GRIZZ’s English 2001 S10 Extra Cab 4.3 V6 Truck

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@misteralz" source="/post/2698563/thread" timestamp="1632296454"]I love that roll bar. It's aggressively selfish![/quote]


Absolutely, it should fit in with the whole WTF ? Attitude of the car, slightly Antisocial Thuggery in motion.

I am already thinking of putting a LED high-tight brake light into the top junction as well, possibly with an override switch, allowing me to find and fit a strobe type that goes into F1 cars when raced in the rain.



GREAT RESULT……


The company gave us an hour off for “Wellness Wednesday” time to add to lunch to do whatever we want, as long as it is not work.


I guess I am headed out to quickly do some prep, cleaning some of the chrome off the base of the roll bar and welding it to the plates.


Fingers crossed it is a quick n easy job.

[Grizz1963]

Well, what do you when the company gives you an hour extra at lunch time?

You go do some cutting, grinding and welding.

First thing to do was get the tools ready, then fix the chassis so it would not roll around, and set it as close as possible to level.



Then set the angle using the CAD tool.



Ready to weld.



Bzzzzzzzzzzttt……



Done.



Cooled off, I thought it made sense to try it in position.

HAPPY !!



Seats in the position they will be fixed.



Front view, in final position they windscreen and roll bar have the same top horizontal line.

So pleased with this result.



That concluded my lunch break.

We ended up concluding day 1 by 3.45 which meant I could go for a 5.3km walk which took me an hour.

Than I went down to the garage again to start on the rear diagonal which would prove to be more challenging.

Being from the 56 Chevy @pauly used to race and hoon about in, it is too big in all directions.

It took me a lot of fine tuned grinding and sanding with flap wheel and my narrow power file.

Eventually it all slipped together easily



Then using the level between various points on the chassis I got the cutoff line marked out.

It is not the original roll bar, so I need to make up a new anchor point for the rear.

I will have to weld in a new mounting plate to the chassis and also a foot plate to the rear diagonal with a couple of nuts and bolts.



I cut the plate in preparation, and also cut and prepped the diagonal.

At this point I closed shop.



Hopefully I can get the two parts made up and welded in place tomorrow evening after work.

Life is still good.

[Just call me Sean]

Don't worry passenger, I'LL be okay.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Just call me Sean

Don't worry passenger, I'LL be okay.

That made me chuckle.

I would say the intent is never to do anything stupid, but of course stuff happens.

The seat may offer a bit of help too, and maybe the roll bar would see some modification, but if any stupid driving is planned, the intent would be solo, strapped in and on a race track.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work Rian. I know over here in certain classes you can't splice and weld a rollbar. Is there any rules like that ovfer there for what you are doing with it?

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work Rian. I know over here in certain classes you can't splice and weld a rollbar. Is there any rules like that ovfer there for what you are doing with it?

Thanks Bill.,

I am not sure.

But hopefully they will be happy with whatever I created here.

It is not Germany where the TüV can be draconian and problematic.





Busy day here for work, so nothing done till after 5.00pm

And even that was negligible.

But I started by priming the roll bar and diagonal as polishing it failed to impress, old age left some pitting, chrome flaked off, and of course where I cut, ground and welded there was damage too.

Not sure the primer will stick ultimately, but I hope so, and then some paint, temporary in nature again, as I plan on having the whole thing covered in high density “roll bar foam” and some nylon sheathing.

Still need to investigate how and where to get that done.

Still very pleased with the outcome here, thanks to @pauly ‘s generous offer and vision.



After work, around 6.30pm a Nissan Cube reversed up my drive…….

@paulf had come to check out progress on the RR

AND DELIVER HIS HYDRAULIC PRESS FOR THE BUSHES.

I had previously used it to push the bushes on the Chevy Blazer that was never a project.

Massively useful tool too.



After a lot of chat, opinions and advice, he headed home to his family.

I closed shop and came in before the mosquitoes carried me off to a dark place to suck me dry.

Tonight is an early night as I will need to be up at 04.45 to get out and head over to @craigrk and a quick 250 mile x2 trip to deliver Ouma Lil his Chevy to is new home……..



She is a big girl.



As always, it should be a good day out.

PS: it has to be Rum-0-Clock

Later.

[Grizz1963]

On the road by 06.30



Some slow bits….



Eventually nearly there.



Meet Donna, she followed me all over, head on shoulder.



Such a sweet horse.



