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

[aggie91]

Its been hot here in Texas too. Yesterday was actually not to bad and was able to get a few things done after work at the house.

yes, floor joists is the correct word for what Dennis was getting done...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Yeah sometimes we just need to sit back. Had some issues with my truck's ac install (again) and just left it from Friday till today. Sometimes it is better to take the break, than smash it with a BFH! But it was sure HOT in that metal building. AC feels so good when you put the tools down. Enjoy my friend!!

Totally agree Bill.

No AC here, but just sitting and relaxing was good.

Originally Posted by aggie91

Its been hot here in Texas too. Yesterday was actually not to bad and was able to get a few things done after work at the house.

yes, floor joists is the correct word for what Dennis was getting done...

Thanks Aggie,

Yes, the heat can be a killer and then add in a days work, and two hours each way by train......


Yesterday ended up like this.....

Today will be warmer it seems.


Garage time may be interesting, after I finish the regular stuff like cleaning house, laundry and cutting grass this morning.


Joy will be over later too....

A good thing to look forward to.


And the lodger asked if he could use the telly downstairs for football..... I think he said England is playing somewhere in Russia. Do I give a toss??? Nope.




Looking forward to some of this later though.

And maybe fire cooked animal parts.

[Grizz1963]

Postman dropped off an envelope from Ric “wreck diver” yesterday.

Thank you very much Ric.

To be added to my collection of randomness.

Packard badge.



Funny how sometimes four or five hours will show nothing but bring loads of change or progress.

Yesterday I spent time clearing the last two boxes of Nicola’s late mums “stuff” that I discovered in the back corner of the garage, opening it all, unpacking and filming for her to decide in the end I can throw it all away, then cleared out a couple of Dyson vacuum cleaners and a small refrigerator plus a load of boxes and other stuff that accumulated over time.

More space, and have moved the Snapon toolbox in there now.



Then shoved the truck out into the sun, first time in years, and swept the garage, moved some other stuff around a bit more before pushing it halfway back in again, into some shade so that I could carry on with the speaker hole delete.



Finished off grinding welds, looks like ****e, possibly is, but smooth and flat.





It got progressively hotter.

By the time the primer was sprayed, I moved my car back over the street and noticed the temperature.



Next job after a long cold drink was to start on the job that I have possibly feared the most since day one.

Closing the radio hole.

I will fit a new radio, out of sight, and with a remote control once the reassembly eventually starts.

A couple of years ago, I paid about $25.00 plus postage to England for a section of dash from someone in the USA with the intent to weld it into the dash after removing the mangled hole that was a radio hole.



I also managed to get what I think is a fairly rare ribbed (for pleasure) radio delete plate when we went parts hunting with Clem at Tubatrucks.com a few years ago in Arkansas.which I wanted to fit to the dash once the hole is repaired.



Fits loosely inside the hole.



So I decided yesterday, in the heat to try something else first......

Square off the hole with a Sharpie and a ruler and see if there was enough material to go for “Plan B“ which is the lazy route, but could mean less headache later vs cutting a large part of the dash out.



I also straightened out the edges, which were all bent and mangled from generations of abuse.

Then got out my powerfile, a bargain at £20.00 off Facebook tradepage a couple of years ago.

Just seems to have a massive appetite for belts.

Am I doing something wrong??

[Grizz1963]

well, I just got back from B&Q where I went to look for powerfile belts, because the ones I have are snapping for not reason, unless age and living in the garage a few years, has compromised the glue on the joins.

OUCH !!

£7.00 plus for 3 belts.

I checked on eBay and found that you can get 48 belts in four varying grits for £16.00 and free delivery.

I will be ordering online.


So after marking out the dash to get straight lines and waste as little as possible metal, I took my power file after using a flap disc on the long sides, to finish up squaring the hole.



Squared off.



Template made and copied



Transferred



Offered up



Prepped.



Careful tacking.





AND WALK AWAY...........



I forced myself to walk away at this point, pack up, shower and cook dinner for Joy.

Relaxed, drank a few beers, it was 7pm after all and England had won at their game of kickball.

Just headed back to the garage now to carry on welding.

Fingers crossed that I stay patient.

Update later.

[Indian113]

SLOW and Steady! A warp there would be a Royal Pain in the Arse.

[Palf70Step]

[ibrown50]

I agree 2 (groan!! ).

