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

[Grizz1963]

Side Update from St Louis, Missouri

Dennis has been quietly getting on with his NASCAR ‘66 C10 build.

Yesterday is was power steering pump bracket fabrication







Then brake bias setting







And still to be fitted.

Gas pedal, cast by Andy Martin in Tulsa, Oklahoma for Dennis.




More work to be done today by Dennis.

Current temperatures are well below the Zero degree mark.

Thankfully the workshop is heated.

[Grizz1963]

So Birthdays being what they are, Sally insisted she take me to lunch or dinner.

So we went in between.

I had a load of clothes and service manuals to drop off for Mind, one of the charities I support.

So we also took a walk through Rochester.

It was bloody freezing, as I only had a hoody and T shirt on, and the breeze was brisk.







Rochester Cathedral

Twice.





Medway river from Rochester Castle.

Cold but beautiful





Note the angle of the lean in this building.



Then down to Chatham for my late lunch of choice.

Turkish.

Mezze starters for two.



Followed by a pile of various meats on rice and also wheat.



Stuffed after all that, a coffee and chat, then headed home in the Galaxy via the gas station.

First time in years I have put 60 litres in a cars tank, except for the Chevy Blazer, which I used to keep topped up above 1/2 tank anyway.

Galaxy like a drink more than my daily 1.5 Diesel,Ford Focus.

All in all, a perfect birthday for me.

[Grizz1963]

Quick pic from Dennis.

He fitted the gas pedal that Andy designed and cast for him.

Originally Posted by 68Timber

Belated Happy Birthday! Beautiful weather and scenery. I guess the leaning house stopped its slow creep off the ledge when it bumped into the one across the walk? That will be a fun rescue for someone someday. How have you been feeling?

Dennis' truck... I know it's NASCAR-themed, but I didn't realize how serious he was until the latest pics that show the front brakes.

The basic chassis is a 2000 model NASCAR truck racing item.

However, Dennis is fitting all newer and much upgraded parts, right up to date.

Adam, his son built a model a few years ago as a Christmas gift, showing how the rear bed and wheel arches needed to be cut and moved forward, as the chassis is actually even shorter than a short Fleetside


The whole chassis is low, very low so loads of adaptations are done.

This is actually a real hot rod he is building with tons of custom fabrication









.

[Grizz1963]

Random update on my old 1963 Ford Taunus Transit van.

Now on hydraulics.


Some updated pics found out there.





V6 motorvation.








I do hope we see this back on the road soon.

.

[60chevyjim]

Hi Rian that van is sooo cool . I like it a lot !! .. when you doing the galaxie springs ,
I wana see it dropped with the new rims !!
im on a mission to get my chopped top chevy powered 1950 ford together .
I just cut some 1/4 inch thick plexiglass windows for it this week.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by 60chevyjim

Hi Rian that van is sooo cool . I like it a lot !! .. when you doing the galaxie springs ,
I wana see it dropped with the new rims !!
im on a mission to get my chopped top chevy powered 1950 ford together .
I just cut some 1/4 inch thick plexiglass windows for it this week.

Sooon Jim. Sooon.



[quote author="@mr2fc" source="/post/2565933/thread" timestamp="1579892507"]No pressure, but I'm hoping for an exciting update over the weekend... [/quote]

Eventually

Had planned truck time but life got in the way.

No regrets.


Last week spent three days inside a hotel working.

Highlight was a standing, black tie buffet dinner followed by awards.

I won nothing but got to keep my job, for now.




Much of Saturday was spent with Craig my USA travel buddy of the last two years.

Got to meet Lily, new addition to the family.

Super likeable and confident



Plays, Drops dead.



Sunday had Truck time planned but an extended visit to Sallys Uncle Bobs yard to have more sheds and barns opened certainly trumped welding and grinding.

Uncle Bobs pics need uploading and posting if interested.

[realvc]

Hey Rian, check out my new parts truck. It is a 62 and has many parts I can use on my 62 project.

Some one installed a Buick small block and automatic trans in the past.
There is cab cart in the bed that I will use for my project. I was planning on building a cart like this anyway.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

Hey Rian, check out my new parts truck. It is a 62 and has many parts I can use on my 62 project.

Some one installed a Buick small block and automatic trans in the past.
There is cab cart in the bed that I will use for my project. I was planning on building a cart like this anyway.

Brilliant score Vince.

Guess the truck cost as much as a cart would be.



Right.......

Going to Bobs is a treat.

He is a dry old guy and wiley as a fox.

Got there and he was trying to fix a security light and PIR by trying to add a new PIR to the old light.

Of course he handed it to me immediately thinking that I could sort it.

Different items. So tried drawing a diagram and record of wiring. As one has three wires and the original has 4 wires.



Ended up ordering new ones.

Then a walkabout in the yard. Cold out.

Somany things covered in bramble bushes.



1952 Commer Radio truck.





So barn one.



Russian









Interior.




More later.

