GRIZZ’s English 2001 S10 Extra Cab 4.3 V6 Truck

[Grizz1963]

Another job that I will hopefully get to soon.

The floor was modified and repaired before I got the car.

I am wanting to reinforce, and possibly paint it once done, to match the rest of the fiberglass, to either white, or maybe mask it all and go black on just the floor.

A bit ugly right now.



Using some of this impressive fiber filled resin stuff, I filled all the little holes after prepping them and carefully countersinking those (2) I had not gone through completely.



Next step will be a careful rub back with a flat soft block.

So that the holes are filled and ready for whatever treatment I decide to give it.

Paint, wrap, stickers……. We still need to decide a route for final decoration.




DHL texted early this morning to say they were delivering the front callipers and hardware between 2.54Pm and 3.54pm

Looking forward to masking and painting them before fitting over the weekend.


I have next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off work, so will certainly be spending some time down at the garage.

Kettle is on if anyone wants to come help or hinder.

[Grizz1963]

Day job is really getting in the way right now.

And of course shorter days mean that by 6.00pm time is up.

Yesterday was a long, busy online day, loads more to do this week.

I have about 10-15 hrs of online training to do, 14 modules, each with a 10 question test at the end, and pass mark 90%

Still, Mickey knocked at about 4.30pm as I never even heard the couriers deliver despite being here.

Happy to say……..

We have parts.



And some of these.



Of course shiny and new is lovely.

But Red is better.

More later.

[Grizz1963]

So there I was doing my daily brisk 6km walk.

Coming back down the last 0.5km I pass two ladies walking an old Labrador, and a cross bred “Labradoodle” that has always been aggressive, goes for anyone that he sees or passes.
I always go down and greet him and make a fuss for a few moments, as I really love animals and want him to feel it as well.
Yesterday I was trying to set a new target time for the walk, so when Milo the dog went off barking and lunging at me as usual, I gave him a wide berth and kept left.
As I passed he lunged and bit me on the upper thigh, hard.
Thankfully he seems to have hit the rear pocket of my tracksuit pants.
I was livid, and wanted to destroy him immediately.
I went off at him, and clearly scared the living daylights out of his owner and the other lady, Labrador owner.
I was going to report it to the police in my anger, and pursue his destruction.
In the end I calmed down, and later one of my other neighbours popped around to hear what really happened, small village mentality.

What does one do in this situation?

The owners husband, interestingly has not come to see if I am OK, or apologise.



I was on training meetings till 4.30pm and after that I grabbed a coffee and went down to the garage to try finish painting the chassis that I had spent a part of my lunch break getting started earlier.



So got going again by 5.40 with the Hammerite.



By 18.10 it was pretty much dark, and I had turned on the garage lights earlier so that I could finish the painting on the upper side.

I also ran out of paint, perfectly when I finished the upper side.




Went to look this morning, not too bad a few spots to touch up where covering is not complete.



Weather is turning, so lets hope it dries nicely before I flip it over.

Then we are ready for partial reassembly.

[Grizz1963]

Mickey is heavy on tools.

Currently has my wheelbarrow and making sure it doed not come back as taken.

On the way home from getting milk and bread this morning I saw these thrown out down the road.

Knocked and asked if I could have them.

Home owner helped me load them.

Free cash again as I knew I would have been buying a new wheelbarrow soon.



Life keeps giving.

[Grizz1963]

Got the chassis flipped onto its side today.

It is not light, despite appearances.



Used the new paint I got this morning.

Done.

And I am happy with it so far.



Will get Mickey to help me lower it carefully tomorrow.

Slow, but progress is still progress.

[Grizz1963]

Mate Andy in Tulsa sent this video clip today.

How to reduce a spring by 2 inches in 10 seconds.

https://youtu.be/7h1PZdJ6d6I

Need to find out just why he needs this tool.

Not that he needs a reason.

[Grizz1963]

Courier rang my doorbell at 8.45 last night.






Guess we are in the braking game now.


Loads of little pinging springs to go everywhere.


