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'B-52' Looks killer!
Don't tell me your 'Hot Rod' is suffering the same as Steiner, owner too busy with other builds to give some lovin'.

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Bomp in place. Happy.

http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/m...pszxzhnspl.jpg


Great memories.

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Bomp… Rian, you guys are crazy. Kindred stuff right there.

Aprils report.
Nothing big happened this month, just a bunch of seemingly slow production on some cool new shop projects. First off, we've been working on a 63 roadster for a nice ol' guy who just wants it brought sorta back and drivable for his grandkids. We overhauled the 327 added a new clutch pack plus a few other requested safety features, like a major brake upgrade and fresh interior. More on this as it continues…
We also undertook a much later model Chev., a 79 Scottsdale, which is in for paint and interior but after sitting for 20 years, it doesn't seem to be running right. Hopefully we can figure out the mechanics while the bodywork happens.

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April report part 2.
A guy came to us about a year ago with a 66 Ford custom that he wanted a complete frame-up restoration. He requested a motor and the under hood to be restored plus a complete interior like original but he wanted a patina exterior. OK, we can do it. He has come over almost every Sunday since and worked on his truck and he is the main reason that this build had become so enjoyable, an involved customer, gotta love it.
Also this month… Maude got her fenders and the hood is next… And Mark's 50 got blown apart for a resto.

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April report part 3
This month we added to the herd a 60 stepper with a great grill and hood and a perfect windshield. Also we got a big window and high hump cab from our favorite salvage guy, thanks Eddie, and no, we didn't even ask about Ford stuff.

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Great stuff Clem! LOL on the Ford stuff... he definitely won't part with it, right Martin!!!

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WOW, you can see Maude and the F@rd in the back ground. (Pic of me behind the wheel of the Hot Rod).
Don't even look like the same trucks. Amazing work.

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Thanks Don & Bomp… appreciate it guys.

The month of May in Arkansas is the most beautiful time of the year. Trees, flowers, rivers, cruises, car shows, they all seem to bloom at the same time. That said, work at Tuba slows down a bit, distractions you know. Halter tops, short shorts, college girls. It's tough to keep the guys in line. Not that that stuff bothers me any at all but at least a little progress was made this month.

First is B-52.
A normal flat bed from the period had rounded channel on the front corners and squared ones in the back. But if you used 2 beds you could have rounded corners all the way around. So a little fabbing and there it is…

Then the front fenders and inners were mounted plus we kinda placed the 3 cab lights in where they looked right...

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Good work.

You know I like cab lights.

So it's always good in my book.

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Beautiful!

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Appreciate it Rian and Bill… your comments are always motivational and Lord knows we need it…

Second post for the month starts with a setback. Maude who's doors were just hung was involved in a windy storm and the door checks had not been installed. Stupid move. And yes, both doors blew open multiple times during the storm and put very deep creases in both doors as well as chipping the paint on the fender edges. Major setback… but all has been fixed now and it feels like a bad dream thats over.

This last month Maude got her hood painted and installed, also windshield and back glass were put in as well as the radiator to core support sails. Not much else got done except the disaster redo, which was major.

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Professional with a touch of love.
No matter the set back you pull it off.
I remember seeing Maude in person way back when, amazing transformation.
Thanks for the pics and motivation.

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:agree:

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Thanks Greg and Bill… always appreciate it.

A new project just came to Tuba. Short-wide, big window, custom cab with 230 six and 3 speed. It's another family heirloom that was purchased new and handed down. The nephew wants it to be dealer fresh only saving the window stickers and gun rack that his uncle added. This is a very straight and original truck with only a little decay in the kick panels. I love working on restorations with my customers helping out through the process, and this one will be a pleasure to do.

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I missed the Maude update, awsome job repairing the doors :metal:, I've just done one door and it took me 6 months :lol:

The new project is a great looking truck, can't wait to see the updates

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Good job on the doors Clem got that to do myself after my hood repairs.

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Beautiful truck and love the family heirloom side of the story!

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Clemdaddy I absolutely love all the trucks you work on and Love your shop....

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That new truck looks like you already did all the magic.


Lovely looking thing too.

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Thanks fellas, definitely appreciate it…

Well, after 25 years and 2 restos, the time has come to let Cory go. She has been a fun ride. Kim and I both love her and have strived to keep her in top flight condition but sometimes, you just have to say 'goodbye girl' and let 'em go.
Besides a 66 year old guy trying to gracefully get out of a sportscar this low, is not a good sight and shouldn't be witnessed by children.

So… here's Cory…

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Sure was a honor siting in the drivers seat last Oct. Will miss it greatly.

