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

[flashed]

Chicken Liver is pretty tasty .

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Chicken Liver is pretty tasty .

Yup.

It sure is.


Right,

I am currently in Strawberry. Arkansas visiting with Donnie Wilson, no internet, but using their home tablet.

So just a bunch of pics for those waiting patiently.

Up early morning and off on the "Off Road" golf buggy to look at the changes that have happened since last year.



Drove into next door neighbor Donny's place and made a "Barn Find"

Look in the shadow



Turns out it is ne of Dennis' parts trucks.



After this it was off to fill the GMC Dually that pulls the race car trailer and give it a contactless machine wash.



Adam, Hanna and Tyler all went in the Dually, while Dennis, Debbie, Diane and I took his purple challenger to e races 130 miles away.

Doing some detours, stopping for a hand made sandwich along the way at Cranes famous store.






Then on to Clancy Boots' place after going down to the Lake of the Omari's and seeing the village, the dam and some of the places Dennis used to raise hell.






From there it was up to the Lake Ozark Speedway where we would spend the next two days.




More later for those who are still around.

Later guys, now off to see the cows.

[Palf70Step]

[flashed]

Glad you are having a good time , Im staying tuned for more adventures .

[aggie91]

Even thou there is not much truck build in your thread lately, I still like reading it! I wish I had more vacation time to do things like this.

[ibrown50]

Great update. Love the dually

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Originally Posted by flashed

Glad you are having a good time , Im staying tuned for more adventures .

Next part coming up John.

Read the words carefully though.

Originally Posted by aggie91

Even thou there is not much truck build in your thread lately, I still like reading it! I wish I had more vacation time to do things like this.

I agree, but it keeps me in one piece.

Ultimately, I will be back on the truck once my head is less screwed up with this divorce looming.

Originally Posted by ibrown50

Great update. Love the dually

Dually should have been the choice this time, or even th the Hellcat, which Adam wanted me to use.


Right.

Interesting times here in the USA.

Yesterday at exactly midday, my Challenger stopped working, on a road in the middle of nowhere.

Dead..... cranks but no Fire.

Checked relays and fuses etc. But it is a modern after all.

5 hours later and much texting and calling on a strangers phone (full report on that in about 150 photos from now) I found myself headed for Jonesboro, Arkansas in my friend Steve's truck, after he had driven up there to check up and pick me up, as the recovery was dispatched to the wrong address for starters, which resulted in us leaving 5.5 hrs after I broke down.
Back at the Dodge dealership in Jonesboro after 6pm, I signed the car over, and was to be back there at 07.30 today when they opened up.......

Then we went for pizza and eventually got home after 9pm.

Tonight by 5.15 pm my car had not yet even been touched or looked at by Fletchers motors of Jonesboro Arkansas, as they are very busy.

Of course I need to be back in St Louis for the secret party Dennis is arranging for Debbie on Saturday, beginning with a Hot Air Balloon ride at 06.00

Anyone have any advice on how to get my car sorted when 300 miles from my destination??





RIGHT.............

BACK TO THE ROAD TRIP OF 2017.


Going to post a load of pics in batches of 10 as VZi only allows 10 to be posted at a time.


All of this is Sprint car and modified.






When last did you see any of these used in anger?





Love these tool vans, all sorts and designs around.

Can you say Snap On ?





Race car rig.......??

These guys do not mess around, some were much bigger and impressive, some on smaller budgets.





Love this car



More in a bit.

Though it is 00.40 in the U.K.

[flashed]

Sounds like a fun time .

[Palf70Step]

Definitely looks like lots of fun. They ever figure out the Challenger issue?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by flashed

Sounds like a fun time .

In a way yes.

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Definitely looks like lots of fun. They ever figure out the Challenger issue?

Bill it may not be clear in my write up, but they have not even touched the car since it got delivered.

Despite my telling them that I need to get back to St Louis etc.

I am very unimpressed with Fletcher at this point.

[Grizz1963]

Right....


Back to Sunday morning on the road trip.


Been without a car for three days, and the Road trip turned itself into an Adventure.

