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

[Grizz1963]

Being busy with creating the spray booth inside the garage, I have thought of a gazebo on front of it to do most of the dirty dusty filler work.

Yesterday FREECYCLE partially delivered with the ad copied and pasted below........

Scaffolding pipes and fittings to:
BUILD A TEMPORARY CARPORT IN FRONT OF GARAGE.


" I have some scaffolding bits which used to be put together to form a yacht cradle - they supported a 30ft yacht ashore during its winter maintenance. Those days are long gone and the scaffolding needs to go.

It comprises about 20 poles, roughly speaking:

6 off 4m long
6 off 2m long
6 off 1-1.5m long
few other odds and ends

Plus a boxful of clamps to hold it all together, and drawings / photos if anyone wants to use it as a boat cradle for something 20-30 ft long!

There are a load of wooden blocks used to level it and 6 support pads to rest against the hull of the boat.

Anyone welcome to take away whether as boat cradle, scaffolding components or scrap. "

Last night Martin and I went down to Gillingham in his Mondeo ST Estate with roof bars fitted and my Focus to collect all the pipework and fittings.

Took it all home and unloaded, followed by a cuppa tea made by Nicola and Martin delivering Christmas prezzies. One of which he insisted I open there.

Nice big box, not too heavy......hmmmmm??
What could it be??

Industrial ear plugs....... For our trip to the USA next year? His protection or mine?

Cheeky Monkey.

[Ta2Don]

I'm quite chuffed, to say the least, about the coming invasion...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

I'm quite chuffed, to say the least, about the coming invasion...

So are we mate.


Few pics from last nights mission.

[Grizz1963]

Perfect decoration for the garage, from Halloween a few years ago, Nicola found it on a sale for 50p




On Sunday I eventually got around to a job I have been putting off for some time, for various reasons, most of them just being logistics.

I got the "walls" of the "spray booth" months ago from the local Catering company yard before they set fire to them.

I decided to build a small recess into which my tall drill press/pillar drill would fit, and then to also offset the rest of the wall by another 300mm or 12 inches to give me maximum working space for when I do the bodywork on the truck, as well as the paint.

One of the things I cannot do alone, is to manage 8 and 9 foot long sheets of wood, so I asked Ian who is living with us to come down to the garage to help me a couple of times.



frame in place and first sheet in place





Another long sheet, problem is they have metal in them that needs to be avoided, so a helping hand is needed.



When screwing the connecting strips between the sheets, two hands each side are ideal, so I allowed Ian access to the tools.



Carried on till about 10.00pm on Sunday evening.



And this was where I ended play on Sunday evening.

Door to be created and hung, as well as some more reinforcing between the sections and closing small gaps




Door hung, gaps sorted.........



Truck back inside the space. Now there is space enough on both sides.

On annual leave from Friday, so can start dismantling the truck, first job is removing all the stickers, toolbox etc.....




That is all for now.

Thanks for looking in guys.

PS: Help, advice and visits welcome between 19th and 4th January.

[Ta2Don]

Paint Booth looks smashing!!!

Great Job!

[flashed]

Looks good ,you have been quite busy .

[bj383ss]

Looks good Rian. I am quite envious of all the time off you are about to have.

[clemdaddy]

nice job rian... looks to be plenty of room. hope you will remove your tools and plate collection, overspray gets everywhere. really like the shop decoration too.

[Ta2Don]

Thanks for the kick in the backside...
Here's the link for the rat build…
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...83#post6962283

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Paint Booth looks smashing!!!

Great Job!

Thanks Don. I am pleased with how it came out.

Originally Posted by flashed

Looks good ,you have been quite busy .

LOL, always busy, I do not do "Idle" very easily.

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looks good Rian. I am quite envious of all the time off you are about to have.

Bret, you know the story...... save it up and enjoy it later.

Perfect to get focused, however there is a lot of stuff that needs doing through he time that are not truck based.

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

nice job rian... looks to be plenty of room. hope you will remove your tools and plate collection, overspray gets everywhere. really like the shop decoration too.

Hi Clem, thanks for the comment, I will be using paint booth plastic to cover up all the ceiling rafters and the plates.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Thanks for the kick in the backside...
Here's the link for the rat build…
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...83#post6962283

I have posted it elsewhere, you may have to sell it before it is finished....

[Grizz1963]

Another day, another bit of progress.

Last night I cut in with a brush and did a coat of rollered white Crown paint to get a more reflective, white surface on the walls.



Today was my last work day for the year. (helps to save your leave up)
So, after doing expenses, clock cards etc, I popped down to the garage, pushed the truck out and did the second coat of white..... GOOD IDEA.

I now need to find two more strip lights to fit to the side wall for when I am working on the body.

Pleased with the results so far.



Truck back in.

Once you put it back in place, you realize just how big this red thing is.......

Tomorrow I will be helping the decorator in the house, along with starting to remove all the stickers, the little trim clips down the sides and also the big toolbox in the rear.

Friday evening Martin and I are going over to Russell the paralyzed Fireman's place to modify all his furniture so that he can actually use it more effectively.

