Weak mind.................. - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

RSRXION · 09-10-2006, 09:37 PM

As most of you know I acquired a couple of parts trucks recently and today I decided to get busy on the 71 Chevy. I was going to put up the small block 400 for future use and I needed some of the a/c parts for my hauler so ...... I decided to take the cab off the chassis to store in my shop. My neighbors are really very tolerant of my old car hobby/habit but I hate to push the envelope. I needed to get this thing disassembled and gone. Now, back to the subject of this thread.

When I first moved the truck into the shop I stood looking it over for a few minutes trying to decide my plan of action. First the front clip , then the engine and trans together as a unit. Easy enough I thought. Nothing that a strong back , a weak mind and a trusty floor jack can't handle. BOY WAS I WRONG !!!! If you ever decide to attempt this feat by yourself call the chiropractor in advance , leave a note for the EMS folks with your blood type and known allergys and GET YOUR WEAK MIND EXAMINED !

The clip came off without much difficulty and the parts I needed were better than I'd hoped. I was tickled. The small block I was hoping would be a 400 turned out to be exactly that. BUT , I should have realized I was in trouble when I realized that this truck had originally been a big block truck and someone had butchered a set of big block mounts to make the small block work. Cutting and welding the mounts looked like heck ! Then I tackled the big job, the cab.

I unbolted the mounts and admired how good the cab looked from underneath. Rockers and cab corners were rotten but much of everything else looked pretty good. The cab has a dented passenger door and my plan was to jack it up on the drivers side and slide it off the chassis to the floor , tilt it up against some tires and roll the chassis out from under it .

I jacked it up, it slid and everything came to a halt. There was no budging it as it came to rest against the right front tire. Somewhere between %$#!(&*^ and *(&^$%^&* I realized this bastard was HEAVY !!! The following 1.5 hours was spent wrestling , jacking and making repeated trips to the shop fridge for a cold beer. Maybe I should have started my day with several beers and I'd have left well enough alone. ( Refer back to the weak mind at this point and insert joke of your choosing. )

At any rate I finally got the darned thing wrestled loose and on the 4 wheel cart for storage and moving ease. The moral of this story is many fold.

First and foremost, THESE THINGS ARE HEAVY ! Especially with all the glass, both doors and a full set of interior seat , door panels , steering column etc... Remove some of this stuff before wrestling.

Second , never hesitate to call a friend over to witness your insanity and explain what happened to the coroner if your brainstorm goes down the crapper.

Third , use an A-frame for cab removal. If you don't have one, borrow one !

Fourth , start the day with a couple of ice cold beers of your choosing. I think I would have scrapped my whole effort if I'd done this first. After all, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. It would have been a great day to ride the Lazy-Boy and watch the NFL.

I hope that I have in some way brightened your day. More importantly I hope that I have saved you the grief of committing my mistakes.

Well that about sums it up. I'm off to the fridge to finish what I started, Dean

centsless · 09-10-2006, 09:55 PM

I just get my wife to come out and watch (and laugh at me) and plan her life without me, and with my insurance check. She gets extra if I die while wearing a seat belt, so most of her comments are related to how she can get a belt on my body as it lies lifeless under the truck......

redneckgirl · 09-10-2006, 09:57 PM

I'm telling you what! Creepers should have seat belts!!!! j/k

**Palf70Step** · 09-10-2006, 10:00 PM

I've been through days like that. You would think we would get wisdon with out age, but somehow an old truck and a crazy truck fanatic = Try something foolish.

Glad you finally got it off. I don't even have my daughter to come out and laugh at me now. My wife just turns and walks away when she sees me into things like that. I guess she is looking for the insurance policy

Longhorn Man · 09-10-2006, 10:33 PM

Sounds like fun.

An a-frame woulda ruined the cab, too much weight, the tops od the doors and maybe even the door pillar woulda bent.

