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

[Grizz1963]

Pic I forgot to post up last night.

Kinda sums up working together closely......

Intimacy of the build....



Twisting tight nuts.

[Grizz1963]

I have been losing sleep the last few days about getting the the rear springs and shocks off the truck and the new ones fitted after our battle with Martins last weekend.

This week I used SAS20 penetrating fluid three times to get the nuts and bolts all oiled up.



Today I contacted Darren from Unit Engineering to offer him a 4 post, 3000kg lift for £200.00 but interestingly he had also bought one last week.

One thing led to another in our text chat and I mentioned tonight's projected job and anticipated pain.......

"I have a battery powered Rattle Gun you can use." he offered, so after work I went down to his industrial unit (large engineering shop) had a coffee, chat and guided tour of some of his toys. Then asked if I could buy some solid ally from him to remake my lowering blocks....... come with me he said and back into the engineering shop we went.......

"Here, have these"



So with Rattle gun in hand I came home.



After Martin and Ian got in we had a coffee, then I started the fire and handed over to Ian while Martin and I went to the garage.

Back end went up and Rattle gun came out........ EFFORTLESS !!!








OLD vs NEW



Springs and shocks removed



The shocks come with a variety of steel sleeves, and I needed to cut two down to make them fit. Then grind down the sides of the bushes a bit for a tight fit.



New parts fitted and locked down.



OOOOOHHHHH YESSSS !!!!

1.5" drop........ now that had my face hurting from all the grinning.





Not bad for 90 minutes worth of effort.



Checked the level with a spirit level and the load bed is flat straight.

Now I want 2.5" dropped spindles on the front to go with the drums......... Can you get dropped spindles to go on drums??






Next up, tomorrow morning we need to drive back to Martins place 15 miles from here to fetch the new front brake hoses from his truck as he is going Disc brakes next, and to get some fresh brake fluid, then redo the trucks front shock lower bolts as I bought new high tensile bolts this week, as the originals were badly rusted and one was too short.

Last thing will be a decent road test, and some daylight photos of the truck to show the current stance.

[Grizz1963]

Well, went to sleep at about 00.45 and woke at 05.10 so not a good night, but woke with a big grin after yesterdays progress.

Martin had slept over on the couch and had similarly little sleep, but I suspect he missed Bow his giant Rottweiler being on top of him in bed......

So by 06.00 we were sitting planning our day.

Return Darren's Rattle Gun and visit him for a bit, then to Halfords Motor spares to get a new battery for Nicola's MX5 as it was beginning to fail.

Sorry to say, but the guys there, 3 of them behind the counter, are dicks. Asked the car's registration number, punched it into the computer.... "Ahhhh, it's an import, sorry, you will have to wait at least 10 minutes so that someone can go out to the car to look and see what battery it takes"

Martin and I both laughed and walked out...... idiots. No wonder these sorts of businesses are dying out.

From there we went to his house, found Amanda had woken from her slumber, and got the hubs from his truck to rob his brake lines from.

Then came home via a spares shop where we got a litre of fresh brake fluid. At least the owner of the shop knew what we wanted and did not need to consult a computer or a winsdscreen wiper fitter.

Coffee, cookies and chat with Ian who had a late wake up start and had thought we had been abducted by aliens as both our cars were still here and the garage locked and alarmed (as we had used Nicola's MX5 to run the errands)



Removed the pipes and remains of Martins truck's brake lines that he had cut off when stripping his truck.

While we had the wheels off, I replaced the nuts and bolts fitted last week with new high tensile nuts and bolts.





The brake pipes that came off looked like this........





Replaced they looked like this.




After bleeding out the muddy coloured brake fluid, we driveway tested the brakes, as I did not want to clear the cars from the drive to go test the truck, but next weekend it will get a decent road test and drive, after which the brakes will be re-bled if needed.

Lastly, a pic of the Motley Crew.



Once again I can say a huge thank you to Martin for the extra hands and brain power, as well as to Ian for coffee, brake fluid topping up duties and general piss-taking and teasing.

Next up will be getting the new exhaust system built and the cutouts ordered from the USA if I can get a courier organised.

Looking forward to that antisocial part of the trucks evolution.

[CRGRS 66]

Hey Rian, I will have to spend some time and go through your thread from the beginning, but just wanted to say hello, love your truck man!

Does Martin also have a thread on the forum?

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Hey Rian, I will have to spend some time and go through your thread from the beginning, but just wanted to say hello, love your truck man!

Does Martin also have a thread on the forum?

Hi my build thread is

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=611614

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Hey Rian, I will have to spend some time and go through your thread from the beginning, but just wanted to say hello, love your truck man!

Does Martin also have a thread on the forum?

Hi Craig, thank you very much!!

Nicola just got back from visiting her daughter about 90 minutes from here, and I was saying that this truck really does make my heart smile.
Despite the cost of everything we do here being around 60% more than the USA, so a $100 item in the USA will be $160 plus here, this truck and the people involved in the hobby/madness really makes me happy.