Great idea Rian, it's definitely the least damage to the existing dash and as you say if it doesn't work (which I'm sure it will) you still have the repair section.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Indian113

SLOW and Steady! A warp there would be a Royal Pain in the Arse.

For sure.

I did force myself to go dead slow.

I think it worked.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Originally Posted by ibrown50

I agree 2 (groan!! ).

Great idea Rian, it's definitely the least damage to the existing dash and as you say if it doesn't work (which I'm sure it will) you still have the repair section.

Thanks Ian.

It was not the easier route, but at least I got to manage the risk and used plan “A” before going large.

[Grizz1963]

Dennis had a busy weekend.

All the joists on his replica gas station are screwed together using screws and hangers, he likes the job done right.



Remember the house/workshop/shed his son Adam and Hanna were building?

Progress there too.

Plumbing laid out and a backhoe brought in.

By end of day all the trenches for plumbing were dug and created, leaving a pile of dirt and trenches everywhere.



Tall building. Welcome to America.



My Sunday was filled with two reasonable Bootfairs followed by some stuff I needed to do.

Nice heavy duty bogey for the garage, cost me £5.00 or $7.50-ish.



Then into the garage to carry on welding.

A few years ago I managed to get a nice lump of copper to use as backing, both thermal and also for plug or infill welding.



Two rounds later, alternate welds.



Ground back and inspected.

Thankfully patience delivered and no warping.



Unfortunately I am not always very bright, admittedly.

I kept snapping belts on the powerfile, JohnnyBravo suggested I may need to fine tune the setting and alignment.

Ultimately had to stop work as I ran out of belts to snap.

Ordered more off eBay, and will check setting of the finger.

So job not complete yet.



Point at which I shut shop and came n to shower and wait for Joy to visit.

Happy so far.

Not perfect, but at least all metal.




Today I also got some more bits that may just help make the finishing easier.

[Palf70Step]

Good work on the radio fill Rian!

[Indian113]

Rian, Lookin Good! Do you plan a radio in the future?

[flashed]

I believe he plans to hide the radio .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Good work on the radio fill Rian!

Thanks Bill, it was my biggest worry to do.

Was even prepared to pay a pro...... but glad I did it myself.

Originally Posted by Indian113

Rian, Lookin Good! Do you plan a radio in the future?

Morning Ray,

As John mentioned, the radio will be under the seat or behind it, my tank is relocated, and a remote used to operate it.

No iPod etc.

I only listen to the radio when it’s parked up, and like the clean dash look.

I may add the blanking plate with some double sided tape, rather than cut the holes back in.

Originally Posted by flashed

I believe he plans to hide the radio .

Correct mate.

The 3” pipes and slightly lumpy cam will mean no radio needed.

[Grizz1963]

Week continues to be busy, very busy, so no car or truck progress.

Was fortunate enough to work in London (a city I dislike traveling to and from now, with trains being cancelled daily) yesterday.

Able to watch all the flyby’s of the Royal Air Force, celebrating 100 years.

A search on Google or YouTube will give you better and more complete reporting from the BBC

My phone video of last flyby.

RAF 100 years. Flyby. - YouTube

May get some grinding time in tonight on the truck tonight.

Fingers crossed.

No kickball for me.

[Indian113]

Rian, my radio on my Harley has a remote control. My wife carries it when she rides with me. She has a habit of changing songs because I have a Memory Stick with 17 hours of music and ALL of Fleetwood Mac copied! The wife doesn't understand my love affair with Stevie Nicks- LOL

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Indian113

Rian, my radio on my Harley has a remote control. My wife carries it when she rides with me. She has a habit of changing songs because I have a Memory Stick with 17 hours of music and ALL of Fleetwood Mac copied! The wife doesn't understand my love affair with Stevie Nicks- LOL

Ahhh yes.

Stevie.

She is a goddess.

I cannot be bothered with loads of music. The radio works fine for me.



Well. Spent a large chunk of today over at Craigs place 85 miles from home.

The first thing is to get size into perspective.

As we were discussing it, Craig suggested this was the S-Max of ots day.
It certainly dwarfs my Focus.

Random pics as uploaded.

My favourite line.



Felivered in the street and parked in the hedge, first job was to move it and then using Craigs wife to drive the Ford Ranger, we slowly let it down their sloped driveway.




Happy man.



