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

[Modges'66]

Ha! Screws all clocked to specs! Makes me laugh hard!
I am a big OCD addict, and this makes me think of the door panel screws in the '66!!!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

This is confusing me. I'm subscribed to your thread on GJ and on here. I reply to one and then see the other and think what happened to my reply?

Anyway good job on the lights and way to go for the clocked screws. I do that some times and some times not just to show who is in control of my stuff.

Happy New Year, again.

Hey Vince, I subscribe to and contribute to 10 very different forums regularly, from motorbikes to cars, to Teardrop caravans and trucks, so chances are you will find me elsewhere too.

Lights were real therapeutic as I had company.

I was going to do it all myself as I did some first time, but Henry needed time away from his own garage, so my place was perfect.

He also had a roll of fireproof wire and a better understanding of rewriting than me. I can make do, but he makes it all work.

Originally Posted by Modges'66

Ha! Screws all clocked to specs! Makes me laugh hard!
I am a big OCD addict, and this makes me think of the door panel screws in the '66!!!!

You guys drive me nuts.

I love the look of clocked screws and wood grain aligned etc, but prefer the normal look of random screw heads.

Glad you had a laugh though.

[Grizz1963]

.............. And then it it hit me hard.

Been walking with a threatening chest infection for two weeks, kind of ignoring it, but as you,know one cannot let stuff slow you down.

On Thursday after Henry left, I really felt rubbish, tired and coughing a lot more, had started taking Benelyn the day before at Craig's place, but I guess weeeks of not sleeping enough etc caught up. So I did not write up until yesterday, and ended up spending all day indoors except for honestly walking to the garage early morning to gloat at my new lights down the one side of the garage and to use the new switch...... yes, sh!t like this does give me a lot of pleasure. I even took a photo to text over to Henry as a thank you. Mad yes.



The second time I left the house was to go to the village 3 miles from here to fetch more cough syrup, bread and milk. And that was less than pleasant, cold, foggy and miserable outside.
I came straight back and indoors. Possibly my first day of doing absolutely nothing. But my body just said no.
So I never got to go to Machine Mart to get a new swan neck and parts for the welder.

I did however manage to binge watch 6hrs of recorded television, not even porn could keep me that busy that long.

I had recorded a programme on National Geographic called "Harley and the Davidsons" a three part series very much romanticised about the beginnings and progress of Harley Davidson
Really thankful for that.

I mentioned that Henry had noticed that my home DB was fitted with a 40 amp circuit feed to the garage, but the garage had a 60 amp DB.
So when the garage trips out, it happens in the house, necessitating a walk back to the house........ why would It be fitted like that ????
And of course we now will be able to fit a dedicated 16 amp outlet for the welder which obviously pulls the most current when it is working.



Today I am again just keeping a low profile, which is massively frustrating for me........

But at least I can look around on EBay for stuff I do not need, and cars I want but should not have.

I also need to start thinking about what I can do with these two massive headlights, think rugby ball, or teenagers head size.

They belong to a good friend and he asked me to give some thought to repurposing them.



Answers on a post card.


Ohhhhh, and of course Happy New Year when you get to it.


Here's to a better 2017.

[Palf70Step]

Lights look good Rian. Getting electrical right is always good. Hope you get to feeling better quickly. Happy New Year.

[Ta2Don]

Happy & Blessed New Year Mate!

Since we message back and forth and FaceTime, I've neglected looking in here...

Backed up and came forward... Very cool seeing the write up to match the pics I see...

Rest and get ready for the rest of '17...

Cheers Mate!

[65sub]

Happy New Year Rian. The new shop lights are looking good

[Bomp]

Happy New Year!
Get over that cold.

[realvc]

Get well soon.

Harley needs you healthy.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

Get well soon.

Harley needs you healthy.

Thanks Vince.

I just find being unwell so boring as it slows me right down.

And yes, she does need me for some stuff.

