Grizz's Redneck Express 1966 Chevy Short Fleetside RESTO-GO!

[dwcardfan]

Oh yea!!!!!!

[northern 85]

Cool stuff!!!

[Grizz1963]

Once I started on chair no3 Bomp had wizened up to me and would take pics but also manage to break my stride.





Leading to my standard response.



Of course having thrown down the gauntlet firmly with his Spider chair it was up to me to respond.

Took me a day to figure out a response and to be honest, I will concede defeat in this case.

My feeble attempt was to create a V8 Chainsaw chair. Using available materials.

Amazingly its not a 5 minute job. Happy to get it done and included into Clems garden collection but the Spider chair rocks big time.





While in a creative mood I thought a GRiZZ tag for the fence was in order too.

Plasma cutter and Arkansas license plate.



Result !!



Mounted above the Impala tail light fairy lights and a collection of dead spray guns.



Made another once I found a plate to sacrifice for Katy to put on her shed as she had been in the US at the same time.



And then while on a roll made a piece for Clem.

No idea what he may do with it. But it got made.



More later.

[aggie91]

Love it. the older I get the more I want to do things like this. I just need to find the time, maybe after the last two kids get through school first...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Love it. the older I get the more I want to do things like this. I just need to find the time, maybe after the last two kids get through school first...

Karl.......

Now is the time.

Baby steps.

Take yourself and one other person away for a one or two day weekend..... Longview has to be near something interesting.


PS. Yes this trip was awesome.
And my words cannot even come close to describing all the generosity and my experiences on this trip.
Go do a short one and you will be hooked.
Or...... invite a fellow texan or two to stay over a night and talk trucks for the night.

[Grizz1963]

Next day......

Saturday.

Remember why I was doing this trip?

My central anchor of course is Fayetteville Arkansas and Clems Toy Run.



Breakfast maketh man.





Eggs n Bacon??





Once the food was consumed we went back to the shop and Clem kept us busy somewhat.

He also gave Chad the truck and he, Bomp and I went shopping for booze and our contributions to tbe toy run.

Bomps suggestion was this little piece.



Eventually we got back to the shop and proceeded to get things ready, park up trucks etc.

More about that later.

Cottons truck was the first to arrive.



Ten awards in nine shows entered.

Cottons Chevy truck. - YouTube

This truck is used as a daily driver.



A few random yard shots.



Photo ucket fail tonight.

[flashed]

Looks like a wild crew .

[Palf70Step]

Looks like lots of fun. Wish I could have made it.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Looks like a wild crew .

Bunch of *****cats. The lot of them.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Looks like lots of fun. Wish I could have made it.

Invite is yours.

Next year??




Boosted Bertha.





From last year. Repeat offender.

Just beautiful.



After dark thonks got more interesting.

The Silver Shakers cranked it up a notch.



Clems carburetor fuel bowls are also perfect shot glasses.



One of my favourite shots.......

Clems Impala Fairy Lights.

[Grizz1963]

More ??

Single post truck lift used as Toys for Tots table.

Great success in collecting toys for a great cause.



QUICK VIDEO:

Silver Shakers 2016 Tuba Trucks. - YouTube

Looking for breakfast?

Seems we went to the wrong place.





Of couse only in America can you find a great group of cars on a road trip while on a road trip.
They were headed for California.
Went to fill Clems truck after breakfast and found this group.











DRIVING OFF

Road trip in a road trip - YouTube

[Grizz1963]

Sunday was started slowly by all concerned.





After waking, breakfast etc we all decamped for Mike and Sarah Losh's new place for lunch.
Some of us in Kims Subaru, McMurphy and Trish their hire car and Chad in his truck.
Prepared by Mikes nimble fingers.

Boosted Bertha



Cloud Nine





I also got given a gift for being the biggest poopy stirrer

Meet Mr Poopy.



Paul "Neveno" reversing his dream truck "Boosted Bertha" into The White House's garage.



Originator of the Mr Poopy award and allround good guy Paul.




New addition at the Losh household.

Thank you Sarah and Mike for lunch.



Headed back toward Fayetteville we were all shattered from a few days of hyper activity.



I love these large flags proudly flown on tbe side of the roads.

