New Guy - Grizz1963 signing in from Rochester, KENT

[Grizz1963]

Today was not a good day for me, so rather than rip a head off, or sit in a corner crying, I thought I would do some woodwork in the shed, but before I go there, I ended up in the garage, sorting out and grouping my "newest" number plates for my collection.



Then I took some of the plates that did not "fit" off the rafters



Followed by a significant change, including removal of all the metal signs.
They will be refitted later when I have revised the current layout of the garage interior.
This includes removing the up and over single door, and boarding up that side and fitting a large hardwood door, or a door and a half if I can find one.

After a few hours I was happy.

One side....



And looking from the other side.



I have some more room to fit some of my traded plates, and will look out for some special ones in the mean time to add.

[Grizz1963]

Well, it has started.

Yesterday, Myrtle the 1956 Ford Anglia 100E sold to a young petrol head named Dan.
It left me with an emotional wife and feeling like I shot Bambi.

Next up is getting the Transit ready for selling too.

With one car out the garage, it meant that I could empty, then rearrange the contents of the garage, which I did today.

This was the final swansong for the Anglia, hopefully the Transit will follow soon and then set us up to find a Chevy pickup truck.



A very happy family.

It is great to have a 13 year old petrol head buy the car as it gives me hope for the future of our hobby.




DAN THE MAN......

He wanted to ride home in the Anglia on the back of the trailer.
I suspect he would have loved to have taken a sleeping bag into the garage and slept n her last night.



Following the SVT Lightening to her new home where she will be sharing the garage with a Model T Roadster and a white Plymouth Roadrunner




Once I reversed the bus out the garage it was much easier to rearrange everything.



Now just need to sell and then start all over again, looking for a Chevy Pickup truck.

[Ta2Don]

One step at a time, getting closer...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

One step at a time, getting closer...

Hi Don,

Thanks, yes, it is definitely a slow process, as my cars are all slightly specialist and niche.

Not as common as a Golf, or BMW





I seem to have lost my MOJO the last few years, but it seems to be creeping back.

Yesterday, for the first time since August 2010, the Grizz-Pod came out of the garage.

After selling the Anglia to Young Dan Young over the weekend, there suddenly was more space in the garage to move stuff about, first was the Transit, which is also up for sale, and I will be writing up a full for sale ad for it as soon as the time is right, unless someone comes in by PM and comes to take a look and decides to buy what is a pretty unique van/car.

Yesterday I decided to turn the Transit around in the garage so that it faces outward, and as is usually the case, a whole lot of other stuff started happening......

I decided a wash and some T-Cut is in order.

Once the bus was turned about, I started moving stuff about again, and then pulled the Grizz-Pod out and decided it needed a wash as well, as it never got washed after we came back from honeymoon in August 2010

So I will now just photos dump, as the bus and trailer does look different from different angles, and interestingly, if you look at some pics they look bigger than in others.


Sunlight.......












HOVER BUS



Washed and sparkly



Washed as well, Much better, drying next.







Just how low can you go ?



Says it all.




So next up is to sell the transit, and then get a Chevy pickup truck for the teardrop trailer.

Now to go start the T-Cut on the bus.

[Grizz1963]

NO MORE GRIZZ MOBILE......

After getting some advice on removing the Graffitti which this bus was known by, as it may put some buyers off, I have used some thinners, a couple of rags and done 4 passes on it all, soak, scrub, scrub, wash and then wiped again with a good old T-shirt.




GOING.......





GOING.......




GONE !!!!




Next up some polish and a bit of rubbing should see it almost disappear.

[Grizz1963]

Next up I spent over 5 hours with T-Cut polishing and hand buffing the whole van, even the roof, which is a PITA.

I must say, it has come up pretty decently, so I hope it helps when it comes to selling.

GRIZZ-MOBILE graffitti side polished out well.



Other side done as well.

By this time I had to push the van inside again, as evening condensation was coming down.

[Grizz1963]

GREAT NEWS!!!!!

MY TRANSIT VAN IS NOW SOLD AS WELL, pending a cheque landing here and being deposited.

Now just need a job to complete my circle.

Ohhhh, and I never got to buy that Pullman sliding roof Camper body/Canopy so will be looking for one as well. I love them.
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[bj383ss]

Awesome news Rian!

Bret

[Ta2Don]

Congrats on the sale of the Van, one step closer... PM me your address and I will send you a 1960 Illinois License Plate for your collection.

[Ta2Don]

Here's a pic of the one heading your way in the morning!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Here's a pic of the one heading your way in the morning!

Hi Don
That is awesome. Much appreciated. Thank you.

I am in Cape Town now.

