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

[Grizz1963]

Wanna buy a Peugeot mister??

Cheap as chips.

Spent some time on the 206CC

Tried to open seatback as suggested online in order to try get to the boot lock to pop it open.

Ha !

No luck.

Any more advice or help?

I really need to sell this very cool and powerful little car, in order to make space. It truly is surplus to needs.


Back seat, seat back removed.



Also spent time sorting through some more piles of stuff, including electrical wiring, sockets, plugs etc.

Then disassembled the wooden skid or trolley that I had built for the Rezin Rockit build, it made moving the body and chassis much easier to move around single handedly.

I had part of a custom made Chevy C10 cab rolling trolley mate Martin had made for his build, discarded after use, I collected it from his scrap pile, cleaned and painted it.




After removing the wheels and then finding a load of nuts, bolts and washers I put it all together.

Once again the little DeWalt impact driver with 1/2 inch adapter made life easier, it did the same for disassembly of the wooden skid frame.
Wood will be used as part of a new cab lifter that I need to make up.




Ready to rock n roll with the cab.

Cab gets bolted or mounted over these cab mount bolts.

Than one can move it about, but it is also raised above the ground.




Getting a C10 cab lifted is a four man lift.
It is big, heavy and awkward to lift, then carrying it forward, rearward or rolling the chassis out from under it.

To make life easier……

Step in the cab lifter, I will make a new one as the one previously made, is both rotten and some way away from here.

Using an engine hoist inversely, one can singlehandedly lift and remove a cab.

Video I made 9 years ago when Martin was removing his cab the first time.

https://youtu.be/LxcuePYK-8Q?si=3WDT2K8UAKfKpARe


Looking forward to more tidying up today.

Progress is slow but happening.

[Grizz1963]

Astro Love.


I am quite ruthless (if there really is such a thing) about the cars that are on my drive



Anything is for sale or possibly even for trade if the trade item suits my quirky needs.


@Marm Toastsmith is looking for something interesting that can be applied in multiple ways.


The Astro would suit his needs in so very many ways and possibly even the value I associate with it.


But I realised (tbh I know) that I was not yet ready to see it burble off into the sunset.


After having mate John sort out replacing the radio that was fitted to it when I bought it, along with the new dash I managed to find in Arkansas, and knowing there’s a few more maintenance type jobs to get it up to the next level of ownership, I decided that I was not ready to see it off. Maybe I never will be.


I have maintained for years that if you don’t look back at your car when you walk away and smile, you have bought the wrong car.


This Astro is really weird.


Until I sell the Rezin Rockit, it has to live outside my kitchen window, then it will move into the carport. It deserves that treatment.


BUT……. I honestly find myself looking at it from indoors or when walking in from the garage, that it always makes me smile.





Back to the reason for this long write up



This week I was using the van to donPost office runs, not the cheapest way to save money, and to go food shopping



Stopping at the post office I realised again that unless someone really needs this car a lot of queens faces more than me, ir may be stuck here for a while



This view really makes me happy







Yesterday I was busy working in the garage, still clearing up and finding stuff that was shoved into boxes, onto shelves etc the last 7 years.
Rediscovered my Big Foot gas pedals that Andy in Oklahoma had made for me.


And so I went to see if I could find a way to fit one into the van.
It does kinda make the van’s residency more permanent here.


Looks like a fit.





And so a bit of etch primer.


Followed by masking around the edges







And some Chevy Engine block high heat orange followed by clear lacquer.





Later today I will get back to it and polish and sand back all the proud surfaces and then drill and tap some holes in the rear for some mounting holes and brackets.


​​​​​​​In the meantime I’ll get to a frw other jobs as well.

[scottofksu]

I too am a big Astro/Safari fan! Great vans! Yours is beautiful. Also, a v8 goes in pretty easy... LOL

[Palf70Step]

Love my foot pedal too. I've had it on many vehicles since 1976.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by scottofksu

I too am a big Astro/Safari fan! Great vans! Yours is beautiful. Also, a v8 goes in pretty easy... LOL

They also grow on you.

I have absolutely no intention of taking a perfectly good van and making it perfectly good.

I would buy it but no way build one over here in England.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Love my foot pedal too. I've had it on many vehicles since 1976.

Came out really good.

I have three with my name on.

This one is for the C10.

[Grizz1963]

Mate Martin sent me some very old photos that time when we were young.

Details of the cab lifter are clearer

So I can go measure up the cab, find some lumber in my store (yes I have one of those for wood) and make up a new lifter.









My C10 is ready and waiting.

Cab needs four big guys or friends that I don’t have to lift off.


