GRIZZ’s ‘79 - 2WD BLAZER Challenge over in London, England. “~It’s not a Project~”

[Corts60]

You are ever the busy man my friend. Too bad about that wagon!

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Corts60

You are ever the busy man my friend. Too bad about that wagon!

Wagon was a great, cheap base to start with.

Seller voluntarily offered it to me at $2000 or $2600

I am trying to get hold of this trucks owner…….

A lot more money than the wagon though, starting at $5800



I think it could be a decent patina build.

Just made mechanically good and driven.

It is a long bed, never wanted one, but the price could swing my mind.

[Grizz1963]

Parts order attempt no2

After failure to dispatch and eventually getting a refund, I ordered another carburettor.

Courier delivered last night.

Will get to it when I can to see if replacing the original on the HOPEMOBILE is as easy as 1-2-3





In the mean time George the cat I don’t have, seems to have cemented his residency here, even more firmly.





Guess I may have a cat for Christmas, though he does disappear at times, presumably to his real home, if they let him in.

There is no catflap, so he is reliant on his humans to let him come and go.

Almost Christmas, looking forward to stopping work for a few days.

[Grizz1963]

A random chat with Craig last night, led to him finding what we can only guess is a very old stock (only 1 in stock) original Extang Black Max bed cover for my truck.

I had previously searched using various cross references and come up empty handed.

He found one item online, for sale by JEGS in Ohio

So a few questions on Facebook S10 groups to ascertain that the bed on my extended cab is is the same 6’ length as the “short bed” confirmed that the item for sale was indeed correct.

The extended cabs have a longer wheelbase and slightly different positioning of the wheel,arches.

Chevrolet S10 wheelbases
Regular cab could get long bed or short bed. Extended cab only got the short bed. And crew cab got that tiny bed that was like 3 feet long

Pickup 1st and 2nd Gen

108.3 in (2,751 mm) (reg. cab short bed)
117.9 in (2,995 mm) (reg. cab long bed)
122.9 in (3,122 mm) (ext. cab short bed)



To say I was super stoked at finding this item thanks to @craigrk is an understatement.

This truck needs to continue to be looked after as it has been to date.

So while we were chatting, we called our tame Chevy guy in St Louis, Missouri, ie. Dennis to check and confirm.

Turns out they are having the storm of a lifetime with temperatures dropping all over America.



I love technology. The three of us on a video chat. Just needed a few beers.

And the weather outside Dennis’s shop had already turned for the worse, with Covid infected Debbie indoors, his isolation spot is the workshop.





So this morning I placed my order for what may be the best find of my year, except for the free motorbike Sally found previously.




And for those who zoom in and look at the details…..

Yes, there is also importation duties and taxes, go do the maths, add another $38.80 or £33.74 to the item price, plus shipping and you see the price of a hobby more than double. Nearer 150% on top of the price.

Looking at the price the item starts at and where it ends on your doorstep makes for crazy reading, and costs.



Today is also my last day of work for the year.

Time to wrap up 2022 from an admin point of view.

It has been a hard and rough year for many of us.

And it is the weekend…….

Soon.

[Grizz1963]

Funny how Facebook brings memories from way back, back.


Remembered this was published a long time ago.


Now stored up as a kit truck, waiting for my finger to be plucked out.







Also 12 years ago I came home with this…… Sachs MadAss and absolutely shall we say angered my ex wife beyond belief.

For thise who know my back yard, it was so very different then, as was the garage.







Remember the Scruffy Micra?


Saw it this week.


Along with the plaintive comment from 21 year old Kyle the driver…. “It makes a funny noise from the front”


Later the day, having bought new front brake pads, it turned out one of the slider pins was seized, and somehow one pad did all the work on the drivers side.
Passenger side, both pads were good.


Servicing all the pins, more copper slip grease and the brakes were good.







This little car continues to ride into the sunset, with the sun never quite setting on it.




I want to also wish everyone of you clicking in here a Brilliant 2023 and may it exceed your expectations.
Thanks for the friendships and support through 2022.
Cheers.

[Grizz1963]

Various excuses and reasons saw me replace the carburettor with the new one I ordered, on Sunday afternoon.







Then fuelled up the tank and tried to start it.