Once we had the Suburban parked up it was time for inventory and closer inspection.

Remember, Craig bought the car without trans and motor as he has a load of good parts already stashed away.

We found some numbers inside the hood and front firewall.

Any ideas?

Airforce?

Navy?



After changing the front wheel to a new one, and removing the hideous modern rear view mirrors the manpower was tested



Also ng with the other jobs today, a new rear axle, hubs and suspension parts were fetched.

Packed away in the rear of the beneficiary.

Clam Shell rear end is not common.



Job done.



Lorraine fed us some very sexy European deli food after we had wrapped up on the jobs that needed doing.

After lunch and a beer, I noticed where Elli, Craigs daughter had been playing and had to complete the pic.

Yes I enjoyd it.

Saw it, had to complete it.








And Craig gave me another air rifle skip find.

It needs a seal on the barrel.

BSA Meteor in .22 calibre with scope. And a box.



After this I headed home down an M25 that was a bit congested.

Got home late afternoon and went to my garage to play with my truck for a bit.

A great day out.

[Palf70Step]

That is a real nice Suburban Craig has.

A weekend with trucks & friends is always good.

[Indian113]

Awesome Time was had by All it looks like. I wish I had that sub. but I have enough projects at the moment.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

That is a real nice Suburban Craig has.

A weekend with trucks & friends is always good.

And Craig is really therapeutic as is his whole family and dogs.

He thinks like me on some stuff and gets my repurposing mind.

Originally Posted by Indian113

Awesome Time was had by All it looks like. I wish I had that sub. but I have enough projects at the moment.

I think those Suburbans are not that common even in the USA?

And yes, a good time.

More in a bit.

[Grizz1963]

So getting started once we were on the drive, I exploited one of Craig’s greatest weaknesses.......

Order, uniformity, and all things OCD.

One of the four wheels was an original rim and tyre with locked on nuts.

So I pointed out to him it really did not look very good.

So we fetched the no 4 wheel of 5 he bought with new tyres (well, 100 miles used) and he fitted it after much work with “spookpis” (Duck oil) on the nuts and a breaker bar.





Once done he had a relieved look on his face, so I pointed out the modern side mirrors rusted onto the doors, one had been broken off in transit.

Panic turned to calm when he brought out the grinder.





How many moderns can you walk over and get to tight spots like this....?

Mirror no 2 being addressed.



One of my favourite repairs to the rear clamshell door.

Shows the value to which this had dropped at some point in its life.



Back to size perspective.

Ford Focus.





And last pic.

As found yesterday morning.

Where it was delivered. Looking down on Lil the 47 Aerosedan.





This will be all from me about Craig’s new favourite baby

Unless we are fitting a motor at some point soon.

[Grizz1963]

Back to earlier this week.

Some random, some car and truck related.

Hope you get a grin out of some of it.

New belts off eBay arrived for Powerfile and as a spoiler, I can say that they work well, no self destruction, so the old belts must have been just that, old and glue dead due to age or heat.
These can handle all the abuse I throw at them.

Result !!



Also got some more of these to go with my air powered grinder.

Again, works a charm.



Wyzz being his usual self...... jealous or all over me, no idea, but he is a cool dog.



Dennis has been using this truck to do a house movemfor his mother in law, ElCamino or GMC...?

Regardless, I love it and he keeps tempting me.



While walking Wyzz on Wednesday, I saw this and chatted to the owner, he did some engineering for me 14 years ago.

Morris Minor, converted to convertible but with Peugeot 205 mechanicals, including front wheel drive under the skin.









And another random sighting when traveling from Guys Hospital to St Thomas Hospital this week.

Modern, but clearly being used.

Made me smile.



Later.

Thanks for checking in.

[Palf70Step]

Love that Minor. I am not coordinated enough for those big wheel bikes, so I just look and admire...from afar!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Love that Minor. I am not coordinated enough for those big wheel bikes, so I just look and admire...from afar!

Even a regular bike is a challenge these days.


Finished the dash in the truck.

New air grinders work well.

As do the new belts on the Powerfile.





The dash metal had torn over time where the glovebox fits.





Welded up both sides.







Random holes filled.





All welded up ground back



Etch primered and awaiting the next phase.



That’s the weekend over.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work on the dash Rian!

[Indian113]

Nice Job! I can see that those New Abrasives make quite a bit difference.