Which meant no updates as I was even more busy getting around Arkansas courtesy of Steve Hansen "Bib Overalls" and a load of other folks.

But $358.00 later and loads of shouting by Dennis at Fletcher Dodge in Jonesboro (who proved themselves to be ultimately &#!7, sadly) the car has a temporary bypass fix to get me home for the Birthday Party, and Roger Orf's Burnout BBQ and party.

Seems like today and tomorrow may be fuelled purely by beer.

@
@
@
@
@


So we left Dennis' place with Danny to go to Mittler Bros Racing to pick up some spares en route to the track 120 miles away.


When any of he 13 trucks get destroyed on track, they have to get rebuilt in the shop.

Every track has a car built to specification for that track, now you get why it's such an expensive sport.

Stripped down to a frame......




New sheet metal gets fabricated and a new carbon fibre nose added.



After which Dennis takes over for paint and finish, to get them all pretty again, just to be broken at the next race.



And for a hoarder with an eye for stuff that can be repurposed, a pile of race car panels outside that I would love to hang on my wall, tailgates and front ends, plus door and bed panels.
I could have cried.



Then on the road, which included a stop for some "breakfast at midday, and these beauties, introduced to me by Danny King.



Over the Mississippi River again, something I seem to have done many times on this visit.



And back at the track.

$40.00 per person for a Pit Pass, every day of the races, Thank you Dennis, for refusing to let me pay.

But worth every Dollar as we spent 10 hrs per day there.





Preparation of the track is non stop, to get water deep into the surface.

[Grizz1963]

OK........

Time for a bit of word writing again.

I walked around the pits a lot over both days, speaking to various people.

Saw this car that had been pretty well beaten up on the Saturdays races.

Walked into the race trailer and asked who the driver was.

I KID YOU NOT.......

A 16 year old kid says "That's my car, I am the driver"

WT actual F ???

Japanese boy, small built, confident smile, introduces himself to me "Ryu Taggart of Tagg Racing"

We start chatting (for at least 30 minutes) and it turns out this is his first season on Ovals, he raced and was a champion in Japan for the last 11 years, started in Karts at age 5 years old.

Eventually I leave, wishing him luck for the nights races.

Of course I now have a car to watch as well, no 14


I watch I'm start from position 12 on a grid of 14 and in a very messy race with at least three restarts, he gains a position every time a restart happens and ends up a very respectable 7th at the end of the race.


I predict that this boy is to be watched in future.





Ironic sponsorship.......





More views from the pits.

I hope you guys still enjoy just random pics of how sh!t gets done.



Closer inspection reveals



Off to buy more pure Ethanol, racing fuel for 850 hungry, angry horses.




Relaxing in his new race trailer, Dennis, Adam on the Right and Danny King in the rear.

No alcohol in the pits.



Always more inspecting.....

Ensuring it all stays together on the track.

Clint Conder is more of the brains of the outfit, ensuring things stay together and happen fast.




Amazingly these cars hit over 100mph on the "straight" of the short banked track, before being thrown sideways into the bend while trying to get as many of the horses down through the rear wheels.

No quarter ever given.

So how the hell does this keep it all together, it just looks impossible.

Surely all those forces will tear this all apart.



Dennis spraying some magical formula all over and under the chassis and motor to stop all the mud from sticking to, and weighing the car down.



Shooting the breeze with Clancy Boots in the pits.

These guys go a long long way back.



More later.

[Grizz1963]

One of the pieces we collected that Dennis was totally in love with is this wood plane.









It seems this is around a hundred years old.

On Tuesday, after a late start around 10.30, I headed out toward Arkansas.

First point was to see Donnie Wilson and his family.

Along the way I "always" stop at McDonalds in Corning for coffee, wifi and a bathroom break.

I had managed to drop my Opinel pocket knife in Danny Kings truck on Sunday night after the races, so I popped into the local Walmart for a new lock blade, crisps and some great Jerky.

While in there, my mobile phone picked up its WiFi and delivered a couple of messages..... love technology.

Chatting to a friend in SA she was incredulous that I had picked up free WiFi, and only a selfie satisfied her disbelief.