There is so much more I would love to do, but one needs to be sensible and just wait till you can afford it, or an item comes into the market at the right price, which is rare over here, as there are not a lot of 60-66 C10's and pretty much no support from businesses.

Check out my garage thread on GJ if you have time and are bored.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=52970

And I know your build of your truck is a memorial to your mum and dad.......

This is what my brother and I did last year, check it when you have time. The actual report starts on page 22.

http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/inde...topic=106063.0

All about celebrating life.

And a thread I am just re-reading..... Realising just how mad I am.

My Teardrop Trailer build

http://www.retrorides.proboards.com/...ompleted-build


Cheers,
Rian.

[clemdaddy]

great write up and a great crew of friends. thats a big part of the fun. you have a beautiful lady and a very nice truck. seems to me that you're a pretty lucky guy.

my girl and i enjoy your posts.

[Ta2Don]

Free = Awesome Score... and putting the Redneck Express to work...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Im with you ,free is good .

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Free = Awesome Score... and putting the Redneck Express to work...

I just see the free stuff as a way of releasing cash to use when I buy bits for the truck.
Alternately, stuff will be crushed and used as landfill, or to build new refrigirators over in China.

[flashed]

Grizz ,I love all your recycling projects and especially the boxes .Stuff like that is now hard to come by here as the price of scrap metal has gone up most gets crushed.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Grizz ,I love all your recycling projects and especially the boxes .Stuff like that is now hard to come by here as the price of scrap metal has gone up most gets crushed.

Thanks Flashed.

I think its a mindset. It gives me pleasure seeing new uses for stuff.

And getting stuff for "Free" means I can spend cash elsewhere on Nicola or myself without feeling guilty.

[Ta2Don]

Here ya go Mate!!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Here ya go Mate!!!

Just had a text from him that they landed in London and were taxiing to the airport building and that he had managed to get me a bottle of Baccardi rum I had ordered........ Happy days.

Of course looking forward to getting all my spares that Amanda had stashed in her lugguage. Wooohooo !!

[Palf70Step]

Nice pictures from your vacation/holiday! Your stash reminds me I need to order some of the same trinkets.

[flashed]

Very nice pics ,love all the old iron over there .

[Grizz1963]

Just a quick reply to some comments I got on various forums.

The guy who owns the yard buys up, restores and sells the stuff you see. He apparently collects whatever he can finf accross Turkey and seeing three 60-66 Chevy C10's and a GMC of the same vintage was a huge kick for me as I have a 66 too.

I did try to buy one number plate off the pink one for my collection but it was a distinct NO.
I had also hoped to find a couple of dash blanking plates inside them but no luck. Fortunately A friend found both I needed in a yard in Florida USA two weeks later.

Seems he is quite pricey according to our tour guide but remember that is vs Turkish incone.

There is a large ex-military airport about 30 minutes away at Dalaman that is now civilian. So it may have some bearing on the content of the yard.

As is always the case, language and culture are the main barriers but I suspect everything is for sale.

[Ta2Don]

Awesome Holiday Pix…

Posting pix from yesterday at Clem's...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Awesome Holiday Pix…

Posting pix from yesterday at Clem's...

Thanks Don

Clem's seems to have been the place to be.

Definitely one on my "To do" list (not sure when though, and don't mention it to Martin)

06.40 here, and buddy Ian and I are just getting ready to be off to Martin's to help him with the last push to get the rear end off his chassis and get it all stashed so that he an get his cab under cover for winter, then we all come back here for a BBQ that Ian will be doing while Martin and I get on with fitting the new lowered springs and shocks to my truck.

Looking forward to that........ Let's hope it all happens without too much drama and blood.

[Ta2Don]

Looking forward to Updates...

You need to make Clem's...

[Paul Y]

Grizz,

From past experience 1 col is equal to about 2"...

Get your grinder out!!!

P.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Grizz,

From past experience 1 col is equal to about 2"...

Get your grinder out!!!

P.

Hey Paul, Thank you for the reply.

I think the way forward, depending on the weather today, will be to refit the driver side, in case it did not seat correctly. And then passenger side.

Then to leave it all to settle a it and do a drive up to the farm as well.

We found my front brake hoses to be rotten/US yesterday, so they need replacing first.

At the price of springs etc here, I will rather refit than cut, the disassembly is. Cheaper than replacing.

[Grizz1963]

Fixed without chops...... Springs were not seated right.

Now both fitted, seated right and only 10mm taller than before.

I suspect originals were cut by at least a coil to give 2" drop, but sagged in the end.....

Happy to leave it to settle now.

Next job will be fresh brake pipes up front.

Pics and update later when I have finished my chores

[Ta2Don]

Glad you were able to get the springs sorted...

Glad you had Martin there to help and Ian to get photo proof...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Glad you were able to get the springs sorted...

Glad you had Martin there to help and Ian to get photo proof...

Martin is sleeping over tomorrow night.

Ian is cooking

I feel a party coming on......

Have soaked all potential nuts twice now with penetrating fluid.

[Ta2Don]

Looking forward to the update... and Pics!!!