Jacob's House Blog

I was glad to be back home after a five hour trip, bringing the Impala back from Oklahoma.  It comes in handy having a car trailer,  it’s the only way to haul a car that doesn’t run. Every one at Jacob’s House was excited to see it first hand, I think some of the boys thought it would be in better condition, because they wanted a ride, not realizing that it doesn’t have an engine or a transmission yet.   The boys helped Chris and me push it off the trailer and into the garage.  Now it is waiting for the dismantling.  I can’t (whoops, I mean WE can’t) wait to get it started, we would just like to get to work on it  and stay on it until it’s done.  But there are other things I have to do, so I am trying to be patient.  And we do need warmer days because we don’t have heat in the garage. 

The weather here in the Ozarks this winter has been something.  Old man winter just keeps hanging around, but I do see signs of spring.   Just yesterday I saw a Dogwood on the south side of a building beginning to bud.  That is a welcome sign!  Spring is a wonderful time of year,  it is a promise that life will return to the landscape once again.  Spring is just like God giving us His word that He can and will restore a life that is a wreck.  All you have to do is take it ( your life) to the Master restorer,  the One, Who can make something wonderful out of something that to every one else seemed to be hopeless, even dead just as the grass and trees seem during the deep of winter.  Jesus is the life giver, He is working in the unseen areas, and life, life, and more life is coming!

The 1968 Impala update!  We are beginning  to look at parts catalogs ( the wish book)  I do want to look at putting  disc brakes on the front and rebuilding the front end with new ball joints, tie rod ends, bushings, shock, etc.  I hope to get this part out of the way before we install the engine and components under the hood, and, of course, the body work, and the interior.  Just writing about it makes me want get out in the garage, I can just see it in my minds eye now,  and its looking  good!  Dan

JoJo the hamster loves his muscle car too!

1968 Impala

Hello, I am so excited about this new project we are starting at Jacobs House, and that we are able to let you see it as it evolves.  In fact, you can be part of it. 

Chris Didlot and Dan Koontz (thats me Dan) are “The Car Guys” at Jacobs House and we have been blessed with a 1968 Chevrolet Impala two door hard top. This car is in very good shape considering its 41 years old, but it will need a complete restoration. Chris is an expert auto body technition and his speciality is custom painting. I have  restoration experience. For many years I was involved in repairing , restoring, and building custom motor coaches.  For entertainers, gosple groups and private individuals. This gave me a good education in custom building on all kinds of vehicles. My love is old cars (GOD IS FIRST) and my wife and family are next in line, but cars have been in my blood ever since I was four years old. I don’t know how to explain the car thing, but its just some thing God put there for just such a time as this. 

   We will start by very carefully taking the car apart, and storing the parts that we will need later as we put it back together again. The body is basicly rust free, except for a little surface rust but we will be taking care of all that to get it ready for that custom paint job.   Before painting we will take out the interior so we can treat and paint all of the metal on the inside of the body. 

The next stage will be the mechnical work.  All the power train will get our attention, engine, transmission, rear axcel, and all the components that make the car function like it should.  Our plans are to teach the children of Jacob’s House as we work with them on this project.  There are many things they can do to help on this car and maybe even learn a trade or a fabulous hobby in the process. 

I like to ponder on how good God is at restoring lives. Just like the auto restoration process, where you take it all apart and find the bad, rotten and broken things,  cutting them out and replacing them with new parts. The same thing can happen in a life.  God can help you find the problem remove it and replace it with something new. He can heal the broken hearted. Restore hope when it seems like all hope is gone. Replace anger and hate with a new found love.  And He can give you total peace when it seems like the whole world is upside down and every one is at war with someone. 

  I like to give this example, as a cabinet maker I can build a fine piece of furniture or a sturdy cabinet. Should it some how become broken, I can fix it, because I know how its made. The same way with God, He made man in the beginning, and He knows how we are made and what we are made of.  He can restore us because He is the one who created us. 

I am inviting you to follow us throughout this project, and if you would like to be involved let us know because you can partner with us in this adventure. It will take some money for the new parts we need, and a new uhpolstery package, new wheels and tires. This is a big block car, (it originally came equipped with a 396 engine and three speed automatic transmission) So we are looking for a good 396 or 454 ( big block) engine to make the car complete. I would like to keep it as original as possible, but I am not opposed to modern up grades. Things like custom wheels and tires, disc brakes, and a nice stereo system could add so much to the car. 

We are all excited at Jacob’s House to see the progress, as this old and tired car is transformed into a desirable head turning beautiful automobile, that anyone would be proud to own. Dan

You can email me at     dan@jacobshouse.org