09-10-2006, 09:37 PM	#1
RSRXION Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Arkansas Posts: 227	Weak mind.................. As most of you know I acquired a couple of parts trucks recently and today I decided to get busy on the 71 Chevy. I was going to put up the small block 400 for future use and I needed some of the a/c parts for my hauler so ...... I decided to take the cab off the chassis to store in my shop. My neighbors are really very tolerant of my old car hobby/habit but I hate to push the envelope. I needed to get this thing disassembled and gone. Now, back to the subject of this thread. When I first moved the truck into the shop I stood looking it over for a few minutes trying to decide my plan of action. First the front clip , then the engine and trans together as a unit. Easy enough I thought. Nothing that a strong back , a weak mind and a trusty floor jack can't handle. BOY WAS I WRONG !!!! If you ever decide to attempt this feat by yourself call the chiropractor in advance , leave a note for the EMS folks with your blood type and known allergys and GET YOUR WEAK MIND EXAMINED ! The clip came off without much difficulty and the parts I needed were better than I'd hoped. I was tickled. The small block I was hoping would be a 400 turned out to be exactly that. BUT , I should have realized I was in trouble when I realized that this truck had originally been a big block truck and someone had butchered a set of big block mounts to make the small block work. Cutting and welding the mounts looked like heck ! Then I tackled the big job, the cab. I unbolted the mounts and admired how good the cab looked from underneath. Rockers and cab corners were rotten but much of everything else looked pretty good. The cab has a dented passenger door and my plan was to jack it up on the drivers side and slide it off the chassis to the floor , tilt it up against some tires and roll the chassis out from under it . I jacked it up, it slid and everything came to a halt. There was no budging it as it came to rest against the right front tire. Somewhere between %$#!(&^ and (&^$%^&* I realized this bastard was HEAVY !!! The following 1.5 hours was spent wrestling , jacking and making repeated trips to the shop fridge for a cold beer. Maybe I should have started my day with several beers and I'd have left well enough alone. ( Refer back to the weak mind at this point and insert joke of your choosing. ) At any rate I finally got the darned thing wrestled loose and on the 4 wheel cart for storage and moving ease. The moral of this story is many fold. First and foremost, THESE THINGS ARE HEAVY ! Especially with all the glass, both doors and a full set of interior seat , door panels , steering column etc... Remove some of this stuff before wrestling. Second , never hesitate to call a friend over to witness your insanity and explain what happened to the coroner if your brainstorm goes down the crapper. Third , use an A-frame for cab removal. If you don't have one, borrow one ! Fourth , start the day with a couple of ice cold beers of your choosing. I think I would have scrapped my whole effort if I'd done this first. After all, beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy. It would have been a great day to ride the Lazy-Boy and watch the NFL. I hope that I have in some way brightened your day. More importantly I hope that I have saved you the grief of committing my mistakes. Well that about sums it up. I'm off to the fridge to finish what I started, Dean __________________ "They that give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Ben Franklin

09-10-2006, 09:55 PM	#2
centsless sufficiently talented fool Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Forest Hill, MD Posts: 2,231	Re: Weak mind.................. I just get my wife to come out and watch (and laugh at me) and plan her life without me, and with my insurance check. She gets extra if I die while wearing a seat belt, so most of her comments are related to how she can get a belt on my body as it lies lifeless under the truck...... __________________ "it's impossible to be surrounded by idiots when you are part of the circle" 2003 Suburban 2002 Pontiac Montana 1981 Corvette 1966 Impala Convertible Click here to support the board

09-10-2006, 09:57 PM	#3
redneckgirl Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bel Air, Maryland Posts: 4,853	Re: Weak mind.................. I'm telling you what! Creepers should have seat belts!!!! j/k __________________ The place where you made your stand never mattered. Only that you were there... and still on your feet. Stephen King

09-10-2006, 10:00 PM	#4
Palf70Step State of Confusion! Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Gulfport, MS USA Posts: 47,355	Re: Weak mind.................. I've been through days like that. You would think we would get wisdon with out age, but somehow an old truck and a crazy truck fanatic = Try something foolish. Glad you finally got it off. I don't even have my daughter to come out and laugh at me now. My wife just turns and walks away when she sees me into things like that. I guess she is looking for the insurance policy __________________ Bill 1970 Chevy Custom/10 LWB Fleetside 2010 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner SR5 Double Cab - DD Member of Louisiana Classic Truck Club (LCTC) Bill's Gallery Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God! Last edited by Palf70Step; 09-10-2006 at 10:48 PM.

09-10-2006, 10:33 PM	#5
Longhorn Man its all about the +6 inches Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Hilliard Ohio Posts: 2,690	Re: Weak mind.................. Sounds like fun. An a-frame woulda ruined the cab, too much weight, the tops od the doors and maybe even the door pillar woulda bent.



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