Not a click, not a sound.

So tried an hour of this…….



Result was closing it all up, and driving over to Sally’s for some Netflix and dinner.

Not sure why it has gone from spinning furiously and not firing up, to a deathly silence.

Bit gutted TBH.

[Grizz1963]

Ordered the rear bed cover for the S10 on 23 December.

Delivered this afternoon.



Nice.



Slightly different branding, but that is OK, as long as it fits.





I will wait for a warmer day to try fit it over the bows, and for the rear bed to be completely dry under the cover.

Should look pretty tidy along with a clean truck.

[Grizz1963]

HA…..

GUESS IT HAD TO HAPPEN.

I always refused to put water out for George, the cat I don’t have, forcing him to find his own, mainly in the bird bath and water feature.

I also only put out a small bowl of dry kibble for him to graze on. (Only bullshirting myself there)

So this week I ordered him his own water fountain and food tower, that along with his wet food twice a day may possibly go hand in hand with the back door key I have hung from his neck on a bit of string.

His owners know and are happy that he is happy.

He still is a dick imho.

[Grizz1963]

So after removing the old, torn cover, I washed out the bed, and pulled the truck up onto some wood offcuts to train the rear completely.
Then let it dry for a few hours in the limp winter sun.



Started to clip on the cab side.

Pulled and draped the rest.



Then did the sides, which due to the cold, and bows in the framework, was a tight job.

Doing the rear tailgate frame was interesting, especially the last four corner studs.

But it all came together, tight as a drum skin.



To say I am pleased with the result, is an understatement.



And final shot.

Money well spent, in effect protecting an asset.



Anyone want to buy a nice enough S10?

And it is the weekend.

[Grizz1963]

So it seems like I now have a cat.

Or at least, being Georges butler is being formalised.

He has been coming here since Mollie lived here, she always chased him away, and when she got killed out in the street, he started to move in bit by bit, watching me work at the garage, often sitting under a bush in the garden.
One day I took him some dried catnip because he always liked the wild catnip bush in the garden.
At that point we thought he was a feral cat, how wrong we were.

https://youtu.be/n0mWn5PbP-M

Eventually he started to come indoors, through the catflap and open back door.
Treats, food, kibble etc became part of the protocol over the last year and last week, interestingly, I ordered him a Catmate water fountain and a dry food feeding tower, they were the final steps in giving up on trying to not completely invite him in. Who was I fooling.
His owners knew he was living here, in the house, in the Rezin Rockit and under the carport during summer.
I put a Christmas card through their door last year, knowing he was spending most of the time at my place.
I would never go buy a cat, but they are welcome to come and go of their own volition.

So the reply from his owner below.

Thank you for yours ! To be honest George hasn’t been home since we bought our new daughter Felicity home, he definitely thought oh god they got another one to add to Jaxon who is now 2.5 years old 🤣 I’m just glad he’s happy and warm I know what a cold soul he is, so he’s definitely loving not having any kids about that’s for sure. They do say cats have multiple owners/slaves and since he’s been allowed out he’s living his best life. I just appreciate you looking after him as well. Because we all love him x

Then yesterday I caught him scavenging in the kitchen, as I heard noises while working in the lounge.

I recorded him and sent it to his owner. Followed by her reply and the following exchange last night.

https://youtu.be/5icp98gnIVM

Hey sorry I didn’t reply earlier things have been a bit stressful here lately, I have something I need to talk to you about in regards to George x

P.S. He’s always been partial to a bit of chocolate he also likes a Cheezy Wotsit x

So lately we have been having a few boiler issues which we thought we were working through with “The landlord” but apparently not, things have got heated up and the professionalism and respect is no longer there. Therefore we have made the decision to leave and find somewhere else to call home.
However this is what I wanted to talk to you about…. George hasn’t been home to live with us since we brought the baby home, he’s checked in once or twice but not actually come home and I truly think he is much happier with you, without the babies being all over him. We have found a new home in Allhallows and just going through the referencing now, but my heart hurts. Pulling George away from you when he obviously feels more at home with you. I know cats have a vast mileage radius where they roam if they are roamers, but I’m concerned that if we take him away from the only outside space he knows he will attempt to roam back and get hurt on the way back to your home or worse.
Would you be willing to take George on as a furry lodger on a permanent basis?
I couldn’t forgive myself taking him away from you and the home he loves now, and him get hurt trying to get back. Clearly he loves you and I love him. So to know that you are good and right for him, the babies are too much for him I think. If not then that’s absolutely fine too x

