GRIZZ’s ‘79 - 2WD BLAZER Challenge over in London, England. “~It’s not a Project~”

[Grizz1963]

Getting the paving corrected as part of this carport build is necessary

The camera loses some of the damage perception but a plank gives you the idea at least.





While out at at the shops and in the scrapyard on Saturday, Mate PaulF whose hydraulic press I used for the Chevy Blazer suspension parts and whose brake line making kit I got to use to make up the C10’s new brake lines And I were chatting on Messenger Video, as you do, when he asked me what job was next, so I mentioned that the paving, posted above here, has to be repaired and the base compacted and redone.

“Do you have a whacker plate or compactor ?” He asked, of. Course I did not, so he offered to go fetch his from a friend who had used it and deliver it to my place in an hour or two.

Plus have a coffee and a chat.

Bargain !!


Couple of hours later a Nissan Cube reversed down my drive.



Giving birth to this handy tool.



The weather turned in the afternoon which stopped play, but a good weekend in all.

Saturday evening sunset.



Sunday rolled in and I had planned to get started on lifting the paving and repairing the subsidence

Facebook said it was 6 years since the last MOT on the C10



But Sally who came over by 08.00 had other ideas as the weather still sucked.

Also, I had managed to get a second short term lodger, a welder on a maintenance contract at a local power station.

So it may just be 7 weeks or less, but cash ion the bank is cash in the bank.

So Sally insisted I clear out some space for the new guy. She also has a new lodger, which will help fill the hole her cars engine blowing up had made in her savings.

So it seems I was stuck indoors all day.

Found some food from 2009 and more recently.

Not impressed with Sally Poking the Bear.



Chatting with Craig at one point, he was photobombed by Lilly.



Back to cleaning the house, every surface, flor etc washed and cleaned.

Sally is a menace with a camera.



Eventually got it all wrapped up, and to be honest, I am pleased, and thankful for all the help she gave me too.

Hope to find time over the next weekend to sort the paving if the weather plays along.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Part of my love of forums and the culture on here is all about the learning.

My posts are often to learn but also to teach and forewarn others not to make the mistakes I already made.

My friend Fil “Sparkplug” suggested I cut a hole in the roof and floor and mount the post on the plinth anf get square geometry with only the slope to worry about.


So I am happy for you to start educating or making suggestions.

I'm going to treat your sketch like it's oriented north to the top. You can correct me if that's wrong or we can do LR/Up Down.

Your posts look like they are sited well and you can run 2 east/west beams over the top of them. And then run joists n/s, which will allow you to cantilever the overhang. I don't think you have to poke the NE one through the roof to get a square although I understand the idea.

Starting from the ground, I suggest anchoring it somehow or putting significant weight at the posts. We don't want the wind to put it in Mickey's yard and 5mx6m is a lot of sail area.

I'm going to speak in "Imperial" dimensions and you can translate as needed 4x4 posts can carry the weight, but will need to be braced so it can resist lateral movement (not fold up).

Does it shed water to the "north" or to the south?

Have you considered plastic or sheet metal roofing? Will probably allow you to go down one size in beams and joists. Your spans will probably mean that you need to venture into engineered material. What we call glu-lam beams and truss-joists. 5 to 6 meters is a lot. If you can live with any posts out in the middle, that will help.

Your bracing will want to be a knee brace at least 1/4 of the way down the post (height). Attached across/ through, the grain, no end-screwing or toe-nailing, and please keep the description in context, ha.

That's a pretty good start. I now recall that you may be using some steel galvanized posts?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I'm going to treat your sketch like it's oriented north to the top. You can correct me if that's wrong or we can do LR/Up Down.

Your posts look like they are sited well and you can run 2 east/west beams over the top of them. And then run joists n/s, which will allow you to cantilever the overhang. I don't think you have to poke the NE one through the roof to get a square although I understand the idea.