So this will be a great tool to have on hand.



Maybe that will be a job for later today.

I am still struggling to get the trunk of the 206 open.

But it is Friday again.

[Grizz1963]

Progress.


What does it look like.


Sometimes you really have to look.


This current phase of trying to get back onto the C10 build started around the 20th of February.

So I make it four weeks of work and brainstorming.

Now keep in mind, none of you have a clue of what junk I have and just how chaotic my stuff may be. Hidden in so many places, sheds, the house etc. So despite the progress seemingly being tortuous and slow, it is progress, more so than if I were watching long Netflix episodes.


And as my mentor (bollocks me gently if I screw up) and friend Fil says, it’s a lot like going to the gym. You know you should but you don’t So when you start, it is slow, but you keep going and start to reap the rewards. Of course as another wise man said “Touch it, Feel it, See it. Move it, That is Progress”



So Wednesday Night I was on a roll came in, had some dinner and saw Sally who popped in for dinner, for an hour then went back to the garage and carried on till 9.15pm Not happened for a very long time

I managed to get this far








George was down there the whole time
He says nothing, doesn’t judge me, but I suspect that if I died or got mortally injured, he has his knife and fork ready, along with a bottle of hot sauce





At about 8.30 I came in to grab a glass of Pepsi Max. Walking back the view made me smile again.


There has been Progress here







Then came in by 9.30 to shower, thought screw it, watched an hour or so of YouTube videos and got to bed



Lying in bed, I ran through the last four weeks and thought about how much better I feel about this . And of course I made some cash out of the clutter



Life is good

[Grizz1963]

One of yesterday’s tasks was to try open the Peugeot 206 CC bootlid/trunk

Amazingly patient guidance from Eddie Honda on thedarkwob saw me continue to fail.

Three hours, yes really….. 3 hours in total spent trying to get mechanisms addresses. Failed.

I have to admit that since getting the car home in November, it has done less than 2 miles, being surplus to my needs.
So I actually never even opened the roof, it was WINTER after all.

I am also petrified of opening the roof partially or something like that and getting it stuck only for the weather to change and it to become a big green bucket.

Removing the passenger side rear seat back allows you to get a hand, pokey stick or eyeball through the hole.
But not all three or even two at a time.
Space in the rear is also tight and limited access unless you are a contortionist or masochist or both.


​So in preparation for this event I made up a pokey stick with a 90’ hook and LED light at the end.



Overall, this was the battlefield.

Trust me…….

It was not fun.










I may try access it all again some time today.

Fooling the roof mechanism into believing it is safe to open may be the way to get access to the rear. Though I don’t really know what to do after it opens halfway.


In the mean time the garage and sorting out all of that stuff means I have enough excuses to not get started either.

We will see.

[Grizz1963]

Copied from a 206CC forum group written by the guy with the problem.



QUESTION


Any good ideas out there-I can't open the boot!
It should be easy, just unlock the car, put the key in the boot lock and turn to the left-but it doesn't work!
The problem is that the little bit of wire which connects the lock to the operating switch which is marginal in length at best and has probably bent a little so it won't make contact. If I turn the key any harder I will break the key off!
Next I tried accessing the boot by opening the roof. Yes, you're right, the cover in the boot is rolled up so the roof will not open and I can't open the boot to pull the cover over!
What about opening the roof manually. Well the key to switch to manual is in the boot!
You can't access the boot via the back seats because behind them is solid metal.
My local main dealer had a go - and failed miserably! They think the only solution is to drill out the boot lock, operate the connecting wire manually through the hole and then refit a new lock. For this little job they want to charge nearly £300! Apart from the cost there is nothing wrong with the lock itself and I don't want to destroy a perfectly good lock.
Anyone know a good car thief who can open it without damaging the bodywork?




ANSWER



Hooray - I'm in! Thanks for the steer Ron.
For anyone else who comes up with the same problem the procedure is:
1. Remove rear seats buy undoing the 4 10mm nuts holding them. It helps to have a long socket but an open ended spanner will do.

2. There is a 4" square access panel behind each seat. Inside the car and facing the rear (very cramped!) the right hand one is covered only by some boot lining which can be pushed out of the way.

3. With the help of a good torch the micro switch for the roof boot blind is visible on the far side of the boot out of reach even if you have a long arm! The micro switch for the roof needs to be pushed down to open the roof so I made up a 'special tool'. This consisted of 36" length of 1/2" square wood with a small nail in the end stick out at a right angle by about 1/2". The nail was too thin to push the switch down so I wrapped insulating tape round it until it was about 1/4" diameter. I then poked the rod through the access hole and hooked it into the boot blind catch to operate the microswitch.

