The Continuing Adventures of Jud

9am, call from auto parts place that I visited yesterday afternoon: your hood is in.


We have a really huge auto parts central here! Who'd a thunk it!


The front edge of the hood was rusted pretty bad and I was getting concerned about the latch giving way. I could rebuild it with bondo and stuff, but given the way I am these days, I decided to look into buying a replacement and this place had one for 175 so I went for it. Best I found on the net was 250.

Then this morning, I think, hey... I have a mechanic- can't take him more than an hour to put that hood on... and the way I am these days... and I want him to check the AC anyway...

Go back to sleep. Around noon, up and shower and call mechanic- do you want to? When? Sure, now. I say I'll go pick it up and come over. Did so.

Unboxed, it looked like a wing or spoiler after I strapped it on my roof. Drove back carefully, pulled over to let cars pass my slow driving... made it fine.

Guy asked if I wanted it painted, I said no. After 45 minutes, tells me AC is going to be 800 bucks: whole thing is shot. Or basically, the heart is shot and can't replace that without doing everything cause that would just wreck the new one... I had had him do a visual check a couple of weeks ago and top it off so the dye would show over time what was actually happening: that showed now, it was just leaking all over. But out of my budget so I said, thanks, but no thanks... Saw hood wasn't even off yet, so scooted over to Publix, talked to the cook lady there, demo's recipes- always good stuff, sometimes I can eat it (food allergies)- but we chat, a lot about food stuff, suggested the Publix Greenwise Beef, free range and no injections. Got some, went back to auto repair and car was ready and I loved the look!