This really hasn’t been an easy question to ask he will always be my first baby. And it kills me everyday that the kids are too much for him. So the guilt I feel about this is truly immense but I just want George to be happy. And with us he isn’t so much, but from your photos he really does look it with your home x

So sorry my battery died. Please don’t feel guilty for loving him though the fact you do fills my heart with hope and happiness.

When I first saw him I fell in love with him. He was one of my childhood friends cats kittens she couldn’t have 5 cats so she gave the kittens to people but vetted them all first.
George went and came back 4 times to other people before I popped round and fell in love. That day he came home with me and stayed until we moved here, he was a house cat before moving here, as we lived in the woods and right by the motorway. Just as I was going to let him out, my neighbours cat was run over and killed and I couldn’t do it. Over here it took me a fair few months to even be comfortable letting him out. I’ll be honest “The Landlord” doesn’t know about George, as it was a no no to pets but I couldn’t let him go so we hid him when he came to inspect the house, he only checks in once or twice a month now he won’t even come in the house anymore.





I would call you back but I’m ugly crying now the guilt is taking over about leaving him behind but he isn’t happy with us anymore it would kill me knowing if he gets hurt or killed making his way back x

Honestly I cry like a baby when it comes to animals one of my cats when I lived with my parents got run over we only found out coz the ice cream man told us I cried for months, my parents also lost their cat recently, she was like a sibling to me she was 23 years old. I was 8 when she moved in. Our one that got run over was her baby he was born on my bed.

I just know he will come back to your home if we take him along, which is fine, as it’s not far but if he gets hurt doing so I couldn’t forgive myself

I would love updates on him though we’re here for another few weeks yet x

George does go over the road, I’ve seen him and nearly clipped him myself coming home, he had a very stern telling off that night, I’m not going to lie, it scared me silly.

He’s not the biggest fan of getting brushed, wormed or even flea treated, but he will tolerate it until he’s had enough. And his trousers do get very matted sometimes and it can take a few days to get the mats and knots out as he only tolerates so much. I’ve had to just cut a few out before.

He hasn’t been home for me to do his flea or worming stuff or I would of to be honest it’s hard here, the eggs seem be so much stronger with all the other wildlife there is too x

Thank you for adopting George, it is the right thing for him.




I guess that kinda finalises it then.

Seems the cat I do not have, now has me.

[Grizz1963]

Remember this……





Sunday afternoon @nickwheeler and I restarted the search for the reason the heater blower would not power up.

It had stopped me in September when I went out on my road trip. https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread...rip-grizz-2022

I needed to wrap up from under the dashboard, to build and tidy up from inside, till I could complete the dash and all the switchgear. And close it all in.

So on Sunday we started again, revisiting previous checkpoints, testing circuits we had checked before, all with the same outcome.

So…….

Electrons are invisible little bugggerrs.

The search is rarely easy.

So after chasing all options inside the cab and coming up empty handed, we started under the hood and opened the engine fuse boxes.

Chasing the wires from inside.



When Nick stripped back the wiring loom, he removed the air conditioner loom, electric windows, and a various other looms not needed anymore.

The aircon and blower unit both pull a big current and go via a 30 Amp fuse……. Aaaaahhhh, wait. Both are there, then tracking back inside a solitary pink wire was hanging around, and weirdly, one had been cut from the fuse box inside the cab, marked A/C
A bit more messing, poking, head scratching and it became apparent that the blower unit also fed from this ignition driven power via a relay.
So not pink wire, no blower.

We then tried to remove the 10A fuse female connector with the very short cut off wire for another 30 minutes before a thought popped out of my head, formed into these words….. “Could we use the wire for the electric windows and relay it with a 10A fuse, connected to the pink?” The electric window wire was cut off 15mm outside the fuse box, unlike the pink.
Nick agreed and after a lot of time spent on this small issue, he trimmed and soldered a join into it, leaving us with a completed, multi speed switched hot air blower.

