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

[Grizz1963]

26/06/14 Update.

Went to the pub to look for another rear window for the shed......

Noticed the interior was still on the bonfire pile.

This is what I started with,

[Ta2Don]

Looks pretty grizzly Grizz!!!

[markeb01]

The bad part about those little things like brake and parking light lenses, they may look okay now, but when everything else has been restored and repainted the little detail parts can look really crappy and can spoil the overall looks.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by markeb01

The bad part about those little things like brake and parking light lenses, they may look okay now, but when everything else has been restored and repainted the little detail parts can look really crappy and can spoil the overall looks.

Hi Mark, you are absolutely right.

I will be replacing with new, Martin is off to the USA later in the year and his partner, Amanda (does not know yet) has volunteered to bring back all the bits I need from Florida.

[Grizz1963]

Happy 4th of July weekend to all our American friends.

Nothing like football and a pickup truck to say YEEEHAWW !!

Been driving this truck a lot the last few weeks and thoroughly enjoying it.

It really does put a stoopid grin on my face when I am in it, and also the amount of people who either drop their windows in traffic, give me the thumbs up or take mobile pics, as well as a couple with iPads (yes, it seems a bit eager) does make you realize the truck has an undeniable presence on the road

It kinda makes me sad for my mate who has come to a point in his life where he is selling his awesome '74 C20 Camper Special with 350/350 combo.
I think he will miss it madly once it is gone. But hey-ho.... that's he way life goes.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1312328200...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT


My Smile per Mile pic of the week.

[Grizz1963]

Picked up some packing crate sides today, hope to make a sand blasting cabinet, albeit a bit big.

I will line the inside with some thin ply sheets from other packing crates, and create a valley to gather the blast media in.

Plan is to pop down to the local pub and see if I can scavenge some caravan windows to use as the viewing window, if the blast media do not destroy them totally, alternately, a used glass/double glazed window may just do the job.

Then out to scavenge for an old vacuum cleaner I can build an extractor from as one needs to see what you are doing.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Happy 4th of July weekend to all our American friends.

Nothing like football and a pickup truck to say YEEEHAWW !!

Been driving this truck a lot the last few weeks and thoroughly enjoying it.

It really does put a stoopid grin on my face when I am in it, and also the amount of people who either drop their windows in traffic, give me the thumbs up or take mobile pics, as well as a couple with iPads (yes, it seems a bit eager) does make you realize the truck has an undeniable presence on the road

Road presence... In '89 when I shipped my '72 Harley FLH to the Azores, it was amazing to see the shear number of Portugese who would cross streets or re-direct their paths to come look at that old sled… Whenever my Brother's and I, 2 Sportsters and a Dyna Glide, would ride and stop for refreshments, crowds would gather and the talk was always about the size of the engines and the fact that the Speedo's registered 120MPH… Other than a 1954 BSA 350cc bike, all other Portugese bikes were 50cc scooters...
Here are a few pics from then… the boy sitting on the stretched Sporty is my son Brandon, who is now 32…

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Picked up some packing crate sides today, hope to make a sand blasting cabinet, albeit a bit big.

I will line the inside with some thin ply sheets from other packing crates, and create a valley to gather the blast media in.

Plan is to pop down to the local pub and see if I can scavenge some caravan windows to use as the viewing window, if the blast media do not destroy them totally, alternately, a used glass/double glazed window may just do the job.

Then out to scavenge for an old vacuum cleaner I can build an extractor from as one needs to see what you are doing.

Looking forward to seeing this bit of Grizz Madness come together!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

I love my truck, because it still works.

Always useful when a load will not fit into the works Golf.

Took the box down to the shop this afternoon after work and helped Nicola do the basic set up.

Some fine tuning to be done.



Outside view..... (yes, the building needs a load o attention)

Size of display is limited by the size of the building and reception area.



Sister in Law Margaret sat and crocheted 60 poppies as well to help with the decoration.




Some finer details to be added, but I am pleased and impressed with how it has turned out.

I suspect some of the branches will not make the same effort, and wait to see what others have done.

"LEST WE FORGET"


Thank you to everyone who commented and helped with advice and additions to the display.

Unfortunately, barbed wire and other "dangerous" objects were banned, in case someone hurts themselves.

[flashed]

Very cool display ,you always do awesome work.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Very cool display ,you always do awesome work.

Thank you for your reply and comments.

I have said it before, mostly I just have to keep busy.

Here is another idea for some of you to potentially copy.


Had Nicola's daughter, Hannah over for the weekend, plan was bootfair this morning, but rain halted play.

SOOOOOO...... ??

Getting a bit stir crazy, she started talking about making furniture etc from pallet wood and various other bits of offcast timber.

So we went and rummaged around behind the garage, and inside the garage.

She identified a half a pallet and said that she wanted to make a wine rack from it.

