What did you do today not on your truck...

[special-K]

We had hail damage that got about 5,000 house back in '95. I was recruited by a salesman who could tell by my truck I was a siding contractor. A agreed to do some house for that company. Then I started getting calls from references. I suddenly had more work than I could wish for. and this was after I got beat out of big bucks by a builder declaring bankruptcy, so I was leery about taking on another builder. This salesman was a friend of the owner of a home improvement company and he came down from MI to help sell these insurance jobs. We had a lot of contactors flock in from other areas. Salesmen were knocking on doors telling homeowners their aluminum siding needed replaced just because the hail buffed spots in the oxidized paint. All this led to the state insurance commissioner changing the guidelines for damaged siding replacement. The new rule was only replace the affected wall and only if more than two walls were affected would you get the whole house re-sided. Pretty screwed up when you had aluminum siding and the replacement siding was vinyl.

I didn't have to knock on any doors to get work. I'd be in a neighborhood with (sub) contractors replacing siding up and down the street. People would see the job I was doing, how we kept the job cleaned up, how well we worked together, no loud music, cigarette butts, good looking trucks, good equipment, Offered upgrades, and we gotter done. I had homeowners walking past the other crews to ask me for a quote. Once we were in the neighborhood we got all the work. That's the only way I know how to sell a job.

[FleetsidePaul]

I ordered new flooring for the entire house today. Or should I say that my contractor did. I was busy lying in the corner in the fetal position, crying, and asking myself why did I buy such a big house.
They aint givin that stuff away and it was a big order.

[special-K]

It hurts but at least you're going through with it. I'm running into people backing out on jobs I had lined up due to fear of spending the money. So, the chain reaction begins. I can't spend money if I can't make money. Even though I work on my own house, I am stalled for lack of material funds. And we are having great weather for gittin' a jump on spring! I found a house I want so bad but can't get my place ready to sell. Spring is in the air and my phone isn't ringing.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

It hurts but at least you're going through with it. I'm running into people backing out on jobs I had lined up due to fear of spending the money. So, the chain reaction begins. I can't spend money if I can't make money. Even though I work on my own house, I am stalled for lack of material funds. And we are having great weather for gittin' a jump on spring! I found a house I want so bad but can't get my place ready to sell. Spring is in the air and my phone isn't ringing.

That's so different than here. I can't get anyone to answer the phone. I'm getting stood up more than an ugly girl with a canker sore. It's costing money to fix this place up but I knew that going in and I have a slush fund from the place I sold. I'm basically rolling the money over from the last house to this one. It's a lot more house for the same money and that was the plan. I just like to complain about spending money on practical things. I'd rather buy toys.

I believe (hope) that I have some good contractors now. They're going to start tearing the place up today. The bad weather has slowed things down. The canyon had a rockslide and that road is closed and it's the main way to get here from Bakersfield. 2 gas stations were out of gas the other day and the shelves in the store are getting thin so it's not just me. So please I'm cut off here. Send food and water....No. Scratch that... Send women and beer.

[special-K]

I'm sure things are the same here as out there, but not the same for me. I'm do a small volume of work and that doesn't get the word out very well. And I live in a rural area where I get little exposure. I get work through references only. But I am seeing that people are getting leery on spending. Maybe it's just these particular people in my small pool of potential customers. Mainly I'm hitting a lull due to the next job dropping out (he's retired), another decided to hold off due to other expenses coming up (not that he doesn't have the money), and another that involved ordering in materials that will take a few weeks. I'm about done my present job and only have one other petty job for that few weeks gap. I just told the guy who wants to hold off that I'd like to go ahead with his project to keep moving so I'm available when more work comes in. He can pay up later this month. He's a little funny about spending. He actually has a sort of deadline because he started this project w/o a permit. It's a shed that is a bit over the square footage allowed w/o a permit and his neighbor just applied for permits for an addition. There will be inspectors coming around before long. Things can sure get convoluted

[FleetsidePaul]

Yes they can. I kinda sweated a shed that I put up w/o a permit as well as a fence and covered patio. It was all built to code but I didn't get permits. But I never heard from anyone and it never came up when I sold.

