ENNIS AND JACK IN THE KNIGHT

Nearly a week passed. Ennis gave the Willys another dose of the 'Marvell Mystery Oil', Ennis cleaned the spark plugs, points and rotor, replaced fuel hose, found and installed a spare coil. Both gave the car a good cleaning, Jack sprayed some insecticide to rid any spiders. Interior was thoroughly vacuumed, and the pair even managed a few ever important durability tests of the rear seat springs.

The big day arrived , Jack is watching as Ennis opens the hood.

"Can I get in and …..?" Jack asked anxious.

"Hang on a sec….huh? Gotta turn her by hand, see if she's free."

Ennis takes a large wrench to the crankshaft pulley, gets some leverage and pushes. At first nothing.

"Can I try?" Jack sticking out his chest.

"Ok, but just steady pressure"

"Easy now."

"Lemme' try som 'in."

Ennis gets in the action and take a rubber mallet and taps on the end of the wrench. It begins to move.

"OOOwweeeeeeeeeeeeee… yeah!"

Ennis manages to make one complete turn.

"Well then, why don't you get down and unscrew that drain plug."

"What…can't we…?"

"Almost there, gotta do this right, huh? Hav 'ta put fresh oil in. Go on now."

"But…" Ennis hand him the drain pan.

Forty minutes later, motor bathed in it's life blood, a few gallons of gas in the tank, finds Jack in the drivers seat, Ennis pushing the oil filler cap on.

"Now Ennis?"

"C'n try now."

Jack turns the key, found still in the ignition switch after all the years of storage, one click but no further.

"Ennis…?"

"That ain't the starter. It down there, middle of the floor, like that ol' GMC truck a' yours. Give it some gas. When it catches check that there is oil pressure"

Jack finds the starter and pushes down. The motor very slowly begins to turn. "Yahhhhhhhhh!"

"Ain't running yet." Adjusts the distributor.

Again the motor turns but does not catch. Ennis makes some adjustments, has Jack try again.

After several more attempts Ennis looks at Jack. "I don't know about this Jack."

Jack now looking deflated. "C 'n we try just once more? I'm sure she'll run…please?"

Ennis looks hopelessly at the motor, tinkers just a bit. "Alright go on then, give it all ya got."

"After one long grind of the starter the motor finally come to like roaring like a lion.

Whooooooeeeee!Yeahhhhhhhhhh!

"Ease of the gas let her idle" Ennis shouts at Jack over the noise.

Jack jumps out grabs Ennis. "Hot damn! We got her boy!

Arm in arm the two do a jig around the yard grinning ear to ear, especially Jack. Soon finding themselves engulfed a cloud of smoke caused by the applications of Marvell Mystery Oil' they back away.

"Did it stall?" they both listen to now near silence.

"Nah, hear that?" Ennis responds to the gentle hiss of the air intake. "Sill goin, see." Ennis walk over reaches in to the engine bay and pulls on the throttle lever, motor revs up smoothly.

"Take me fer a ride Ennis." Jack said now most of the smoke gone.

"Gotta go slow, don't know 'bout them brakes, 'r tires."

"Long as 'm with you."

The pair took a slow motion tour of the stables, the Willys singing that low gear whine.

A few days later Jack brings in the mail as the two set down in the kitchen for lunch consisting of roast beef sandwiches, soup and fresh fruit.

Lookie here, we got a letter back from the 'Willys Overland Knight Regestry'. There's an application to join the club, Here's a space for the information on our car, to send it in, serial number, color, model, ever' thing! 'We cordially invite you to the National Meet in Westlake, Ohio June 1989'."

"Cowboy we is goin'!"

Ennis looks over at Jack, startled. "'S a long way Jack, don't know if it'll make it, haven't even been of the ranch."

"Course it will. Look here, Handwritten on this here form. 'We are especially excited to see you and your Willys you found in your 'barn' at the National Meet.' "

'Take a lot work to make that long a trip, needs tires, maybe brakes…"

"Shows here in this newsletter where we c'n get all l'that, tires, extra parts, everthin'."

"Be hot goin' across them plains 'n summer." Ennis looks worried.

"If you want go north, cut across Canada, see Banff, camp out. Be fun ridden together…you know." Jack leans against Ennis.

"Seems a long way." Ennis looking doubtful.

Jack reading his thoughts. "Ennis…it'll be ok. Perfectly 'ceptible two men riddin' in a old fashioned car together to a meet. Lotta wives maybe don't wanna go, maybe do….no one 'll give a second look. 'Sides I know you ken fix her up so she run fine." Jack looks into Ennis eyes with a pleading look, squeezes his arm around him.

"Well maybe we might, I guess." Ennis still looking uncertain.

"Lookie here all them things their doin' on this meet form, tours ever day, museums, train rides, car show on Saturday, fancy awards diner, will have us a time boy!"

Ennis nods at Jack.

"And look 't this note they wrote. Says here if its been stored long time indoors if the paints not to bad 'leave it alone, original condition is best, special class fer in in the show' . If we bring our it'll help some the other fix theirs like the factory made 'm."

Ennis looked into Jacks eyes, then moved over behind the man, cradled his head, nodding afirmative, scratching Jacks cheek with is stuble.