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

[Grizz1963]

Thanks to @peteh1969 for making up the badges.

Fitted them early on today.

Details.





Followed by……….

Passenger “Anti-Submarine” strap.

Unbolted and raised the seat base.

Remember this was the drivers seat before.

@nickwheeler had just arrived and suggested I make the brace stronger than what was fitted as standard.

So……..



Measured and cut a new 3mm steel brace.

Also made a new buckle to go with it.



Bolted in.



And fitted.



Fits too.

Fully adjustable.





.

[Grizz1963]

So while I carried on with the second seat harness mount, @nickwheeler took a look at the wipers that came last week.

Very quickly realising they would be needing some adjustment on every level.


1. Mounting plate and Rivnuts to the frame.

2. Shorter arms, a lot shorter (think headlight arms)

3. Shorter wipers. 8” or 200mm as those supplied are 300mm


So we carried on working side by side at more of these small necessary jobs.


First mounting plate made up.

Even the small screws needed replacing from the magic tub with slightly longer ones.






Tried out.

Looks good.



Yes, that works.



Bolted up, spacing works.



Both sides done.



Another couple of small jobs included getting the passenger footwell firewall kickplate carpeted. Looking plush in there now.

And finding where I had hidden these bonnet/hood catches……

Making up some backing plates and finding small nuts and screws to attach them to fenders and hood.



Attached.



And finally, stepping away

Wipers and arms too long, need something shorter.

Bonnet catches in place.



A short day unfortunately, as the rear light units were not delivered on Friday or Saturday as promised by Ebay.

Busy week ahead.

Have a good one all.

[Grizz1963]

Just some random thinking tonight.

Sometimes I should not be permitted to think.

Rollbar.



Add scaffolding pipe lagging

Wrap in nylon webbing.





Or wrap in vinyl.



Not sure at all yet.

Just Finking.

For now.

[Grizz1963]

Rear light units came today.

Took longer than anticipated, but all good.



So after work I went down to make up some splash guards for them.

Measured, cut and folded.



Bottoms folded up.



Fits the hole.

Thats a good thing too.

John the lodger got home and came down with a beer.

This aids the thinking processes.



And wraps around the lights nicely.



Added some insulation to the rear where the contacts may make contact.



Being a bit more adventurous than me, he started to test the lights, wiring, switches etc.

Battery is almost dead, so it was a struggle, but except for the rear foglight, all the rear lights are wired, and the new lights are a massive improvement on the old.



Once the shields were done and test fitted, I decided to shut shop and come up.

Magic Mike moved the car.



Another small job completed tonight.

Headlights, side lights, side repeaters, and a few more bits, plus restoring the wiring………

[Braunschweiger]

The little things make progress, nobody sees it. It will be great and will be a lot of fun on the road

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

The little things make progress, nobody sees it. It will be great and will be a lot of fun on the road

Morning Harald,

You are right.

Also, if you cheat, you will always know it is not right.


Still got questions and opinions on this …..

You get pre-made units that velcro over, foam and a printed nylon type covering.

Like these: https://www.rollbarcovers.com/rollbarcovers





Zippers, velcro and poppers are all feasible though. . I suspect velcro is the easier way.

I actually prefer that coarse broad webbing, which is not seatbelt material and it allows you to navigate the bend and absorb the curve neatly.

As Phil said, the vinyl can look bit untidy.

I always wanted a thicker bar for looks, and the wrapped look achieved that in part.

Like this size.

[Braunschweiger]

The Wrap tape is great and what if you line it with fixed foam beforehand?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

The Wrap tape is great and what if you line it with fixed foam beforehand?

I think it would be good.

Contact glue is good, and willkeepthe webbing in position.

Maybe do it later.






Decided that as I had paid for the lot, I may as well destroy it all while at it.

Wipers that is.



Measured, marked,Bent, cut.



Shorter for sure.

May have to make some stays to stop the sweeping.



Painted the folded, cut and drilled tips.



Back together.



I do hope it all comes together sufficiently.

Small jobs.

[Grizz1963]

A day off work always sounds like a great idea.

Especially when you choose to be off.

But when you do not, and feel a bit rubbish, it is still a good thing. Right?



But there is always stuff to do.

Yesterday I checked the cells in the battery that came with the car, intending to put it on charge.

Cells were all dry, took 1.5 litres to fill, no wonder it was so light.

I hate duff, tired or dead batteries, so time for a new one.

John the lodger picked up a new battery on the way home from his favourite battery shop. Cost £55.00



While trying the front wiring, the original airbag (disconnected) steering wheel would not activate the horn, may need some magic or new alternative.

https://youtu.be/EThky5GcbH4

But I also looked at alternatives.

Eunos wheel.

Mot pretty.



Fits but needs a working horn push.



A spare, fitting centre boss, but no wheel or horn push.



And the wheel I really do prefer for looks.

But the centre boss is a differently splined unit.



So many options…….

Do I blend two steering wheels to make up one that fits?

Or stick with Mr Ugly.

Suspect Ugly it is.

For now.

[Grizz1963]

Went to look for some specific diameter pipe for the Rezin Rockit.

Failed.

But found this hammer in the dirt.

My first thought is slate roofers hammer.

Possibly quite old, and from before the modern ones seen now.

@dez is a bit of a hammer guy, so may know.

Anyone else got a clue?







Thanks.

[Grizz1963]

Spectacularly rubbish night. 12 hours in bed, maybe 5 slept in total.

Bored to hell by 9.30 so went to the garage and stood and stared at things.

Liking what I see, but bored within 10 minutes.

