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

[Ta2Don]

Posted on Martin's Thread…
Looks like a fun project and day...

[Grizz1963]

Another small safety related purchase today. Thanks to Martin for picking them up for me.

The existing mirrors were 5 inch round ones, tired, rusted and not very good as mirrors.

So I decided to go for the 5 X 7 inch rectangular ones so that I could see what was going on around me.

Another £28.00 out of the kitty. But a good spend in my view.



Also went to the Exhaust doctor to start investigating the full cost of a complete new stainless system, including a pair of cutouts.

Price quoted had me taste bile.

More homework.

[Grizz1963]

Crawled under the truck at 05.30 today (yes, insomnia is a *****) to double check my headers and exhaust pipes.

Weird that the headers run at 3" but then get reduced after the flange to 2 1/4" for the rest of the way.

Starting to think of self building the system at home after initial prices.


While I was there I noted the front cab mount rubber bushes on both sides, between the cab floor and chassis outriggers were very Donut shaped and badly cracked. The rear sets were perfectly fine as well as the front lower ones.

Looks like I will have to either get a full cab rubber mount kit or source a pair of the rubbers that are cracked up.

And the cab will have to be lifted.

Fun Fun Fun.

[Grizz1963]

An envelope landed from Spokane Valley, Washington today.

Contents: Used light sockets for the trucks side lights on both my and Martin's trucks, thanks to Markeb01



Even though the truck passed its MOT with the repaired lights over the weekend, I will replace them with new once the new wiring harness gets fitted and the body is all done.

Getting closer to that point where I cannot procrastinate on the teardown any more.

Marathon session planned for tomorrow evening in the garage, again to create more working space.

[Ta2Don]

Marathon Session plus being closer to teardown...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Marathon Session plus being closer to teardown...

HMMMMMMMMM...??

May be some more madness over the weekend.

Details as it unfolds.

[flashed]

Im in .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Im in .

Thanks Buddy,


Loud, Raucous, Antisocial Thuggery is how my old neighbour would have described what I am planning.

Courier delivered delivered these today.

Note the can of Pepsi Max for perspective, the can fits inside the pipes loosely.

3 inches of deep thundering joy once I build the rest of the system.




The other thing I got today was a 2 berth caravan that had been used for some time as a large dog kennel.

I gutted the curtains, floor mats and all the mattresses before I even towed it home behind Nicola's car (which was today exchanged after failing its MOT )

I had been looking for a small shed to put up around the back at the garage, in which I could store all the parts of the Chevy as I stripped it, when the idea struck me, as I knew the local pub landlord had a 2 berth caravan to sell for £50.00

Before I went down there, I called him and offered £40.00 which he accepted.

This is what I fetched........ 7 foot wide, body 13 foot long.




Back home I started to remove all the stuff inside, which includes a full awning, port-a-loo, water roll, cutlery, glasses, pans, and some other random stuff, including a spare wheel.

Tomorrow I will vacuum clean it on the inside, then take my pressure cleaner to the inside too and wash the inside down, after which it needs to dry out, while I wash down the outsides.

Then park it around back, and start packing truck stuff from the garage into it.

Landed.




With some of the treasures.

Despite being terribly grubby, it has a small toilet onboard and has potential to be restored to use once it has served its purpose as a spares shed.



That's all for tonight.

[Ta2Don]

Nice Score on the Caravan… Looks like another project in your future!!!...

Nicola's car failed it's MOT??? So you traded her's and 3500 English for another car???

[markeb01]

That's a nice looking trailer no matter how it gets used. It certainly seems nice enough to return to travel duty after it's served its purpose as a storage shed! What a bargain!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Nice Score on the Caravan… Looks like another project in your future!!!...

Nicola's car failed it's MOT??? So you traded her's and 3500 English for another car???

Yes. Catastrophically on ABS and a few other bits I cannot do anything to.

Dealers are unfortunately in a position to rape you in broad daylight.

Also she has wanted a small car since mum died in January so Friday 13th which I have never feared came and delivered.

Pity I had to steal from our emergency savings and my "truck fund"
Of course home mortgage etc always comes before toys so kinda gritted my teeth and paid.

Will post a couple of pics for you later. Its a Peugeot 107 with massive 1.0 liter engine and only £20/year road tax.

Originally Posted by markeb01

That's a nice looking trailer no matter how it gets used. It certainly seems nice enough to return to travel duty after it's served its purpose as a storage shed! What a bargain!

Thanks Mark, I agree.
Its economising like this that allows me to have a truck.


I just do not see any reason to pay £250 for a 6x6 foot shed that I need to assemble at home when this one cost me £40 and came with a load of extras.

Granted it smelled of dog, and so far I am less than halfway through hand scrubbing it like only a Boer can. But when its done as a shed I may turn it into a "car show camper" with two narrow fixed bunks and its kitchen and toilet restored.

I also am strongly considdering asking some Photoshop god to photoshop it into some 80's Nascar colours with a red theme to hook behind the truck.

Or maybe even better, what I would love is Sinclair Oil Corporation colours and a Dino or two on it.

Whatcha think?

[Ta2Don]

Go Sinclair on the Caravan!!!

[Palf70Step]

Neat looking parts shed!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Go Sinclair on the Caravan!!!

I have a real thing for Sinclair.

I was thinking of a Dino on the rear, tail in the bottom right corner and head coming around to the door as if it was looking in.

The Sinclair red is close enough to the trucks red as well.

