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

[Grizz1963]

WTF ??

“Who is this old man staring back at me from the mirror?” I thought.

Woke up early to find the front of my house plastered in birthday banners

I guess Sally was here at 5.00 in -3’C weather, on her way to work to decorate the house.

How did I suddenly become 60 years old?

She bought me a perfectly useful birthday prezzie though.

900w grinder, the 115mm model.




.
Fish and Chips planned for dinner then promptly cancelled and moved to Friday night as her lodger needed a ride to the station, 9 miles away.

So I had a crappy budget pizza and some fish fingers with too much mayo for dinner.

Special weekday treat tonight….. some Fireball for desert.

Perfect.

(Well, a very hot and eager 21 year old would be perfect really)

But the teenager looking at the old guy in the mirror does not have so many options anymore.

Still, LIFE is GOOD.

Trust me.

[Braunschweiger]

Happy Birthday.
You're a young lad, you're always in action.
There are younger people who feel old.
Have a nice party

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

Happy Birthday.
You're a young lad, you're always in action.
There are younger people who feel old.
Have a nice party

Thank you very much.




Blog post no 3

https://www.grizzmakes.com/2023/01/6...et-so-old.html






.

[Palf70Step]

Happy Birthday Rian. I will say that is some hair on ya them early nursing days!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Happy Birthday Rian. I will say that is some hair on ya them early nursing days!

I had a load of hair, yes.

Also, were supposed to wear our hair in a regulation police haircut style.

I was pushing the limits at the time.

[Grizz1963]

So in today’s exciting episode, work proceeded in 0’C or 32’F on the drive, with a chilly light breeze to accompany proceedings.




So this is how it started.


Drained the water from the cooling system.





Replaced with Antifreeze and deionised water.





Also in attendance for the whole procedure, including starting up and running the motor for a while, was George.

Clearly taking his new job seriously.





Earlier in the day, mate Martin and I had met in a layby so I could raid his scrap bin in his van……

I was headed to my local nut n bolt guy to get some bits to create an adjustable stop for the gas pedal to push against the firewall.

This should do the job, once shaped, cut to size and welded in place.






So not much done, but a whole lot more than if I had sat indoors drinking coffee and eating cookies.


Small jobs need to be gathered and completed.


One by one.


.

[Grizz1963]

Wrapped up a busy week early yesterday and went to the shop to retrieve the dash and vinyl etc, to bring it into the house so it can warm up vs the 5’C in the garage.

With the final (or is it really) electrical fault found and repaired under the dash, it meant the wiring can be strapped back, tidied and generally worked away from.

I very quickly realised that the cold makes everything stiff, and awkward to work with, so walked away from it before breaking something.





Instead I started the Rezin Rockit and let it run for about 20 minutes.

Seems to be all the cooling hose joins are sealed including @nickwheeler ‘s awesome repair elbow.

I did notice also that there was a drop of sweet smelling oil at the differential and propshafts join. Hardened seal? Damage?

SHORT YOUTUBE CLIP.

https://youtu.be/n0o8hWe63Vo

After packing up because of the cold and nothing else to get done I mwent back to the house, just in time to sign for these.

Ordered on Sunday.



So I made myself a quick coffee, checked work emails and headed back to the garage because I now had something to do.

Replacements for these



I did panic for a moment, thinking the threads were too long

Amazing what a bit of force can get accomplished.

Also locked down the 4x108 to 4x100 adapters and spacers as a final check on the wheels.



These black bolts are not great, but better than the chrome that was these.

Centre caps of some description still need to be figured out.



After the rears, I decided to check and lock in the front adapters and spacers.

Had to roll the car onto a some bits of wood in order to get my jack in under the front crossmember.

This thing actually is really low.




Weekend may see a few more bits getting wrapped up as well.

[Palf70Step]

You got a backup light out. Don't want no MOT issues. Sounds good, although weird sounding (to me) for a jeep looking vehicle. Good job Rian.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

You got a backup light out. Don't want no MOT issues. Sounds good, although weird sounding (to me) for a jeep looking vehicle. Good job Rian.

Good spot Bill.

Comment below.

