Raymond

[GAc10boy]

Very classy!

[Elliot949]

Ok... She is DONE!!!... Well almost... LOL... Papa J has made its way back home... we actually have it completed enough to be able to enjoy it this year and make a "FEW" shows... I really do not see us making more than 3-4 shows this year at the most with all we have going on in building our new house and working...

It STILL has to go back to Chris Carlson's Hot Rods... The AC does not blow cold AND I can't lock the drivers door... I just don't understand why people can't do their job right the first time... this will be the 3rd time trying to get this right... I was told that it will be awhile before he can get it back in... He states he kept pushing my truck forward around others to get it done... I can tell you he sees this a whole lot different than I do... I know of 4 cars that were put ahead of our truck because they had "Car Shows" to get too... I am just getting frustrated having to have thing redone...


Here are a few pictures for you to enjoy...

[sduckworth13]

Very nice Dan! It sure is a beauty!

[Elliot949]

Thanks Scott

[Low Elco]

Looks purrrdy goin' down the road!

[Elliot949]

Thanks Chip... I am having a blast driving it...

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

...It STILL has to go back to Chris Carlson's Hot Rods... I just don't understand why people can't do their job right the first time... I am just getting frustrated having to have things redone...

Over the years, I've found this to be the norm in our hobby. Every once in a while you find a shop that delivers on time and under budget, but man, it's very rare. The problem almost universally is that the individuals are top notch craftsmen and lousy businessmen. They take in work to keep cash coming in the door and before they know it, they're up to their ears in half finished projects. Only a few rise to the level of the top tier shops and can tell prospective customers, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it."

That said, once things get ironed out and every journey is an absolute blast, you forget all the hiccups. And in your case, Papa J's backstory alone makes the long hard slog worth it.

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Over the years, I've found this to be the norm in our hobby. Every once in a while you find a shop that delivers on time and under budget, but man, it's very rare. The problem almost universally is that the individuals are top notch craftsmen and lousy businessmen. They take in work to keep cash coming in the door and before they know it, they're up to their ears in half finished projects. Only a few rise to the level of the top tier shops and can tell prospective customers, "If you have to ask, you can't afford it."

That said, once things get ironed out and every journey is an absolute blast, you forget all the hiccups. And in your case, Papa J's backstory alone makes the long hard slog worth it.

I know but dang... once they fix thing 2 and 3 times it is like REALLY??... I have owned my own shop I have ran car dealerships with service departments and can say at least when the car/truck was done I or my service manager made sure everything worked... Then if a problem arises I NEVER told the customer it will be a week to a month before we would even look at trying to fix it... They ALWAYS went to the front of the line...

[Vic1947]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

I know but dang... once they fix thing 2 and 3 times it is like REALLY??... I have owned my own shop I have ran car dealerships with service departments and can say at least when the car/truck was done I or my service manager made sure everything worked... Then if a problem arises I NEVER told the customer it will be a week to a month before we would even look at trying to fix it... They ALWAYS went to the front of the line...

I know what you're saying, Dan. I've had many sleepless nights fretting over money spent for work that was promised but not delivered and then waiting with fingers crossed behind a line of guys with the same complaints. That's the main reason I've invested in my own tools over the years so I won't be at the mercy of those kinds of shops.

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

I know what you're saying, Dan. I've had many sleepless nights fretting over money spent for work that was promised but not delivered and then waiting with fingers crossed behind a line of guys with the same complaints. That's the main reason I've invested in my own tools over the years so I won't be at the mercy of those kinds of shops.

Sad thing Vic is exactly what you are saying... I am VERY capable of doing Everything that was done to this truck (and better work than what I got) but I no longer have the facility to accommodate doing this kind of work along with I sold off all of my equipment years ago and in running my own business the time constraints would have made this like a 20 year project instead of six years...

I truly wish that I was one of these guys that is a enthusiast that wants a truck built that had zero knowledge but had a big checkbook... that way all this crap wouldn't bother me... LOL

[Jabbar]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

Here is a update...

We went by the Shop yesterday and guys this trucks body is really starting to come together...

the fit and gaps of the body are pretty much completed and they are starting to fit the body side moldings... here are a few pics for that...