Ohhhh……


Best part, I have three days off work.


Kettle is on.

[Grizz1963]

Spent a large chunk of time over at Unit Engineering in Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey yesterday recharging my manliness batteries.

Went to drop off the three remaining bags of blast media that I never used on the chassis, and tomspend time with mate Darren and some car guys.

Also went to convert the CAD pattern pieces into 6mm steel plate.





Darren just bought in a 2.5 meter bed folder.



Amazing how it folds the steel like it was some toilet paper.

https://youtu.be/eS7U8hZX_OM

Effortless.



Done.



I will trim the plate to fit both in length, width and height before welding it all together.



Triangulated gusset goes at the rear, against the chassis.



Total overkill, but hey….. it is what was there.

Suddenly windy and chilly today, 2 T-Shirts and a hoody weather now.

.

[Grizz1963]

Not much done over the weekend, really rubbish weather, rain etc but was busy, and also rested a bit which was nice.

Last night I thought I would sit in the lounge and assemble the front brake callipers while Sally watched her guilty pleasure “Gogglebox”

I can’t abide it and don’t get it.

Anyway, I ran into problems moments after starting.

One pad went straight in, the second one got gently stuck, and despite trying a few times, I decided to put it down as it was dark outside and the light indoors not ideal.

So the question is, do I file a minimal sliver off the edge of the backing plates that seem to stick, or am I missing a trick on the reassembly ?

I am not good at force. As @nickwheeler would attest to.



It has to be a simple solution, surely.

Looking at the original calliper again, I just realised that i never added the thin plates that fit behind the pads.

This may be the solution.

Along with possibly checking to see if the pistons want to go a bit deeper into the calliper.



Could it be this simple?

Will head down to the garage a bit later when it warms up.

After all, three days vacation means some real garage time.

[Grizz1963]

I was headed out to go buy a few bits needed for the work planned today.

Just as I was about to leave for town.

The doorbell rang, I was out back, and thought it was Mickey next door, shouting at him to come around back, it turned out he was actually on his rear patio too, so I went around and found a cool guest out front.

The one and only Nick Wheeler (I do have surname envy)

Perfect timing, had he arrived 10 minutes later I would have been down the road in the truck.

So we had coffee, cookies, chat and then made our way down to the garage and started to address the brakes.

First problem identified was that the back plates are cut by guillotine in the factory, and a small bit of filing back, saw them slip in as expected.



Nick had pre-emptively brought his brake pipe flaring tools and some pipe for us to give making pipes a go.



Man on a mission.



So Nick showed me how to make one pipe, and then it was my turn.

How I like to learn.

Despite having made up all the nines for the C10 a few years ago, this tool is different and pretty foolproof.





Then add the hardware (remember it all only goes on one way if you want it to work)



The tool even shows you Operation 1 and then 2 to do the different sides.



Of course if you overdo the pressure like me……

Oooopps.



Cut off and start again, thankfully I had cut the pipe a bit longer than needed.

Next job was to do a second brake hose mounting plate.

Where do you buy something that is not for sale out there?

Grab some plate, copy it, cut to shape with tin snips, drill holes, file nd tidy, fold tabs etc.





Then time for a break, made some lunch, and then headed down to

The local motor spares shop, got the 500mm brake hose identified, and ordered one for tomorrow. Followed by the industrial estate, bought some shoulder bolts to replace the ones I hd bought from Rally Design as the ones they sent were the wrong thread pitch.
Followed by a visit to Aghabridge for some brake line fittings, some of which, along with the shoulder bolts, Nick will be trimming back on his lathe at home before we can fit them.

Back at home we refitted the drivers side calliper and then the pads, plates, pins, springs and R-clips followed by brake pipes and hose.

Pretty chuffed at this point.



And once turned aside the refit went quick.



One more coffee, a discussion about wheel adapters, wheel nuts, studs and lowering and then @Nickwheeler left for his next appointment which he can tell about.

A great day, thanks to having help and brains on site.

