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

[Mjminino]

Hell yeah

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Mjminino

Hell yeah

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Mjminino

About your hitch issue, I would assume it wouldn't matter where it sits as you can buy hitches with the correct height that you need to get your trailer to sit level.

I have plate that allows you to set the ball at different heights.

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

Just found this funny after I took the picture and thought i would share it do they know something I don't

that is funny... so is that your box or Martins? hehe

nothing wrong with hanging out with your buds, talking trucks and sipping fresh brew. looks like you had a great day....[/QUOTE]

Good call Clem.

Friends are vital in this hobby, and good friends are even more valuable.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Awesome road trip...
Thanks for the pub pic, and the pic of the 3 Trucksters...

Hers…Hmmm???

Cheers Mate, happy welding….

Pleasure Don, pity the pub is shut.

Would love one of their old signs.

Originally Posted by 63sbssbbw

Cool stuff
Those "extra" holes may be for positive location of a bumper jack??
And I agree , shoddy work for sure.
I would put a bumper bolt in it ,at least it would look a little more "finished" and cover up the crappy workmanship.
T

Yup, bumper bolt should work.

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

^I agree. Ask for a partial refund, explain where you are and why a return/replacement won't work. Then, throw a bumper bolt in there and forget about it.

Very much doubt they will refund.

Originally Posted by disasterbus

How about using it as the mounting point for a period accessory fog light or reversing light. Otherwise a chrome dome headed bolt would disguise it to all but the most observant eye.

Small fog and reverse lights as my reverse lights are now indicators.

Originally Posted by mjh1965

I was thinking along the same line as you period fog lamps or a chrome dome headed bolt .

Yup.

Originally Posted by jayoldschool

So glad you went with the 67-72 bumper. It's perfect on a Fleetside. Hope I can score a used patina one someday...

Thanks, so am I.

These forums are great for learning and sharing.

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Looks good Rian.

P.

Thanks Paul, takes longer than I would like, but I guess at least stuff is happening.

[Captainfab]

I'm thinking that those extra holes on the bottom edge of the bumper may have been how the bumper was hung for the plating process.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I'm thinking that those extra holes on the bottom edge of the bumper may have been how the bumper was hung for the plating process.

Hi Captainfab,

I think you are absolutely right, it almost looks like there were bolts through there, the way it's not set the chrome, and also what looks like "wash marks" running into the deeper edge.

I will keep my eyes open for something interesting to bolt over the holes, like small chrome skulls, like my old front bumper had, or even a backing up light and a fog light, as my backup lights are now indicators in the UK.

[CRGRS 66]

That looks very, very slick Rian, you should post up what you have done there to the custom mods thread, and any of the tow hitch threads in the FAQ's

[mjh1965]

Well I popped over on my home to take a look. What can I say it looks good. The only surgestion I had was fitting a cross brace to triangle ate the rear bumper irons . So a quick rummage in the back of the work van, and two strips of steel left with him to make them So off I went leaving him another job to do . I like turning up making his life hell then leaving

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Well I popped over on my home to take a look. What can I say it looks good. The only surgestion I had was fitting a cross brace to triangle ate the rear bumper irons . So a quick rummage in the back of the work van, and two strips of steel left with him to make them So off I went leaving him another job to do . I like turning up making his life hell then leaving

[Mjminino]

[Ta2Don]

No coloring on people today, chillin' on the farm, here's a pic of a Salt/Plow truck on the road about 2.5 miles from my place...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

No coloring on people today, chillin' on the farm, here's a pic of a Salt/Plow truck on the road about 2.5 miles from my place...

Looks like the Emergency vehicle in attendance has "SHI-T" and White-Off written on the door.

[flashed]

Thanks to all this ice and snow crap I have to work the next 24 hours straight ,Im ready for spring so I can play with my trucks .

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Looks like the Emergency vehicle in attendance has "SHI-T" and White-Off written on the door.

Originally Posted by flashed

Thanks to all this ice and snow crap I have to work the next 24 hours straight ,Im ready for spring so I can play with my trucks .

Back in January, for 3 Weekends in a row, we had temps in the 60's then Old Man Winter settled in and other than a few decent days in and amongst the cold looks as though he is not leaving very soon… Stay warm and Truck time is just around the corner...

[flashed]

We are actually getting the tail end of what has come through your area in Arkansas .Im too old to deal with the cold anymore .

[Micmac]

It was -30F last night here on the Blue Ridge with the wind chill. I had to ride over to Boone, NC this morning and it was -6 W/O windchill. We have about 5 inches of snow on the ground and more on the way tonight. I'm headed to Montreal, Quebec Canada next week so this is good training.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Micmac

It was -30F last night here on the Blue Ridge with the wind chill. I had to ride over to Boone, NC this morning and it was -6 W/O windchill. We have about 5 inches of snow on the ground and more on the way tonight. I'm headed to Montreal, Quebec Canada next week so this is good training.

You are a bit more Hard Core than I would ever profess to be Pete.

Ride safely mate.



Today Martin and I went over to Disasterbus, Kerry's place after I "rented" his Mondeo ST Estate to collect a 1.97 meter by 1.0 meter rolling door steel filing cabinet for my garage, and to check out his Stepside C10 Chevy.



First things first was a thorough inspection and critique of Kerry's truck, which it turns out, is even better than shown on his thread, he really got a clean, low mileage truck.
And I loved the 175/80 -15 tyres on the rear, they do suit the arches just right.





After 3 hours, coffee, inspecting his Classic Mk1 Mini Cooper, pleasing/teasing the hound and a load of chatting it started to come down with sleet and some rain mixed in.......