[special-K]

I figure code is the minimum quality, right? I'm saying, building below code deserves the wrath of the gov't. Build to code w/o a permit and you're just shorting your county of free money. Oh, I'm sorry. I meant you're just not paying for the inspector you didn't need anyway. I've been turned in a time or two and the impact was minimal due to the quality.

We had a hail storm that damaged 5,000 house (aluminum siding) in Nov '94. The county smelled money and began requiring a building permit to install siding. Yeah right! What's being built and what are they protecting? I hadn't heard about that trumped up BS, was doing a house, and an inspector came next door to a porch job. He walked over and asked if I had a permit and I laughed and said "You're kidding, right?". I asked what the fine was for no permit and he said $75. I told him sounds good to me. I did a heap more houses, never got a permit. I'd rather give up $75 on each house so I can jump from house to house and keep on making money rather than wait a couple weeks or more to be allowed to start

[FleetsidePaul]

That's a really nice tractor Mark. I was looking at those Kubota's and then saw the prices and ran like a scardy cat. I'll bet that bad boy put a dent in the ole wallet.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

That's a really nice tractor Mark. I was looking at those Kubota's and then saw the prices and ran like a scardy cat. I'll bet that bad boy put a dent in the ole wallet.

Yes it's big investment that I wasnt planning on . But I really needed a bigger tractor as I tend to overwork my little bx on a regular basis.

[tutone]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

Yes it's big investment that I wasnt planning on . But I really needed a bigger tractor as I tend to overwork my little bx on a regular basis.

That's a nice rig. I really like the backhoe attachment. Although I really dont have a need for one, it would come in handy this year. We have a row of 10 cedars that died and I have to get them out of the ground and burn them.
Hopefully mine will pull them out.

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by tutone

That's a nice rig. I really like the backhoe attachment. Although I really dont have a need for one, it would come in handy this year. We have a row of 10 cedars that died and I have to get them out of the ground and burn them.
Hopefully mine will pull them out.

The thumb on the backhoe will come on handy for moving logs around

[tutone]

Night before last, a friend of mine texted me to see if I wanted to hit the road for a look at another 1969 camaro. This makes several trips we have made looking for a solid driver that wasnt full of mud and priced decently. So we pulled out at 8 am yesterday for a town near E-town Ky. We got there around lunch to look at this car. Red on red and at best it was a 10 footer. Not the worst I have seen, but not without issues. The guy was a dealer/flipper and had a lot of inventory scattered around town getting ready for Pigeon Forge next month. Some of his cars in the garage with the red 69 were super nice cars. So before we could get away, the guy said, "I have a Lemans Blue one in a garage in town. It's not priced like this one, but its a really nice car." Jeff almost said forget it. Long story short, the hunt is over, the car was nice, the price was livable, and he is happy. No more road trips, Woohoo.

[Boog]

^^^ I don't know what he paid for it but that looks like a real nice car. They don't ALL have to be numbers matching Z28s to be desirable. The way I see it, that car is much more enjoyable than something you would be afraid to drive and park near another car.

[tutone]

[quote=Boog;9185317]^^^ I don't know what he paid for it but that looks like a real nice car. They don't ALL have to be numbers matching Z28s to be desirable. The way I see it, that car is much more enjoyable than something you would be afraid to drive and park near another car.[/quot
10 yrs ago, you could buy a nice z28 for what he paid. But you are right, they are so overpriced it's not funny. You are hard pressed to build one cause solid roller prices are crazy. I am afraid that the c10s are gonna follow suit. I'm seeing that already . Freakin Ebay and Barrett Jackson. We unloaded it at his house and he took me home in it. It is a good ride.

