Martin's mi-STRESS, 1965 Long Fleetside C10 "Rebuild in ENGLAND"

[Ta2Don]

Cool Mini, I also really dig the black beast next to the mini...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Cool Mini, I also really dig the black beast next to the mini...

IIRC it was a Big Block, rather tasty Willys pickup truck Don.

I see Martin is simplifying things again.....

It is not just moving an engine and gearbox. We will be clearing his carport, removing his cap and then dragging the Straight Six through, followed by putting everything including the cab back where we found it.

Should be a good day.

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

IIRC it was a Big Block, rather tasty Willys pickup truck Don.

I see Martin is simplifying things again.....

It is not just moving an engine and gearbox. We will be clearing his carport, removing his cap and then dragging the Straight Six through, followed by putting everything including the cab back where we found it.

Should be a good day.

The biggest problem with moving my engine tomorrow is that Duncan at work has borrowed my engine hoist, and he's 60 miles away,so it's not just a question of popping round the corner and getting it back. Also I hope you ment cab not cap

[mjh1965]

I can't believe its a year since I took the truck off the road . As the car show I went to today with Rian, was the same show I took my truck to last year before I decided to take it off the road . So when I got home I thought I better get a little truck time in .
I managed to get both of the right side cab supports in



Once I had done the front one I tackled the rear one . A little harder to fit due to having to trim and fit it up to the front to rear brace and having to drill the holes to bolt it to the inner rocker





And the last picture showing the penetration inside

[Ta2Don]

Nice work mate...

A friend of mine over here in North Carolina has a cab like yours… needing lots of attention… so I pointed him in the direction of your thread...

Cheers mate...

Check out his build, his name out here is Icewatercarter

[markeb01]

It's amazing how handy those can be. I picked one up about 20 years ago thinking I'd only use it the one time. I use that thing all the time for various odd jobs. They are fantastic at bending metal or applying extra leverage to something!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by markeb01

It's amazing how handy those can be. I picked one up about 20 years ago thinking I'd only use it the one time. I use that thing all the time for various odd jobs. They are fantastic at bending metal or applying extra leverage to something!

I just chuckled at your reply Mark, you are right, I thought my impact wrench would be a once used, the. Community property type of tool, to date I have used it at least five times in anger.

Martin bought a two footer of those last year and always mentions he loves it in his van, so when I saw this one today, it had to one home for him as I know he uses them regularly.

[Grizz1963]

I started stripping the crashed Honda this afternoon, later Martin popped over from the bike gathering he and Amanda had been to.

Seems whenever he pops over, chaos ensues.



Did not take us long to get this far.......



Front end removed and most of the engine bolts etc.

One of the problems with these modern bikes, even small ones is that they have all sorts of cleverness in their wiring looms etc. so one needs to dismantle sensibly if you want the thing to work again in future.



Once all the bits were unstuck, undone, unscrewed and ready, I lifted the frame off, leaving the engine on its own.



As Martin said, it's a pity our V8's and straight sixes are not that easy to handle.

It was off to the ready made trolley box I made on Saturday with the engine, followed by a lot of other bits, sprockets, wiring looms, chain, battery etc, all the bits possibly needed later when the toy gets built.



The frame and other bits still needed to be stripped to a level where it can be sold on Evilbay.




Treasures all boxed up and ready for storage.






Frame is going to be for sale as well, maybe someone can use it in a restoration project. Though I think the disc brake models are not liable to be as collect able as the older kick start models.





Spares for EBay listing, the two Michelin Pilot tyres were a week and less than 100 miles old.




One of the nice things we discovered about the tail end of the little bike is that it will also be donating its number plate bracket and light to the truck......

You see, every Chevy needs a little Honda in its life.




Thanks must as always go to Martin for coming over and creating havoc in my life, but also keeping me company and taking the lead on the stripping of the bike, he has clearly done this a few times before, and it may point at a very misspent youth......... Only he will know.