[Grizz1963]

Todays first job, after having had a lovely holiday breakfast of two fried eggs between slices of toast will be getting into the rear of the garage and removing one strip light I know is fitted to the rear wall.

Once I remove half the C10 parts and load bed stacked in there.

Realised that it is pretty much dark by 5.00pm now and by Christmas it will be 3.30pm when play will be halted outside.

So fitting the strip lights this morning before heading out to go collect the brake hose ordered yesterday is my plan.

Remember when I had less clutter.

These lights actually never ended up working.




So hopefully by 11.00 the carport will have three strip lights up, if I can keep my shiit together and not get distracted

Day 2 of vacation. .

[Grizz1963]

Loooong overdue job on the carport built last year done yesterday.

I removed strip lights from inside the garage and mounted them outside in the carport, all individually wired and plugged so that I can select which to run.

I had smashed one pair of tubes before when I dropped a light, so headed to the local electrical wholesalers to get replacements, and while out there I got an LED spotlight, going for a 50W unit claimed to deliver 4500 lumens.
Should be great for dark time work.







Went to see how they worked after dark last night.

I think they will do.








May add one more to the front edge of the carport as well to improve coverage.

Happy though.

[Grizz1963]

So while I fitted the lights, @nickwheeler carried on assembling the other side of the front end with the new hose and cut down bolt and nuts.



And finally……..

BOOOOMM !!!!

SOOO PLEASED TO HAVE IT BACK HERE.



Then we had a coffee and jam donuts to celebrate.

Followed by a start up on the rear brakes as the slave cylinders ordered had been delivered in less than 24 hours.

Unlike me, Nick does not have a foul sailors mouth, the air around his head was crystal clear once we started disassembly, whereas I was in a puff of blue smoke tinged with frustration.

Even the disassembly was just not easy, though I am sure there could be an easy disassembly technique.

Once removed……..



Trying the new ones I had bought off eBay it seemed they just did not want to fit, either on the backing or in the drums.



At this point a reference to the service manuals Nick and dan had brought here before, showed that there are actually two sizes specified……..

8” or 203mm for the lower spec 1300cc and 9” drums for the 1600, 2000 and 2300cc models.

So as luck would have it, I had bought 9” brake shoes, and then the slave cylinders I ordered were wrong too, they have a round mounting on my brakes, but the ones I had ordered have a more oval shape, so do not fit.

Guess I have a full set of new, unused parts for sale.

Original part number, now need to find a pair.



And the original slave has some almost illegible details.



FRUSTRATED.Com



Later, and after dark, the lights seem to be really good, I will add one more just inside the roof on the final beam.

Seems shadows will also not be a big problem, maybe.


I guess progress is progress, regardless.

.

[Grizz1963]

Some random stuff.

On my daily walk, I have few touch points that end up giving me the 6.3km or almost 4mile walk I do.



Alpaca corner.





A new farmer has taken over the land lease from the Church, and he is ruthless, greedy and destroying infrastructure as he goes about maximising his profits.

The tractors and trucks are ruining the road surfaces that were never made to be used at this scale.

300-450mm deep trenches along the edges as they collapse verges etc.

I am not impressed.



Lucky I guess its not my driveway.

Waiting for the first cars to land in the trenches.

[Grizz1963]

Not a road trip, but a 4hr trip on the road with a small detour to collect some fiberglass resin, matting, rollers etc from @adam73bgt that he collected for me a few months ago and stored in the back of his MG BGT.

Also stopped at Watford Gap Services for a pee and overpriced Costa Coffee along with the croissants Sally had made for us.

Thank you mate for collecting and storage.

Easy house to identify.



Then back on the road……

Up to Sandford near Whitchurch in Shropshire to come help mate Craig and Lorraine get some yard work and heavy lifting done.

They bought a converted barn house and a bit of paddock that needs a lot of work to get to where they want it.

Awesome details, layout and features, including an AGA wood burning stove in the kitchen.



He bought the old stables, enough for 4 horse and tack store and it is getting moved 100 meters to a new spot in the back field, joined later by a garage/workshop

Also happening is a new access path through the back being built, purple line….

