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

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Sorry I can't help with Tow Bar spacing...

…but, that old Tattoo Machine sure looks better there, as it was resting in a box in a dark cabinet here…

Cheers mate!

Thanks to your contribution, I have a happy wife Don




Started my day filled with hope that I would be doing loads of truck stuff today, even did the "Jazz Hands" in my Tuba Trucks T-Shirt, because it was going to be a great day.



OOOOOPPPPPPSSS......?

A friends Jack Russell terrier died last weekend, she was devastated, so Nicola brought a small cross home, and despite us not knowing what religion the dog was, she asked me to make a little stand for the cross, as it may be comforting to her friend.

So I thought I would spend an hour or two turning it, as well as an ashtray ordered by Mike Minino in Omaha, Nebraska, then TRUCK TIME !!.

Famous last words.......

Never cane close to the truck, except to have a lovely long visit from mate Woodsie who brought around some prezzies and a card for Nicola's birthday, managed to show him some of the jobs the truck is awaiting etc. he really gets this whole resto thing.

Then back to the woodwork shed.

A pile of blanks waiting their turn...





Half way there...



Suddenly the day was done, and though I had done a lot of non truck stuff, including filling up the various wood and coal stores I had a few bits to show, including some bowls which Nicola promptly claimed.

Includes Mikes ashtray, soon off to Nebraska.



Now watching Pink Floyd in concert with a little beverage, then bed and hopefully tomorrow some truck time.... Nicola said I could.

[flashed]

Those look very nice , especially the cross.

[Micmac]

You never cease to amaze me Rian.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Those look very nice , especially the cross.

Thanks mate.

I am glad the little Cross came out OK.

Originally Posted by Micmac

You never cease to amaze me Rian.

LOL-img here Pete, not sure if that is a good amaze or bad amaze.....

I just keep trying stuff.

[Grizz1963]

Cleared and cleaned the garage today, got more wood into my woodpile.



While cleaning and clearing the garage, I did discover a set of towbar mounting plates, and they are smaller and fit differently to the ones I had planned to use.




The smaller brackets pull the cross bar upward and can be fitted closer to the bed as well.



I started to cut the pieces to prepare them for welding up etc, then realized I really need the new bumper to get it all right.



So now I have to wait for my spares I ordered last year to get here by container

[Micmac]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Thanks mate.

I am glad the little Cross came out OK.



LOL-img here Pete, not sure if that is a good amaze or bad amaze.....

I just keep trying stuff.

I mean that in most sincerity, you are one skilled individual.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Micmac

I mean that in most sincerity, you are one skilled individual.

Thanks Mate !!

I am still a little grasshopper compared to most of the guys on here.

I just tend to post bits that make me who I am, and because I think most of us are not one dimensional.

I wish I had the skills and ability some guys have naturally, for me it's all learned from pics, advice and copying what guys do.

[Grizz1963]

Made up my new heavy duty extension cord from a 110V site cable so that I can get easy current onto the drive when I do heavy duty welding.

This will obviously not be needed for welding plate steel, but I do have a next little side project ready as seen in Kiwi Kev's back yard Hot Rod shop.



With the imminent arrival of my 67-72 rear bumper, and the towbar build going on the back ground, I decided to build my own bumper brackets, rather than spend the $67.00 plus shipping on a set of reproduction irons, even if I wanted them, so yesterday I stopped at a scrap yard on the way home and got these two almost 6 foot lengths of galvanised flat bar, I am sure they will work just fine.



This week I also got some very cool plates from "Tiggi" in Iowa, the smaller ones are very cool, they go on stuff that has wheels, but never really make it onto the road.



Lastly, thanks to mate Martin's relentless searching for ways for me to spend money..... I may have found an EBay source for an Auto box steering column to replace the bodged one on my truck.

They seller has a few G20 Chevy Day Vans, I have no idea what year model G20 steering columns will fit my 1966 C10, but hope to figure it out soon, as it has to be cheaper at around £200.00 delivered than an Ididit item plus freight from the USA.



So, if anyone has some knowledge of what to avoid, and what to go for in these steering columns, please let me know.

Cheers.

[Grizz1963]

American video discovered elsewhere, explaining why exactly you need a truck in your life.

http://youtu.be/uP5FSmBl-j8


Made me smile with the simplicity of its message.