Hitting the coastal road in the morning with my brother and meeting up with another Wilddogs rider, Goose to do a 600km ride to George.

CLICKY LINKY

http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/inde...topic=106063.0

LINK IS TO MAIN THREAD.
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[Grizz1963]

Sat in Business class lounge with free fruit and a Brandy and Coke ;D

Flight departs at 23.20 and hope to be at home b 18.00 tomorrow if M25 behaves.

Few pics of the first little river crossing we did.....

Note the water over the engines, it gets a bit deeper than where I am at that point.




Then my brother followed, doing a Meerkat impression.



Followed by Jupiter, whose bike had konked out about two miles from the river after the first crossing.




More photos on the original thread, quoted on page 1.

[Ta2Don]

Looks like a good time!!!
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[Grizz1963]

PS: Another of yesterdays happenings.

My Transit packed up, off on a 500km trip to its new owner.




I am currently undergoing a security clearance etc, so may have a 9 month contract by mid May......

Not yet a full time job, which will be the trigger for me to actually buy the truck I want, but at least a move in the right direction.

[Ta2Don]

Congrats on the employment prospect! Keep Rockin'!!!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Congrats on the employment prospect! Keep Rockin'!!!

Thanks Don.

I find doing nothing does not work for me.

In preparation for the impending purchase of a truck, I have gone and done a bit of a remodel of the garage this week.


Being back from my South Africa bike tour, and the promise of a 9 month job contract meant I had one week in which to do some jobs that may not happen for a while.

I have wanted to remove one of the garage doors for some time, and then to replace it with a panel and a single door.

Recently I got a Free door and frame, including a key from a Glazing company, so the plan was in a holding pattern while I went off to do my ride.





This had to be quick one day job, at least replacing the door etc.

I only got started after 11.00 as I had some computer stuff to do indoors.

Mickey had the day off, so offered his van to help me get a 4x8 foot sheet of heavy duty plywood and some fence posts in. I also had some extra keys cut for the door.

We came home, had a cuppa tea and then proceeded to remove said door.



Cut about 25mm out of the floor to recess the door frame, to prevent tripping when getting in and out of the side door.
Fitted the frame.



Door tried out and Mickey posing :thumbup:



Later on, note the angle of the shadows..... panels were screwed onto the frames that had been laid onto a very thick bead of silicone, which should act as a damp course.



I had also decided to start painting the whole inside of the garage with some Freebie paint I had gotten from the neighbour two houses down.
In the end I used 35 litres of cream and then white paint in two layers to cover the walls. Next up will be fitting the 6 six foot strip lights I was given by Euan.



I have to say, when I put the garage together it was menat to never be moved again..... ooooopppps.

Moving every bit of furniture and fittings away from the walls once again reminded me that there has to be something wrong with me.



I also put 5 coats of paint on the outside panels and 3 coats on the inside.



These tins were mostly full, and a few were halves..... Free, and people complain about finances.



I had to laugh at my own pile of paints, mostly tins and colours used in redecorating our current house, and from our previous homes.



Back to the garage, first coat down, white next.



One of the jobs that I was trying to put off was clearing all the toolsof this section of the wall, as the Esse Dragon stove I was given by Deli Dave a couple of years ago, will be finding its way in here.




So the next job was to create a pile of tools.




In the mean time I had moved all the tool boards to the opposite side of the garage, and also made a screwdriver shelf......



The same neighbour who gave me all the paint also had a lazy chair and foot stool he was tossing out..... in my direction.

Perfect for putting in the garage in front of the fire.



And having a nice Brandy and Pepsi Max at the end of a tough day



Fire place painted and ready.

Next up a single course of bricks and a thick paving slab 24 x 36 inches on top of it.






Opposite end with boards in place.



And that was tonight.



Next up will be the stove base, and tidy up the floor of the garage (again) and a couple of other small jobs.

And that is my garage up to date again.

[Ta2Don]

Keep Rockin'!!! Got the stickers today, thanks again!!!

[Grizz1963]

Built an "Electrics" work bench yesterday.

650mm deep worktop and 550mm shelf, and 920mm high, (which is just right for me) both heavy duty but in front of the window to have maximum light on small intricate jobs.

I am now happy with the whole layout of the garage's work spaces, welding table, "woodwork" table and this one.

Today I will be mixing some cement/mortar to build a plynth about 3 courses high for the wood burning stove to stand on.

I bought a 900 x 600 paving slab yesterday that will go on top of it.






And the garage got its name formally.....

I saw a sign along the roadside last year, but never had the chance to stop and pick it up, M25 has 3 lanes and it was the fast lane.

Anyway, it struck me as the perfect name.