[Palf70Step]

Treasures everywhere!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Treasures everywhere!

You have no idea Bill.

There is stuff I cannot photograph, due to space, or because he asked me not to do so.



Part two....

Same barn as the Russian and many others........

Read the details



Tax disc was last renewed by Bob in 1970, NSU Quicky he used to get to work.

Still owns it and hates it as much as back then..... 50 years ago.



More random pics.



Swage block...... a blacksmiths forming tool.



PaulY needs this.



I wanted this.



And lastly, Massey Ferguson, known as Old Smokey....Bobs retirement gift.



More from this treasure trove another day.

Rovers, Austins, Land Rovers, tractors, tractors, tractors, bicycles, machines....

Enough to keep most people happy a long time.


.

[60chevyjim]

Hi Rian I like the black Russian car , this looks like a fun place to visit .
all the cool old stuff to see there .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by 60chevyjim

Hi Rian I like the black Russian car , this looks like a fun place to visit .
all the cool old stuff to see there .

Volga indeed, my 15 year old lad has a bit of a strange obsession with Russian machinery like this. How on earth did it end up there?

Grizz,

Think the car is a Russian Gaz/Volga 21. The car for the elite in its day.

Can't be many left at all now.


Not sure if pic will transfer

[Grizz1963]

Some of you my have noticed that Dennis was obvious in his absence.....

Poor guy.

Had to go spend some extended time out in Cancun, Mexico at very sexy resort, being fed beer and good food 24/7

One pic only, of him and Debbie on the beach.

That was enough for me.






Galaxy worked today.

Sally bought a Cross trainer, not sure if a clothes horse was not a better idea.




This week I had a couple of new rugs delivered, so cleaning up the existing ones before rolling them up, was important too.

Interesting his Sally has the timing just right.




Tree to prune back hard tomorrow and hopefully some welding as well.

Been a bit busy lately with various tasks.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@mr2fc" source="/post/2567840/thread" timestamp="1580650441"]Is there a more impossible item to ferry about or manhandle than a cross-trainer? Heavy, awkwardly shaped, and every piece you think you can use as a handle suddenly moves as soon as you start to lift!

Horrible, horrible things...

...which do indeed make a decent clothes horse once finally in position!

Cough "springs" cough cough [/quote]


Ohhh you have hit the nail on the head there.

Weird movement, odd shape, tall and a PITA for sure.

But its done, I am not 100 sure that Prozac the Berlingo would have managed it.


Morning Guys.

Weekend came and went in a rush, none of the planned yard or garage jobs done, rain, distractions and life again saw to that.

I was a bit late taking this one.

For those who do like a sunrise or sunset.

This time of year we see multiple vapour trails from the planes headed to Europe and beyond.

Some days are better than others and the naked eye works best.


But here you go.

[Palf70Step]

Love my sunrises with coffee!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Love my sunrises with coffee!!

Coffee is my second drink of the day.




Cue Guilty feelings.

Woodwork shed roof felt blown off by storm Ciara.

Was a poo weather weekend mostly.

Last few weeks have been significantly busy at day job, to the extent of making weekends flash by with yard or house work lists being ticked off here and at Sally’s place. No regrets though. Life goes on.

Busy on Saturday, but Sunday spent mostly indoors, catching up on telly and forums.

So yesterday I managed some garden time before the weather turned and Storm Ciara (winds forecast for 85 mph)
This plum tree needed about 10 foot or 3 meters off its top, plus the top of the last few years’ pruning to be cut back.



So I started from Mickeys side



Then brought the ladder over to my side after cutting the power cord of the hedge trimmer used to cut back anything up to 20mm thick.



Not happy up a ladder at all, my back is knackered and I am a big lump to be perched up on top of a ladder in a tree.

Sally took pics in secret.

Sally came over in the afternoon after spending time with her friends.

Typical of her style, she just changed into some garden clothes and started to cut up the branches when she came back, I had not realised that she was these till I got down to move the ladder.





Job halfway done.



Branches still to be cut up into 30cm lengths to ensure maximum capacity and fit in the wheels bin.



Today has been nice, indoors, not even a trip out for food, due to weather and also the fact trees have been thrown across trees.

Mate @CraigRK sent this pic missed his wife’s car up their road, and of course screwed up their afternoon.





Best part of the day I guess was that growing up, we always associated pancakes with bad weather and rain.....

So that was the highlight.



Flipping pancakes, Sally thinks I am a good tosser.


Later.

[Grizz1963]

Storm Dennis has certainly curtailed any weekend activity.

Nicola sent me some pics of Harley as a kitten.








My favourite



And moments later she pooped in the pot.



.

[Grizz1963]

Three months into Galaxy ownership it continues to do lots of little and bigger, dirty jobs.

Friday was of course Valentine’s Day.

Got home from work to find the recycling bags and wheelie bin was put away......

Nice girl, Sally, I thought.

Got indoors and saw this in the lounge.

Nice girl, Sally, I thought.