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by markeb01

It's amazing how handy those can be. I picked one up about 20 years ago thinking I'd only use it the one time. I use that thing all the time for various odd jobs. They are fantastic at bending metal or applying extra leverage to something!

You are right I use mine for bending metal . I have a sliding vice in the back of my van that pulls out . So when I went to a bike show and auto jumble last year I found one with a three foot handle that's really useful

[mjh1965]

Just an update
I am busy packing for a training course , as they are sending me to Rome ,of all places . So no truck time but a week of warmer weather .The good news is that Brothers finally came through ,and sent me the bolts free of charge to fill in the extra holes in the rear bumper they supplied .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Just an update
I am busy packing for a training course , as they are sending me to Rome ,of all places . So no truck time but a week of warmer weather .The good news is that Brothers finally came through ,and sent me the bolts free of charge to fill in the extra holes in the rear bumper they supplied .

Rome....? Rome....!!

Now that's a cool venue to go for a week.

Those bolts look like stainless capped ones.

I guess a bit of polishing will sort them out pronto.

[ibrown50]

Rome, for a training course, for a week!!................I wish I'd stuck in at school

[Ta2Don]

Bolts…

Rome!!!

[mjh1965]

Well after the last two weeks of work and play, I can now get back on with the truck .

It all started two weeks ago today, I had to fly off to Rome for some training with a manufacture of electric hand controls . So on Sunday afternoon Gareth my friend and boss ( I have known him for quite a while before I worked with him ) drove to my house , were we both got in my car and drove to the airport for a 5pm flight . Well after a two hour delay at Gatwick our easy jet flight took off.
Rome here we come

On arrival in Rome ,we collected our hire car ,a little Fiat panda . For those who have never driven in Rome there are two speeds, flat out or stop . As for junctions it's a question of who has the biggest balls has the right of way . Gareth got us too the hotel in one piece .

Monday morning we all made our way to the factory ,for a tour of the workshop and manufacturing facilities . Altogether there were eight of us plus the European rep called Gerard and Irish fella who had married a Sicilian and now living and working in Rome .

On our tour around the factory we were shown one of their other manufacturing sites which made bumpers for Jeeps in aluminium . They were also building a very nice Jeep running a nice 5.7 Corvette motor











That's just a taste of what they make as a side line to the hand controls but we were there to study . So after our factory tour we were off to the classroom for some real work .

So after an afternoons studying it was back to the hotel . ( for more studying ) yeah right no chance of that . It was time for getting ready to go out for a nice meal at a fish restaurant and to have a drink we are being taken by an Irish fella after all .

There was about ten courses for dinner, I had so much fish ,I think I could've swam home from the restaurant





After all that food it was back to our hotel . The next two days were study during the day then dinner followed by a trip to the bar and then bed

The last night Gareth braved it and drove into central Rome for an evening and look about here are some of the pictures I took























Well for those who haven't been to Rome there is a little taste of what it was to see

[Grizz1963]

Now that was a great report, thank you.

It is really cool that these guys have branched out into other manufacture.

Great photos of Rome too.

[mjh1965]

Well after arriving home on Thursday evening , it was time to pack up my motorbike ready to ride to Skegness with my mates . I had already booked this before I new I was going to Rome .





The weekend away Friday through to Monday is an annual bike advent with live bands stunt shows and General tomfoolery .

Parked up on the way for breakfast





And yes there are two girls that ride hence the yellow sportster and the pink Kawasaki ER5

After Four days in Rome away working and studying ,it was good to let my hair down
( well if I had any that is ) then back to work Tuesday . But the travelling didn't end there

[mjh1965]

As I said before the travelling wasn't over . On Wednesday morning at 5.30am I was driving back to Gatwick, I was getting another flight this time flying to Lyon in southern France .
luckily for me work booked the extra legroom seats




I was going to fit a set of push pull hand controls to a Saab convertible . I had already done a car for them before . So on arriving in Lyon I collected yet another Fiat panda . Once again having to shift the gear stick with my other hand . ( why can't we be the same as most of the rest of the word ) the I drove south about 60 kilometres to a used car dealers home , to install the controls .