We decided it was time to hand him back to his family, and load up the cabinet and head for home with our bounty..... Which included the cabinet, and large Nike shoe box full of American car magazines and best of all in my book, a manual fire alarm bell which will be mounted on the side of the house on the wall for Post men, deliveries etc in case I am down at the garage.

Thanks a mil for the hospitality and gifts Kerry, good to see you again as always.



Tight fit once the cabinet was in the back of the car...... 75 miles crunched up like armadillos, a breeze.





Said Fire Alarm bell, note the handle, you turn the handle to make it ring.

I am sure the delivery guys will get a kick out of cranking that sucker over.



When we got in, I started up the oven to cook the pizzas Nicola had left for us, as she has gone to Paris for a week with her daughter.
While we were over at Kerry's place we noticed that his filler cap was not a locking cap, fortunately I had a locking GM unit, unused, that Martin had given me to try on my tank, on which it does not fit for some reason, so I fetched it, and some of the other ones, now Kerry just needs to choose the right one for his truck, then it will be out in the post along with the sheet metal glove box inner I will be cutting, folding for him tomorrow.



All in all, another great day out, thank to our shared hobby of old cars, trucks.

[flashed]

You did good on that storage cabinet and his truck looks great too .You guys are amazing .

[Ta2Don]

Awesome Score on the cabinet and the Fire Bell...

What, No pix of the Mini???

[disasterbus]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Awesome Score on the cabinet and the Fire Bell...

What, No pix of the Mini???

Thanks for the kind words about my truck Don. It’s a work in progress with plenty still to do but I really like it and it’s definitely a ‘keeper’. Rian will vouch for the fact that that’s unusual for me – I love classic cars and have always got one of some description, but usually I rarely keep them long, preferring to change them every few months so I always have a new ‘toy’.
These were mine recently……….




The truck is different – I have long term plans for it. The only other car I class as a ‘keeper’ is my Mini. This is about the 10th Mini I’ve owned but I can’t see myself ever selling it.
Bought new by my wife’s uncle. He just walked into his local dealer to order a new Austin Metro but was told they had stopped making them. ‘OK’ he said ‘what other small cars do you have?’
This Mini was in the showroom, one of the very last ever made before BMW took over and the Mini changed completely. Out of 5,387,362 built between 1959 and 2000, this one is the 4,852nd from last proper Mini ever built.



He did less than 1000 miles per year, preferring to cycle everywhere (even though he was in his mid-70’s). He had the car for 8 years before failing health forced him to give up driving. One day, out of the blue, he rang and offered me the car.





Just to give you an idea of size, my son’s Mini parked next to the truck!


The Mini is a genuine Cooper, and has done less than 12,000 from new. Needless to say it’s tucked away for the winter at the moment!

[Ta2Don]

Very Cool Toyz... Great background for the Mini...

[Micmac]

Looking good Rian. I saw a 71 Chevy Firetruck on CL with 16,000 miles on it for very cheap, I was thinking of buying it, but I'm riding the Chief to Alberta and do the Rockies this summer and Deryl would make me tent the entire trip if I did so! I'm a holiday Inn kinda guy, I camped enough in the Army.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Micmac

Looking good Rian. I saw a 71 Chevy Firetruck on CL with 16,000 miles on it for very cheap, I was thinking of buying it, but I'm riding the Chief to Alberta and do the Rockies this summer and Deryl would make me tent the entire trip if I did so! I'm a holiday Inn kinda guy, I camped enough in the Army.

I am a bad man

I am a bad man

I am a bad man

I am a bad bad bad man.......

Sent you a PM buddy.

[Micmac]

I sent you a reply, and an email to your YAHOO account. I am a bad bad bad friend!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Micmac

I sent you a reply, and an email to your YAHOO account. I am a bad bad bad friend!

Replied to the PM.......

Man, that is absolutely awesome.

What is it size wise? C50-ish?

[Micmac]

I'm thinking. It looks show room does it not? If the divorce wouldn't be so exponsive, I'd head over there in the morning. My bride is driving to Atlanta as we speak, then hops on a plane to Kansas City and returns Friday. I could figure out where to hide it by then right? A big red 40 foot long truck should be easy to stash!

[Grizz1963]

Long day in the garage today.

I had planned on starting and getting the windscreen frame done today as the new screen is booked for fitting on Friday this week, if it has arrived from the USA.

First things, first though..... I had to get the new steel cabinet into my garage, which meant an hours worth of unpacking, creating a rat run path into the rear of the garage.

Relocated a load of stuff, and now have a complete 2 square meter surface cabinet for more truck spares and bits.



I had a load of other small jobs, including checking my girls' cars were roadworthy, and polishing Disasterbus' Fire Bell.



Fitted to the side of the house so couriers and visitors can get my attention if I am down at the garage.



Over lunch time I was checking up on my original post of this thread and thought, take a look at one of the previous owners' bands website...... Memphis Flyers on Facebook. They are a Rockabilly band. Check them out.
There was a number for contacting, so I called the mobile number and spoke to Dave, the guitarist, and told him I was getting together parts of the history of the truck.
He agreed to send me some pics of it in its previous life.

I think this is the owner, who now has a 50's Chevy truck to still move the bands stuff around..











I am really pleased and thankful that Dave made the effort and emailed me the photos of the truck as it was.

Has also convinced me that I need USA style plates on it again. But probably silver on black, to partially comply with UK rules.

After cutting up a few wooden pallets, the old wooden wardrobe and packing it all away, I also cut out Disasterbus' glovebox liner.

Then called it a day. Another good weekend over.