So petrol head stuff needs doing.

Yellow graded access started yesterday, 20 tons of hardcore being delivered on Saturday, so loads of prep needs doing before then.



So Sally and I are the extra muscle.

Gas tank for heating and cooking had to be installed as the seller is redeveloping the old stables next door in the large paddocks into a new home, stables, riding school etc.

So new tank installed





The vintage Massey Fergusson you see working here is the result of COVID 19 when the owner operator lost his job and started his own business.

Garden bed, shrubs etc removed. Wall later today.

I brought some tools too to help cut back parts of the overgrown garden and access.









Loads of hedges to cut back.



And lawns to cut.

Everything is badly neglected and overgrown



There is a lot of lawn to cut, another Grizz-job as I do love a good looking lawn.

Gas delivery done early this morning.




Lawns starting to look good too.

More today.

And shed dismantling plus a glass greenhouse.

[Grizz1963]

This morning we started at 09.00 and moved about 4 ton bags of roof felt that was on the stables’ roof.

Then transferred and compacted further and into Hippo bags for removal.

So I started on the lawn again once the other random jobs were done.

Squared off the centre part as a plan was brewing.



And in the mean time Larry had removed a pile of soil from where the new access path and driveway will be going.

Next up would be the wall, followed by removing a few more hedge plants and large shrobs and trees.



Eventually I got done with the lawn, the grass was so wet and thick from being overgrown, it took a load of clearing the machine nd basket.

I think Lorraine is a bit miffed as it means she needs to do it this way next time.




More work going on all day.

[Grizz1963]

Just a bunch of pics today.

We all did a helluva lot of stuff yesterday and as I said to Craig last night, what we did was a lot more than the sum of its parts.

Still, loads of progress.

A lot of jobs needed to be done in order to line up for other jobs.

After all the lawns were done, the next big task was breakfast at around 11.30, American style bacon, scrambled farm fresh eggs and mushrooms and onions.

Then back out to cut backma load of overgrown hedging, trees and other wild growth.

Clearing, bagging and more.

Ohhh, and with the money saved by changing the roofing felt into the Hippo bags as Craig said, in my typical “Man Maths style” the saving, back into pocket, by recycling or reusing, repacking a Hippo bag left by the gas fitters is £132.50 if they remove it with your bad rubble, and you reuse your own turfs from it, along with recycling the contents.

Sally, Lorraine carrie on cleaning and clearing loads of beds that have clearly not seen a gardeners hand in years.

Larry carried on shifting soil, prepping for the Type 1 to go down and compacted (Monday)

Craig worked, and played Ring Master to all.




So in no particular order.

Reversing all the way from the A41 motorway up a farm alley road.




We had prepared and laid down some so e of the OSB inner walls from the stables so that the drive did not get too contaminated with the Type 1



Nicely dropped.



Another job was to cut a gateway for an archway and person gate in the rear hedge and into where the workshop, stables and Craigs new office will go.



Using the digger to lull the plants out, quicker than a spade and axe.



This was one of Craig and Sallys jobs, while I carried on cutting trees, hedges etc.



Trees along the way were cut back so the digger could get through to bring the Type 1 through from the front, remember the purple route on the satelite picture.



This was cut back by about a meter, also the rose bushes inside of it, cut out bit by bit and removed.



Larry carried on with hi demolition mission.

By day he is a farmer, but since Covid screwed his life up, he does a lot of this stuff, and really does take pride in what he does.

Loads of manual lifting, shovelling by hand and checking it was coming together as planned.





I gave up by 4.45 as my body was huring.

Craig and Larry carried on for another hour in the dark, laying the membrane under the new drive, and bringing the first bucket of Type 1 around from the front and spreading it to hold down the membrane till Monday when the whacker plate comes and the stone will be compacted in two layers.

After. Dinner, cooked by Lorraine, we headed home fast just after 7.00 pm

Absolutely knackered.

At our AirBnB there are chickens, cats and a dog called BEAR.