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A roadster with air. Nice! Love the color combo too. I had a '63 coupe with the same combination and always loved how the red interior glowed within the sexy white envelope. The first gen Stingray: A style icon, no doubt about it!

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Clem if that was mine I would still be driving it till the day they took my driving license off me . Old guys driving sports cars just makes youngsters look and think one day I will own one of those. Mind you that might be because I also own a sports car as well as the truck .

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My neighbor has a sister to your Corvette. It's a '64 roadster, 2 tops, white, red interior. His is a 365 horse, 4-speed, 3.73 gear with A/C. Numbers matching from front to back. He bought it for a whopping $2700 in 1976, and he drove it for years. I helped him do the frame-off about 8 years ago. I have restored many cars, and there is no challenge quite like a C2 Corvette. Not an easy restoration to do.

Love your cars and trucks!

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That's a beautiful car.

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Been thinkin' bout ya & could use an update.
Pic for attention:
Sincerely,
your son Bomp ;)

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Just checking in for updates

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Me too, Clem!
Tell me something that I want to know!...Or, something that I don't!

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Thanks bro… I miss those times too.

A fine car whose time has passed.

Thanks Martin, and I hear ya buddy.

I appreciate it pal.

Thanks buddy...

Apologize for being distant guys, but as they say… life gets in the way occasionally.

Will post up the Tuba news as soon as I can

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OK here comes an update on Maude…
She got the front clip retro fitted. First time that I ever used repro fenders and inner fenders and core support. You would think that at least their parts would fit together but NO, nothing fit without tons of grinding, drilling and welding… but such is the exercise.
Maude is, in fact, an economy build. Everything is scrutinized for cost and necessity and quite frankly some of the decisions made were not what I personally would have done but I am just the builder of someone else's dream. So here's Maude, close to starting up...

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That's the trouble with repo panels , but a good panel guy can make them fit with time and patients . The picture of the truck says it all

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Maude is looking good .

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In a word....

Amazing Clem.

Your builds really do speak for the quality of Tuba Trucks' work.

I am so gutted that I could not make it to you this year, and a broken down car and dealership that has not touched it since it got there on Wednesday late, does not help either.

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I remember seeing the alignment issues, I may be the 'Doc' but you Sir are a Wizard. A Kick A$$ Wizard at that. Lets not forget the Killer interior too.

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Thanks a bunch Martin… Bout time for you to make another trip over here?

Thanks, progress is slow but steady. We have 5 active projects and juggling a little time for each is the hard part, seems nothing ever gets finished.

No worries mate, we will have other years. I'm very jealous of Murphs travels though.

Thanks brother, I appreciate it. By the way… it looks like the toy-drive truck party will indeed happen. Shooting for the 14th of October. Kim said I couldn't not do it because of the kids… don't we hate it when they're right.

OK… here's the sweet heirloom 64. Completely blown apart. The cab has minimal rust and we should drop kick that next week. The chassis has been taken to a commercial powder-coater for blasting and gloss black color, first time to do it this way but if it saves a bunch of time and doesn't cost too much, well good then. All the other parts were stashed out back awaiting their turn.

We got a new friend. A baby black and white is living in the bamboo. He's wild but starting to trust us. It took a week before we even saw him but his cries let us know he needed us. Now he comes up to get pets as well as the milk. Cool little kitten, Kim named him Barney.

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It'll be nice getting back the frame & components back ready to bolt on. Only issues I've seen is threading/fitment.
In time will Barney be joining the others at the house?

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Barney (insert middle mae here) Johnson ?

Pretty guy.

Just got home today and my two are around me nonstop.

They were fed while I was gone, but not loved.

Cars do need that too.

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Glad to see you checking in. Maude is looking good

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Hi Guys,
Yep… it's about that time of year again. Tuba Truck's Toy Drive and Cruise-In. This year the party will be on Saturday, October 14th, mostly all day but the music will be in the evening. Join us if you can and give me a buzz or pm if you need sleeping arraignments. See the flyer for more details…


Just got the frame back and they thought to mask all the threaded parts… it looks great, I won't blast and paint one again. Barney is probably going to live at the station, until further notice anyway.

Barney is fun but he's definitely a fighter not the lover type. I come away usually bleeding from his encounters… ha

Thanks Donnie, Looking forward to seeing you in October...

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This last Saturday, a buddy and I went to Waxahatchie TX to the biggest truck show ever. "C10's in the Park" the last count I heard was 660 Chevy and GMC trucks but they were still coming in. Didn't get a pic of her but Boasted Bertha was there and drawing quite a crowd. This was by far the most variety of building styles I have experienced in one place. If you can, you've got to go to this one next year… see ya there.