Saturday morning will be Honey-Do's and in the afternoon Martin may be over to help me get the scaffolding frame made up in front of the garage. Still need to get hold of a large tarpaulin to go over it all.

[Ta2Don]

Closer to the sanding and paint...

[bj383ss]

Can't wait to see you tearing it down.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Closer to the sanding and paint...

...... And filling and painting and sanding

...... And filling and painting and sanding

...... And filling and painting and sanding

...... And filling and painting and sanding

...... And filling and painting and sanding

...... And filling and painting and sanding

...... And filling and painting and sanding

That it primer, not paint

[bj383ss]

Andy sent you a pick of him and the boys enjoying you and Martin's new trucks for when you come to USA next year!

20141219_182307 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

20141219_182319 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

20141219_182324 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

20141219_182240 by bjohnson388, on Flickr

Cheers Mate

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Can't wait to see you tearing it down.

Looks like you and Martin and Don are in cahoots.......


Small update.

Done nothing except move stuff around in the garage yesterday.

Today Nicola and I refitted the kitchen, which we have not been able to use since the flood and ceiling issue in September.
Glen, our plasterer and decorator finished downstairs yesterday ( He gets a house key and works between big jobs, but it means a substantial saving that can be used elsewhere but the house is upside down for longer) I was also helping him yesterday.

Today I tried a single 6 fin oil heater in the spray booth area for almost 3 hours....... Made no difference, but I suspect my gas panel heater or the gas blower type heater will make a difference.

I found out yesterday that Walmart in Texas had Chevy C10 Short Fleetside models in stock, so asked Bret to get Martin and I each one as want to custom match the paint on them to whatever we do to our trucks. Mine will be a bit easier, as it's a Short Fleet, but he has a Long Fleet, at least he will be able to get the colour matched to his paint. I think the current thinking is orange and white, but that changes weekly.

They are currently Blue, but that will be changed.

[Grizz1963]

BRET !!


The Narrator has said that Andy needs to "just wait a minute" he knows the letter of the law, and extortionate storage fees cannot be tolerated......

We have an enforcer here.




In other news, being the "Media Whore" that I am, the truck has had its first 4 page article published in the January 2015 edition of "Classic Van and Pickup" magazine.



That's all for now folks, thanks for checking in.

[flashed]

Love the little tow truck and congrats getting your rig in a magazine .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Love the little tow truck and congrats getting your rig in a magazine .

Thanks Mate.

I am a bit of a "Media Whore" so would always allow it to be featured, especially if they are interested in it.


Been on leave for 5 days, been busy every day, but not done much to the truck.

Today was another day like that, but again, I was busy the whole day.

Managed to start on the truck after unpacking the inside, and tool box, as well as removing it and the rear mat.

Got the grinder out...... always a good way to start a restoration.

Ground off all the barsteward side trim clips that I had not managed to tear off before.





Followed by using a lovely step-drill bit that Ta2Don sent me earlier this year, to remove all the rivets from the tonneau cover studs.



Leaving me with this lot.



At this point I would love to refit some new studs and get a new cover made up, to the same standard as the one coming off the truck.

After this I just oiled up all the nuts n bolts I may be addressing tomorrow around the front end.

[Grizz1963]

A serious highlight this week was the arrival of an Australian number plate from 1/2 Cup of Garage Journal fame.



THREAD LINK: http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225061

I have had a few promises over the years of Ozzie plates for my collection, but they never actually surfaced.

Then 1/2 Cup came on board and found me this one which will be added to my ever growing collection.

[flashed]

Would you like a Georgia Plate ? Im sure I can find you one . My wife tried to get me one from a friend in Ireland but he said the Govt over there keeps them.

[Ta2Don]

Awesome to see the teardown begin!!!

Cheers Mate!!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Would you like a Georgia Plate ? Im sure I can find you one . My wife tried to get me one from a friend in Ireland but he said the Govt over there keeps them.

Morning Flashed.

The Irish plates are very hard to get, I was there two weeks ago and could not even get one.

I am always happy to add plates to my collection, but I try to get specialized plates, like disabled, government, military or older historic type plates.

If you are desperate for an Irish plate, EBay may have some.

I know UK plates may not be sold on EBay unless they have been out of use for three years or something.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Awesome to see the teardown begin!!!

Cheers Mate!!!

Yeahhhh Riiiight.... Scares the crap out of me.

I really want this to come out good once I am done, but there is so much work that needs doing.

And the way I take photos, generally you do not see the flaws that I will now have to repair etc.

[Grizz1963]

Last night, working on the truck, with just the garage lights on, I realized that I would be needing more light to do the bodywork.

So this morning I went out and bought 3 five foot, and one 4 foot doube tube strip lights with " daylight " tubes to fit to the side walls.




Nicola has a bee in her bonnet now that we have the house back to ourselves again, so she wanted to redecorate the spare room.

One of the things she wanted was a moose to hang on the wall.

So this afternoon I found some Christmas wrapping paper and drew my version of a moose on it, then cut it out, and traced it onto some recycled pallet plywood.

Keep in mind, I have no idea what a moose should look like.





Cut out, sanded down and mounted......



I do hope it is what she wanted.

Merry Christmas everyone.

May the festive season be filled with all you need and want.