Loved this signage.



The. Headed out again and went through Pocahontas where you keep right, toward Strawberry.



Along the way I stopped at a random shop and managed to buy the large top arrow for a weather vane.

Same guy had this '52 Chevy hood ornament for sale at $15.00 which seemed like a good price, if it was not free.



Got to Donnie late afternoon.

His son, both their wife's and grand children were all there for an awesome dinner and specially fried Deer meat that he had hunted

Possibly the best moment to date on this trip was when he offered me English Tetleys tea......

I had forgotten to bring my own supply this time.




After dinner we went and sat out on the front porch and just enjoyed the quiet, watching the humming birds use the feeders hanging out front.

For some reason my YouTube channel will not let me load videos, been going on for weeks.

Any ideas??

[Grizz1963]

After dinner, we sat out till quite late, chatting all sorts, including trucks of course.

Cowboy, who is Donnies new yard guard, watching out for Coyotes and guarding the chickens at night spent time with us.

He also woke me at 04.00 and was certainly earning his keep.



After a great breakfast, we went for a drive over to see some cattle on Donnies land and then over to,Jimmy who has been building a new family home.

Transport.



Part way there, we crossed this stream, how idyllic.



Yes, he can stop in the water for a photo.



Then out to the cattle.

They are like kids, storming his truck inquisitively.

Then following when we drove off.



For the sake of posting photos in a group, I will put these together.

After the cattle we went to Jimmys place to look at some stuff being built, including his house.

After this, we drove back to Donnies farm and up to his scrap pile, where I managed to rob two good radiator wings off him, a speedo clock assembly to add to the parts I have to try repair my very broken one, as well as a set of Custom ally side sails.

While there, I saw other interesting stuff.

Grasshopper



A very large and beautiful lady spider, unfortunately she turned when I tried to photograph her.




And of course Donnie Chevy truck.

All tuned and sailed in now.

[Grizz1963]

So back to the self built home.

Jimmy and his wife milled their own Red Cedar and Pine trees at her dads sawmill to build this home.

It is massive, has verandas or porches on three sides.

Not everything will be to everyone's taste, but guess what.....?

It's not our home.

Bunch of photos, as I need to get to bed, today was a long, physical day.

Cabinets.



Closer



So the question stands...... "Do bears poop in the woods?"

Red cedar, cut and milled by the owners.







Kitchen





Outside view, not easy to capture.



After this we headed home to Donnies place as Wanted to leave his place by 11.00 as Jonesboro and Steve Hansen awaited.

If there was time, Searcy was also on my mental agenda, to see Ta2Don for a bit.

So we had a last coffee, then said our goodbyes and I headed out.





This is where the road trip turned into an adventure.

Next report will include a 3 wheeled Vintage EZ-GO Golf Kart and some Samaritans.


Bed time now.

Later for those still along for the trip or photos.

Thanks for checking in.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@retrolegends" source="/post/2350233/thread" timestamp="1505139974"]Thanks for the update, it's giving me a boost as I'm half way through a block of night shifts. 👍🏻[/quote]


Pleasure mate,

Waiting for Dennis to pick me up and take me to the airport, via Ethel's where Kelly should be on duty.

I hope so for all our sakes.

Then out at 18.50 US time, and stopover in Chicago and further to London at some crazy hour.


So we left off just outside of Strawberry where Jake Brakes are banned.


I had also made out like a Bandit with Donnie giving me some part for my truck that I did not have, or were badly damaged on my truck.

Another big thank you.



From Strawberry, I was headed to Jonesboro to see Steve and his wife and Lulu the dog.

About 15 minutes after leaving, and 4 miles through a town called Lynn, the Challenger cut out...

I started it again, drove 50 yards.....

Cut out again.

Single lane road, sharp drops on both sides and gravel trucks hammering down it, with multiple blind rises.....

The third time it cut out, I managed to start it once more and reverse up someone's driveway, just to have it cut out again, and then refuse to start again.




The road trip had just turned into a [s]Nightmare[/s] I mean ADVENTURE.

This was at exactly 12.00 midday.