Originally Posted by Bomp

Happy New Year!
Get over that cold.

Yes please. Happy New Year to your gang too mate.

Originally Posted by 65sub

Happy New Year Rian. The new shop lights are looking good

They make me grin and feel pretty good Dale.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Happy & Blessed New Year Mate!

Since we message back and forth and FaceTime, I've neglected looking in here...

Backed up and came forward... Very cool seeing the write up to match the pics I see...

Rest and get ready for the rest of '17...

Cheers Mate!

Cheers Donald.

Always good to see you on here.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Lights look good Rian. Getting electrical right is always good. Hope you get to feeling better quickly. Happy New Year.

Agreed Bill.

And a good year to you as well.



First day of the year.......

Still coughing and spluttering, keeping a low profile.

However, I did go to Machine Mart to go buy a replacement swan neck etc for the welder.

Got there and the shop was shut, so ended up having a shop coffee, Gingerbread Latté which to me is a luxury that always goes down wel..

Anyway, came home, had lunch and stayed indoors.

Have I mentioned that I hate doing nothing?? But I have little option, this chest infection is beating me up and I need to work on Tuesday.

Later Harley demanded a fire, so I started us a fire while researching something really naughty or bad, depending where you look from.



A load of skip find pallet wood works great to generate heat..... free is good.



Resulting in a dead cat.




Last day of my Christmas break tomorrow........

May just be on a mini road trip with Paul Y if I can get all my ducks in a row.

Later guys.

[Grizz1963]

Not much to update.

Been feeling pretty grim this week, indoors still today.

However...... mini road trip tomorrow.

Interested?

[Palf70Step]

Hell Yeah!!

[flashed]

Hell yeah ,me too .

[clemdaddy]

Hope you get to feeling better. I haven't been on here much and didn't even know you were infected in the chest. But you still seem you keep good spirits and manage the important stuff like heat for harley and lights in the shop.

Get your rest and get well soon...

[realvc]

Hope you are back to Grizz speed soon.

Also interested in your trip.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Hell Yeah!!

Originally Posted by flashed

Hell yeah ,me too .

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

Hope you get to feeling better. I haven't been on here much and didn't even know you were infected in the chest. But you still seem you keep good spirits and manage the important stuff like heat for harley and lights in the shop.

Get your rest and get well soon...

Originally Posted by realvc

Hope you are back to Grizz speed soon.

Also interested in your trip.

Thank you guys.

Just off to bed in the hope that I actually get to sleep.


Road trip still going ahead.

Cash out of safe = Check

Dealer plates = Check



Alarm set = Check

Paul Y ready = errrmmmm Check.

Cryptic-ish hint at approximately what next = See below.





And finally

Got a text from mate Darren Hardy at Unit Engineering and Signs to say my garage sign is ready.



Wish me well for tomorrow's trip.

[Larry64]

Wishing you well & plenty of pictures.

[mjh1965]

Enjoy your new toy
Posted via Mobile Device

[flashed]

Looking forward to our surprise.

[Bomp]

Sorry to say but they totally messed up on the sign.
I watched it being done "professionally" the right way. With safety glasses.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Larry64

Wishing you well & plenty of pictures.

Thanks Larry.

A few pics.

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Enjoy your new toy
Posted via Mobile Device

Spoke to you already with update. Hope your mum cooked a great dinner..... I had pizza, just not as good.

Originally Posted by flashed

Looking forward to our surprise.

Thanks John.

Report below.

Originally Posted by Bomp

Sorry to say but they totally messed up on the sign.
I watched it being done "professionally" the right way. With safety glasses.

Ahhhh Greg, you had me chuckling here and also flashback to two of the best weeks of my life.


Back at home after a great day and mini road trip out with Paul Y, just over 200 miles.

The preamble to this little road trip is founded in my 2016 being a bit of a mess. So I have possibly been looking for a fix or my general mood.

