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

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work. Looking forward to seeing the finish with the silver paint.

You get your new-new replacement center caps yet?

Thank you Bill.

It’s interesting, that one can hardly see the difference between coats.

Waiting for caps, may have selected a supplier from China.


Part two.....

Paint and clear lacquer

Before and after primer.



Four painted.




Clear coated



Rear 8.5 J’s clear coated



Front 7.5J’s after three coats of clear.



I will try leave them alone for a day or two to harden before taking them back for the tyres to be fitted and then fitted to the car.

Have to consider these too.......

EBay item number 163342504162


Lo Suspension - Make driving more fun!


Set of 4 Sports Lowering Springs for: FORD GALAXY 2.0, 2.3 & 1.9 TDi 1995>2006 Lowers by 35mm - a new & unused Lo Suspension branded product from losuspension.com

Are you looking for a lower ride?

Key Features
LO springs are designed specifically for your car
Your mechanic will have no trouble fitting LO springs
Compatable with your original shock absorbers
Your car will have a much sportier stance
Your car will have more responsive handling
You will have more confidence when cornering
Your car will have less body roll
LO springs are TUV approved
LO springs have a 12 month warranty

[Palf70Step]

Hot Rodder for Life!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Hot Rodder for Life!

Got some pics from my friend Stanislav in Siberia, including this one.

Feels like spring he said.

Not yet the -38’C that they had last year.



Back to lowering the Galaxy.

Bill.......

Thank you.



Maybe not that hardcore.

Had some feedback on these lowering springs, seems they may not quite deliver as advertised.

Anyone else got experience with them?



Wheels finally put the “workshop” and into the back of the Galaxy.

Final finish.



Looking forward to getting these fitted up with tyres and on the van.

[Grizz1963]

Christmas Eve Day.

Good time as any to start with the smallest Cut and Weld job identified so far.

I will be over describing for many of you.
But if like me, you have not done this before it may be helpful or not?

So off to the “caraworkshop”

Move tools into the “shed” and find some donor steel.

Built this 100kg plus mobile work station in 2015. So moved it closer.

Used it a few times since.



Straight in with my trusty cardboard template and scissors

Donor steel. 1965 C10 cab.

As @PaulY said, if I use enough off this one I may need to add a new V5c registration document



Piece is bigger than just the holes. Loads of old dents to cut out as well.



First fold to 90’ then back to lay the base crease.
Followed by opposite bend to complete the peak.



Top and bottom curves added, they do differ a lot.






Next up would be tracing the replacement panel onto the front panel



Followed by cutting the bad metal out.

Coffee break first.

[Grizz1963]

At this point I thought it wise to clean up my welding mask in preparation for the bit of welding coming up.

Pooop.

Auto dimming non functional despite this mask having had very little use to date.

Tried the various setting buttons to no avail.

Then tried opening it to see if batteries can be replaced as I always keep a large selection of batteries

Nope.

Sealed unit.

Youtube.... ??

Success !!

But pretty clear that its a difficult task to try work around the sealed unit etc.

So I tried....... FAILED.

REASSEMBLED and graffitied it as a POS.



But would have to use it anyway as shops were shutting etc.

Have to wait for Saturday as shops are shut.

Burger !!!



Have pencilled in getting one of these




Later.

[realvc]

Dude, you are THE MAN, great job.
You just jumped off in there and got'er done.
Looks great too. Your caravan workshop is really a nice addition to your work space.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work Rian!!

[60chevyjim]

hi Rian happy holidays , nice job on the rust repair !! great to see progress on the 66 . your resto on the new van wheels looks great too !! .

[flashed]

Looks great Rian .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

Dude, you are THE MAN, great job.
You just jumped off in there and got'er done.
Looks great too. Your caravan workshop is really a nice addition to your work space.

Thank you Vince.

It has delivered as well as possible

Warm, dry, organised

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work Rian!!

Good enough, and better than before.

Originally Posted by 60chevyjim

hi Rian happy holidays , nice job on the rust repair !! great to see progress on the 66 . your resto on the new van wheels looks great too !! .

Thanks Jim, Happy Holidays to you and yours as well.

Wheels came out well.

Originally Posted by flashed

Looks great Rian .

Hi John, thanks buddy.

Happy too.


So we were out early-ish to go swap some Christmas presents for the correct size.

And to pick up a new welding helmet at Tool Station.

I had previously read up on specifications and found that the £10.00 difference between two lower price helmets equated to one sensor vs four. Quicker response time. Exchangeable batteries etc.

So you get what you pay for in this game.

I bought the SiP welding mask without stickers. (Watch this space)



Spec sheet.