4. Ignition on and the roof then was able to fold back. When the boot had hinged back I stopped the operation and removed the boot trim. The boot lock can then be opened by hand from the inside.

5. The roof can then be closed again and the boot opened with the key as normal.

It may be a bit fiddly but its better than spending £300 with a dealer and waiting 2 weeks for a new lock!

By the way, in the short term, in order to prevent the problem happening again I removed the short wire that goes from the lock to the central locking actuator which I left in the open position. The boot lock now continues to work perfectly but has to be locked and unlocked using the key. As you have to use the key anyway after the central locking has been on I can see very little problem in continuing to do this. Isn't technology wonderful - sometimes!


Will try again when the rain is gone.

[Grizz1963]

Quick wrap up of yesterday in the garage.

More parts moved about, sorted, shelves liberated.

Found stuff I forgot I even had.

Adventure beckons.








Looking into this space, it is much better than before.



And the most rewarding part of the whole day…..?

A quick fix.

A special gas pedal for the C10

A nod from Andy in Oklahoma to my safety shoes, (flip flops)

After polishing off the excess paint……..

BOOOOM !!!


I like it.




Friday night.

Chicken curry with Peshwari Naan.

Life really is good.

[Grizz1963]

Rubbish nigh sleeping (well, not sleeping really)

But waking at 04.00 my head was already in the garage.


Know what I mean?







.

[Grizz1963]

I guess sometimes a single PowerPoint slide can sum up a lot.

Case:






But often we don’t see what else happens in the dark.
The black dog manifests itself in so many ways.
Not a case of black and white.

Still……..

We all progress.

Some of it less than others.

But it’s progress.


So right now it seems like I need to unfurl my spinnaker while the wind blows through my head.





Maybe it’s just because life is actually so good.


Time for another cuppa tea and some toast.


Then wash the green car………


Got a viewing tomorrow.





Would be nice to regain the space.

[Grizz1963]

Amazed nobody threw a wobbly while waiting for more.

Maybe a longer hiatus between reports is appropriate.

Summer or spring must be coming in fast.

Rapeseed canola is flowering already.

George is over grooming and has been out of sorts the last week, today I found some
Frothy spit and grass, assuming he is trying to get a hairball out.

But certainly out of sorts.




As I am now actively starting to think about the C10 and what needs doing, I am noticing how much prices have increased.

My speedo and instrument cluster was broken to hell when I got the truck.

So I bought and imported one that should be able to be combined with mine to make a good one.

Prices.





Anyway

Yesterday was a massive milestone and for the first time in 7 years, the chassis rolled out





We also had the Google Earth Camera car in attendance, filming the proceedings.




When I had moved all the parts that had been removed from the truck and stored next to it down the side of the wall and truck I moved the chassis back in.



Pretty pleased with that

You all better be as well.

And

Make some Noise !!!!

[Grizz1963]

Spoiling you all.


Giving too many reports.


Spring is on its way.


Cleaning stuff is part of the rhythm.


On Friday I swept the driveway and cleared the gutter outside the house.
Unfortunately I have weeks of flowing water down the street because maintenance is not done as it used to be.
So ditches, drains and outflows are blocked and water flows down the road.
Resulting in the road gravel being sprayed onto the sidewalk.

I put a lot of it into the garden bed next to the driveway.

Looks better, tdy, clean.




I cleaned cars today.

Cleanliness is next to godliness irc.

Green car being viewed tomorrow.

Rezin Rockit will be more actively pushed for sale.

This should liberate some space.











Lets hope ehhh.

[Palf70Step]

I really like thelook if yhe caddy, such a nest looking vsn. I have one or nultiple 60-66 dash, so hollar if you need something.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

I really like thelook if yhe caddy, such a nest looking vsn. I have one or nultiple 60-66 dash, so hollar if you need something.

Thanks Bill

I will try figure out to see if I can combine the two busted units I have.

Fingers crossed again.

[Braunschweiger]

It's amazing, you're in the flow, you keep everything moving, it's hard to keep up with the commenting.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

It's amazing, you're in the flow, you keep everything moving, it's hard to keep up with the commenting.

This used to be my normal behaviour.

Thank you.

It feels good.





Progress.

Dusty. Sawdusty.



Person * who was coming to view the green car at 11.00 called at 11.00 to say he is delayed due to flat wheel, I asked how long he would be, 30 minutes he replied. I think he is lying.

I had come in and changed out of my garage clothes.

But I had a coffee at least.

Time wasters.

Speaking of which…….