I have had some amazing support from the likes of CraigRK, JohnnyBravo, Paul Y and a variety of people on the various forums in different countries who read the various threads I contribute to.
There is also Miss Katy who does not necessarily understand or care too much for the madness of wanting an old car........ But she also said that I should do what I felt was right for me?

In May last year I saw an online advertisement for a 1971 station wagon, one owner, V8, Sunburned California Patina, P/S, A/C, Auto, P/B all sorts of goodness where it was in America. At that point I had a wife and a truck to get back onto in the garage, despite knowing she wanted to leave. I just loved the look of the car, but was not in the market for one.

Fast forward to November after my US road trip and my mood was a bit low, the truck was not going far very quickly and I started to look for a fix.

I Found this ad on Rods n Sods

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/veh...%A35800-467209

I found myself going back to look at the ad every few days........... know the feeling? I really liked this car.

On Old years day, my lodger gave me notice for end January........ this meant that my mortgage repayments were going to go up by 30% and I should not be even thinking of cars n toys.
Ohh, and of course I am a contractor, so job security is not ideal.... poop.

Just after Christmas I noticed the price had been lowered.

So I called the seller in San Francisco for a 30 minute chat from my mobile.

Still dithering about whether I should even consider buying this thing, I ended up speaking to an ex girlfriend from 10 years ago whose council I seek from time to time as she is a bit brutal and also quite blunt but always honest. She made a few valid comments and asked a few questions.

What value do you place on having that car?

ITS A TOY.

Do you think you deserve it?

ERRRMMMM?

How do you reward Rian for his hard work?

NOT SURE I REALLY DO

Will it put a smile on your face?

HELL YEAHHHH !!

Well imagine how wonderful it will be when you start doing things to please Rian?

She told me her car's brake pressure sensor needed replacing recently. The washing machine had broken down. And said " I am a single woman, looking after two children on my own with a mortgage to pay.....

Get my point ?"

If I make the statements above my life's narrative then I will be a grumpy old woman...

All this stuff is just part of life honey.......

The opportunity has opened up for a lodger with whom you can have a more rewarding experience....

Go look at the car and buy it if it is right.



So that brings us to today's road trip.

I met Paul at a predesignated spot.



I had taken along two 6 litre jerry cans and bought fuel to put in the car for a decent drive and road test.

Paul checking up on his world........



Then we drove over to where the car was stored.

Greeted by Dennis, an old fan of trucks and wagons, he rebuilds a lot of stuff and one of his new additions is this one owner low mileage F250 that had a camper shell on all its life.



His workshops are a dream, that is all.



I decided to not post loads of pics of all his toys but rather his latest resto project........ of course it's a pickup truck.

Can you guess what it was before?



Then it was on to the car we had come to see.

1971 Pontiac Lemans Sportwagon

Dennis drove it out and then onto the ramp so we could look under it and inside in the daylight.

And here is the kicker, the video clip below shows what happened today, the first time in his life......... not funny, but shows how easy things can change. We fixed that in a few minutes.

CLICKY LINKY:

71 Pontiac Lemans onto ramp. - YouTube

Paul Y did the whole mechanical check and we found the car has many new maintenance parts etc, he will be along later to describe what he saw.







Back end with two way tailgate with electric window.



So after two hours with Dennis and Paul, I decided to walk away from the car, as it does not completely blow my hair back.

I am gutted that in the end it was not what I needed or wanted, but when Paul logically asked me "If you look at it from your kitchen window in the morning, will it make your heart beat faster and will it make you want to take it for a drive"

My answer honestly was that I did not think it would like the Chevy truck does.


[font size="5"][font color="e61982"]Now for the mathematics.[/font][/font]

At the advertised price of £5250.00 for a one owner V8 car which we both believe has really only done 31k miles if you look at the minimal wear on its controls, the fact loads of maintenance parts have obviously been replaced as needed over time. Trainsmission and engine oils are clean. All controls, lights, hooter etc worked when we went through them, the engine is smooth, transmission changes smoothly........

