What would Howard do? (WWHD)

I woke up today and thought… What would Howard do today?

Well… Howard would get out of bed, eat some shredded wheat, watch a little TV and then he would take on some sort of Herculean task and win the day. He would throw on an old t-shirt, his sweaty ball-cap and go kick this days ass!!! So that is what I decided to do! and that is what I did!

I decided to get on the computer and do some research on how to fix the Jeep. I have been putting off fixing it since it was stolen the last time… Anyway, a long story can be made short by telling you that after several phone calls I was in the Jeep driving to the Kansas side of town to a junk yard called “Southside Truck and Jeep”… Thats right, I hopped in the car, pocket full of cash, and drove to a junk yard to get the parts needed to repair my 1986 Jeep Wagoneer… It was a really weird thing actually. I had the thought before I left my house that I should “look tough” so that the salvage guys do not think that I am a sissy… Throw a hat on, grab your athletic sunglasses, wear tennis shoes and wear the camo shorts… I was ready! I looked TOUGH!

I arrived at the yard and this short little guy (who looked Italian) comes out. After a brief discussion in which I confidently tell him that I will be needing a steering column, a wheel, and a new (to me) dash he grabs his forklift and moves aside several beat-to-hell Jeeps and grabs his tool box… Once again, long story short, I watch him pull out the steering column from the beat-to-hell Jeep, get a wheel, and the dash. I was ready…

After working several hours in the 90+ degree heat of the afternoon I had several moments where I wanted to quit… WWHD? Howard would not quit! He would work as long and as hard as he had to till the project was DONE… So that is what I did… I removed the old steering column (it was weird to see the Jeep not have a steering wheel) and replaced it with the new one. I installed the new dash and made a plan to conquer the tire (since I can’t do this myself).

I have to say that I feel like somewhat of a bad-ass right now. I have never taken on an auto project of this magnitude, and for it to have worked out so well, I feel GREAT!

Man… I bet Howard feels like a bad-ass CONSTANTLY!!!

The Jeep before the repairs:

After: You use an actual key to start it now!!!

Another after shot

WWHD… He would NEVER cook his own meal, but I had to… But he WOULD eat a big piece of meat, a potato and some corn (Howard runs on starch)… Hank, the Grolsch is in your honor.

Me looking tough