She greeted us and came to spend about 20 minutes being loved and loving unconditionally.

I love a dog mauling me, not bitting my butt.



Rarely sits still.

I was very happy, so was Sally, who wanted to handbag her and Donna the horse.




Today we have yard work, moving a load of numbered plastic boxes, and maybe dismantling a smaller shed so a bigger shed can be built in its place incorporating the smaller shed on the side.

Work till 2.00 pm

Then head back, shower, clean up and hopefully head out, cleaned up to a couple of local shops, followed by a pub dinner.

Of course things can still change dramatically.

Later.

[Palf70Step]

I am exhausted just reading all this. You folks are really getting after it. I remember all this work in my younger days clearing for my shop (2004 ish)

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

I am exhausted just reading all this. You folks are really getting after it. I remember all this work in my younger days clearing for my shop (2004 ish)

Evening Bill,

Trust me, the last three nights were all entertained with the help of ibuprofen and paracetamol.



So Saturday promised to be a full day.

Woken early morning by Tara, our AirB&B hostess’ chickens and the neighbours ducks, along with a visit from little black Bear the catflap sized dog….. we go going and then headed back to Craigs place.

They came inside our space, looking for food.

So Sally shared a slice of bread with them, which they loved.



Then off to Craigs.

A quick walk around to inspect the work we had done the day before.



Looking top to bottom.



Quck coffee, a status check and day plan, followed by me straight out to start cutting back on the very overgrown garden shrubs, loads left to do.

The house is also covered in a variety of creepers and and different plants, all fighting for,space.



Loads of cutting, chopping and packing into ton bags.

Many of them.



We took 6 tightly packed ton bags and a few loads of tree branches and removed shrubs to the neighbours bonfire pile, pulling and packing everything on top on]f the pile.

Remember the person gate created yesterday?

From the other side, after removing the gazebo and about 70 boxes, all individually marked, inventoried and recorded.

Moved into the double tandem garage space for storage till the stables are moved and Craig figures the most sensible garage construction to lay down on site.



Yes, it is at an angle, weird for an OCD guy like Craig, but it is planned that way.

Continuing on the lift, carry, move, pack theme, we unpacked a shed and greenhouse after the gazebo was emptied.

Sally and Lorraine continued while Craig and I sat in the shade and drank a ton of low alcohol beers…….

Strong as a Shire horse and as eager.



Loads of stuff carried inside.



Such a fake pic.



Sally is a pretty good recorder of progress, taking pics when we were not expecting it.

While we kept rearranging the interior she got some pics too.



After emptying out the gazebo and sheds we broke for some food, and Craig with his chest still beating him up, took 30 minutes to catch is breath, sorting his mailbox..

I also tried but the paparazzi was there.



During our break, Craig and Lorraine sorted the sign writing on the mailbox……

Remember it cn only be straight.



Of course I had to edit it slightly.



When we took the bags and branches out to. The bonfire field, they neighbours wife was tending their donkeys.

Gentle, tame animals.

I loved the attention too.







Then back to more of the same.

Just so much overgrown plants.



Dinner was due after a shower and catching of our breaths.

Always more to do.


.

[Grizz1963]

Saturday night after finishing late again we went out to a pub for dinner.

Excellent all round.



Mixed grill was my choice and a sticky toffee pudding for desert.

Perfect.



Back at the guest house by 9.00 and bed before10.00

We were shattered from three days of nonstop work.

Sunday morning alarm clock was Dinky.

Looking for breakfast.



Out the AirB&B before 08.00 and back to Craigs for breakfast of toast and coffee.

I also wrote off my garden shoes and planted them in the tree.

Only to get a text from Craig later to say his daughter found them and objected to them.



Craig had wanted to show me the loft all weekend.

I kept declining.

On Sunday I went up.

What a bonus space.

Most will be converted to playing and relaxation space for his 9 year old daughter.





Oh and later more creepers removed from the walls.

This stuff will s beautiful but destructive.



We left by 10.00 in order to get home at a sensible time.