Eventually after unloading, a decent walk around and dicussing a ton of logistics, we headed home to Leatherhead and London.




Back down South delivering the trailer to the yard it came from, a load of what is presumed to be a load of film props.



.

[Grizz1963]

Bootfair I nearly missed today, delivered OK in the end.

When I woke at 4.55 I got back in bed and heard David the lodger rummaging around, usually I don't get back to sleep, but I did, woke 6.20 and thought….. screw the bootfair as it has not been spectacular the last few weeks….. checked my phone, message from Sally, asking me to look for a multi picture frame…… so I got up and got going.

First blood was mine today, a house clearance guy I check every week, had a tin full of 10mm and 12mm HSS drill bits at 50p each.

I said how much for the lot, hoping a bundle deal would work, he said 50p each, so I counted them all……. 30 of which 21 were the 12mm bits.

His prices are always fair, and we got a load of flower pots from him before, so I paid the £15.00 with a smile.

Driving 10 miles to the big hardware store for one, would cost me a lot more than 50p for one.




Other items included a picture frame (unused) for Sally£1.00
Fake patina Coke bucket for Craig 50p
Rusted oil jug for Craig £1.00
Stanley type lockblade carpet knife for Craig 50p (cost a lot more)
Sabatier kitchen prep knife FREE for two super nice girls
Side strip for Sally’s kitchen top after new cooker was installed 50p
Hessian sand bag FREE from a seller I talk to every week.




So a semi decent day in fact.


For those wondering what a motorbike and bunch of stainless scrap translates to, along with some savings……


I give you Sally’s new cooker, installed and delivered yesterday.









On a different front, mate Craig gave me (traded for stuff) a 5 liter can of white Cellulose paint yesterday, ostensibly to paint the Rezin Rockit once it is completed as the gel coat on it is dead and crazwd in places.

I know very little about paint and what goes where. or which you should avoid.

Do I blow the fiberglass body over in this stuff, or rather avoid using it, due to its properties and possibly the type and amout of prep involved.








Need to have another coffee, then scrape together all my resolve and go make a start on bushing the suspension parts.

Raining here at themoment….

Ooohhh, we have a carport.

No excuses.

[Grizz1963]

Started late yesterday.

Only made it to the garage by 12.00 and came out just after 18.00

Some progress was fast, some ballachingly slow…….

Making stuff up and learning as I go along is interesting and actually really enjoyable.

So armed with the book from @nickwheeler I sat down and started to try understand what went where.



First job, identify and lay out the bushes.



Started easy enough, undo the axle side and try get to the Void bush.

Problem no 1…..

Bolt completely seized in the bush sleeve and not moving, despite all the tools and force available.

Even the G-clamp destroying itself when trying to shift the bolt.



Then managed to break off a drill bit inside the rubber…..

Joy !

Followed by a burning,torch, swapped this one for my garden weed burner, usually used for my woodwork branding.

Mickey had come around in his slippers to see what I was up to.



Result, followed by Mr Grinder to cut the gead off the bolt as it was not relinquishing the sleeve.



The result of a lot of BFH action.

This was after no 2 went easy.

Still a load of rust, but at least not like the first one.





Repaired and rebent the metal to standard afterward.



Next job was to use the Void Bush tool sent to me almost a year ago to use to pull the bushes from the rear axle.



Using the impact wrench released them, but it was an absolute ballache.



After burning out the rubber, the sleeve was left to pull, so I started with tht one.

Magic.



Both Void Bushes done.

Note the amount of rust in the holes.



Next up was the bushes in the arms, so onto @paulf ‘s press.

These are not easy as they are quite thin and the press tools are specific sizes.



After much more swearing, skew pressing, popping out etc, I had all of these……



And these were ready, well, they need to be fine sanded to clean them out before fitting the new bushes.




Oh……

And of course I need to go buy a replacement nut and bolt for the one destroyed.

Rain and a load of work ahead.

[Palf70Step]

Fixed your linkies Rian.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Fixed your linkies Rian.

Brilliant, thanks Bill.

Like a kid, I am looking forward to getting and trying them out.

I bought some new trainers yesterday, and even they made me feel good.

Guess dumpster diving can be superseded.

[Grizz1963]

………………and then I ground to a halt.





I had hoped to finish work early (flexi-time) today so that I could get a start on the final chapter of the bushes.

Then work kicked me in the nuts, hard.

When it gets busy I just need to keep going, so by 4.30 it wound down.

Also realised that I will need to disassemble some of the work I did before.