[Grizz1963]

Remember the Hemi Challenger sitting outside Clems yard?

Well, it was waiting for a rather precious cargo.

Dennis as you may remember, is building a 1966 C10 on a modern NASCAR Chassis with a serious motor and trans.

He had bought one C10 that turned out to be no good other than for some parts.

What was left was destined for the scrapyard in the sky.
Until he tought about it and took his Sawzall to the scrap pile and removed the rear end from the bed and mounted it outside his shop.



At this point he asked me to see if Clem may have a used/patina'd front or rear bumper to sell him that he could fit under the tailgate section.

This is where the Hemi Challenger comes into its own.

I fitted the bumper Clem sourced for Dennis into the rear and still had space in the front seat for a passenger.



Tuesday morning it was the last three men standing. Clem, Bomp and me.

Up early and ready to leave by 08.00 I was ready to go back to bed. Thos whole jetlag thing was no fun this year.



After all our Goodbyes were said, including Mrs J and all the cats, it was time to see what Ms SatNag had to say on the shortest route to St Louis, Missouri.



Well. Trust me. It was going to be an 8 hr plus day.
I was certainly not racing through. I would avoid motorways where possible. Stop at McDonalds for WiFi etc.

I would also try to keep awake.

I filled the car in Fayetteville and got on the road by 08.30

Once filed and before I hit the city bypass I saw this.......

Gotta love cool classics.



By now you know I love place names and quirky names. Very juvenile yes.

So along the way there was this.

And various versions of it.









And a personal favourite.

[Grizz1963]

Next day I felt a bit better.

Rum and beer fixes stuff. Sometimes.



Dennis had gone off to work and I had the Challenger again.

Some errands to run. Including getting various parcels into the post for US and other destinations.

Here was an interesting experience. Again the sort of stuff I do like to discover.

A whole town had been laid out and planned. Roads and infrastructure set up. Plus a large Post Office and depot built.

Guess what.......?

Town never got built so this post office sits on its own in the middle of nowhere.

Staff ....??

I have yet to meet more helpful and friendly staff in a post office. The lady just blew me away with her helpfulness. Even wrapped my parcels in extra tape to ensure they arrived safely.



I went to Walmart where Chevy, Ford and Gas Monkey garage T shirts, tops and hoodies cost from $7.50
Bargains.

Then later on back home to start sorting my piles of stuff that I had either bought or been asked to bring back.

Flashed (John) had selected a load of Hotwheels trucks, baseball caps etc for me and posted them to Clems before I got there. To be shared if I wanted to.

Some of the toys



When Dennis came home we went straight over to Roger and Debbies place again as the hood needed to be fitted to the Orange monster.

But before that we checked out his favourite toy.

Heater control for the cab........



Motor

With welded cracked block.



Pretty in primer.



Both cars as found and bought in a barn

Photo of a photo obviously.



Spot-less the hunting dog.

Very cool garage company too.



Hunting wagon. Massive kennel built onto rear for Spot-Less to stay in when hunting season is on.

Rogers smoked game sausage is absolutely awesome with beer.



Dennis as always making short work of body work and getting shut lines sorted.

[Grizz1963]

Interior starting to take shape as well.

Newly upholstered seats. Piping colour matches body paint colou as painted by Dennis.







And then there was the chicken wings. With BBQ or Hot Sauce. Made by Rogers wife Debbie.

These had us all stumped. They were just perfect.






We eventually made it back home. Beers in hand.

Dennis showed me his race car trailer.

Well, its not really a trailer as we know it. It is a fully mobile workshop.

Loaded with complete front and rear ends and other stuff that is all dialed in for the race car.





That was it for Wednesday evening.

Thursday would be final packing.

[Grizz1963]

Sooooo.........???

Remember Ethyls where we were headed for lunch?

Any guess what the name implies or the theme of the restaurant?

Answers on here to see if anyone is still taking notice or reading the words?

Photobucket should be releasing my last batch of pics later to wrap up this trip.

[clemdaddy]

Eat here and get gas...

[Grizz1963]

So Ethyls:

noun: ethyl alcohol
a colourless volatile flammable liquid which is the intoxicating constituent of wine, beer, spirits, and other drinks, and is also used as an industrial solvent and as fuel.

Walking into the restaurant this greets you.