Stopped for a toilet and coffee break

Price of fuel is steep per liter.





Headed back up on Friday after work to belp get the stable block down on the ground.

I may be off the Rezin Rockit build for a bit.

[Grizz1963]

No progress at all on the Rezin Rockit since last week.

Been busy helping a friend, and day job is currently very demanding and in fact quite stressful; or even hateful.


Need to still source 8” rear brake shoes and a pair of new Slave cylinders.

[Grizz1963]

Interesting change of pace this morning.

5’C outside.

When I came down around 07.00 George was sitting outside the door.

Let him in, gave him a cuddle and some catnip.

Carried on with my morning rituals.

Later I found him curled up on my bed upstairs.

First time,for,everything I guess.



He is welcome, and I guess it was warmer inside.

[Grizz1963]

While clearing some old rubbish, Craig found this hatchet or is it an axe?



He gave it to me because he knows I love to polish turds.

At home I had a piece of an old pick axe handle that has been waiting for a job for possibly 3-4 years, crazy but true.

So while trying to wriggle the old handle, which has borer beetle holes in it as well, so obviously unsafe, out…. It snapped at the head without any effort.



So I marked the new handle and went to the woodwork shed, not been in a while, and got my small bandsaw out, only to find the clade had jumped the track, so reinstalled that, then skimmed the head to a point where I could shape it on the bench grinder, yes….. that is very wrong, but faster than the belt sander or linisher.

Eventually got it to a very tight, hammered in fit, followed by some flapwheel action.

Then realised the rear end was way too thick for easy use when chopping kindling etc.

So back to the grinder, more shaping, followed by flapwheel smoothing.



Still not satisfied, I decided to add Craigs username and date of birth, just to add more random detail.



So I will take this back to him over the weekend to use at his fireplace or the Raeburn stove in the kitchen.

Beats throwing it away.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work on the "stick wacker: Rian. Looks like you guys will be cleaning up things for a while. I have been doing same at my friend's widow clean up their place. I think we ar on the 2nd dumpster, have taken 5 or 6 loads to scrap recycling, plus 3 or 4 loads of busted electronics to recycling center. I am not coordinated enuff to operate a camera and work at same time, so just think of someone old and worn out at the end of the day.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work on the "stick wacker: Rian. Looks like you guys will be cleaning up things for a while. I have been doing same at my friend's widow clean up their place. I think we ar on the 2nd dumpster, have taken 5 or 6 loads to scrap recycling, plus 3 or 4 loads of busted electronics to recycling center. I am not coordinated enuff to operate a camera and work at same time, so just think of someone old and worn out at the end of the day.

Evening Bill.

Creating a new, fresh base line is a lot of work, but also needs to be done, despite the initial ugly it creates.

Respect and sympathy to you as well for the work you clearly are putting in.






So in the spirit of randomness…..

I popped in at Sallys Unclebob the hoarder today to go look at a car I have an eye on.

No idea why really, just a whim.

While I was there, Bob who knows everything Sally does asked how the weekend went.

I told him, showed a few pics and mentioned some things that need building sooner than later.

Like a firewood and solid fuel store alongside the house and the play area in the loft for his daughter Elli.

So from old Cars we went out into the yard to a pile of wood and he said to select any of it that I thought Craig may need.

So I will go back before the weekend and select all the hardwood and pack it in the car.



Window sills and door thresholds.



Also in the deal were some “offcuts” of 6” by 1” thick planks, treated good quality.



Remember the loft conversion and Sally halfway up there?

Craig wants to build a permanent staircase up there from her bedroom with a door to close in when needed.

And guess what……..??


Uncle Bob had a 101 inch rescued wooden stair.


Now I just need to get it in or on the car…… and up to Craigs place.





In other news, Fil “Sparkplug” contacted me today to ask if we could use another set of hands as he did not want to miss out on the fun.

At 150 miles from Cambridge in the Yellow Submarine camper, he will be sleeping on Craigs driveway on Friday and straight out into the horse yard.

Thanks Fil.