My little hire car



The car I installed the controls to





Mind you the security wasn't up to much they preferred the shade than keep an eye on me





So once fitted I returned back to the airport to get a flight home . Arriving back home about 9pm so what a long day but another happy customer

[mjh1965]

So on arriving home Wednesday evening , it was back to work Thursday when I got a call from a guy called Dell . I had contacted him before I went to Rome ,regarding a big window inner section he had, in the back of a truck he had imported in from the states . So Thursday night off to Essex again . I seem to spend half my life going over the Dartford crossing to Essex for truck parts or going to the importers to collect parts . When I arrived I took a look at the guys collections of trucks ,two long bed fleet sides ,and a long bed stepper on a full air ride system .the stepper is his main truck the other long bed fleet is one he's shipped over to sell .


The blue one behind the grey one is the stepper . The grey one is a work in progress


This is the one he has for sale



The panel I went to collect was no good as it was to rotten so I declined . But it was still a good trip out and I made a good contact for the future




I will still keep looking , what I would really love is a big back window cab with no rott . But we can all dream

So after all this running about ,and yes my very patient other half Amanda had sat in the car on Thursday evening while I chatted to Dell (and any one that knows me will know how long that would have been ) I took the weekend off working on the Truck and went for a nice push bike ride around the local lakes . On Saturday




Unfortunately for me the spare bike I had got a little while ago was a little bit big for Amanda . So Saturday evening on Evilbay I found a smaller ladies bike . £35 buy it now for an ally frame mountain bike, and the best part only 10 miles down the road . So Sunday morning I went out and got her a present . It's the least I could do . After being away for most of the last two weeks .



So that's why I haven't had any Truck time over the last two weeks .

[Ta2Don]

Glad you're home...
Cool Pics from Rome...
Now, back to the truck mate...

[mjh1965]

Well just an update . I went on Evil bay the other night ,as usual just taking a look . Big mistake I saw a set of wheels ,then looked on this thread another big mistake . So as usual I popped over to Rian's ,on my way to my bike club ,and ended putting a checking last minute bid in and won . So on Friday I have to go and get my mates trailer ,for something happening on Saturday ,if all goes to plan pictures to follow . Then on Sunday I have a three hundred mile round trip to pick up my wheels . Note to one self buy things nearer home

This is my purchase



This is the picture I found on this thread of the same style wheels fitted to a truck



So I guess sometimes the Internet can cost you so be warned window shopping costs

[ibrown50]

They look very similar to your wheels??



This is the picture I found on this thread of the same style wheels fitted to a truck

[Palf70Step]

I have always been a fan of those wheels. I had a set on my 83 C10. Kind of wish I had kept them as spares for down the line on something.

[ibrown50]

Nice wheels Martin, bargain price too, hope all goes to plan this weekend

[Grizz1963]

A good day out and great results.

I saw this on the back window and wondered if anyone recognised it or what is left of the truck.

Originally a dark bottle green.

Fitted with extra spring perches on the rear chassis.

Fitted with access to reserve tanks on the bed side and in the cab.

Truck could have had a colourful history.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

I have always been a fan of those wheels. I had a set on my 83 C10. Kind of wish I had kept them as spares for down the line on something.

Neat truck Bill.

I am sure this point has been debated to death before, but Chevy really does seem to build the better looking trucks, even if there is something good to be found in most designs out there.

I personally prefer these wheels Martin has bought to the traditional Slot mags he had fitted before, despite the fact that the Slots are worth a whole load more than the "Soft line" wheels.

I think he fact that he and I both hit the bid button at our maximum price in literally the last 10 seconds, often wins us stuff at good prices, as people do not have time to reconsider and enter another bid before the sale is over.