Fokken Romanians. (Yes I know where he is from, also not first or second idiot who refuses to read and understand an advertisement thinking itd a reality TV show)!

How much is radio?

I send pic of ad he responded to.

He replies 20?

I reply 30!

He says no thanks.

Time wasters.

Saying that, the majority of buyers are good as gold.

Just for some reason, electronics attract numb nuts.





Admit it……..

You are still grinning at my irritation.

Back to work till the car guy arrives.

[Grizz1963]

Journeys of discovery

They are all very different, I recall the first breast I fondled, clear like the light of day, under the mulberry tree.
The first car I drove (a 1968 Mini Pickup my dad owned in 70, 71) metallic green, as he had a thing for having cars repainted. Driving it around our town oval stock car racing track.
The first time I was Shooting a gun (rifle) at someone in anger.

I also remember getting these replacement parts out of a Chevy truck in Arkansas



So the last four weeks have certainly been a Journey of discovery for me

Little by little I have discovered parts for the truck that I have forgotten about over time

And most came off the truck and will need cleaning up and further sorting out

But it is rewarding and fun to some extent

Saturday I got on with all the used parts that came off the truck originally and put them in places, containers and marked them more clearly than before

At one point, @nickwheeler popped in, after his Saturday bell ringing session to cast an eye over my progress. Though he says little, I think he is quietly impressed that I have binned used split pins, toilet tissue and empty Pepsi Max cans

I found my old registration plates and though I love American style plates, and planned to fit some to the truck, these also look good, due to the sheer size of the truck

We will see what happens when the truck is ready for plates



I carried on after Nick left and found more treasures.
Sorting, packing and cleaning some of them.
Resulting ultimately in this…….







There will be a few more things to find, figure out and sort but hopefully they will surface soon. I recall buying some really good quarter windows and rails, much better than what was fitted to the doors, they will be interesting to fit when the time comes

There are newly powder coated Rallye wheels and new trims, center caps etc. All to be rediscovered

I also moved the blower unit that Ian Brown customised for me many years ago back in with all the parts

I remember rebuilding this unit years ago

For anyone who is interested, the blower motor and power switch from earlier Mazda MX5’s are an incredibly easy retrofit here. I used some foam insulation to seal it in






Happy with the result







Sunday was planned for a few tasks as well



Report later


​​​​​​​Maybe ��

[Grizz1963]

Drip feeding.

Too much of a good thing and all that.

Sunday was a slow day after all the rummaging around on Saturday.

But I was onto a bit of woodwork again

Being creative is a lot nicer than just moving stuff around.

I wanted to make a cab lifter again so that I could remove the cab from the chassis when I needed to work on the cab, on its roller jig.

So based on some photos I took years ago, I measured up, then found some lumber in the store.



Cut it all up to size as needed.

Dealt with a time waster who cost me over 90 minutes.
Changing from my garage clothes into jeans, trainers and hoody, before his 11.00 appointment, waiting for him, then getting called to say he had a flat wheel ( I have no doubt he is just a tardy timekeeper) and was running 30 minutes late, which turned into an hour late, ultimately not buying the car after some pretty dumb questions, and going to look at some other cars.

Wood cut up and ready, then assembled it.

Mickey popped in to supervise me and of course help while smoking a couple of smelly roll ups. At 78 he is still going strong.




VIDEO OF PROCESS.

https://youtu.be/W7P0pxKO3Eg?si=8jFOl4LZQFLaigjh



Shut shop by 4.00pm as I had dinner being cooked and needed to spend time with Bonnie.

I also decided not to paint the lifting tool.


Famous last words.


By Monday afternoon I was on it, having dug out some old paint. One metal tin had rusted through the bottom before and was stood upside down on my paint shelf. And a plastic tub of what was left over of a purple/blue made perfect volunteers for random mixing



And done.

Pretty stupid but hey……. Makes me happy.




In the evening I took a look to see if there were any of the Little Tykes Woody cars for sale online.

A few popped up.

Clearly valued by some.

Me included.

And then some dreamers.

But of course if someone paid the price, I would be wrong.



Back to Bonnie.

Loves a ball.

Nonstop.

I try hiding them……

Not a stupid dog.



Wednesday today.

Hump day.

[Grizz1963]

Seen at my local food shop.

No….

Not Walmart or ASDA.

Morrissons.



Be interesting to see the check out process.

[Grizz1963]

​Well it seems spring is here.

The Rapeseed Canola is already in flower.

Time for pretty car pictures.

But also started my yearly 6 months of non sedative antihistamine

Went looking for my left over pills from last year as I start on them and get a repeat prescription which unfortunately takes up to 5 days. NHS at it’s most efficient.

