and grille guard made it look like Darth Vader. I am 71 years old as of May 6 this year and retired from a career breaking things (at least the last 30 years), I worked in the auto repair business both for myself and others, including a Dodge, Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, MG, and Dodge import dealership. My business was Preston Carburetion in Newport News VA and we were a Holley service center, but also carried Carter, Stromberg and Rochester. We did tune-up, carburetor repairs and performance work. I also worked on SU, Zenith Stromberg, Hitachi, Aisan, Kehin, Nikki and Weber carbs. I do not have a college degree, but my supervisor at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding told me that Tom Timberlake and myself were the best non-degreed engineers he had ever met. As for Darth, he is a 1986 F-350, crew cab dual rear wheel pickup with a 460, originally carbureted and C6, now MAF/SEFI E4OD. Fuel economy ranges from 10 - 12.5 mpg depending on driving. Engine controls are via a reflashed EEC-V computer. Interior has been updated to a 1996 dash, steering column and a pair of Lincoln Continental 10 way power buckets. I have also added a remote keyless entry system with the door mounted number pad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Welcome, Bill! Sure glad you are here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fljab Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Wow, I've seen your posts on FTE but didn't know your background. I take it you ran the carb shop on the side, but main job was @ NNS? I was going to apply there back in the 80s (read my intro), but decided to come south instead. I was an Outside Machinist, or Marine Machinist depending on the shipyard. I also had jobs as pipefitter here and there. You know how it is in shipyards (or at least my experience), you're either working 7-12s, or laid off. I jumped around a lot in San Diego and it paid to have a good reputation as people would tell you where it was picking up at a different area yard when your main job was laying off. In Norfolk, I worked for Marine Hydraulics and did mostly pierside work on NOB. After I moved down here, the big boss @ MH called down and wanted to know when I was coming back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted August 25, 2017 Share Posted August 25, 2017 Wow, I've seen your posts on FTE but didn't know your background. I take it you ran the carb shop on the side, but main job was @ NNS? I was going to apply there back in the 80s (read my intro), but decided to come south instead. I was an Outside Machinist, or Marine Machinist depending on the shipyard. I also had jobs as pipefitter here and there. You know how it is in shipyards (or at least my experience), you're either working 7-12s, or laid off. I jumped around a lot in San Diego and it paid to have a good reputation as people would tell you where it was picking up at a different area yard when your main job was laying off. In Norfolk, I worked for Marine Hydraulics and did mostly pierside work on NOB. After I moved down here, the big boss @ MH called down and wanted to know when I was coming back. Now you see why I wanted this part of the forum. We all have backgrounds, and it certainly helps to know the other guy's history. That gives them credibility as well as the feeling of being a friend. In Bill's case his background means he's the most qualified person around on carbs. But I'll still argue with him about Holleys and Carterbrocks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted August 27, 2017 Author Share Posted August 27, 2017 Wow, I've seen your posts on FTE but didn't know your background. I take it you ran the carb shop on the side, but main job was @ NNS? I was going to apply there back in the 80s (read my intro), but decided to come south instead. I was an Outside Machinist, or Marine Machinist depending on the shipyard. I also had jobs as pipefitter here and there. You know how it is in shipyards (or at least my experience), you're either working 7-12s, or laid off. I jumped around a lot in San Diego and it paid to have a good reputation as people would tell you where it was picking up at a different area yard when your main job was laying off. In Norfolk, I worked for Marine Hydraulics and did mostly pierside work on NOB. After I moved down here, the big boss @ MH called down and wanted to know when I was coming back. No, the carb shop, Preston Carburetion, was a full time business from around 1971-1978 when my father, who was the backer for buying it from Fred Pennington, decided it was a losing proposition (I won't go into all the details, but he didn't know what he was getting into). After 1978, I worked at a dealership then in 1982 went back to NNS and retired from there in Nov 2011 (effective date 1 Dec 2011). As for carburetors, I have worked on all kinds of them, from the most simple of all, the SU, to some better left unbuilt, like the Motorcraft 4300D. I have had Carter, Rochester, Stromberg, Autolite/Motorcraft and Holleys on my vehicles, some of which some people have never seen, like a Rochester RC, H and HV, Autolite in-line 850 CFM, Solex 3 barrel in side draft and downdraft versions, Weber IDA and DCOE, along with the Holley-Webers on Pintos and Vegas. Gary doesn't like Holleys because he doesn't understand them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
85lebaront2 Posted May 22, 2022 Author Share Posted May 22, 2022 No, the carb shop, Preston Carburetion, was a full time business from around 1971-1978 when my father, who was the backer for buying it from Fred Pennington, decided it was a losing proposition (I won't go into all the details, but he didn't know what he was getting into). After 1978, I worked at a dealership then in 1982 went back to NNS and retired from there in Nov 2011 (effective date 1 Dec 2011). As for carburetors, I have worked on all kinds of them, from the most simple of all, the SU, to some better left unbuilt, like the Motorcraft 4300D. I have had Carter, Rochester, Stromberg, Autolite/Motorcraft and Holleys on my vehicles, some of which some people have never seen, like a Rochester RC, H and HV, Autolite in-line 850 CFM, Solex 3 barrel in side draft and downdraft versions, Weber IDA and DCOE, along with the Holley-Webers on Pintos and Vegas. Gary doesn't like Holleys because he doesn't understand them. Since I added something on my signature, I guess an explanation is in order. LOBO is what a Canadian friend tagged me, Lord Of the Blue Oval as I have had mostly Fords with the exception of a few GM products and Chryslers, one independent (Packard) and some imports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted May 22, 2022 Share Posted May 22, 2022 Since I added something on my signature, I guess an explanation is in order. LOBO is what a Canadian friend tagged me, Lord Of the Blue Oval as I have had mostly Fords with the exception of a few GM products and Chryslers, one independent (Packard) and some imports. LOL! I'll quickly forget what LOBO stands for, but it is cool nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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