So I had Lart ship me an engine block...
12-05-2012, 09:12 AM
#1
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist
Small Business Partner
Rennlist Member
Rennlist
Small Business Partner
Thread Starter
So I had Lart ship me an engine block...
So sometime in summer ’10, Lart shipped me a bare-block. Lets just say that his packaging method is, um, unique 
So the block arrived in a UPS/FedEx box. The block itself is in a contractors bag, in the UPS box, and is completely encased in expanded foam... This makes the box completely solid, and pretty much impossible to harm the block in shipping – really an ingenious method of packaging.
I wrestled this heavy thing to the back-yard, where I proceeded to try and figure out how to get my block out of its foam-coffin. After more work than I should admit, I got the block out - but now I had a large box full of expanded foam. I thought for a moment about spending the significant amount more time it would take to cut the remains into smaller pieces so that they would fit into our trashcan…
Well, then it hit me - I would just burn it. (I grew up in the mid-west, burning your trash is a normal thing) So, I moved the box/foam to a nice spot in the back-yard, which was just gravel and away from anything that could catch on fire - I even pulled the hose over as a just-in-case. (safety first!
)
So as any good country boy knows, the easiest way to start a fire? Gasoline, of-course!
So, I pour "enough" gas on the box & foam to make sure it lights easy, and a quick match strike and we have fire!
And more fire.
And a bit more fire…
It seems I forgot how well petroleum products burn (expanded foam). Next thing I know I've got a 10-15 foot high flames and the blackest tower of smoke imaginable
At this point, there is no point in trying to put out the fire (I doubt I could have even if I wanted to), and I figured it would simply be best to let it burn itself out. Just about this time I have neighbors, yes plural, from multiple houses, again plural, on my block running over to help - they think my house is on fire!!!
Ok, now I'm a bit embarrassed - and I sheepishly tell my neighbors that the house is not on fire, and that I had a "small controlled" fire in the back-yard that looked worse than it was. Side-note, my Wife and I were only dating at this point. As soon as I got the neighbors turned away, my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Carla called. And this was an important call that I needed to take, as I am in the middle of planning to ask her daughter to marry me. I'm making it a surprise by flying out my Wife’s family to be there. So, I'm on the phone with Carla, and I start hearing sirens, and yes they are getting louder, sigh. An annoyingly short time later, a police car is pulling up to my house, and I tell Carla that I will have to call her back. Figuring it would be best to meet the Officer out front I marched out and introduced myself as the country-boy who didn't mean to be a jack-*** in the city... By now the fire had died down, and was nothing more than a BBQ. The Officer wanted to take a look and make sure the fire was indeed under control. Just as we had decided to go around back to take a look at the fire, my soon-to-be Wife pulls up - coming home from work.
I have to give her credit, she can lay it on thick when needed. She gets out of the car complete with her Children's Hospital badge, and comes-up with a bit of worry. And now I get to explain, yet again, what I did, why it was wrong, and therefore why I'm standing next to a police officer. However, before I can finish explaining all we can hear is more sirens. Of course, it’s the fire department in a full-size water truck! The police Officer says to give him a second and he will talk with the Firemen; if the Firemen get out of the truck, that he will have to give me a ticket. Right now, I'm 100% sure that if it wasn't for my Wife showing up that he wouldn't have been quite so nice. Regardless he talks with the Firemen for a minute, then comes back over and says "let’s look at this fire". I lead the way around the house, and we see that the fire has indeed calmed down with nothing much left except a pile of ash and a few little hot-spots.
The Officer, satisfied that the fire is no-longer a concern, simply says, "Ok," and heads back to talk to the Firemen. They are apparently satisfied, and thankfully leave. The police Officer too heads back to his car, with parting words of wisdom for me to not light any more back-yard bonfires. I give my best boy-scout promise, and he also leaves. I then explain to my Wife exactly what just happened - the best part is that she only asked if I got my engine block - I said yes, and then I asked for her help to hold the engine stand in-place so that I put the block on the stand. She sighs, and then comes out to help me - a month later and we were engaged and I had my finished my new motor.
So the block arrived in a UPS/FedEx box. The block itself is in a contractors bag, in the UPS box, and is completely encased in expanded foam... This makes the box completely solid, and pretty much impossible to harm the block in shipping – really an ingenious method of packaging.