RESULT !!!



While he soldered the repair in, I went through my 7 tins and tubs of odd nuts, bolts, fixings, plates and other junk, looking for some springs to use to create some return springs for the gas pedal.
Amazingly, in number 7, I found a pair of springs, origins unknown and cackled with pleasure.
Then using a washing machine drum securing bolt and spacer, I made up a spacer for the spring to hang below the fusebox that had just been re secured.
Nick made up and tacked a small hook onto the gas pedal arm.
Junk makes gold.



And a strong return spring resulted.

Perfect.



So still a few jobs left to get done before MOT can be considered.

Gas pedal stop to be created and added to push against the bulkhead,
Return spring on the clutch pedal, and reduce the plunger on the clutch m/c to drop the clutch pedal an inch or so.
I need to drain the cooling system completely, and refill it with antifreeze.
Bleed the brakes one more time to ensued the system is clean.
And finally set the handbrake.

I also ordered some new black wheel bolts for the rear that has chrome fitted at the moment.


How does that sound ?


MOT time?

[Grizz1963]

So in today’s exciting episode, work proceeded in 0’C or 32’F on the drive, with a chilly light breeze to accompany proceedings.




So this is how it started.


Drained the water from the cooling system.





Replaced with Antifreeze and deionised water.





Also in attendance for the whole procedure, including starting up and running the motor for a while, was George.

Clearly taking his new job seriously.





Earlier in the day, mate Martin and I had met in a layby so I could raid his scrap bin in his van……

I was headed to my local nut n bolt guy to get some bits to create an adjustable stop for the gas pedal to push against the firewall.

This should do the job, once shaped, cut to size and welded in place.






So not much done, but a whole lot more than if I had sat indoors drinking coffee and eating cookies.


Small jobs need to be gathered and completed.


One by one.


.

[Grizz1963]

Wrapped up a busy week early yesterday and went to the shop to retrieve the dash and vinyl etc, to bring it into the house so it can warm up vs the 5’C in the garage.

With the final (or is it really) electrical fault found and repaired under the dash, it meant the wiring can be strapped back, tidied and generally worked away from.

I very quickly realised that the cold makes everything stiff, and awkward to work with, so walked away from it before breaking something.





Instead I started the Rezin Rockit and let it run for about 20 minutes.

Seems to be all the cooling hose joins are sealed including @nickwheeler ‘s awesome repair elbow.

I did notice also that there was a drop of sweet smelling oil at the differential and propshafts join. Hardened seal? Damage?

SHORT YOUTUBE CLIP.

https://youtu.be/n0o8hWe63Vo

After packing up because of the cold and nothing else to get done I mwent back to the house, just in time to sign for these.

Ordered on Sunday.



So I made myself a quick coffee, checked work emails and headed back to the garage because I now had something to do.

Replacements for these



I did panic for a moment, thinking the threads were too long

Amazing what a bit of force can get accomplished.

Also locked down the 4x108 to 4x100 adapters and spacers as a final check on the wheels.



These black bolts are not great, but better than the chrome that was these.

Centre caps of some description still need to be figured out.



After the rears, I decided to check and lock in the front adapters and spacers.

Had to roll the car onto a some bits of wood in order to get my jack in under the front crossmember.

This thing actually is really low.




Weekend may see a few more bits getting wrapped up as well.

[Grizz1963]

Late start for @nickwheeler and I today.

I had to go 25 miles from here to the other side of Maidstone to go look at something.

Then back here, run about and get so e stuff sorted and also prepared.

With all the cold recently, the carport has a ton of condensation, as did the S10 for some reason, leaving the inside of the windscreen fogged up.

So I opened the door and left the truck to breathe.

Coming out the house later, I saw this……..



Yup, someone likes the sun and a soft pad, it seems.



Back to the Rezin Rockit, some more small jobs left to get wrapped up.

First thing was to create a mounting point for a return stop for the clutch.



Welded in place and, trying to help, I also managed to get the other spring from last weekend, hooked into the pedal and mounted to the steering column.

It has a really soft, firm return action.