Took a pic and sent her a thank you, she would be over later.

Her reply?//

A cropped pic, showing the keys on top of the chocolates

My lodger moved out after two weeks notice.........

That would be it then.



Sally got a card, chocolate and four packs of muesli bars for work, oh, and I cooked dinner.

I got a card, and a cross stitched piece of embroidery.



This weekend was kind of significant, but Storm Dennis kept it wet and windy of course.

We met on the 16th February last year when she visited me on my driveway where I was cutting up pallets.

She brought cookies.

Working as a carer in the community her hair tied back etc, this was not a glamorous life, but she has turned out to be a real gem.

With Bear, her then dog.



So Saturday I started to cut up more of the branches from the plum tree, till the wheelie bin was full, and the rain came in hard.





I also unpacked a bicycle from the trailer a mate gave me last year.
I bought it in about 1998 as an insurance replacement.

It does need a new home though.



Random smile, sent by a friend in South Africa.




Back to the Galaxy.

I had not yet fitted the rear view mirrors I bought from @Mercdan yet, as dismantling the door in cold weather seemed a guaranteed recipe for snapped clips and plastics.
But last weekends storm managed to break off the passenger side mirror from its household silicone based perch.

So on Saturday morning early, I cleaned it all, and refitted it using a massive blob of said bathroom sealant and dictate to keep it in position while drying

Possibly the worst bodge repair of my life, but it held on a 10 mile trip yesterday and ultimately will get removed and thrown away when fitting the replacement unit.




Randomly seen in Catford.

One up on graffiti



Storm Dennis really battered us Saturday and Sunday with a lot of surface water about.

But at least we got a nice sunrise.




Sunday was a wet day mostly.

But I got one payback job done.

[Grizz1963]

Amazing how time flies.

May have mentioned it before.

Got an email two weeks ago that I needed to order a new company car.

In 2016 I managed to get permission to downgrade to a smaller, cheaper tax class car. But also one that the seats drop down. VS the BMW and Mercedes Benz of my job rank that cannot do that as both are sedans.

Since then, they have brought in the estate of the lower level car.

And I got permission again to downgrade (it now releases just over £1200.00 per year in Benefit in kind tax vs the car I qualify for)

But before just ordering one blindly, I really would like to see and inspect one, especially the rear load area.

My local dealer does not have one, and tbh do not seem interested in helping as it will be a fleet purchase of no value to them.


So I contacted the Lease Company (who have been incredibly unhelpful along with our transport department, “only doing their job”)



I got this email reply regarding my query about viewing a car.



WHAT THE ACTUAL F@£€????????


Good Afternoon

Yes I am well thank you – Hope you are as well.

In regards to being able to view the vehicle if your local Dealership doesn’t have an Estate for you to view, you can visit their website and build your own vehicle which will allow you to select the specific spec and view the vehicle.

Alternatively if you google the vehicle description this will bring the vehicle up.

Kind Regards

[Grizz1963]

Mate Andy Martin has been getting back to life after losing his wife last year.

This includes long road trips.

Last leg of this trip to get back to Tulsa, included a stop over at mate Dennis Jones’ place.

First pic was the guys sitting on Dennis’ tailgate bench outside the shop, chatting.





Andy inside the shop, helping Dennis with some stuff.





Of course, running out of air could prove tricky.

Outside Dennis’ Shell gas station.




Long distance call?



At these prices, Andy was quick to take the opportunity for cheap gas.







Couple of pics today from Dennis.

His 1966 NASCAR Chevy truck is coming together fast.





Pure Porn !!!





So by now Andy is back home on the farm, safely.


Weekend over too.

[Grizz1963]

I cannot remember what I shared and who is up to date with the Blazer after I sold it the day before heading out to America last year.

It got picked up, along with a Camaro on a transporter and got taken to Herefordshire

From there both cars went in for a bit of a make over.

Body and paint.






Note all the old colours coming through.

Hugger orange, original blue and the white plus primer.




A few days later the change was notable.


.

[Grizz1963]

When I bought the Galaxy, the old guy said that the battery was suspect and at three weeks it would struggle but start the car.

Knowing this, I have used it at least every week or two since then.

However, possibly for the last two weeks it has stood with cold rubbish weather possibly not helping.

So an hour ago I tried to start it, almost but no cigar.

So it needs a new battery.

Euro car parts have an ongoing or intermittent 50% discount offer

Opinions on what to buy or not, pretty sure some brands may be only European.

I do prefer cheap/sensible pricing.



Thank you.

[Grizz1963]

A few days later........



Suddenly different.

[Grizz1963]

Dennis sent an update on getting the cab back on the truck.



Seats in.



Outside the shop today.










Looking forward to the rest of the evolution.


.

[Palf70Step]

Great color combo on the ole Blazer.

Sure wish NASCAR would use those style trucks to racxe now. That thing look great. Can't wait to see you and Dennis ripping it up on one of your stateside holidays!