[Grizz1963]

Late start for @nickwheeler and I today.

I had to go 25 miles from here to the other side of Maidstone to go look at something.

Then back here, run about and get so e stuff sorted and also prepared.

With all the cold recently, the carport has a ton of condensation, as did the S10 for some reason, leaving the inside of the windscreen fogged up.

So I opened the door and left the truck to breathe.

Coming out the house later, I saw this……..



Yup, someone likes the sun and a soft pad, it seems.



Back to the Rezin Rockit, some more small jobs left to get wrapped up.

First thing was to create a mounting point for a return stop for the clutch.



Welded in place and, trying to help, I also managed to get the other spring from last weekend, hooked into the pedal and mounted to the steering column.

It has a really soft, firm return action.



Another “double check” job was to see that the second “reverse lense” was not actually in use, as the plan was to convert it to a rear fog light, till I discovered the slimline unit I had stashed away and that got fitted.



Another job for today was to tidy away the wiring loom and to extend a few wires so nothing was under tension.

Just on bolting down an earth, it ended up in Nicks hand, so a quick tacking with the welder saw. Progress.



While he was at that job, I made him extremely happy.

Removed all of this…….



So we wrapped up around 6.30pm

At which tome the chill was creeping into our bones.



Nick headed home, I came indoors, warmed up some leftover food and settle down.

George who was watching me all afternoon, settled down next to me.



Weekend over again.

Just like that.

[Braunschweiger]

Beautiful progress, life is beautiful

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

Beautiful progress, life is beautiful

Thank you friend.

I am pleased with it at this point.

One môre precision job to get done.

Needs two sets of hands.

This contact adhesive is brutally unforgiving.

Then do the cowl over the instrumentation.

Fit the switches then fit the dash to the car.

Brought it all indoors to warm up and dry out




Closer and closer.

Almost excited.

[pdxhall]

Your jeep project is awesome. I've got a 1988.5 Suzuki Samurai that is my other project. I'm envious of your skills.

[Braunschweiger]

Summer can come and off to the Beach with Rezin Rockit.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

Your jeep project is awesome. I've got a 1988.5 Suzuki Samurai that is my other project. I'm envious of your skills.

Thank you.

I nearly bought an SJ410 years ago.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

Summer can come and off to the Beach with Rezin Rockit.

Getting closer, every day.

Pity the day job takes up a lot of time.




S10 question.

Now for all the clever IT and programming types.

Mate Martin popped in this week and added his clever machine to see if he could reset the Service needed notification.

No fault codes read, but failed to cancel the service needed code.



Anyone know what combination of buttons, switches, tumblers and curses are needed to clear the dash?

Thanks.

[Grizz1963]

Funny how life and distractions can get in the way of getting small jobs done.

The vinyl for the dash did not really settle r smoothen out this week.

Yesterday I brought in some ply to work on indoors, 4-6’C is not ideal, and the damp chill in the air sucks too.



So plan B was hatched for the vinyl.



That seemed to work a bit better.



Laying out the two pieces that needed covering on my just big enough piece of material.



Cut off the piece for the instrument surround.



Industrial strength contact adhesive goes off in 2 minutes, the contact and pray.



Glue and then staples to Doubly secure the rear, while adding some tension.





And not too bad, the curves mean a load of pie0cuts to keep the tension low and getting full coverage of the cowl piece.



I think it is good enough..

Of course any wise arses are most welcome to make me some new parts and cover them, and I will happily fit them.



Next up was coffee and ginger nuts, a good way to procrastinate on the job that had me petrified, in order to scrape together my slipping courage.

So I laid a bed sheet over the plywood, stapled the one end down with multiple staples (thanks @nickwheeler for the machine) and tensioned it all and stapled the other end.

Then laid the vinyl down and stapled both ends down.

This way , I was effectively removing one risk factor though it would probably not help much.

Still, not moving, meant I was going to risk laying the dashboard down alone.



I also practiced laying it down a few times, in case that helped when the glue was ready.



With the glue down on both surfaces, I managed to mate the two surfaces, and it worked.

Some pressure to ensure maximum contact and adhesion.



More pie cuts and stretching, stapling to secure it all.