Starting from the ground, I suggest anchoring it somehow or putting significant weight at the posts. We don't want the wind to put it in Mickey's yard and 5mx6m is a lot of sail area.

I'm going to speak in "Imperial" dimensions and you can translate as needed 4x4 posts can carry the weight, but will need to be braced so it can resist lateral movement (not fold up).

Does it shed water to the "north" or to the south?

Have you considered plastic or sheet metal roofing? Will probably allow you to go down one size in beams and joists. Your spans will probably mean that you need to venture into engineered material. What we call glu-lam beams and truss-joists. 5 to 6 meters is a lot. If you can live with any posts out in the middle, that will help.

Your bracing will want to be a knee brace at least 1/4 of the way down the post (height). Attached across/ through, the grain, no end-screwing or toe-nailing, and please keep the description in context, ha.

That's a pretty good start. I now recall that you may be using some steel galvanized posts?

Morning

08.30 here.

Not sure about current time in Washington state.

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

You did get the orientation right.

Water will be draining toward the rear, which to me is West, and the shed boundary.

I will have to look at corrugated sheet metal, but will bypass the clear materials like polycarbonate as it fades and looks rubbish in the end.

I am also contemplating getting the roof built by someone else, as my back is so deteriorated and working alone is not going to cut it, sometimes paying a pro is a much cheaper option.

Weirdly, as a South African, I grew up with the Metric system But due to my varied interests, I always auto-convert to Imperial.

I also AMA fan of over engineering rather than regrets.

I will see how this unfolds.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

I am also contemplating getting the roof built by someone else, as my back is so deteriorated and working alone is not going to cut it, sometimes paying a pro is a much cheaper option.

I will see how this unfolds.

I hope I didn't say anything to discourage you from taking this on. Would need buddies at some point for beams and joists, but the carpentry isn't at all beyond you. That said, given my profession, I don't suppose I should discourage you from having it built, ha.

[LT7A]

Good progress. That thing is going to be stout. You'll be able to park on it if you want to. I forgot how sturdy those columns you already had were. Just three of them though, right? They look strong enough that if bolted together they could be used as beams and span the distance. It sounds like you got a plan all laid out although I didn't quite follow all the details. Possibly a ledger running along the existing structures? Regardless, I will watch with interest. Sounds like you have an agreeable new tenant and it looks like you are enjoying the sunsets with reduced pollution. Sunsets here now look like sunrises.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work Rian. Looking forward to seeing how your final design works out.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Good progress. That thing is going to be stout. You'll be able to park on it if you want to. I forgot how sturdy those columns you already had were. Just three of them though, right? They look strong enough that if bolted together they could be used as beams and span the distance. It sounds like you got a plan all laid out although I didn't quite follow all the details. Possibly a ledger running along the existing structures? Regardless, I will watch with interest. Sounds like you have an agreeable new tenant and it looks like you are enjoying the sunsets with reduced pollution. Sunsets here now look like sunrises.

Yes, three but only using two.

Making wall plates to mount against the walls.

Plan is mostly (totally) in my head.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work Rian. Looking forward to seeing how your final design works out.

Thanks Bill.

Let’s hope......



This guy lived down my chimney for three days before I managed to catch him

Created a huge soot storm in the lounge.



Went to my favourite scrap metal merchants to look for some decent steel to use in making up some wall plates for the carport.

Failed, but managed to buy a really nice Muddy Fox mountain bike for the lodger for £5.00



Back home I started to pull down walls and dig out soil as @PaulY had suggested I create a compressor room next to the woodwork shed.







Taking down the brick and block work, and being as tight as I am, I cleaned the blocks and stacked them for future reuse.


When unfit, it seems a bigger job than it is.



Archeological finds



Prepared for concreting and boxiing in.



Thanks to @JohnnyBravo for the mixer




The Galaxy once again proved itself more than capable in the shifting stuff department.

I took 5 loads of rubble up to the farm to dump on their road building rubble pile. Exactly 1km, certainly beats the 16km or 10 miles to my local council tip.