I think Nicola, my wife will agree, it's called "THE END"






It is almost weekend.... time to relax and hopefully make a fire and Braai/BBQ

[Grizz1963]

Just back from South Africa and a 6200km motorbike trip with my brother..... (That does not include the commutes by car or pickup truck)

FULL RIDE REPORT WITH LOADS OF PICS HERE.

RR Starts at page 22, but there is a Pre-report from page 1 if you are in the mood to read.

http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/inde...topic=106063.0

Saw this in many towns and had a good chuckle as it would probably fit into the loadbody of a Fleetside truck.

Used by small business and private individuals alike.

South Africa is Pickup truck country, bigger one ton and more trucks abound as well.

Hope you like.

[Grizz1963]

I thought it would fit in with the timing of the RR to add in some of the plates I was given as presents by Knucklhead, Tiger8 and BigDom for my garage.

Thanks a million guys, I was really blown away at the time by all the generosity of everyone, and still sit here grinning madly.

The plates have found their way, as many do, for various reasons to various places about my shged and garage.

The WD GRIZZ plate is on the Woodwork shed door...... Woodwork Department as well as WildDog Grizz

The GRIZZ EC plate is next to the new shelf with all the screw drivers, but specifically where I can enjoy it, and where it covers some of the knife blades hanging there.

And of course the GSPOT EC plate found its way to where people will note it.....







I have also received a load of traded and gifted plates from the USA while away,, and typically guys put a return address and possibly a real name, but never a note of forum name.

Anyway, I am sure they will ask at some point if I received their plates..... then I can say a formal thank you.Right now is is 12.30 and I need to go lay some bricks.#


Later Dudes.

[markeb01]

Congrats on selling the other rig. Looking forward to seeing what happens next. Good luck!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Congrats on selling the other rig. Looking forward to seeing what happens next. Good luck!

Thanks Mark.

Have alady bounced one out of the game.... the Croccus one that is here in the UK, spoke to my inside man and it seems there has been some messing with it, and parts of the bagged front suspension are missing, a ring gear needs replacing, the starter plays up and the 700r4 needs some attention.


I have also got a truck in Tulsa being looked at for starters.....




I recently did a 6200+km motorbike ride around South Africa with my brother.

CLICK LINK: http://www.wilddog.za.net/forum/inde...topic=106063.0

On the evening I was leaving my cousin Marius took me out for dinner and we were to be met by another guy.

Later we were joined by Wilddogs member H20 who amongst other things is a keen diver.

He had contacted me in the first week when we were in Elliott to ask when he could meet me.


Tinus is another of life's gems (for the English, an abbreviation for Marthinus) who had contacted me.
He desperately wanted to meet up with me to give me a smoking pipe he had dived out many years ago from a 300 year old wreck, for Nicola to add to her collection.

"Het Huis te Kraaiestein" was a Dutch ship of 1,154 tons, built in 1697 at the Zeeland Yard for the Zeeland Chamber of the Dutch East India Company, and commanded by Jan van de Vijver. It was wrecked on the rocks in the bay at Oudekraal on the Cape Peninsula on 27 May 1698 in thick mist as they were trying to find the way into Table Bay. The ship was on its maiden voyage outward-bound from Wielingen, which they had left on 1 February 1698, with a cargo of 19 chests of pieces-of-eight (approximately 57 000 pieces). No lives were lost. Three chests of treasure disappeared and the name 'Geldkis' (money-chest) appears on maps of the area.

When he got there, he showed me a couple of other pipes he had bought in deepest darkest Africa some years ago.

Lovely stuff.








Once we had enjoyed these, he brought out the reason for the meeting......

More than 300 years ago, someone had this in their hands and used to smoke it, using what would have been a luxury item, as tobacco was very expensive in the early days.



300 years worth of crystalization inside the bowl.



And back in the UK, in its current resting place, in front of Victorian tobacco jars.

I am in the process of making a small wooden display case for it, in which it will live a slightly protected life.





Finally I was checked in Cape Town International and waiting for my 23.25 departure for Amsterdam.

Stupidly I forgot the privileges that go with a Business Class tickets and went and bought myself a coffee ......





When I came back from my bike trip through South Africa, I was greeted by a bunch of parcels from the USA.


Some from Turnpikecruiser .... WHAT A SURPRISE !!

Thank you very much.

And some more from unidentified members.... Thank you too.

Problem is user names on here are not related to real names and surnames.







Tomorrow I start a new contract job.

Life is good.

[Grizz1963]

Made some replica 1150mm long swords on Saturday.

Trust you like them.

[Grizz1963]

PS: Made this wall clock over the weekend too.

Nice aircleaner lid from a V8.

[Grizz1963]

Bought a truck...... WoooooHooo!!!

Thread in build section.
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