I rediscovered a steering wheel that I bought from mate Darren about 8 years ago for a big wad of cash.

And tried out some checkered vinyl in the rear. This used to be fitted to my 1963 Ford Transit van.



I don’t think so.

Conversely, the steering wheel has still got the same appeal.

For the C10.



Been a busy week.

Not a lot to show, but certainly productive.

Weather still is not done with winter.

Last night rain and wind.

Thankfully moved the van by 18.00

Woke to this today.

The neighbours own that fence, thus responsible for replacing it. However, they sold or are trying to sell the house so no interest in spending money on anything.



Good Friday.

Public holiday in England.

Lots to do today.

[Grizz1963]

You know those days where you are busy all day but have nothing to show for it?

Couple of them this week.

Some of you may recall that I built a small raised sandbox for Sallys grandson during Covid.

Sand was super expensive but my time was not.

Harry her older grandson always plays in it when he visits.
He has been joined by a brother, Alfie now, about a year old.

So the rime had come to replace the plywood lid and to repaint it more appropriately.

I used some checkered vinyl that was in the back of my 1963 Ford Taunus Transit.

Painted it all.

Then headed to Sallys place and painted the box.

Also made a new name and redecorated the step.

I will tackle the paving with my pressure washer some time in the next few weeks





Box done



New name plate and step painted.



And put together yesterday.



Sallys younger son, Ryan, was 24 this week.

His choice for a birthday dinner was a kebab and chiips from the kebab shop 200 meters from home.

I passed on my normal choice of fish and chips and went for a lamb kebab, salad and chips.

We also watched Topgun. Maverick on Netflix and Sally stayed awake for the whole movie.

Today is Saturday so shops are open.

I have a parcel to post.

The excess from the garage continues to sell out in fits and starts despite the number of illiterates not becoming any less.

Still, despite the irritation, cash is king.

[Grizz1963]

Every time you think it’s all over, you trip over something else.

A 14 year hoard of nuts and bolts, washers, brackets, hinges, wood screws of every conceivable kind, and many more small items was a full day’s worth of sorting out. Hard to believe?

You never saw my hoard.

Ask any previous visitor to Grizz Towers.

Cake tin after cake tin of imperial, metric and unidentified fasteners and random stuff was poured out and sorted through.

Keep in mind that I also ha md to create and rearrange all the storage space and containers.

One thing I did, with a heavy heart was to jettison all the traditional wood screws that were stored in various locations and containers. Modern Pozi-Drive type, self cutting screws are just so much quicker and easier to use and I certainly don’t create artisan level work any more.

I didn’t take any photos of this at the start, but trust me……

It was a lot worse than that.





Eventually I also cleared the “electronics table” where most of the Rezin Rockit nuts, bolts, washers and electronics plus paints etc lived for three years.

Could be cleared of a few more bits.



Looking at this lot, it is hard to believe that this is the result of a days work unless I mention that stuff found it’s way to possibly as many as 10 destinations from the sorting table.

​

There still are jobs to do as part of the clear out and preparation for the C10 build but it’s not easy to understand unless you’re actually here on site.

The cash fund that started with an imaginary target of £500.00 in junk sales has made it up to £1670.00 so far.

Yesterday I spent just over a third of it on two new mattresses for my lodger’s bedrooms.

Possibly a better investment than buying another car for now, especially that red Camaro.

It still blows my mind that despite low prices and cheap selling of excess junk, this amount of money has come in over four weeks.



Coming back from town, I had offered Salky our usual 3-6 monthly treat of a quick cheap Turkish lunch, she declined and asked for a McDonalds Biscoff Frappe and something random to eat.

Now McDonalds is something I don’t eat as a habit but I have to remind myself once a year why I don’t eat anything from these “restaurants “

Crispy Chicken Ceasar wraps and caramel Frappes eaten in the carpark like the common people.

Dodged a bullet with the heartburn too.



Came home after this and Sally went home to work in her garden and I started on a two day job that I do yearly.

Spent 4 hours out there hurting.

[Grizz1963]

Like Prozac the Beelingo, the VW Caddy continues to earn its keep.

Every time it does a new job, it ticks a mental bank account box for me, justifying its existence throughout igu “man maths “

Two double bed mattresses, two TV’s, a wooden TV stand, some other random junk.

Tomorrow it fetches a wooden double bed frame and disposes of a double bed base.

Yup…….

Function over Form.





Caddy delivers.

And at an average of 43 MPG (imperial gallons)! I think it’s a bit more special than it looks.

Almost the weekend too.