.

[LT7A]

What does pink er, stuff, refer to? 1-1/18 wrench for what, a buck 30, a buck 40? That's a pretty good deal. You seem to find cool stuff, and as mentioned before, you give a lot away. However, what you keep may begin to accumulate?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

What does pink er, stuff, refer to? 1-1/18 wrench for what, a buck 30, a buck 40? That's a pretty good deal. You seem to find cool stuff, and as mentioned before, you give a lot away. However, what you keep may begin to accumulate?

Morning mate

Pink stuff is baby clothes, plastic toys......

Mostly useless stuff.

Accumulating is the name of the game

I have bought incredible bargains over the years.

[Grizz1963]

So the COVID Crisis continues.

Meaning I get to work from home for the foreseeable future, which is less fun than you may think, but at least I am employed.

Inbetween meetings etc, I did manage to bake batch no 2 of South African style rusks, the first ones were muesli and really good.

This time I did fruit and aniseed with a bit of muesli tossed in for luck.



Once baked, you let them cool down as a loaf, then cut into strips or blocks and dry at 70-90’C for 4-5 hrs and pack away in tins or plastic storage.

Great alternative to breakfast, snacking or with coffee.

Oh, and not everybody’s thing.



Also got a great parcel from Dikkehemaworst in Amsterdam.

Awesome contents.





And the building went on, sometimes a few blocks at 07.00am or after dinner.

Amazing how a lump hammer can level things out.



Bulkhead light boxes went in.

Power will be from the woodwork shed that has its own independent supply





Previously wall was 4 courses high



Decided to go 5 high as the plants do tend to take over.













Mickey came around to paint the boxes wit some weird pool and pond paint while his brush was wet as he was rebuilding the floor of his fishpond



Once the wall was at full height, I cut a load of wood, white oak, that I had originally planned to use for theChevy C10’s rear bed floor up and screwed it all down on a frame, to be felted once completed.

One strip left to add.




Mickey straight up on top as he weighs about as much as a packet of Doritos.

Adding a small facia on the garden side to close it all in a bit more to keep birds from nesting in there.







Once Mickey went home for dinner, I carried on and felted the roof, plus added an end strip to it all.




Have to say, it has become a bigger job than planned, but I am pretty pleased with all the added bits.

It should work well in the long term.

.

[Grizz1963]

So once the wall and roof to @PaulY ‘s annexe was complete, the next step was to paint the inside



Followed by shelves cut from some recycled skirting boards and old freezer baskets.





Then cement paint all the blocks to get the pores filled and it all looking uniform







Colour match the shelf supports, brown to the left, white on the right.



Once the cement had dried, follow up with white paint, thanks to the clearing out Mickey took me along for.



Resulting in a very bright white wall.



More jobs to do of course, but they all need to fit inbetween the day job tasks.

Or mostly, after work.

[LT7A]

Lots of work done in the last week or two. It is shaping up nicely and somehow you make it look like it all grew there. Funny to see that Washington plate that made its way to you via Amsterdam. How cool is that? I started collecting plates when I bought a parts car and bumper to fix my high school ride. Those were the plates issued after Washington stopped stamping the Washington into the plate. The green and white motif is gone now. I get a kick out of Mickey popping over and jumping into the middle of things. That is a friendship that has progressed well beyond neighborliness.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Lots of work done in the last week or two. It is shaping up nicely and somehow you make it look like it all grew there. Funny to see that Washington plate that made its way to you via Amsterdam. How cool is that? I started collecting plates when I bought a parts car and bumper to fix my high school ride. Those were the plates issued after Washington stopped stamping the Washington into the plate. The green and white motif is gone now. I get a kick out of Mickey popping over and jumping into the middle of things. That is a friendship that has progressed well beyond neighborliness.

Good morning and thank you for the reply and compliments.