Want to guess what next??

[Grizz1963]

Just for those who do not read words, and will not read this.
I am back in the UK now, got in around 3pm today
Knackered in a word.


So I try various ways to start the Hemi Challenger, but no go.

So I pull out my UK based mobile phone that will let me make a call at £1.10/min to call Dennis......

No reception.

So took some pics of the car, the address etc and started to walk toward the next home down Hiway 25 Arkansas.

Number 3001 has an old guy working in his yard, next to a trailer and 70's Subuurban.





So I look for guns and approach, explaining my situation.

He pulls out his mobile phone and says "You can use my phone" while he carries on trying to remove a tyre from a rim with some wholly inadequate tools. But he does succeed.

Long story short, Dennis refers me to Dodge recovery service, they take my exact details and say it should take an hour (I am 29 miles from one small dealer at Wallnut Ridge and about 45 miles from the bigger dealer at Jonesboro)
I get a text a while later to confirm it will be just over two hours for them to get there.
So Walk back to the car to check if it will start again, but also just to move it more on driveway.
Then I hear RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.........!!!

Look back and see this.



Old guy in his EZ-GO Golf kart coming to pick me up and run me to the car.

No luck there in the end.

We do look at this truck, found out later it was bought for the house owners son, but he lost interest fast and now has a jacked up V6 Toyota pickup



We go back to the old guys home, try to get a tyre onto the rim, unsuccessfully.
More chat, glass of water and local history.
Help him adjust golf kart throttle cable.
And then I go back to the car to await recovery service.
By 3.30 pm still no recovery, so I walk back to the house and ask for phone again......
at 4.03 a missed call, as I cannot raise the service......
Call back and it is the Recovery service owner to say they were given the wrong details and despatched to the wrong address

So I walk back to the car and at the same time y friend Steve from Jonesboro where I was headed arrives in his Toyota truck, so we chat while waiting for the service guys, who eventually get there after 5pm.



Car loaded, we head to Jonesboro, which is where Steve lives, the recovery service is based even though Dodge will only recover to the nearest address etc...... the owner Glenn says he will take the car to Jonesboro with us in Steves truck.



Once we got there, signed off the car, to be investigated on Thursday.....

And Steve and I head home via. Pizza place with cold beers.



Then home to see Lulu the dog and his wife.

Knowing we need to be back at the dealers 30 minutes away by 07.30 the next morning, we turn in early-ish.

Thursday was going to turn into a pile of steaming poop.

Bed time for me, I am shattered and back to work here in the UK tomorrow.

Later guys.

[Grizz1963]

Shock news from the Grizz House.

Morning all. Went to sleep around 9.30 in end. Woke 10.30 and 11.30 then basically slept to 7.30
So thankfull.
As jetlag kills me.
Now to start facing the real world again.

Trying to get IT sorted. Email and system passwords expired while away. Now locked out and need to get boss who is in a meeting to reply to IT desk to get that going then head out to work.

[Grizz1963]

Thursday morning first thing before 08.00 we are at Fletcher Dodge of Jonesboro.
We get the "promise" of We will do all we can and get told to leave and not make contact before midday.

So Steve and I go have breakfast at Front Page restaurant and then set off to see a few shops of his friends.

Remember George Poteets Car Farm from ladt year?

First is one of his drivers' shop.

As is often the case, there is just too much to take in.
So a bunch of photos of what caught my eye.

Vandalised. Paint keyed.



This guy has a bunch of replica shops inside his shop.







Whatcha hiding ???





Mementos from the salt lakes.

Remember Blowfish?
Some bits of it after coming unstuck.

[Grizz1963]

Back to replica shops inside shops.

General Dealer.



Inside.



Some great old advertising.





Note the bottom left corner of this real ad.

I have seen it quoted before.



Looking in the opposite direction to the other doors.

Heavenly for most of us.



After leaving there Steve had a few errands to run followed by lunch at Sams Club a setup similar to Costco. Membership and bulk buying etc.

Here we had two Nathans hotdogs each and a bottomless soda drink each.

I have only recently discovered Mountain Dew (more caffiene than Coke and said to be addictive) and got a gallon of it.

