Brothers Truck Show

[Kabwe]

Yeah that's it. That is one sweet truck.

[chevyrestoguy]

Dan-
You'll get a laugh at how I found him at the show. We had exchanged phone numbers, and I had decided that I was going to make a quick pass through the show and check out the trucks, then I would call. Brad and I came up on a pretty nice '55-57 truck and there were 3 guys who really giving it a good look over. I was about 75% sure it was him, so I just kind of eavesdropped on them and listened in. Those guys really knew what they were talking about, and their comments were exactly what I was thinking as well. I gave Brad a wink and said, "watch this...." and I dailed his number. Sure enough, it started ringing, and before he could answer it, I snuck up behind him and introduced myself. He also introduced us to his friends Tony and Walt, who were awesome. We all hit it off like we had known each other for years and wound up walking around together for the rest of the show. We met up with Kim57 and hotrod1 as well and the day was just a blast. I hadn't gone to many shows this year because I've been busy with home and work stuff, and the Brothers show was just the medicine I needed.

Next year, lets all make sure we exchange phone numbers so we can all meet up. Our plan (Brad and I) is to have a few of our own trucks there, and we'll have the Easy-Up and the grille going and every one is welcome to stop by.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Sounds great. I think I was standing right next to you a number of times during the morning. I looked around and saw the same 4-5 guys over and over. I was the (semi?)old fart Mexican guy with the "Old Guys Rule" ballcap. I agree on bringing an EZ-Up, a grill and some comfortable chairs!

[Kim57]

The Ez-up sounds like a great idea. I've met Kabwe at the show the past few years and is was great to meet the other guys there this year.
Only wish I could have gotten there earlier to meet more.
Kim

[Kabwe]

I'm the shorter of the two black guys (the one wearing glasses) in the upper left corner of this pic. The other guy is my buddy Tony.

[Kim57]

That's pretty cool you found a random pic of yourself at the show.
Kim

[Dan in Pasadena]

Kabwe, at the risk of offending one of your friends or relative, was there an older man with you? Slender (I think?). I thought you MIGHT have been the guy you're saying is your friend with his sunglasses pushed up on his head.

Incidentally, wasn't the paint on this truck outrageous?! A mile deep man, incredible.

[hotrod1]

Hey Bam: When I met you at the show last year you pointed out all the little subtleties of detail in that red truck. Since then I spend a lot of time looking at the body and door gaps. Even some of those beautiful trucks have lousy gaps. I think that it is OK if it is a stocker, but I sure appreciate it when they are right on with a hot rod. It is a lot of work to get them nice. Maybe one day we will get there if we ever stop messing with the frame and have more time.

Anyways, I would have liked to tour the show with you and chevyrestoguy55 but I had to get there early and leave because of another obligation.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Kabwe, at the risk of offending one of your friends or relative, was there an older man with you? Slender (I think?). I thought you MIGHT have been the guy you're saying is your friend with his sunglasses pushed up on his head.

Incidentally, wasn't the paint on this truck outrageous?! A mile deep man, incredible.

Yeah that was us I was with Tony and an older gentleman. Tony is a really nice guy if you would have asked him if he was me, he just would have pointed out that I'm the midget over there.lol

Originally Posted by hotrod1

Hey Bam: When I met you at the show last year you pointed out all the little subtleties of detail in that red truck. Since then I spend a lot of time looking at the body and door gaps. Even some of those beautiful trucks have lousy gaps. I think that it is OK if it is a stocker, but I sure appreciate it when they are right on with a hot rod. It is a lot of work to get them nice. Maybe one day we will get there if we ever stop messing with the frame and have more time.

Anyways, I would have liked to tour the show with you and chevyrestoguy55 but I had to get there early and leave because of another obligation.

Yeah man there are some really nice trucks that the door gaps and panel fitment is not good. They were like that from the factory so I don't trip on it too much because I know that everyone is not as nutty as me when it comes to that stuff. When I look at a ride I look at it for what it is, not what I want it to be because its not mine. I do take mental notes of what I would have done differently if it was mine. I've never seen a perfect car or truck because of the taste factor. We all have different taste and what is perfect to me others my think differently.

Man I just love craftsmanship and I'm a bigger fan of the home builder than I am of shops. I love to see a really sweet ride that someone built themselves and it seems that is not as common at shows lately. I guess people don't have the time.lol Lord knows it takes a lot of weekends and long nights to pull off a build. I guess that's why I'm such a fan of the home builder because its not easy. There are some fabulous home builders on this site and they are doing great work with a lack of tools and man power. Dedication and a great imagination can take you far just look at some of these builds on this site.

