70 Short Stepside

[70shortstep]

I have started my frame off build. First a little background on my love for these trucks. When I was 14 (1978), my brother in law's (Joe) dad (Frog) had a 68 short step, dark green, 3ott. I used to go with them and haul hay and work around their place. I remember getting to pull the trailer around the field to load the hay. My sister and Joe moved to Texarkana. My dad and I carried a load of things to them in Frog's truck. Dad let me drive down and back. One year dad, Joe, Frog and I took the truck to Little Rock to the tractor show. We were so cramped that Joe had to shift while Frog was driving. I told Frog if he ever got rid of the truck, I wanted it. Well 25 years passes and the old truck is pretty well beaten to death. Frog forgot about my love for the truck and lets someone have it just to get rid of it. When I found out it was gone I was sick and Frog was so upset that he had forgotten that I wanted it. I started looking for a truck and after about a year I found my truck on ebay. I wanted a 6 cyl, 3ott, stepside, base truck. I bought my truck in 2006. My daughter and I hauled a trailer to Virginia and brought it back. My dad passed away in 2007, and Frog died in 2008. Joe was killed in a tractor accident in 2011. Like a lot of you guys, driving this old truck around takes me back to a simpler time.
I have not done much to it except put the shifter back on the column and a little maintenance. I actually started this the first of November. I went out to cut the steel plate out of the bed and put the wood back. Well one thing leads to another as you will see.