[special-K]

I kind of prefer that one over the higher sought after higher performance Camaros. The 350 was an upgrade, though not a Z/28 or big block, and a healthy mill for a Camaro. And the vinyl top sets it off as not trying to be more than it is, meaning implanted rallye stripes, SS, or Z/28 hood. Added power option, added trim/luxury option on the top, and rallye wheels. Just as with the trucks, I used to go straight for top of the line with all the bells & whistles, but now prefer the more individual combinations of options that once were possible. It's a good looking car that will be fun to drive. I have always been a 4spd guy, no automatics in a performance car for me. But I think I'd prefer a console shift automatic and air conditioning in one like that (with posi/3.73s/tach )

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Spent the day cleaning the other cars for the upcoming Portland Roadster Show as we finally had a small dry weather break.

[3757chevy]

Originally Posted by CAMAROBOY68SS

Spent the day cleaning the other cars for the upcoming Portland Roadster Show as we finally had a small dry weather break.

Nice , that '56 is wild.

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Originally Posted by 3757chevy

Nice , that '56 is wild.

Thanks! Yeah the 56 is a true early 60s custom that has survived all these years. Car has been through a ringer all its life, but its been a full custom car since late 1957.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by CAMAROBOY68SS

Spent the day cleaning the other cars for the upcoming Portland Roadster Show as we finally had a small dry weather break.

Really nice cars you got there,, and you made room to store them in your garage too.. I once had a girl friend in Hillsboro that I traveled from Rainier Oregon to see for a couple months many years ago .. That would of been before you had these nice cars..I have a freind from Rainier that had his 56 Chevy Blue truck in this show couple years ago ..Maybe you seen it there ?

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Really nice cars you got there,, and you made room to store them in your garage too.. I once had a girl friend in Hillsboro that I traveled from Rainier Oregon to see for a couple months many years ago .. That would of been before you had these nice cars..I have a freind from Rainier that had his 56 Chevy Blue truck in this show couple years ago ..Maybe you seen it there ?

Probably, I've been going to show every year since I was baby, lol. My whole family has been involved in various functions for the Council that puts the show on.

[3757chevy]

Looks like 57 Chrysler headlights and 56 Fairlane park lamps.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 3757chevy

Looks like 57 Chrysler headlights and 56 Fairlane park lamps.

I like it, too. A touch of nostalgia right there! Tastefully done custom. Choice of color, wheels, whitewall width, touches on all corners, down the side, and inside.

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Originally Posted by 3757chevy

Looks like 57 Chrysler headlights and 56 Fairlane park lamps.

Correct on the headlights, the complete grille is out of a 54 Chevy, with 14 extra teeth, for 19 total. The front bumper is a 59 Chevy passenger car thats been narrowed 3" inches. Also has a 59 Chevy rear bumper then has 1960 Chrysler tail lights in it as well.

Here is a full history/build thread on the car I did on anther forum, car has 9 lives and has used about 6 of them at this point, lol

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...ustom.1108431/

The car has pretty much had this custom look since 1959. The original owner worked part time at a body shop and built this car. He had a buddy that then built a similar custom, but its base was a 58 Impala convertible.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA View Post
Really nice cars you got there,, and you made room to store them in your garage too..
.I have a freind from Rainier that had his 56 Chevy Blue truck in this show couple years ago ..Maybe you seen it there ?

Probably, I've been going to show every year since I was baby, lol. My whole family has been involved in various functions for the Council that puts the show on.
Here is a photo of his truck that was in the show

[CAMAROBOY68SS]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Originally Posted by GOPAPA View Post
Really nice cars you got there,, and you made room to store them in your garage too..
.I have a freind from Rainier that had his 56 Chevy Blue truck in this show couple years ago ..Maybe you seen it there ?

Probably, I've been going to show every year since I was baby, lol. My whole family has been involved in various functions for the Council that puts the show on.
Here is photos of his truck that was in the show

Attachment 2262074

Yep I remember that truck now. My grandpa and I looked it for quite awhile. Loved the color on it.