[bensimmons_05]

Very well put Kabwe! I really want to plan a trip out west for something like this, I'd love to be able to meet some of you guys and see these rides I see pictures of every day.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

...Man I just love craftsmanship and I'm a bigger fan of the home builder than I am of shops. I love to see a really sweet ride that someone built themselves and it seems that is not as common at shows lately. I guess people don't have the time.lol Lord knows it takes a lot of weekends and long nights to pull off a build. I guess that's why I'm such a fan of the home builder because its not easy. There are some fabulous home builders on this site and they are doing great work with a lack of tools and man power. Dedication and a great imagination can take you far just look at some of these builds on this site.

Totally agree. I don't have ANY fabrication chops compared to you and a lot of the guys here....but I admire the hell out of your abilities and I want to learn from what you've done so that my truck; when it's done, will be the best I could do that the time I built it.

If I can do better with a subsequent project or do better on this truck at a later time, great...but you've got to keep on striving for the best YOU can attain. That's what I see you (Kabwe) and others here doing and I so admire the effort. To me it looks like it takes plain blood and guts; plain determination.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by bensimmons_05

Very well put Kabwe! I really want to plan a trip out west for something like this, I'd love to be able to meet some of you guys and see these rides I see pictures of every day.

Hey bensimmons how's everything? Yeah you need to make it out here sometime, the weathers always nice and the hotrods are always rolling.lol

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Totally agree. I don't have ANY fabrication chops compared to you and a lot of the guys here....but I admire the hell out of your abilities and I want to learn from what you've done so that my truck; when it's done, will be the best I could do that the time I built it.

If I can do better with a subsequent project or do better on this truck at a later time, great...but you've got to keep on striving for the best YOU can attain. That's what I see you (Kabwe) and others here doing and I so admire the effort. To me it looks like it takes plain blood and guts; plain determination.

Thanks man I appreciate that. You are doing the right thing with your truck get it running nice and dependable and drive it. Enjoy the heck out of it. When I bought mine I bought it in pieces and it snow balled into a full frame off change everything from the rooter to the tooter.lol

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

....from the rotor to the tooter.lol

I was drinking water and it almost came out my nose when I read that!

My truck will likely never be in the same class as yours but I'll like it and in the end I guess that's the whole point. I'm getting it out of the shop tomorrow and even though it'll rattle and have rust spots (until I fix all those nagging things) it oughta run great and be reliable mechanically and I'll have a big smile on my face going down the street looking like Fred Sanford!

[hotrod1]

I know, it s hard for me to not tear something apart that I have already done because after doing it, I know that I could do it better if done again. Perfectionist. I cant tell you how many times I have ground down a weld and redone it. I figure the next truck will be even better.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I was drinking water and it almost came out my nose when I read that!

My truck will likely never be in the same class as yours but I'll like it and in the end I guess that's the whole point. I'm getting it out of the shop tomorrow and even though it'll rattle and have rust spots (until I fix all those nagging things) it oughta run great and be reliable mechanically and I'll have a big smile on my face going down the street looking like Fred Sanford!

Your truck is already in a better class than mine, you are able to drive it.lol Its not about who has the nicest looking ride because that's all personal opinion anyway. The point is that smile on your face when you drive it. That's priceless.

I learned no matter what you do there are buttheads out there to try and rain on your parade and all you can do is do what you do and keep it pushing.

One time a guy came up to me to criticize my 55 210. I listen and then when he finished I said Do you have one? He replied no. So I said, well when you get one I want to see it so you can show me how everything should be done.lol Man his jaw dropped.

My grandfather once told me "A person that never does anything does not get criticized, but do anything and everybody has an opinion". I find that to be very true.

Dan do what you do and don't worry about the rest. Enjoy your truck buddy, its yours and makes you happy. The only one that has to like your truck is you.

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by hotrod1

I know, it s hard for me to not tear something apart that I have already done because after doing it, I know that I could do it better if done again. Perfectionist. I cant tell you how many times I have ground down a weld and redone it. I figure the next truck will be even better.

You are preaching to the choir my friend.lol My truck would be finished if I did not redo things I've already done.lol The problem is the more you do this stuff the more your skills improve so what was fine a month ago is not cool a month later.lol

[tmoble]

Dan in Pasadena

Was that green panel really that light colored? I'm about to settle on that same color scheme for my truck but that looks a lot lighter than other trucks I've that were that Seafoam green color. Maybe it was darker in the 50s?