After her explaining to me how it would work, I was none the wiser.... like me, she sees it in her head and would make it from that plan.

Of course I agreed, any excuse to get the tools out and make stuff.

Unfortunately I did not take a before photo of it on the pile, but halfway through this was the state of play.

Drilling the holes for the glass rack.





After she cleaned up the glass rack, she had a feel for the belt sander and started to partially sand back the pallet sides as well.



Final assembly.




And done.

Takes 12 bottles of varying size and glass rack made to accommodate tall glasses with ease.

Now she just needs to learn to drink wine.



Yes, I am both pleased and proud of Hannah.

Next weekend it is coffee tables and some other mad stuff.

Need to get her onto the lathe too.

[Ta2Don]

That is Awesome Mate! My son just bought his first motorcycle and I am enjoying watching him act like I did when I got my first bike...
The yesterday was the other son's birthday, Jeremy, and I was needed to help replace an Alternator belt in his Mazda Protege5... So far yesterday has been the hottest day of the year topping out at 34C... Full sun and the car parked on very Black blacktop... The best part was Jeremy thanking me because he is learning more and more about wrenching...:metal

Glad Hannah is eager to lean as she builds, that is truly a blessing!!!

Now I get to change the oil in our car and probably Geena's car as well and then some truck time...

Cheers!!!

[markeb01]

That is so very cool! I taught our youngest daughter how to change starters, spark plugs, etc. It's so nice to see kids of all ages interested in learning and having some interest in mechanical things. That and appreciating how handy it can be having a willing and helpful parent to share/work with.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

That is Awesome Mate! My son just bought his first motorcycle and I am enjoying watching him act like I did when I got my first bike...
The yesterday was the other son's birthday, Jeremy, and I was needed to help replace an Alternator belt in his Mazda Protege5... So far yesterday has been the hottest day of the year topping out at 34C... Full sun and the car parked on very Black blacktop... The best part was Jeremy thanking me because he is learning more and more about wrenching...:metal

Glad Hannah is eager to lean as she builds, that is truly a blessing!!!

Now I get to change the oil in our car and probably Geena's car as well and then some truck time...

Cheers!!!

Originally Posted by markeb01

That is so very cool! I taught our youngest daughter how to change starters, spark plugs, etc. It's so nice to see kids of all ages interested in learning and having some interest in mechanical things. That and appreciating how handy it can be having a willing and helpful parent to share/work with.

Thanks guys. I really enjoy it.

Hannah texted a photo on Wednesday of herself proudly standing next to her boyfriends VW Golf with it loaded with pallets. So I guess its tools out again over the weekend.

I may have found some horse shoes too which will see her start welding a bit.

In other news....... Regarding Nicola's WW1 commemorative display.


Seems most people get it. One "lovely chap" on UKGSER did not get it. And managed to stall the thread with a hugely negative reply. But eveywhere else people appreciate it.

Whats nice is that Nicola's manager shared it with her regional manager who shared it with the zonal manager and they all were blown away that she made the effort.
She was also approached by "Funeral Service Times" an industry publication for August to write up a short article and submit photos to go with it. She was shocked but I was really pleased that someone saw fit to escalate her efforts.

Too many people these days are too lazy and cannot be arsed to make an effort.
Its always easier to break down than build up or go the extra mile.

Thanks for all the support.

[Ta2Don]

Congrats to Nicola!!!

Cheers!!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Congrats to Nicola!!!

Cheers!!!

Thanks Don !!

She had emails from three levels of management last week to say thank you.

Yesterday she called me from work (very rarely does that) and told me that their national director had just called her to say thank you for making the effort. I am pleased they have noticed this, as you can so easily be forgotten in big companies.

Her next big thing is a charity drive for Macmillan Cancer support.
We already have ideas around a load of clocks and time flying....... watch this space.


This weekend Hannah brought Luca, her Sicillian boyfriend along, and they had collected pallets through the week, which came in the back of his poor abused Golf.

Plans included a spice rack(s) and some other ideas she had neatly written and drawn on a piece of A4 paper. Known as "The Blueprint"

After a good bootfair session on Sunday, and brekkie at McD's as is customary, we headed home and they started preparing for battle.

I took the truck out the garage and up the drive a bit so that I could address all the sheets of ply I had harvested at a local catering equipment factory, being crate sides, they were filled with nails and these were all duly removed.

Hannah decided to start with the cable drum coffee table she wanted to make out of some cable drums I had stashed in the garage rafters.

So they started by sanding it all to a smooth finish, then assembled with 4 small screws (nuts n bolts)

At this point my father in law arrived with Ruby, the retired Greyhound who wanted to help with the sanding as well.



Deciding the undeside had to be a cream colour, she proceeded with that after careful masking off.