So I found a lazy, slow job to do.



Fix the dash a bit, original design was in a different direction…… leaving gaps.

Created template.



Found some wood and tools.





More shaping after making a second one, yes, V1.0 was not quite right.



More materials.



Looks like a fit.



Glue, fit, pressure.



Done trimming back.



Vinyl next I guess.



Knackered, from doing nothing.

Came indoors.

[Grizz1963]

Well.

Covid certainly slows me down.

But I struggle to sit still, and indoors is a killer.

After a slow walk around the bootfair, which netted exactly zero, I had breakfast, sat around a while, then went to the garage.

Gathered some bits of metal.



Measured, cut to.size, drilled etc.





Drilled and tapped the rear support



Glue.



Result.





Solid stick welds.



Painted.



Result.





Tell you what.

That screen is a load more solid and stable now.

It was good, now it is better.

[Braunschweiger]

That you can still move like that with Covid 19, respect. I couldn't do anything but sleep. But nice progress. Get well soon.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

That you can still move like that with Covid 19, respect. I couldn't do anything but sleep. But nice progress. Get well soon.

Evening Harald.

Thank you.

I really do not like being sick or slowed down.

But today……….



Shortest report ever.

Thanks to Covid.

3 holes drilled, 3 P-Clips fitted to brake lines.



I gave up, and came in to sleep 2.5 hours.

Nasty stuff.

[Grizz1963]

Came to a decision yesterday.

My car, my build, my visualisation, my way,

Advice always appreciated.

I walked down to the garage just to get out the chair and off the couch.

Saw this support, which I really like.



Then thought about it, walked back and fetched the garage keys, got a length of high density foam from the rafters.

Added it to the brace.



Then wrapped it in 50mm wide black nylon webbing.

Both tidier and arguably “safer”



I like the look, as mentioned before.

Ordered some fresh new webbing off Evilbay.

Both the rear section as done before, and the cross brace will get this treatment.

Those who do not like it, I am sure will not be doing their car builds like that.

And anyone who really really really hate it that much, come buy the car, take it home and fix it for yourself.

Problem solved.

[realvc]

I really, really, really like it. All bars near your head need to be padded.
Sorry you are so sick. Take care and get well soon.

[Braunschweiger]

Exactly, it's going to be a great car, the head protection is important, get well soon.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

I really, really, really like it. All bars near your head need to be padded.
Sorry you are so sick. Take care and get well soon.

Thanks Vince.

As far as being sick is,concerned, it is more inconvenient than anything else.

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

Exactly, it's going to be a great car, the head protection is important, get well soon.

I hope so

It will be great if it turns out to be a fun car.










Previously spoke about this.

Contemplating it.

Never actioned.

Today I was thinking, while indoors, trying to rest with this bloody Covid.

Do I add a 500mm drop down front façade below the red panel, to end up just above the level of themgarage door?

It will help weather and rain proof the area a bit more when rain comes in hard from the East.

I plan on painting it the equivalent of Castrol Green and adding some fake garge signage in Rwd onto it.

Looking over the hedge from the neighbours garden.







Hope you get the idea.

Opinions?

[Grizz1963]

So after getting the carport job done I thought a simple job would be to get the contact adhesive out, mask the Rezin Rockit and wrap the centre bar in webbing, as the second 15 meters had been delivered today.

So I dismantled the two safety harnesses and started wrapping the centre bar.

10 meters of webbing as ordered off eBay.

Until………



Seriously?

6 meters and then another 4 meter length.

I was bloody livid, messaged the seller to ask him to resend a single 10 meter length as ordered.



I am not even sure under what to file this sort of behaviour.


Some time through the day I saw this French registered and built Jeep.

I like the look.





No roll bar though.

Is it dangerous?


.

[Grizz1963]

Forgot to mention…..

@nickwheeler also got this done yesterday.

https://youtu.be/A7qY_ToBzBM

After all, it is an MOT requisite item.

[Grizz1963]

Looks like a USA road trip is on again.

And a cheaper flight by around $130.00 or 100 English Pounds than the last one in 2019.

Hopefully I can make it into Pueblo, Colorado to Snyders Junkyard to see what is available, with title and at a sensible price.



Still contemplating where to post the road trip report.

[Grizz1963]

10 minute job.

All I could get done today.

@nickwheeler and I spoke about these lityle bits before.

Why not sort them all when building originally.

My excuse was running out of underseal.

But a can of satin black works fine.



Plus some masking.



Jobby done.

But I should not have.

My eyes tell the true story.

Knackered still.



Also masked the wheel arches while I was at it.



Much better after.



Another little tidying up job out the way.

First 10 meter roll of webbing arrived today.

Waiting for the 15 meter roll.

[Braunschweiger]

You're a tough guy, no resting. Your fun car will be great.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

You're a tough guy, no resting. Your fun car will be great.

LOL.

I was born restless.


Busy is a good thing for me.






Back to work.

Bit of yard work done.

This part of the carport build is 18 months overdue.



This was where it was headed.



Think an extension of my Sinclair Oil corporation colours, first started on the framework of the carport.

Red on Green.



Painting.



Green.



Add some blue and red.



And that was it for tonight, give the Hammerite 24/48 hours to dry.



Next stop, fitting, fixing and signwriting.

Or something like that.

[Grizz1963]

PART TWO.

FLIP OVER, PAINT WHITE.

Reflective rear end.



Should reflect.



That is very RED, really RED.

Second coat.



Now to try leave it alone a few days to dry through.

Weekend is here.

First beer opened.