Anybody know if that's Nomad upholstery? or maybe some Cameo deal?

[Kabwe]

Tmoble

I know the question was not directed towards me, but that is about the color of the truck because I'm thinking about the same color. I was talking to a couple guys from the forum about the color on that panel I'm thinking about painting my truck that color. I bought a quart to spray some test panels with a while back.

[Racie]

Originally Posted by Kabwe

Yeah that was us I was with Tony and an older gentleman. Tony is a really nice guy if you would have asked him if he was me, he just would have pointed out that I'm the midget over there.lol


Yeah man there are some really nice trucks that the door gaps and panel fitment is not good. They were like that from the factory so I don't trip on it too much because I know that everyone is not as nutty as me when it comes to that stuff. When I look at a ride I look at it for what it is, not what I want it to be because its not mine. I do take mental notes of what I would have done differently if it was mine. I've never seen a perfect car or truck because of the taste factor. We all have different taste and what is perfect to me others my think differently.

Man I just love craftsmanship and I'm a bigger fan of the home builder than I am of shops. I love to see a really sweet ride that someone built themselves and it seems that is not as common at shows lately. I guess people don't have the time.lol Lord knows it takes a lot of weekends and long nights to pull off a build. I guess that's why I'm such a fan of the home builder because its not easy. There are some fabulous home builders on this site and they are doing great work with a lack of tools and man power. Dedication and a great imagination can take you far just look at some of these builds on this site.

Very well put coming from a family of home built and tasteful hotrods myself!

[tmoble]

Thanks Bam. I really liked the look of the interior of that truck. I want that look for my interior, especially the dash. I already have a factory radio and speaker. The chrome knobs are available.

Anybody identify that upholstery? Nomad or Cameo or something else entirely?

My main problem (besides money) is that when I did the Camaro sub-frame back in '93 I was into red. So, the frame under the truck was cleaned and painted red then. Hard to think about the amount of work involved in a color change on a frame. Dang.

[tmoble]

Kabwe,

where did you buy that paint and how did you order it? By name or some code number?

[bajabob]

Guys
Thanks for all the pics..... I waited all year for that show and even gave up a shift of OT ($$$$$$) to go and I thought my camera was good to go..... On the very first shot, it threw up and said "battery exhausted" !!!!!! what the foo!!! Cool to get to see trucks in person that I drool over all year long in the magazines....

Bam it was good to see you again and to see how stoked a talented guy like you were on the green truck.... blew me away, your a humble dude.... I am just sayin..... cuz I know some major JA's who wish they had your kind of skills...

I am with hotrod, I got all motivated and went home and started working on my steering wheel. Hope it turns out as good as Dan's.....

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by tmoble

Kabwe,

where did you buy that paint and how did you order it? By name or some code number?

Tmoble,
I bought it from a paint store in cali by the name of finish masters. Now you must remember because of Cali's environmental restrictions I only have a choice of two solvent paints. The one is Nason Spectramaster green and the paint code is GS039. I don't know if its the exact color of that panel but its very, very close.

Originally Posted by bajabob

Guys

Bam it was good to see you again and to see how stoked a talented guy like you were on the green truck.... blew me away, your a humble dude.... I am just sayin..... cuz I know some major JA's who wish they had your kind of skills...

It was great seeing you again also, and how you get you lady to hang out at a car show and actually look at cars is beyond me.lol My wife would come and keep asking me are you done looking yet.lol

Thanks for the compliments.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by tmoble

Dan in Pasadena

Was that green panel really that light colored? I'm about to settle on that same color scheme for my truck but that looks a lot lighter than other trucks I've that were that Seafoam green color. Maybe it was darker in the 50s?

Anybody know if that's Nomad upholstery? or maybe some Cameo deal?

I agree with Kabwe that the panel WAS that light but there is a "richness" and a depth to it that the photos just don't capture. It may only be that the painter did such a good job or it may be the paint...I don't know enough about painting to be able to give an opinion. I just know I was impressed as hell with the overall look. I probably won't do steelies, dog dish caps & rings, but I like them a lot and they only added to how nice and era-correct this panel looked.

Kabwe, do you do your own painting? I read that you said you're going to spray a test panel so it makes me wonder....just how many talents DO you have?

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

Kabwe, do you do your own painting? I read that you said you're going to spray a test panel so it makes me wonder....just how many talents DO you have?

Yeah I will be painting the truck. There is no talent over here, I'm just so broke I have to do everything myself.lol I do the best I can that's all.