If you consider £2000.00 as shipping, then you know you are getting this car at bicycle money.

I am gutted, but it's not right to be the next Grizz car.

So this pic that I created a week ago in anticipation, will just be that, a pic.




Now go find me a car.......... or truck or something.

[ibrown50]

Rian, this sounds like a great car, but Paul is right, if you're going to have £5K in it it has to "float your boat".

Regular followers of Rian's thread will recall this from the previous page, with the comment "The other one I prepped, etch primered and painted and it may be headed out to a friend in the Royal Mail soon"



Well it turned out that friend was me, it was a total surprise when it landed in the mail yesterday. I really appreciate this, it's another unique "something" for my garage wall, it's now hanging in pride of place on the garage wall with some of my favourite hub-caps,



a kind and generous act Thanks mate

[Grizz1963]

Glad the sign made it to your place Ian.

I know you like a bit of weirdness...... so it was an easy decision.

It does not deserve to be in the company of greatness like RR but hey........ your garage your stuff.

I did not delete tge pic your wife took for you to send me.

[Grizz1963]

I have quoted Paul Y my partner in crime from today.


[quote author="@pauly" source="/post/2278402/thread" timestamp="1483902809"]Don't know about checking my world, more like doing a stock take on the inside of my eye lids....

Anyway... as I was recovering from a 620mile drive conducted over 12 hours the previous day I was slightly less...buoyant... than normal but feeling pretty damn privaliged to be asked on a Grizz road trip. I mean, come on, there are 105 pages of adventure! so being asked along for a small part was all the reason I needed to drag myself from my pit.

Well that and STATION WAGON.

Rian has pretty much covered Dennis, a really nice chap with very interesting toys. Anyway.. STATION WAGON.

When I first saw the Ark Royal nestling in its dry dock I was pretty much sold on it. A really genuine, honest original car that was wearing the battle scars of the previous 46 years with pride.

The small challenge with the ramp meant that we spend 30 minutes doing our best Magiver getting it back where it should be and also enabled Rian to get his first 'seat time'

Ok so photobucket is being an [img src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/underwire/2009/11/fox_60.jpg"], will insert photo later

Later



Looks right at home....

Showed around 31k on the clock and I would not be surprised if that was genuine.

All,of the controls, contact surfaces etc looked great, no wear.. the doors closed with a new car clunk plus the door gaps were spot on and no play in the door hinges.

A quick look underneath showed a pretty much prestige undercarriage. A little wear in the steering, but probably an advisory rather than a fail, engine was a little wet but nothing to worry about.

It looks,as if there has been money spent on it -fuel pump, radiator, pads, alternator etc all looked recent.

Engine oil looks fresh and the auto fluid was clear and clean.

Tyres are good. Got it back on the ground and had a play. Everything works! Even the aircon was cold! Radio sounds like you would expect and the CB lit up.

The über cool rear tailgate worked as it should and the power windows went up and down all be it slowly.

Bad bits are the rear floor needs some attention due to the leaking rear window.

It needs window and door seal.

The interior is a bit cracked

There is a few dents and a little rust on the tailgate and lower rear quarters but nothing major.

I would have bought it but I knew Rian was not.



In fact if I had the £5k it would be now sitting in my drive to replace my wife's modern daily. She might be my ex wife but you get the idea....

So, in closing. If you want a wagon. Buy this one. Spend £500 on seals, shocks and steering. Drive, enjoy and then hit with the lowering stick, Astro Supremes or the 17" Honeycombs - bag it, clear coat it and sort out the seats.

Some one needs to buy this. Before I find myself living out of the back of it....

P. [/quote]

[realvc]

Really nice looking wagon. Sorry things did not work out with it.

I know we can never have too many vehicles. Bomp is my hero with all those trucks and even a Camaro in the rafters.

It is always fun to look and dream though.

[Ta2Don]

Decisions can be tough! Glad you enjoyed your day nonetheless!!!