Too many obstructions and retainers.





I will try find some time tomorrow, but we are planning a bit of a run out in the S10 that has not been out much lately as I have spent a lot of time at home.

.

[Grizz1963]

Went down to Whitstable yesterday in the truck with Sally to see mate Martins new home and garage he is building.

Threw an accrow (spelling?) extendable support in the back for Martin to use to support his main steel girder if he ever wants to hoist out an engine or something similar.

Again, truck made me grin madly, both for the drive as well as for using it to do even a simple job.



Last bootfair of the year sucked.

One item worth £2.00

But……..

I have been looking for a horse riding spur for a few years on my USA travels and generally when out and about.

Usually overpriced for me at around $20-30 a pair.

Todays one was worth adding to my random pile of weirdness.



Home by 08.20 from bootfair, hoping to see mate Kerry, @disasterbus who was popping over to drop some random stuff off that he had collected over time for me.

When I got here, the first thing I saw was a pile of stuff on the driveway, and no Kerry, somhe had been and run as he does not like to leave his animals at home alone. I totally get that.

Still need to carry through and sort through all the treasures.






I am sure we will meet again soon enough.

So unpack and carry through treasure, sort through solid wood kitchen shelves etc mate Kevin dropped off yesterday (firewood and shelving)

Then get back to Rezin Rockit for bushes part 2.

[Grizz1963]

Seems Photobucket feels I am loading too many photos for the contract I have.

So it is not loading my photos.

At the tariff I pay as it is, I am not going to have them extort another $xxx or whatever it is out of me. They get about $xxx/year from me.

As far as I know I am on the intermediate tariff which equates 25000 photos.

But for now it seems pics are on hold

[Grizz1963]

Yesterday I met my postman about a kilometre from home up on one of the farm roads.

He drove next to me while I was doing my exercise walk.

Told me he had delivered a parcel for me, through the letter slot in the front door.

International delivery he said.

I knew instantly what it was.

Vladimir, in Russia had told me in one of our Whatsapp chats that he had put a small parcel in the post for me.

So when I got home, the shape gave it away.

Russian License plate for my collection.

Even better, it falls into my preferred group of different, unusual etc as it is a temporary plate for moving vehicles from one city or region to another.

Thick laminated, and flexible so it can be tied on with string.



Also included, some working gloves for the garage, a Lenin Lapel badge for my weirdness cabinet, and then a necklace for Sally, so nice in this community that people feel the need to acknowledge the others in our builds.

Also in the parcel……..


A horse decoration form the 1800’s that Vladimir found while treasure hunting in a field.

Being a Horse decoration, this may possibly become the keyring for the Rezin Rockit.

Horsepower and all that.





Life is good.

[Grizz1963]

[quote author="@westbay" source="/post/2702311/thread" timestamp="1634628750"]Going back to the brakes ...and while the wallet is open ! ... what state is the master cylinder in ?[/quote]


LOL…..

You and @pauly make a formidable spending team.



Other side.






Speaking of brakes, having seen the cost of rear brake drums at around £100.00 per pair, I will need to find out if anyone in the Medway are can stick them on a lathe and clean them up for me.

Happy to reuse them if the can be cleaned up.

So I took the remaining complete unit apart…..

Greasy.



Had thought that part of the brake lining was missing as the other side looked like this.

Nope, that is what the look like.







Was chatting with Tony @westbay earlier about the price of the drums.

Looked at the price of shoes……

Crazy.

£13.00 for 4 includes shipping.

How??




Hardware/fitting bits are more than the shoes.

Guess I need to order the shoes if I can find a machinist.

[Grizz1963]

Another job that I will hopefully get to soon.

The floor was modified and repaired before I got the car.

I am wanting to reinforce, and possibly paint it once done, to match the rest of the fiberglass, to either white, or maybe mask it all and go black on just the floor.

A bit ugly right now.



Using some of this impressive fiber filled resin stuff, I filled all the little holes after prepping them and carefully countersinking those (2) I had not gone through completely.



Next step will be a careful rub back with a flat soft block.

So that the holes are filled and ready for whatever treatment I decide to give it.

Paint, wrap, stickers……. We still need to decide a route for final decoration.




DHL texted early this morning to say they were delivering the front callipers and hardware between 2.54Pm and 3.54pm

Looking forward to masking and painting them before fitting over the weekend.


I have next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off work, so will certainly be spending some time down at the garage.

Kettle is on if anyone wants to come help or hinder.