Another “double check” job was to see that the second “reverse lense” was not actually in use, as the plan was to convert it to a rear fog light, till I discovered the slimline unit I had stashed away and that got fitted.



Another job for today was to tidy away the wiring loom and to extend a few wires so nothing was under tension.

Just on bolting down an earth, it ended up in Nicks hand, so a quick tacking with the welder saw. Progress.



While he was at that job, I made him extremely happy.

Removed all of this…….



So we wrapped up around 6.30pm

At which tome the chill was creeping into our bones.



Nick headed home, I came indoors, warmed up some leftover food and settle down.

George who was watching me all afternoon, settled down next to me.



Weekend over again.

Just like that.

[Grizz1963]

One môre precision job to get done.

Needs two sets of hands.

This contact adhesive is brutally unforgiving.

Then do the cowl over the instrumentation.

Fit the switches then fit the dash to the car.

Brought it all indoors to warm up and dry out




Closer and closer.

Almost excited.

[Grizz1963]

S10 question.



Now for all the clever IT and programming types.

Mate Martin popped in this week and added his clever machine to see if he could reset the Service needed notification.

No fault codes read, but failed to cancel the service needed code.



Anyone know what combination of buttons, switches, tumblers and curses are needed to clear the dash?

Thanks.

[Grizz1963]

Funny how life and distractions can get in the way of getting small jobs done.

The vinyl for the dash did not really settle r smoothen out this week.

Yesterday I brought in some ply to work on indoors, 4-6’C is not ideal, and the damp chill in the air sucks too.



So plan B was hatched for the vinyl.



That seemed to work a bit better.



Laying out the two pieces that needed covering on my just big enough piece of material.



Cut off the piece for the instrument surround.



Industrial strength contact adhesive goes off in 2 minutes, the contact and pray.



Glue and then staples to Doubly secure the rear, while adding some tension.





And not too bad, the curves mean a load of pie0cuts to keep the tension low and getting full coverage of the cowl piece.



I think it is good enough..

Of course any wise arses are most welcome to make me some new parts and cover them, and I will happily fit them.



Next up was coffee and ginger nuts, a good way to procrastinate on the job that had me petrified, in order to scrape together my slipping courage.

So I laid a bed sheet over the plywood, stapled the one end down with multiple staples (thanks @nickwheeler for the machine) and tensioned it all and stapled the other end.

Then laid the vinyl down and stapled both ends down.

This way , I was effectively removing one risk factor though it would probably not help much.

Still, not moving, meant I was going to risk laying the dashboard down alone.



I also practiced laying it down a few times, in case that helped when the glue was ready.



With the glue down on both surfaces, I managed to mate the two surfaces, and it worked.

Some pressure to ensure maximum contact and adhesion.



More pie cuts and stretching, stapling to secure it all.



Eventually…….



Next job will be to cut the holes through for all the switches and then to fix it in the car.

So not a lot done, but more done than if I had sat watching telly all the time.

Closer and closer to the finish line.

Weekend over.

[Grizz1963]

Mickey came knocking at 9.00pm He had received a courier parcel on my behalf.

Contents was one Vauxhall Nova sedan rear lights.

What an amazing bit of human kindness from the guy who gave and couriered it to me, asking only for a donation to a charity.
I let home choose between the 4 that I support and he chose Help for Heroes.



Have I mentioned that life is good.

[Grizz1963]

Sometimes life just keeps giving.

Mate Fil “Sparkplug” came to visit last night on his way home from a few days working at his company offices in Deal to go back to Cambridge.

Ostensibly to to pick up 12 inches/300mm of railway line that I managed to get for him and @craigrk via good friend Woodside.

We also ended up going to the garage and looking over a few Grizzmakes projects and he got to see and hear the Rezin Rockit for the first time since fetching it for me in Scotland.

Some of the happenings are being kept on ice as part of the YouTube channel development, but to say that we were laughing like kids is an understatement.

Fil had brought me some gifts as well.

Perfectly pitched at the man who “needs” nothing.

Cutting discs (to go with Sally’s grinder) and some license plates for my collection, both of them unusual and exactly the ones I would have selected for myself.



Friday.

Busy day for work, but it is the weekend.

Plan is to see if I can get the Rezin Rockit dash completed with switches fitted and mounted to the car tomorrow.