I am reasonably good at finding small bits of time (last night 30 minutes netted me bird proofing in the vent holes, to be reported later) to do tasks. Or working at silly hours, late or early, in order to get stuff moving.

Making it look like it grew there, I guess comes from slow dismantling with logic applied as I hate a messy work area, and because I get a real kick out of recycling stuff, as it means money can be spent elsewhere, like a car, truck, bike, machine.... means it seems like it has been there a while.

I have collected plates for a very long time, and the more story attached to them the better, used plates certainly do it for me, and speciality like Army, disabled, etc are where I try to be.
My most emotionally satisfying plate is one that friend Steve in Jonesboro Arkansas gave me..... it is one of TWO Purple Heart plates he got in Vietnam, having served in a war zone myself a long time ago, it is an honour to own.

Regarding Mickey.......

When we bought this house 10 years ago, we “owned” it for a year before moving in, and I used to come here as I had access to the garage, and also used to keep the garden tidy.

The first time I came here, my brother happened to be with me on a visit from South Africa. Mickey popped around at Lunch time with two massive bacon and egg sandwiches and mugs of tea for us.

This has never changed. We look out for each other, and just walk in on jobs to help each other.



However........



This is a copy and paste of some replies,on Retro Rides which is my “home forum”


Hope it makes sense.


Over here, the Brits sadly are very big on the NIMBY Principle. Means Not In My Back Yard


It was responses to my reply to Pete who asked about the posts and whether it was a permanent structure.


Sorry Glen.

She just left 2 minutes ago, smiling after stopping to check in, grab a coffee and some rusks, sleep over tomorrow night

I wanted to like this post but, for obvious reasons, couldn't.

But yes, an elegant sufficiency. [/quote]My world is sadly not as perfect as I make believe George.

Oh dear ... I do hope that's humour on you part Grizz ... :-S[/quote]Hi Tony, sadly, even I have a sense of humour failure at times.

And this time it were no humour.

But the cloud has blown over so status normal.

No I don't Rian
[/div]
[div]I was just asking as I would hate to think if you ever ended up with a neighbor similar to the one @grumpynorthener has would cause you trouble after all the hard work you are putting in to it.[/div]
[div]Glad to see you are thinking ahead for all possibilities.
[/div][/quote]Thanks Pete, I guess we all look out for each other on here.

Just to put it into perspective.

Mickeys an awesome guy. Like a father to me.

His wife conversely drives a broom that identifies as a Fiat 500.

She drove him to object to their neighbours on the other side’s council application to extend their house because it was going to rob them of their patio light (They have a garage down that boundary anyway)

When I put the single course of blocks down the side of the paving, after cutting back my hedge and added some plastic conduit for potential drainage, Mickey stopped talking with me for two days, till I confronted him directly on his pavement.
Turns out, he was unhappy about the conduit drainage because it could flood his back yard...... WTF !@!!! So typically British there NIMBY and all that.
Anyway, he and the wife were sitting outside whispering and I overheard them mention carport the day before.
So fortunately I was already doing all of this “inside of the rules and by the book” and will continue to do so.
I would hate to build it all , only for them to report me once it is complete, and council to tell me to tear it down.

I will continue to tread carefully as there is always someone ready to stir $h!t with a smile on their faces.


[/quote]

[Grizz1963]

Some lunch time digging, next post foundation.

1000x1000x1000mm Concrete








Then mixing and casting concrete.

Amazing how much concrete goes into a cubic meter.





Of course Andy the lodger enjoys this whole process too.



And cast and done.



Rain followed play too.

[Grizz1963]

Mirror on Freecycle today.......


Guess her cleaner is coming after Covid restrictionists release us.


Look at the background.

[Grizz1963]

Quicky before work starts in earnest.

Saturday.

No going back.



Prep

Added two wheelbarrow loads of sand to exposed areas to get levels back to where I wanted them.





Starting with the easy part.....

Border.



That was it.

I needed to spend time with Sally who never complains.

