New Beginnings

Moving is hard.

Comfort is an odd word to define.  In reality, the meaning morphs to suit whomever is expressing it.  Is this couch comfortable?  Is this city comfortable?  Is this state?  To each person, the answer is unique.  

I found myself both too comfortable and eerily uncomfortable in my previous work/life position.  In fact, I couldn't figure out what comfort was.  I was in a fine position, making more than enough to support myself and my hobby habits.  I could nearly write my own work schedule, and I had cemented myself as a staple in the niche society I had become a part of.  But, I wasn't comfortable.  At all.

The circumstances that lead to major life decisions are laughably menial.  I was at a Halloween party, inebriated, and a simple suggestion changed the course of my life.  "Why don't you move with us?"  "Yeah, why don't I?  I will!"  There seemed no clearer path, no better road to happiness, comfort incarnate.  The weight that lifted off of me that day in late October, 2013, will not be missed.

So, as I settle in to my two new jobs, in a new town, it's time to open my toolbox.

My first purchase as a Colorado resident was a 1984 Nissan 720 King Cab 4x4.  Five speed manual, locking hubs, dual range transfer case, the likes of which had never been available to me back home.  This was the first truck I didn't settle on.  Sure, it has some rust and dents, but they really only add to the character of the truck as a whole.  Or maybe I've grown so accustomed to paying less than $750 for a vehicle that I've become immune to such defects.  Regardless, I can't be happier.  Well, until I really start digging into it, that is.

Naturally, this truck needed a couple things to be relied on.  Strut rod bushings improved the ride and eliminated the noise of the strut rods carving away at the frame.  New spark plugs (8 required for the Z24 4-cylinder engine) and wires improved power and fuel economy.  A set of 300zx junkyard seats made sitting in Denver traffic much more bearable.  And finally, my favorite Alpine tape deck was installed in the dash.  That's as far as I've come so far, as my funds have all but dried up.

I plan on getting this truck 100% reliable and enjoyable as I continue to own it.  I've never had any four wheel drive vehicles, so I'm very excited at all the new stuff I get to take apart.  Hell, I'm even excited to get really mad at some problem I've never seen or encountered before.  My real excitement is the opportunity my roommate and I have to support ourselves doing what we love; fixing decrepit classic imports.  Classic being over 20 years old, imports being pretty much any European or Japanese car.  This blog will be the chronicle of our experience, be it success or failure.  I'm really banking on success.

-Jackson

This is a picture me driving the 720 the day we picked it up.  More pictures and videos to come.