Those of you that have messed with these trucks know the hoods on these things are at best wavy... they are also extremely flexible when you are trying to block them... I think Jason at Chris Carlson's Hot Rods has nailed it and has this hood perfectly straight...



Now for the fun stuff... as you can see from the pictures the Fesler tail light look great... they are still fitting them and still need to get the LED's fit and the back of the light cut and flushed...



Now here is the real fun stuff... the hidden fuel filler... Chris still needs to do some tweaking on this but it is working almost flawlessly...



So what do you guys think...

Dan

Posted via Mobile Device

[Jabbar]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

Here is a update...

We went by the Shop yesterday and guys this trucks body is really starting to come together...

the fit and gaps of the body are pretty much completed and they are starting to fit the body side moldings... here are a few pics for that...









Those of you that have messed with these trucks know the hoods on these things are at best wavy... they are also extremely flexible when you are trying to block them... I think Jason at Chris Carlson's Hot Rods has nailed it and has this hood perfectly straight...



Now for the fun stuff... as you can see from the pictures the Fesler tail light look great... they are still fitting them and still need to get the LED's fit and the back of the light cut and flushed...



Now here is the real fun stuff... the hidden fuel filler... Chris still needs to do some tweaking on this but it is working almost flawlessly...



So what do you guys think...

Dan

Posted via Mobile Device

[Jabbar]

Originally Posted by Jabbar

Posted via Mobile Device

How did you make the tail light door really cool!!!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Elliot949]

I saw this on another truck on this sight a few years ago... Tried to get info from them and they just clammed up... So I just turned the concept over to the shop with some pictures that I uploaded and they went to work...

[Elliot949]

Papa J got some different shoes and socks... These will be used just to give it a different look from time to time... I will run the Whitewalls for the most part... but it does give it a total different look...

[mcbassin]

I like the Torque Thrust and redlines. Looks great!

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by mcbassin

I like the Torque Thrust and redlines. Looks great!

Thanks Mike... I like the T-Thrust also but the whitewalls are just different than everyone else...

We were at a show over the weekend and it seemed like half of the cars/trucks had T-Thrust on them..

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by Elliot949

We were at a show over the weekend and it seemed like half of the cars/trucks had T-Thrust on them..

That's the exact reason my wife says she "hates" those wheels. I keep telling her they're on so many vehicles and copied by so many companies because they look that good! I like them both but I'm more of a muscle car guy so the redlines and Torq Thrust's are my favorite.

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by knomadd

That's the exact reason my wife says she "hates" those wheels. I keep telling her they're on so many vehicles and copied by so many companies because they look that good! I like them both but I'm more of a muscle car guy so the redlines and Torq Thrust's are my favorite.

I agree Duane... I like the TTs and Redlines and it does give that Muscle look but I also really like the Old School Hot Rod look also....

So I get to choose my mood... LOL...

[knomadd]

Can't go wrong with choices. You don't wear the same clothes every day...

[Vic1947]

Hey Dan, wheels and tires look sharp. Although, from my PPoV, the look is either "old school" or "REAL old school".

[Elliot949]

Papa J had a good 1st indoor show... We attended the Devlin Cars For Charities show (former Starbird Car Show)..

We picked up 3 trophies and one of the 3 was very special...

That special trophy was awarded by a young man of about 6 years old... He and his Dad go to the car shows and the young man awards the car/truck the he picks as his favorite of the show... out of appx 400 cars he chose Papa J as his favorite of the show...

He is a picture of me accepting my award from him along with my other 2 awards for Sponsor choice and the KKOA award for their choice of the show...

[Advanced Design]

Congratulations. Well deserved!

[Vic1947]

Way to go, Dan! All the hard work and anguish you endured during the build sort of fades away on days like these. That hardware will look great on your shelf at home.

[Elliot949]

Originally Posted by Vic1947

Way to go, Dan! All the hard work and anguish you endured during the build sort of fades away on days like these. That hardware will look great on your shelf at home.

Thanks Vic... It definitely challenged my patience several times... Wichita Dyno finally got the drivability issue solved after 2 years chasing the problem...

Did you get CRLS sold???