[clemdaddy]

thats a really cool video. love that deluxe truck with all the trim. but the part where the spokesman was talking about what can be delivered to your home and those horrible graphics of the items popped up... now that was bad. makes you appreciate even simple special effects.

thanks for digging that up buddy...

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

thats a really cool video. love that deluxe truck with all the trim. but the part where the spokesman was talking about what can be delivered to your home and those horrible graphics of the items popped up... now that was bad. makes you appreciate even simple special effects.

thanks for digging that up buddy...

Hey Clem, it was posted in the general section but I liked it and posted in my thread so that I can find it again.

Often neat postings fall off the board very quickly.

[mjh1965]

Nice find Rian cool video

[Grizz1963]

MINI ROAD TRIP !!

Well, it was a trip, and it was by road.

Got contacted by our import agent this week to say our bits had landed and been unpacked. Duties and shipping to be paid on collection.

So Martin and I set off early, also to meet up with Paul Y en-route before collecting our parts from Ron.

Perfect weather.



Spent about 90 minutes with Paul talking truck, especially his plans for Woody.



As always we spent quite a long time chatting cars, imports and the state of the nation before collecting our bits and setting off.





Managed to negotiate Ron out of a cool plate for my collection, from his wall.



On the way back one of the landmarks I always miss out on photographing was this pub.




One of the items we collected was our 67-72 rear bumpers.

NOW QUESTION TIME.... ???

I never realized that there were more holes in them than the two bumper bolt holes.

On top of that, I feel a bit pisssed off as there "extra" holes let down the chrome and the show...... It looks like the extra hole was laser cut, and the chrome around this hole is rubbish, or non existent.

Any advice on my perception here happily accepted.



This is the extra hole, and also there are two notches in the bottom edge on each side of the number plate recess.




Up close.




My total haul for today, included a load of window rubbers, and a set of door instep stainless strips as well as new door hinge pins.



Tabitha for some reason attached the carpet box with a vengeance.





After Martin left to go see to the dogs and Amanda, possibly in that order, I went to the garage to carry on figuring out the tow bar.

Managed to get to a point where I drilled more holes and cut some metal away.



Next up welding tomorrow.

[Paul Y]

Unfortunately The Cock inn has been shut for many years... Funny as I nearly bought te house next door many years ago.

Great to see you and Martin today, look forward to catching up again in the near future.

P.

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by Paul Y

Unfortunately The Cock inn has been shut for many years... Funny as I nearly bought te house next door many years ago.

Great to see you and Martin today, look forward to catching up again in the near future.

P.

It was great to finally meet you today Paul
When we got back to Rian's with all the boxes. I found that brothers had marked the boxes for us,so we could tell who's parts were who's

See if you can spot it



Just in case you didn't



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

[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.

[clemdaddy]

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

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....

[Ta2Don]

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

Hers…Hmmm???

Cheers Mate, happy welding….

[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

[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.

[disasterbus]

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.

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.

[mjh1965]

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.

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

[Grizz1963]

Think I turned one of many corners with the truck build today.

Welded the tabs onto the receiver for the removable hitch that I want to bolt to the rear chassis cross bar.

I have always wanted the whole rear end to be so I can dismantle it, rather than weld it all up.



Next up I welded the receiver to the cross bar. Quite pleased with the weld, including the upside down rear weld.




Working alone means you need to be a bit creative, so I made a wooden carrier for the new bumper, as well as a 1/4 inch spacer I taped onto the rear below the lights. Of course I used some seriously strong tape to tape it to the sides of the truck, rather than have my new bumper end up on the floor.
Later when I pulled the tape off, it brought a load of the paint with it........ makes you think.



Next up was the creation of a pair of bumper brackets out of the steel I bought last week.



Slotted for adjustment, closer or further from the body, but closest at 1/4 inch. I would rather have it a a bit away than risk the paint eventually.



Of course welding and galvanizing do not go well together, so I marked the placement of the mounting plates with a cutter disc and ground back the galvanizing.





Another lesson learned, fortunately before I hit a crisis.......

When I removed the mounting bolts of the load bed, I lifted it off randomly a couple of times, so when it came to offering the bumper up to it I realized that things were off, so I refitted the bolts.

Bumper fitted.



Removable number plate fitting.



So all in a good weekend.

[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...

[Paul Y]

Looks good Rian.

P.