[CG]

I really like my DeWalt stuff. I have eight of the 20V Max tools. My honey likes using my reciprocating saw (I call it a Sawzall) for trimming branches and stuff. Its a bit heavy for her though. The DeWalt rep was in the store I work at, Lowes, and told me about a neat set they had on sale of the smaller sized tools. Buy the 12Volt Max drill and impact driver set (comes with two batteries and a charger) get the 12Volt Max reciprocating saw for free. Its much smaller than mine, so perfect for her. I ended up paying I believe 169 bucks out the door. No idea what that is in pounds.

I brought it home and said, Look what I got you! She asked why since we already have a bunch of DeWalt stuff. I told her to try it out and see how it feels ... She loved them.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by CG

I really like my DeWalt stuff. I have eight of the 20V Max tools. My honey likes using my reciprocating saw (I call it a Sawzall) for trimming branches and stuff. Its a bit heavy for her though. The DeWalt rep was in the store I work at, Lowes, and told me about a neat set they had on sale of the smaller sized tools. Buy the 12Volt Max drill and impact driver set (comes with two batteries and a charger) get the 12Volt Max reciprocating saw for free. Its much smaller than mine, so perfect for her. I ended up paying I believe 169 bucks out the door. No idea what that is in pounds.

I brought it home and said, Look what I got you! She asked why since we already have a bunch of DeWalt stuff. I told her to try it out and see how it feels ... She loved them.

Morning CG

Thanks for posting up.

Rough exchange rates are $1.40 - £1.00
So around £1.23.00 for your Honeys tools.

I think that is an awesome gesture.

I have a large dumpster find Bosch cordless reciprocating saw that I am giving to a buddy who needs it more than me. Needs new batteries. But great condition.


I always buy girlfriends basic tools. My ex wife got a corded drill and hand tools for Valentines our first year…… she loved it, but prefered candy.









Yup…….


I like animals, and love them visiting.

George from two houses down spent a lot of time here yesterday while we were clearing up the garden.





I cut all my hedges, and Mickey’s next door as he hates doing it. Sally cleared garden beds, I raked up pine needles and leaves, followed by cutting the grass.

Once all that was done, including going to Sallys place to sell her cross trainer and see it leave she went in to watch Gogglebox, one of her few luxuries that I can’t abide.

So I went to the garage for a couple of slow hours to do little jobs.

Nothing mechanical, just sorting stuff out, rearranging my carp.

Eventually gave up and grabbed a pair of pliers and the Dewalt with a decent 6mm bit……..l

Been wanting to do this job since getting the Rezin Rockit.

Drilling out all the rivets.


Now you see them.




Now you don't.



Fiberglass resin filler for the holes next.

I left the steel tabs, for now, they may become part of the fake door latching mechanism.

No bootfair, no plans today.

May take the S10 for a drive…….

Just need somewhere or someone to visit.

[Grizz1963]

Seems cables have been stolen in my area.

Non existent internet and wifi as a result.

Phone has a bit of 3G or 4G that comes intermittently.

Went for my 6km walk yesterday, what a lovely day.

Also gave me time to take a break from the Rezin Rockit.

Thames river and Essex.



And looking back toward the Medway river.

I love being surrounded by large water masses.



And one of my turning points, where some magic continues to happen.



Up closer, changes every day.

Hood ornament and mount added now.



Later the day I took the truck, went for a drive, did some shopping and had a guy in a Tesla speak to me, telling me he loved the truck and the sound.

The Tesla is his company car and he made an interesting comment, saying is was ultra capable, but has no soul.

Quite telling, we as humans do love the advancement of the species, but the visceral qualities of a petrol or fossil fuelled engine still gets us going.

The views are always lovely andthe camera does not do it justice.

I popped into Kevins on the way home.

He has also decided to now go with the VW Beetle indicators on the rear fenders.




All too soon the weekend was over.

But the truck made me grin.

[Grizz1963]

Loooong overdue job on the carport built last year done yesterday.

I removed strip lights from inside the garage and mounted them outside in the carport, all individually wired and plugged so that I can select which to run.

I had smashed one pair of tubes before when I dropped a light, so headed to the local electrical wholesalers to get replacements, and while out there I got an LED spotlight, going for a 50W unit claimed to deliver 4500 lumens.
Should be great for dark time work.







Went to see how they worked after dark last night.

I think they will do.








May add one more to the front edge of the carport as well to improve coverage.

Happy though.