Then off to fill his truck.

I saw this little number.





Followed by a trip accross town to see Dick Valenzuela and his cars and shop.

We got to meet MeMe (pronounced Mimi) who was buzzing and loves feet. I wear flipflops.......

More about Dick Valenzuela later. I got to spend more time with hom the next day.



Seen elsewhere.



More later.

[Grizz1963]

JETLAG....!!

What a PITA !!

Wrote up a full and detailed entry on Dick Valenzuela last night and went to hit enter, but in my tired state, hit the close page button and lost it all.
So went to sleep, badly.
On a train now, headed for London, trying to fight a bad nights broken sleep and feeling like poop.

Anyway, back to Meme the dog.....

She loves feet, anyone's feet.



Dick is 79 years old and certainly does not act that way.

He is one of the Valenzueala brothers who were racing the Salt Flats in the 70's and before, holding various class records.

This is one of their cars.



At 79 he continues to build cars, hotrods etc.

And drives them all with gusto.

Having owned his 32 Ford for over 62 years now, I got to go for a ride in it, Dick driving hard and enjoying it.
He is also into both old and new motors, and this one has modern fuel injection and Satelite navigation based speedo etc.

A bit of history photographed.





Proud Papa, 32 in foreground and his Big Block full size, lowered Chevy in the back.



Hard to believe he painted this in 1971



In the garage another 5.0 injected pickup he has built, unfortunately my YouTube refuses to upload videos, or I could show it starting and running.



The Bandit out driving.

His golden earring and pony tail made me smile.

Hard core.



From there we headed to Steves good friend Marty's shop that I visited last year as well.

Marty is a lawyer who builds hotrods and fast cars.

Interestingly, one of his builders in the shop is known as "Doc"

Turns out he is an Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in Hip and Knee replacement surgery, who manages his time between the shop and a local hospital.

Petrolheads really are everywhere.

Marty's shop awning.



Greeting at the door.



More on Marty and his current builds in a while.

[Grizz1963]

Marty's shop has certainly got even busier than last year.

Looking at what I saw in there and out front, this small shop is certainly turning out cars I would only dream of having.

Building them right is the ethos here.

Random pics........

Ford Bronco, full restoration.




While we were chatting to Marty and some of the others there Marty asked about my trip and Steve told him about the Challenger breaking down.
Without looking up from the Bronco he was working on, he just said "There is a Jeep out front, take it until your car is fixed, we can collect it where you leave it"
This has become part of my experience of America where I travel, people just being normal.
In fact, people just being like the way I grew up and how I guess I still am to a large extent.
Just that in the U.K. We have to be insured individually, unlike in the US where the car is insured, so driving anything, as long as it is with owners permission, is fine.

Said Jeep.



Another full body resto. New metal etc.





Sexy for sure.





Rear view



While we were there Doc was fitting and wiring a new dash and clocks to this magnificent beast.

Camera does not capture the quality of paint and finish.



Marty's signature colour......

Lingerie Red.






After Marty's place we had a few errands to run and then homeward to Steves place where I was sleeping over again.

Belinda made us ribs, fries and ran a rather awesome dinner for us.

Lulu was happy to have all at home too.

That concluded Thursday, and still no car.

Friday the gloves needed to come off as we needed to get back to St Louis for Dennis' party.

Steve had been invited too, and we were either going to be in the Toyota, or in a convoy with both cars.

Update later for this still along for the ride.

[Grizz1963]

Thursday morning breaks and Steve and I head out for breakfast at Presley's in Jonesboro with a group of his regular friends, including Dick Valenzuela.

Having been speaking to Dennis overnight and early morning, we decided to have breakfast while Dennis climbed on the Battle Wagon to the Dodge dealers who had not yet touched or looked at the car. And then see what transpired.



While at breakfast eating our extra helpings of American bacon I get a call from Dennis.

Suffice it to say he had called the dealers and raised hell and pi$$€d off some people.

They would look at the car and call me on Steves phone when they had something to report.