Look closely.......

In the background you see Dennis headed for the bar where we were having our last lunch.

You can see the pumps. Answer.



Everywhere you walk the theme is clearly automotive.



Ethyl alcohol...... makes our hobby go around.

Dennis put in a lot of his life and many many hours of his time into getting this restaurant its look.


Remember the various sprint cars over at Dennis' shop at home?

Driven to championship status by his son Adam.

This was Adams first car he raced as a kid.




Model T Ford?

Well, half of one, built and paunted by Dennis years ago.

It has a long and interesting history, including. Eing stolen and repatriated by the police years later.
Only the plate on the front helped the police find where it was from.



Loads of these tables also made by recessing tools etc and then covering them in clear resin.









Bear and a barrel.

Just so much stuff everywhere.

Pegasus is an original.

Massive.

Priceless (well, worth a lot of money)



Some amazing history on the walls and hung up everywhere.

And at this point my mouth was still just hanging open.

So much great stuff in one place.



I had not even sat down to order my lunch.

Also kept running into people I had previously met with Dennis and Debbie.

It really was like being at home with friends.

Did I mention that life is good ??

More in a bit.

Last mile.

[flashed]

Love all your pics and I too love to see the Flag in the wind like that .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Love all your pics and I too love to see the Flag in the wind like that .

Wish the British were more proud.


Monday came and it was all back to normal.

Clem asked Bomp and I if we wanted to join him on a littke road trip to go fetch his Race car.

Helll Yeahhh !!



He had some custom headers made up for the motor, with a block in place so it could be custom fitted.
So we were off early after filling the truck and hooking up the trailer.



Some distance into the back of beyond got us to this side road and sign.



Getting inside the shops after Bomp reversed the trailer up a track like a pro was interesting.

Low light.

Masses of machines out in the fields rusting away.

Indoors a load of clutter.





Can you say Headers ??



Working headers for a miniature V8 motor.



Clems Car loaded





Once loaded we were offered an extensive tour of the factory.

Few pics as lighting was terrible.

A 24 foot dragster fram in the background.

Business owner Jim Dugan started building it 20 years ago but his knees gave in and it has never been completed.

Much of the factory sadly had a similar feel to it but it seems they still produceproducys for various custom and after market suppliers.

[65sub]

I'm really enjoying the trip Rian. It's almost like being there.

[Larry64]

Between last year & this, what great story lines. Thanks for the details.

[Grizz1963]

Seems that Jim had been involved with some interesting teams and builds in the past. He is also a confirmed Hemi addict.

Built one of these years ago it seems.



Leaving, there was loads of evidence of the past.







Headed back toward Fayetteville the signs and roadside was filled with reminders of America as I had experienced it.

This was my last day with Clem.
McMurphy, Chad had both gone home by now. So it was just Bomp and I left.

My heart was certainly becoming heavy. Funny that.



A lot of Religion in this part of the US as well.



Back home we unloaded the race car.

Underside



Mockup engine in place.



Bomp in place. Happy.



My car patiently waiting to be packed. Ready for the trip back to Missouri.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by 65sub

I'm really enjoying the trip Rian. It's almost like being there.

Dale, that is the perfect way to sit back and enjoy it.

There is so much to see in the US so this is nothing more than a little pinch of salt. Meant to add flavour to the days of those reading or following my life and this truck build that will become a build again as soon as my head agrees.

I do miss working on the truck and swearing and laughing at it in equal measure.

It is very therapeutic to me.

Originally Posted by Larry64

Between last year & this, what great story lines. Thanks for the details.

Hey Larry. Thanks for posting a reply.

Yes. It has been great.

Filled with the most awesomely generous people you would ever want to meet.

The thing is, from the teenage girl working the petrol station near Dennis who "Just love your accent" to the people I met along the way to my various hosts and friends...... you could not ask for better.

I love the US that I experienced and the people I met.

[flashed]

We do tend to like an accent we dont hear often but I do hear some since we have students from the UK here on our university campus .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

We do tend to like an accent we dont hear often but I do hear some since we have students from the UK here on our university campus .

John
The best part about many foreigners is that they like to learn from you and you can often learn a lot from them.

I love any accents as they are sure to teach me stuff too.