Sunday update later.

.

[LT7A]

Good progress Grizz. You are continuing your theme of "it looks like it grew there". I was glad to see the picture from Mickey's place and noted that there were not gigantic furrows of erosion where you put those drainage pipes, haha. People are funny, but I be lying if I didn't say that I had the occasional pointed question for a neighbor after seeing them install something new. It probably didn't occur to him that water had been running off of your pavers for years until he saw those little pipes. I think your new garage and house color is a nice one, especially for where you live in a rural area. I'm a big fan of natural colors, especially in the residential built environment.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Good progress Grizz. You are continuing your theme of "it looks like it grew there". I was glad to see the picture from Mickey's place and notes that there were not gigantic furrows of erosion where you put those drainage pipes, haha. People are funny, but I be lying if I didn't say that I had the occasional pointed question for a neighbor after seeing them install something new. It probably didn't occur to him that water had been running off of your pavers for years until he saw those little pipes. I think you're new garage and house color is a nice one, especially for where you live in a rural area. I'm a big fan of natural colors, especially in the residential built environment.

Thank you.

I like the whole idea of making stuff look like it is meant to be there, or like you say, grew there.

I don’t know what made Mickey kick off about the little drain pipes, but suspect it was his wife, who has not clue.

The colour is growing on me now.


Photobucket is a pain, again.

Stolen fruit is the best.

Two hours worth of collecting in 5 sites.



Trust me,

3 hours in there, cleaning and removing all the stones to leave me with 5kg or 10 pounds of fruit.



Add a litre of water, and bring to the boil for about 20 minutes, then add 4.5kg of sugar.



Boil for about 90 minutes till all the water is gone, testing cold viscosity from time to time.



In the mean time sterilise all the bottles and lids in the dishwasher.

Once cooked, use a jug to decant hot (it is dangerous) jam into bottles.



Add lids once all is done.



Take a bottle outside, check the light penetration, take a photo and gloat.



I add extra lemon juice, as I prefer a slightly tangy jam.

Also less sugar than recommend, but it still is very sweet.

Need more fruit now.

[LT7A]

Man, sorry about all the wasp trouble. I have them here and they have learned that the passenger doors on my SquareBodies don't get opened very often. So I systematically went and cleared the nests out of three trucks. Since that time I periodically come across them in other places. I always keep a couple of bottles that will shoot 20 ft. I think that's about 275 meters, but I'm not sure. Got a kick out of Sally screaming as she popped off rounds from an air rifle. Sometime when you bring her to the states she can get behind something that is powder actuated and hand-held, and you can see how that goes, haha. As you probably know, typically you get more allergic to those stings until you're in respiratory danger. So please take care with regard to that. Your place is really coming together and I like seeing you guys enjoy it. Your big barbecues look delicious.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Man, sorry about all the wasp trouble. I have them here and they have learned that the passenger doors on my SquareBodies don't get opened very often. So I systematically went and cleared the nests out of three trucks. Since that time I periodically come across them in other places. I always keep a couple of bottles that will shoot 20 ft. I think that's about 275 meters, but I'm not sure. Got a kick out of Sally screaming as she popped off rounds from an air rifle. Sometime when you bring her to the states she can get behind something that is powder actuated and hand-held, and you can see how that goes, haha. As you probably know, typically you get more allergic to those stings until you're in respiratory danger. So please take care with regard to that. Your place is really coming together and I like seeing you guys enjoy it. Your big barbecues look delicious.

I believe I have. Turned allergic.

And the big BBQ’s are rather nice.

Great company too.

[Grizz1963]

We do like a BBQ

@Totti knows.....

Ordered 30kg of BBQ Briquettes from Germany

Let’s hope the reviews are accurate.



Over the weekend, Sally asked me to help her do a sign for a work friend and colleague who had a double mastectomy.

So I agreed.

Ended up doing three, for two of her friends and her colleague

Starting wit a rough sign, then a background painted on.