Did you know that Sinclair did soonsor a NASCAR team years ago??

But very little details or photos to use as examples.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Neat looking parts shed!

Thank you Bill.

I just think its perfect for storing doors, hood, fenders erc while the truck is ripped apart.

Just indoors for coffee n bread rolls. 5 hrs to do first pass on the interior. Next up pressure clean the exterior.

Inside could be made habitable now.

[Grizz1963]

Collecting parts, learning along with Martin on his truck and actually having a spare pair of hands is all part of this build.

The caravan/shed has been baptized by a South African friend as "THE KENNEL" and even if it becomes a camping caravan later, it will be known as The Kennel.

As usual I already have the next two incarnations in mind.

Once the truck is completed, the plan today is to have Nicola turn the inside into a cool little weekend away space.

The exterior may well end up in some mad NASCAR livery........ Think Sinclair Oil Corporation, or other similar with Red as a major component. I like the idea of having a Dinosaur on the rear, with its head poking around to the side of the door.

Today I spent about 5 hours washing the interior surfaces, undersides, topsides etc by hand with a rag and loads of Cillit Bang! About 6 buckets of water etc. I also cleaned the Porta Potty and other items that were in it when I got it. The awning and poles were wiped down and packed away under the mattress-less bunks.

The caravan was really only good for a bonfire, and to be honest, anyone who kept his dog in that thing deserved to be punched in the face.

After the interior, I spent a few more hours with a pressure cleaner, getting the roof, sides etc cleaned up.



Imagine a Dinosaur looking around the corner.



After that I parked it up outside the garage in front of the woodwork shed.




BEST NEWS AT LUNCH TIME TODAY........

My E-Z Wiring complete replacement loom arrived from America.

This is probably one of the most sensible lumps of money I will throw at the truck, you do not spend all the time and money on getting an old car sorted, and then have it catch fire and burn out due to faulty wiring, a lot of what my truck has.



Looking forward to bootfairs in the morning.

May also put a coat of good quality paint on the interior of the caravan, as I scrubbed a lot of the print from the ply walls inside.

[Paul Y]

Grizz,

I used that same kit to wire my 56 pickup. Really works well.

Where are you planning to put the fuse box?

Good work on the 'van. My wife was looking over my shoulder earlier and,as only a Safar can, told me not to get any ideas!

P.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Grizz,

I used that same kit to wire my 56 pickup. Really works well.

Where are you planning to put the fuse box?

Good work on the 'van. My wife was looking over my shoulder earlier and,as only a Safar can, told me not to get any ideas!

P.

Tell your wife "N BOER MAAK N PLAN"

[Grizz1963]

Most of you know my neighbour Mickey.

He is 69 now and gave up his Mercedes Sprinter vn with intergalactic mileage at the end of last year after the engine blew up.

He has not stopped working though, as his head does not work that way.

He now works at a scrap dealer/recyclers yard, doing everything from cutting to moving and weighing.

Last week he came home excited that he had something come in which just had my name on it.

So this morning at 06.00 we were standing chatting over the hedge as we often do early mornings when he showed me the pics.

Later today he saw me and said that the yard would let me have the chassis for £15.00

Gotta be worth it. Of course this raises the question....... What to do with it??









This is the original with wheel barrow wheels.




He also had a pic of this little wagon, he reckons its worth a fair whack, but offered it to me for £35.00

I offered it to mate Martin to move his parts around with and then when he is done with it, it will be coming back to me to be turned into a rather large "Radio Flyer" tug-along with solid sides and painted red.

Nicola has laid claim to it, for towing her chocolate around in, said you can never be too prepared.



Maybe not as big as this though.

[Grizz1963]

Spent a few hours today dismantling the interior, masking up window frames, cabinets etc and then proceeded to paint the first coat of Magnolia.

This is what the interior loooked like after my marathon cleaning session yesterday



Next coat will probably go on at 05.00 tomorrow.

Then I will try to leave it alone.

[Grizz1963]

Today's bootfair netted only two items, but both appropriate for the truck.

Firstly this single spotlight for £2.00 that needs a light resto.



And secondly, this cheapish spray bun.... UNUSED, and perfect for primer or underseal.

Cost a whole £1.50 Got to be worth that.



This again falls in line with the preparation I am doing, gathering stuff for the truck.

[Grizz1963]

This morning early, before going off to work, I popped into the scrap yard to check out the chassis and wagon Mickey had told me about.

I guess it looked a bit weird, me arriving in a suit, and him in a bright green health and safety suit.

I approved of the chassis and wagon.



Tonight after work, I went home and grabbed the truck and went down to fetch my treasures.

Can you say Junk Yard Dog ??



Loaded, with Mickey standing by.

Then off to drop the wagon at Martins place as he will be using the wagon for his chassis.



Once at Martins we removed the sides and he too it in, he had been at home today, dismantling his truck even further.








Thats all for today.

[Ta2Don]

Nice Score...

[Grizz1963]

Been looking at the little things on the truck that will need seeing to when I do the rebuild.

Lights......

Lenses and internals of both rear lights are pretty bad.







And all together now.....

I will be restoring parts and replacing the plastic lenses and all the rubber seals.

[mjh1965]

Is this start of the strip down ?
Have you finally got the bug

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

And all together now.....

I will be restoring parts and replacing the plastic lenses and all the rubber seals.

This pic is a reminder that I have a plate I need to get in the post to you mate!!!