Maybe also take it for a few runs up to the farm and back now their service road is resurfaced.

Roll on weekend.

[Grizz1963]

Woken up at Stupid - 0 - Clock

Joined by George who wanted breakfast.



Got going with the dash.

Switches fitted.





Not perfect, but good enough.





While I was busy, @nickwheeler crept up on me……

Bringing me a brilliant surprise, well, two really.

A GoPro equivalent camera, and a good tripod for it.

That probably means I will have to learn to edit on my laptop for the YouTube channel as I have done everything on the phone up to now.

Lots to learn I guess.



So we finished the dash and I managed to grow that proverbial third hand.

Happy with it.

Next step will be a few test runs up on the farm, and then book an MOT for the Rezin Rockit and keep fingers crossed.

Closed shop early and went to Sallys for dinner and relaxation.

I seem to have sprung an unpleasant chest infection this week.

[Grizz1963]

So 16 months ago, this is what was delivered onto my driveway in week 2 of September 2021

Time has flown I guess.

So late afternoon yesterday after getting back from shops and various jobs, Sally and I were able to start on looking at, and cleaning the Piggy.

She continues to surprise me, this girl, getting straight in and on with the job of cleaning up. Sally that is.

By the time I came out the house after doing some work stuff that needed to be dealt with, this is what I found.

Sally had unpacked everything of value.

Dubious as it may be, some parts were still useable, even if just as templates.



And the back of it looking like this



Good help is really hard to find.

So my helper hates a photo, no matter why.

Still, I fooled her.



The plywood dash and its vinyl, along with the once expensive instruments were well beyond salvageable.

Previously identified as Cortina Crusader.



So things were removed, fibreglass trimmed back to a point where I could restart and add the MX5 parts, but also reduce the amount of useless clutter.

Much cleaning and clearing later, it looked like this. The bits left in place were to act as cutting templates later.





Yesterday I managed to almost go full circle.

Creating this look……..

https://youtu.be/pqMyHr8tdl0


And ending up here.



So…..

Today….. I am doing nothing, this chest infection is making me feel a bit rubbish.

YouTube and Netflix it is then.

[Grizz1963]

And there you go.

No wonder I feel like crap.

Positive test for Covid, Sally tested me because she wanted me to stop complaining about feeling rubbish.



This does not suit me.

[Grizz1963]

Covid does weird stuff to our bodies and minds.

The last three days I have struggled to read intermittently and not watched any TV or YouTube

However……

The impending attempt at an MOT with the Rezin Rockit has my crazy hat firmly back in place on my head.

Now we know, 99% of what we dream is just that.

Dreams.

But what about the 1% ?

Could it be made real?

Rezin Rockit being a case in point.

So would it be that crazy to wonder about marrying a Frog with Sushi ?


And please, do stay with me, even if just till you looked at the pics and laughed.


So: Measurements.






Remember the donor for the Rezin Rockit?


Helped keep me busy for a while before becoming an overpriced Smeg appliance.







Then chop away all the excess, obviously in a sensible way, removing, reducing things like the wiring loom.

A fair amount of thinking to be done.

And skin that little frog, add some wasabi paste and soy sauce…….

Serve up.








Now before you call the cops, mental health services and the Environmental agency, give it a think.

Many ratrods out there run random mixes of parts etc.

Could this be made to work, SAFELY?

Go on, knock yerself out.

[Grizz1963]

Just posted a regurgitated version on the Blog of the BBQ that I built 10 plus years ago.

Covid is not allowing me to do anything physical right now, so a revisit to an old build may work for some of us.

https://www.grizzmakes.com/2023/02/b...bq-if-you.html

Enjoy, regardless.

The revisit made me smile, and realise how old and chubby I have become.

Later, coffee time I guess, and ginger nuts.

[Grizz1963]

Rezin Rockit is being a dick right now…. Had it up to the farm yesterday testing for MOT, and it was spluttering and farting, dying etc. covid means I just brought it home and parked it after adding 20 litres of fresh fuel.

https://youtu.be/eMWr4mk9yLU


Not sure what, could be a plug, blocked injector, anything really.

Will maybe look later as I still feel a bit rough.

Burger !!