[CC69Rat]

I went to Pops yesterday to work on the truck as we usually do. It was just a random 'piddling' day as we call it, just cleaning here and there. I have a cupholder console I am working on to restore a nice local show / nice driver quality black one to sell and make a little to just put back into parts money. I am also seriously considering a soda blaster setup for my garage and start saving these consoles. Not to make a bunch of money but I really like the bucket / console trucks.

I got the console stripped as best I could and just sat it aside. I think I'm going to blast it, I just can't get it clean enough. I'm pretty particular when it comes to stuff like that.

Next project - The bed. I hate it. I hate looking at it. It takes so much away from my truck and could be so much more. I have all the parts to convert it over to wood but it's all the rusty original crap that really makes it look bad. Someone put some kind of sealer over the bed years ago and it's rusting from the inside out. Dad and I pulled the old fender wells out of it and to both our suprise the bedside mounting points look really nice, original paint, etc. This mystery covering / sealer stuff appears to have saved the bolt holes but just rusted out the bottom edges and around the fenders. Let's just say we broke most of the bolts loose by knocking the rust out of them. Both inner fenders are out of it now. The plan was to get the inners out so my Media Blast guy could get the sides really clean.

After they're blasted and EPrimed, the bed comes off. I will pull it all apart and come back with all nicely refreshed GM front panel, cross sills, rear panel, super nice inner fenders, polished stainless strips and bolts.

While the bed is off, Dad and I will do the cleaning / blasting and painting. 4 wheel disc conversion, springs, shocks, etc. Bed goes back on.

Front drop, discs, .. hard lines, all that good stuff. Maybe by that time my wheels will be in. I have decided on the Centerline Sundance Boulevard. I know they're expensive but I have found myself in a little more than 'driver' in this truck.

Sorry for the novel, but I couldn't believe this.

My mother is the sweetest woman in on the planet. When I come to work on my trucks she has always understood, my time with Dad is precious to me. .. but still I really try not to work on them without at least asking her how she is doing and maybe get her and the wife to go shopping or something. I love my momma as much as my own self but there is somewhat of a line between trucks and mom. Know what I mean? I don't mean for there to be but I just don't see my mom up to her elbows in grease.

I say all this to say my mother still tries to be a part of my time with dad. I still want her to be but it's just more of a dad / son thing I would never want her to feel ignored. She still tries none the less.

As Dad and I were beating the bolts out, cutting, grinding, etc. It caught her attention. "What the $#@^& is all that noise?"

Shes walking to the garage. She see's my bucket seat sitting up in the GMC. The bench is in the floor beside the truck. "WE NEED THESE SEATS IN THIS TRUCK !" Don't put that one back in. .. But, Mom. I'm going to to good to get a cover for this one.

NOPE. I'll buy them. Huh? Soo .. Mom's putting buckets in my GMC. I was shocked. No, don't sell that console. Put it in this truck.


I just want to say I thank god every day for my parents. I am 39yrs old, I'm not a kid. I make good money, I work in IT for a fortune 250 Insurance company. Money is not even close to what matters most to me. At the end of the day, my family is what matters most to me. This has really made me realize my Mom is more a part of this than I ever knew. While she may not know which direction to turn a bolt, .. She too wants to help me, and even at 39 be my momma.

This old truck has really meant a lot to me man. I really don't think it will ever leave my hands. .. and I owe it all to my family.