So we finished our breakfast and about 6 coffees each (free refills on everything in the USA) and Steve asked me to go off with The Bandit while he went to barber school for his weekly haircut and wet straight razor shave and facial. Yes we later ghee, but I guess a lifetime in the military, even with the latter part as a civilian in various think tanks etc, will make you continue your habits.

So Dick and I went off to see Duke at his shop in the Chevy.

Again, impressed with the mans car passion

Proud papa.



Duke runs a window tinting business to pay the bills, but is known primarily for his conversions.

What struck me most, was just how tidy and orderly his whole shop was.

For once I did not take any pics of his work.



We spent an hour or more there and then got a call from Steve on Dicks phone to call Dennis about the work in Jonesboro..... confused?

Anyway, it seemed the car would be ready by 12.00 for collection.

But before that we popped in at another communal friends shop to take a look at his build..... no photos, but again, complete mind blowing work. All new steel.

His main business is RV Services.

Saw this beauty out in the yard..... Swinger anyone?



From there it was across town to Barber school to collect Steve, who was still mid shine and polish.



Getting prepped for his straight razor shave.

Part of a very old ritual to him, which I was quite envious of..



Once Steve was all smooth and seriously officer looking, we headed to collect the car in his truck.

$358.00 for a temporary bypass to get me mobile again.

I felt a hand over my mouth and my trousers being yanked down..........

When I offered to pay, Brandee said it had already been settled, she did not seem very interested in me, maybe just busy.

Any mechanics out there....?

[img width=1024 height=768]http://i294.photobucket.com/albums/mm90/niknakpix/2015%20Continues/AFC6BF0E-5B28-4AA8-8414-EEAC2B2160E7_zpszggk33iq.jpg[/img]

Once we got back to Steves place it was quick packing, consult three SatNav to find the shortest way to do 275 miles back to O'Fallon to Dennis' place before dark.

We hit the road after filling the Challenger and buying lots of Jerky, Mountain Dew and other treats.

I followed the Red Toyota........



We only stopped once for a toilet break at Cherokee Falls and kept to the speed limit, as the road has its fair share of enforcement officers

We came through/around St Louis just in time for the Friday afternoon rush, and except for one surprise junction at which point I was leading with the SatNav, I almost got Steve killed as he came to a halt after my sudden departure onto the i70 in order to follow me, and also then later he left the road to go fill his truck, and we got him later again when he called Hanna on her mobile for directions.....



Phewwwww....

At last, Dennis' driveway.




At this point Imwas alone, Steve would get there 30 minutes later, after we went to meet him at the motorway intersection to guide him home.

Unpacked,

I relaxed for the first time in three days, as it was Dennis' surprise birthday party, which he had still not realised was being organised.

He thought all along that everyone was arranging for Debbie's birthday surprise.

He had gone and bought them one of her bucket list dreams......

For Saturday morning.

Anyone care to guess what it was???


In the mean time everyone was able to prepare for the birthday party of a lifetime, for an amazingly well liked and loved man.

Bedtime now.

[Larry64]

Rian you never stop amazing me. You could be all alone fall off a log & land on a new friend. You have some of the most interesting trips. I among many others enjoy your exploits. Keep it coming.

[Grizz1963]

I have a few random pics to throw in as we all have different interests.

As well as a newly uploaded short clip of Dick Valenzuela's pickup that he is busy fine tuning.

Modern motorvation from a man who keeps up with the times.

Dick Valenzuela truck - YouTube

His next build with a small block 5.0 Ford motor.



And one I missed earlier.

Dick the driver......

Hammer down in the 32
As I mentioned, he builds his cars to go flat out and last.
Not scared of breaking them





I sadly never made it into Steves shop this time.

The man was running me all over Arkansas to showme various projects and shops.
Which I am thankful for but still gutted we ended up racing the clock to get back to St Louis.

Perfect size small retirement shop.

Filled with good stuff.



One of Marty's toolboxes.

Yes. Envy.



Certainly not hit with this.



Saw this at the gas station on Friday night.
Dennis says they are common and cheap.

Tell you what......

I would roll in that vs my Focus.

On the road 2017 - YouTube

Later dudes.