Eventually…….



Next job will be to cut the holes through for all the switches and then to fix it in the car.

So not a lot done, but more done than if I had sat watching telly all the time.

Closer and closer to the finish line.

Weekend over.

[Grizz1963]

Mickey came knocking at 9.00pm He had received a courier parcel on my behalf.

Contents was one Vauxhall Nova sedan rear lights.

What an amazing bit of human kindness from the guy who gave and couriered it to me, asking only for a donation to a charity.
I let home choose between the 4 that I support and he chose Help for Heroes.



Have I mentioned that life is good.

[Grizz1963]

Cats know

First into my bag

Threw him out

Into wardrobe

Threw him out

Onto the bag

Gave up on him.

[Braunschweiger]

A funny cat.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

A funny cat.

They are good company when you work alone.

And he likes being near his human.





Sometimes life just keeps giving.

Mate Fil “Sparkplug” came to visit last night on his way home from a few days working at his company offices in Deal to go back to Cambridge.

Ostensibly to to pick up 12 inches/300mm of railway line that I managed to get for him and @craigrk via good friend Woodside.

We also ended up going to the garage and looking over a few Grizzmakes projects and he got to see and hear the Rezin Rockit for the first time since fetching it for me in Scotland.

Some of the happenings are being kept on ice as part of the YouTube channel development, but to say that we were laughing like kids is an understatement.

Fil had brought me some gifts as well.

Perfectly pitched at the man who “needs” nothing.

Cutting discs (to go with Sally’s grinder) and some license plates for my collection, both of them unusual and exactly the ones I would have selected for myself.



Friday.

Busy day for work, but it is the weekend.

Plan is to see if I can get the Rezin Rockit dash completed with switches fitted and mounted to the car tomorrow.

Maybe also take it for a few runs up to the farm and back now their service road is resurfaced.

Roll on weekend.

[Grizz1963]

Woken up at Stupid - 0 - Clock

Joined by George who wanted breakfast.



Got going with the dash.

Switches fitted.





Not perfect, but good enough.





While I was busy, @nickwheeler crept up on me……

Bringing me a brilliant surprise, well, two really.

A GoPro equivalent camera, and a good tripod for it.

That probably means I will have to learn to edit on my laptop for the YouTube channel as I have done everything on the phone up to now.

Lots to learn I guess.



So we finished the dash and I managed to grow that proverbial third hand.

Happy with it.

Next step will be a few test runs up on the farm, and then book an MOT for the Rezin Rockit and keep fingers crossed.

Closed shop early and went to Sallys for dinner and relaxation.

I seem to have sprung an unpleasant chest infection this week.

[Braunschweiger]

Turned out great, good job.
That's not nice, I wish you a speedy recovery.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

Turned out great, good job.
That's not nice, I wish you a speedy recovery.

Thanks my friend.

It has come as close to my vision as anyone can wish for.

Chest may get worse before it gets better.

[Grizz1963]

So 16 months ago, this is what was delivered onto my driveway in week 2 of September 2021

Time has flown I guess.

So late afternoon yesterday after getting back from shops and various jobs, Sally and I were able to start on looking at, and cleaning the Piggy.

She continues to surprise me, this girl, getting straight in and on with the job of cleaning up. Sally that is.

By the time I came out the house after doing some work stuff that needed to be dealt with, this is what I found.

Sally had unpacked everything of value.

Dubious as it may be, some parts were still useable, even if just as templates.



And the back of it looking like this



Good help is really hard to find.

So my helper hates a photo, no matter why.

Still, I fooled her.



The plywood dash and its vinyl, along with the once expensive instruments were well beyond salvageable.

Previously identified as Cortina Crusader.



So things were removed, fibreglass trimmed back to a point where I could restart and add the MX5 parts, but also reduce the amount of useless clutter.

Much cleaning and clearing later, it looked like this. The bits left in place were to act as cutting templates later.





Yesterday I managed to almost go full circle.

Creating this look……..

https://youtu.be/pqMyHr8tdl0


And ending up here.



So…..

Today….. I am doing nothing, this chest infection is making me feel a bit rubbish.

YouTube and Netflix it is then.