[Grizz1963]

So while I fitted the lights, @nickwheeler carried on assembling the other side of the front end with the new hose and cut down bolt and nuts.



And finally……..

BOOOOMM !!!!

SOOO PLEASED TO HAVE IT BACK HERE.



Then we had a coffee and jam donuts to celebrate.

Followed by a start up on the rear brakes as the slave cylinders ordered had been delivered in less than 24 hours.

Unlike me, Nick does not have a foul sailors mouth, the air around his head was crystal clear once we started disassembly, whereas I was in a puff of blue smoke tinged with frustration.

Even the disassembly was just not easy, though I am sure there could be an easy disassembly technique.

Once removed……..



Trying the new ones I had bought off eBay it seemed they just did not want to fit, either on the backing or in the drums.



At this point a reference to the service manuals Nick and dan had brought here before, showed that there are actually two sizes specified……..

8” or 203mm for the lower spec 1300cc and 9” drums for the 1600, 2000 and 2300cc models.

So as luck would have it, I had bought 9” brake shoes, and then the slave cylinders I ordered were wrong too, they have a round mounting on my brakes, but the ones I had ordered have a more oval shape, so do not fit.

Guess I have a full set of new, unused parts for sale.

Original part number, now need to find a pair.



And the original slave has some almost illegible details.



FRUSTRATED.Com



Later, and after dark, the lights seem to be really good, I will add one more just inside the roof on the final beam.

Seems shadows will also not be a big problem, maybe.


I guess progress is progress, regardless.

.

[Grizz1963]

Some random stuff.

On my daily walk, I have few touch points that end up giving me the 6.3km or almost 4mile walk I do.



Alpaca corner.





A new farmer has taken over the land lease from the Church, and he is ruthless, greedy and destroying infrastructure as he goes about maximising his profits.

The tractors and trucks are ruining the road surfaces that were never made to be used at this scale.

300-450mm deep trenches along the edges as they collapse verges etc.

I am not impressed.



Lucky I guess its not my driveway.

Waiting for the first cars to land in the trenches.

[Grizz1963]

Not a road trip, but a 4hr trip on the road with a small detour to collect some fiberglass resin, matting, rollers etc from @adam73bgt that he collected for me a few months ago and stored in the back of his MG BGT.

Also stopped at Watford Gap Services for a pee and overpriced Costa Coffee along with the croissants Sally had made for us.

Thank you mate for collecting and storage.

Easy house to identify.



Then back on the road……

Up to Sandford near Whitchurch in Shropshire to come help mate Craig and Lorraine get some yard work and heavy lifting done.

They bought a converted barn house and a bit of paddock that needs a lot of work to get to where they want it.

Awesome details, layout and features, including an AGA wood burning stove in the kitchen.



He bought the old stables, enough for 4 horse and tack store and it is getting moved 100 meters to a new spot in the back field, joined later by a garage/workshop

Also happening is a new access path through the back being built, purple line….

So petrol head stuff needs doing.

Yellow graded access started yesterday, 20 tons of hardcore being delivered on Saturday, so loads of prep needs doing before then.



So Sally and I are the extra muscle.

Gas tank for heating and cooking had to be installed as the seller is redeveloping the old stables next door in the large paddocks into a new home, stables, riding school etc.

So new tank installed





The vintage Massey Fergusson you see working here is the result of COVID 19 when the owner operator lost his job and started his own business.

Garden bed, shrubs etc removed. Wall later today.

I brought some tools too to help cut back parts of the overgrown garden and access.









Loads of hedges to cut back.



And lawns to cut.

Everything is badly neglected and overgrown



There is a lot of lawn to cut, another Grizz-job as I do love a good looking lawn.

Gas delivery done early this morning.




Lawns starting to look good too.

More today.

And shed dismantling plus a glass greenhouse.

[Grizz1963]

This morning we started at 09.00 and moved about 4 ton bags of roof felt that was on the stables’ roof.

Then transferred and compacted further and into Hippo bags for removal.

So I started on the lawn again once the other random jobs were done.

Squared off the centre part as a plan was brewing.



And in the mean time Larry had removed a pile of soil from where the new access path and driveway will be going.

Next up would be the wall, followed by removing a few more hedge plants and large shrobs and trees.



Eventually I got done with the lawn, the grass was so wet and thick from being overgrown, it took a load of clearing the machine nd basket.

I think Lorraine is a bit miffed as it means she needs to do it this way next time.




More work going on all day.