In the mean time Luca proceeded to start coating the £3.00 bootfair bargain, Indian marquetry table they had bought as well with what ended up as 5 coats of Danish oil. The life has really been breathed back into what was a tired piece with loads of potential.



At this point the weather changed and it started raining, so play was halted and moved into the garage where the tabletop was coated in 3 coats of quick drying varnish, I have added two more coats yesterday, so 5 coats should see it resisting all the abuse that may be thrown at it.

We love the smell.......



And job done.

Cups for perspective of size.



We never got to the next lot of pallet wood items, but there is always next Sunday, as we will be going on an Alpaca Trek on Saturday, and to visit Robert, the guy I bought the Chevy truck from.

I also want to teach Hannah a bit of welding, and have managed to get some horse shoes through a biking friend, David Slevin, who managed to ride home straight into the eye of a thunder storm with his wife on the back of their new Harley after delivering the horse shoes..... SORRY MATE !!.

She has some ideas of what she wants to make, but I am sure there are loads of things one can make using them.

Post up your ideas, or pics of what you have made before.

[flashed]

I love those tables she came up with ,very creative .I have to ask, what is a boot fair ? And congrats to Nicola on her display ,our funeral services dont do any type displays like that ,I think its pretty cool.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by flashed

I love those tables she came up with ,very creative .I have to ask, what is a boot fair ? And congrats to Nicola on her display ,our funeral services dont do any type displays like that ,I think its pretty cool.

I'll help Grizz out since it's past his bedtime... a Boot Fair is what we colonists call an outdoor flea market...

[flashed]

That was what I figured it was but never heard it called that .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

That was what I figured it was but never heard it called that .

I guess also known as garage sales.

Cars park up in a huge field and you sell whatever you bring in the car.

My father in law called earlier to say that the display and Nicola's name was featured in a local newspaper today.
She was also asked by two funeral trade magazines to do a write up about Chatham's contribution to WW1 and to submit some high resolution photos for publication in the August and September issues.
I am glad many people are "getting it"

[Ta2Don]

Morning Mate… If all works out I will be taking a ride up to Strawberry to see Donnie aka Dwcardfan and pick up my new to me frame...

Glad the DD has AC… as the Heat index is forecast to be around 42C today...

Oh yeah, almost forgot… What, no Alpaca pics???

Cheers

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Morning Mate… If all works out I will be taking a ride up to Strawberry to see Donnie aka Dwcardfan and pick up my new to me frame...

Glad the DD has AC… as the Heat index is forecast to be around 42C today...

Oh yeah, almost forgot… What, no Alpaca pics???

Cheers

Still have not got around to showing Hannah how to weld, but did some neat stuff this weekend.

On Saturday we went down to Romney Marsh to "Annie's Alpacas" to do Alpaca Trekking.

I got to walk with Hershey and Nicola had Bertie, I think they tend to walk us more than we walk them.




Then we went and spent just over 4 hours in Rye, which included a really good "Cream Tea" with two large scones each, and strawberry jam and clotted cream, I opted to change my tea for a rather good latte coffee.

Today was Bootfair again in the morning, out the house before 06.00 and hit two followed by McD brekkies.

Then back home and Hannah and I went to the garage to address the little step ladder I had scooped off the pavement earlier this week.

Today I let her do most of the prep by herself, so the first thing was to remove the bottom step and replace it with good wood.



Next up some plywood was marked and cut to create a top and bottom shelf.



Followed by prep and paint.





And finally there was a show and tell.



So that was today's lesson to a 22 year old radiographer.

[bj383ss]

Awesome Rian. Its great your are passing on your skills. The new bookcase came out great.

I'm about to post some woodworking in an update you will like.

Bret

[Ta2Don]

She's turning out to be quite the pupil!
She will be melting metal together in no time...

Here's a couple of screen shots of my phone at 2020 this evening..Bloody HOT!
Cheers Mate...

[Grizz1963]

Thank goodness for longer summer days.

After work tonight I popped down to the local spot where I get a lot of cast off crates, plywood and pallets.

I have been planning to create a "clean space" inside the garage for a while, so that when I start the body work on the truck, all the dust stays in one part of the garage.
It will also act as the spray booth one I have done all the preparation on the truck.

My garage rafters are about 2.3 meters high on their underside, so the 2350mm height of these panels will be just fine. There are two at 4 foot wide and two are 6 foot wide.
The guys at the unit said they were unloading another crate the same as the one dismantled and removed today.

Today's pile........ and they are looking for people to take away as much as possible, as it means they do not have to create regular bonfires. Wood is at ME3 Postcode area.







Back home waiting for me to empty out the garage of trailers etc, and to put up the sides.

I will also build in a decent sized door that I can get my R1200GS out when I want to go ride it.




Did I mention FREE is GOOD ??

[bj383ss]

Awesome score mate.

Bret