Resulting in



The other with added detail....



Result



And 5 hrs later, seriously.




The next big job was to wrap up the carport and driveway posts that had to be redone.

Greg, the lodger, who left today helped after Andy moved out, he also taught me a whole lot about welding.

He finished off the plates for me too.







DONE.

Galvazinc after finishing off.





Spoke to the steel guy today, he should be here to do the steel work in two weeks.

Price was a nice surprise.

[LT7A]

Crazy new project! I will be at intrigued to watch. Thought about doing something similar as I have a 1994 Jeep Wrangler being a direct descendant of the same predecessor. I did not know that they made resin tubs for them so I will be interested to see as you get into it. I thought it would be pretty cool to get aluminum parts from the Philippines for mine to drop the weight and increase the corrosion resistance. No real plans for that now though. Also toyed with lowering it but instead put a little bigger wheels and tires and left the suspension stock. Pretty cool the friends you have and the things that it allows you to do, sometimes from home. I'll enjoy the updates. BTW, I can't believe all that food was for four people.

When you sold your Blazer did they tell you why they're filming Stranger Things in England? Do you watch the show? It's pretty fun for those of us who were alive in the 80s.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Crazy new project! I will be at intrigued to watch. Thought about doing something similar as I have a 1994 Jeep Wrangler being a direct descendant of the same predecessor. I did not know that they made resin tubs for them so I will be interested to see as you get into it. I thought it would be pretty cool to get aluminum parts from the Philippines for mine to drop the weight and increase the corrosion resistance. No real plans for that now though. Also toyed with lowering it but instead put a little bigger wheels and tires and left the suspension stock. Pretty cool the friends you have and the things that it allows you to do, sometimes from home. I'll enjoy the updates. BTW, I can't believe all that food was for four people.

When you sold your Blazer did they tell you why they're filming Stranger Things in England? Do you watch the show? It's pretty fun for those of us who were alive in the 80s.

Hey !!

Good to see you here LT7A

Thanks for taking the time to chat.

The English love a Kit Car, mainly due to the 70’s and 80’s cars rotting away before you could empty a tank of gas.
Some are truly butt ugleee. Some are pretty, dainty or functional.
There was nicer looking one, known as Jago Jeep , this one is an Eagle RV

I love the Filipino style Owner type or Tamiya style jeeps, really go karts.and plan is partly to emulate that with this build.

I think the friends all jumping in thing, nationally is not always understood by many. It is all about keeping your “Karma Bucket” Full of good fortune.

I have driven 100’s of miles to pick up motorbikes, detoured for tools etc for people I never met before. But it goes around and comes back. Usually unexpectedly.

I knew the Blazer was headed for a movie role, but got sworn to secrecy.

I do not have Netflix, rather spend the money on tools, BBQ meat or Jack Daniels (joke)

Very pleased with how it came out though.

[Grizz1963]

So Bill shot over to the body shop where the Rezin Rockit was stored along with mate Gordon




Finding the Eagle in the back of the yard.




Lots of green and garden











Moving it included a dead lift by Bill and Gordon to get it away from the wall.



Gordon Man-Legend




Car ready





Reversing the trailer into place



Trailer ready



Piece of cake for me watching in real time as it unfolded on web conference while Nikki did the picture capture duties.



More pics later.



Really.

[Grizz1963]

Last big entry of photos.

These detail pics I like because they take more than a day to become what they are.





My favourite pic from today.





Moss Alarm ?







Gelcoat/paint. Needs a clean for sure.



Even the wheels that were on it, on the wall side for the last 6 years show their age.




.


Eventually became time to leave.


Bill and Gordon followed Fil and Nikki for a while.

Spotted and snapped by Bill, this lady scrambled for her phone to take a photo of the van and trailer, wonder why?






.I will copy and paste Fil’s travel report of their first leg of the return trip in a bit.


Hope some of you are still awake and tasking note.