I guess the next step is going to be gingerly making my way toward the garage and choosing what repair to start on next.

It may be partly dictated by the repair steel availability

More later.

[Indian113]

That looks like a good choice for a helmet. Your right about getting what you pay for!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Indian113

That looks like a good choice for a helmet. Your right about getting what you pay for!

Absolutely

Works real well.

Spent less than two hours down in the shop today.

Had some stuff to deal with.

First job was to correct part of yesterday’s front panel repair, adding about 15mm weld from behind on the crest.



Dressed back.



Primed.



Packed away, along with the radiator panel and inner fenders.



.

[Palf70Step]

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Amazing how it takes time to do every action.

But happy to be back on it again

[mjh1965]

Glad to see you back on it . Repair looks good. Of course I will have to come and inspect it

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Glad to see you back on it . Repair looks good. Of course I will have to come and inspect it

Of course you will inspect it......

I just hope to pass muster






Another typical holiday start,

Only got out the house by about 11.15 or so.

No regrets though.

So this was today’s task.......

Weld up the small hole to the left once it stopped running away from me, as it was going to be paper thin up to a point.....

Where the point ended up being, that was the question.




Thought I would also just for the sake of illustration for those unfamiliar or not initiated in Mig welding, share a few of my heat sink tools.



And another important tool(s)

The grinder.

I keep three on standby, all differently set up, one with a 1mm cutting disc, one with a 5mm grinding disc, and a flap disc for finishing off.



So back to the patch, I calculated that a 50mm X 50mm patch would cover the weakness and holes.

Keep in mind, this is my very good California door for the passenger side.

It still has work on the inside too, dents and a lace finish of rust on the bottom cup.

So patch ready with a very gentle curve bent into it.

The door bottom corner has sustained some damage before at some point, resulting in a somewhat bent corner, and also some very mild extended dents on the door skin, shown later.



Marked out for cutting, xx and x marks to maintain correct orientation on gentle curve. Note existing dents next to previous weld.



And CUT !!!



Lift



Contrast



Result.



It’s a Boy !!



Part one done,

Coffee time.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work Rian!

[Indian113]

Take a well deserved break!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work Rian!

Thanks Bill

Originally Posted by Indian113

Take a well deserved break!

Thanks Ray, I certainly did.

Sally cooked 😉

[Grizz1963]

Been over to mate Martins today to collect the Chevy cab lifter for mate @Pauly in Essex and some more steel from him for my rust repairs.

Amazed at the size of the cab lifter in the rear.

https://youtu.be/vfTC9wyQKK0



Next up back to Just Tyres to collect the wheels and new tyres.

Gone a bit wider.

Fitting will be once the springs are cut down on the suspension to fill the arches a bit more with the 17” wheels and tyres.

Almost Happy New Year time.

[Palf70Step]

Nice to see you getting at it. I'll be looking forward to doing mine again once I get the engine back and get over this crud.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice to see you getting at it. I'll be looking forward to doing mine again once I get the engine back and get over this crud.

Feeling good.



A question on another forum.


[quote author=Welsh link=topic=127490.msg4371185#msg4371185 date=1577951521]
Grizz, did you get any pictures of the Blazer, after it was prepped for its movie role? :sip:
[/quote]

Unfortunately my word is my bond.

The buyer asked me to sit on the photos he sent till end February

So I need to keep it that way.

Interestingly while in the USA in Hannibal with Craig last year we were looking for a very specific toy truck for him in Walmart. Five different stores in over 150km with no success. But Craig found me a Die Cast 1:24 model of the Blazer painted up in the colours in which it has now been painted and accessorised

Pure luck.

Bought it for $20.00 and brought home.

You can come take a look.


I also have a similar 1:24 model of my 66 C10 with great detail gifted to me years ago by a friend in America




May be a while before the C10 looks like this tough.


.

[realvc]

Congrats. on passing your Performance Reviews.
They know when they have a good guy taking care of business for them.

So the cookies were the weight?
Wearing that grey hoody in the U.K. could be interesting.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

Congrats. on passing your Performance Reviews.
They know when they have a good guy taking care of business for them.

So the cookies were the weight?
Wearing that grey hoody in the U.K. could be interesting.

Morning Vince,

Yes review was good, of course 2020 will have more demand.

Cookies were the culprit.

And I chose not to wear my hoody to the meeting as we have such diversity and someone would be offended.




Got an email from an eBay seller yesterday.

Galaxy lowering Springs have been sent out.

Parcelforce 24 couriers used.

Who knows........

Delivery Tomorrow?

Almost the weekend.

[Grizz1963]

Opened and unpacked the Galaxy springs.

Very shiny and red.



Now waiting for weather to get better.