I wrestled this heavy thing to the back-yard, where I proceeded to try and figure out how to get my block out of its foam-coffin. After more work than I should admit, I got the block out - but now I had a large box full of expanded foam. I thought for a moment about spending the significant amount more time it would take to cut the remains into smaller pieces so that they would fit into our trashcan…
Well, then it hit me - I would just burn it. (I grew up in the mid-west, burning your trash is a normal thing) So, I moved the box/foam to a nice spot in the back-yard, which was just gravel and away from anything that could catch on fire - I even pulled the hose over as a just-in-case. (safety first!
)So as any good country boy knows, the easiest way to start a fire? Gasoline, of-course!
So, I pour "enough" gas on the box & foam to make sure it lights easy, and a quick match strike and we have fire!
And more fire.
And a bit more fire…
It seems I forgot how well petroleum products burn (expanded foam). Next thing I know I've got a 10-15 foot high flames and the blackest tower of smoke imaginable
At this point, there is no point in trying to put out the fire (I doubt I could have even if I wanted to), and I figured it would simply be best to let it burn itself out. Just about this time I have neighbors, yes plural, from multiple houses, again plural, on my block running over to help - they think my house is on fire!!!
Ok, now I'm a bit embarrassed - and I sheepishly tell my neighbors that the house is not on fire, and that I had a "small controlled" fire in the back-yard that looked worse than it was. Side-note, my Wife and I were only dating at this point. As soon as I got the neighbors turned away, my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Carla called. And this was an important call that I needed to take, as I am in the middle of planning to ask her daughter to marry me. I'm making it a surprise by flying out my Wife’s family to be there. So, I'm on the phone with Carla, and I start hearing sirens, and yes they are getting louder, sigh. An annoyingly short time later, a police car is pulling up to my house, and I tell Carla that I will have to call her back. Figuring it would be best to meet the Officer out front I marched out and introduced myself as the country-boy who didn't mean to be a jack-*** in the city... By now the fire had died down, and was nothing more than a BBQ. The Officer wanted to take a look and make sure the fire was indeed under control. Just as we had decided to go around back to take a look at the fire, my soon-to-be Wife pulls up - coming home from work.
I have to give her credit, she can lay it on thick when needed. She gets out of the car complete with her Children's Hospital badge, and comes-up with a bit of worry. And now I get to explain, yet again, what I did, why it was wrong, and therefore why I'm standing next to a police officer. However, before I can finish explaining all we can hear is more sirens. Of course, it’s the fire department in a full-size water truck! The police Officer says to give him a second and he will talk with the Firemen; if the Firemen get out of the truck, that he will have to give me a ticket. Right now, I'm 100% sure that if it wasn't for my Wife showing up that he wouldn't have been quite so nice. Regardless he talks with the Firemen for a minute, then comes back over and says "let’s look at this fire". I lead the way around the house, and we see that the fire has indeed calmed down with nothing much left except a pile of ash and a few little hot-spots.
The Officer, satisfied that the fire is no-longer a concern, simply says, "Ok," and heads back to talk to the Firemen. They are apparently satisfied, and thankfully leave. The police Officer too heads back to his car, with parting words of wisdom for me to not light any more back-yard bonfires. I give my best boy-scout promise, and he also leaves. I then explain to my Wife exactly what just happened - the best part is that she only asked if I got my engine block - I said yes, and then I asked for her help to hold the engine stand in-place so that I put the block on the stand. She sighs, and then comes out to help me - a month later and we were engaged and I had my finished my new motor.
12-05-2012, 10:03 AM
#5
Race Car
nice, Lart does always have the most exciting wrapping, usually my parts come in 20 layers of green kitchen wrap and is usually adult proof packaging. God bless you Lart 
Trending Topics
The following users liked this post:
bumflick (07-26-2019)
12-05-2012, 04:44 PM
#14
For some reason, the version of this story I had in my head from when I first heard it (I think it was Lart's version), had Joshua using fire to remove the block from the box.
I think my version might be worth a few extra man points over the original.... but not by much.
I think my version might be worth a few extra man points over the original.... but not by much.
12-05-2012, 04:53 PM
#15
Race Car
here is how mine wash shipped
foam, the layers of foam and popcorn! epic expression from me when I opened it but very smart how it fits the box by expanding.
