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

[Braunschweiger]

This turned out to be a great wooden bench, it is certainly not easy to write with the milling machine. Since we were just slowed down by Covid19, we watched trooping the color for the jubilee, what a great queen over this long period, what a great presentation from the regiment.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

This turned out to be a great wooden bench, it is certainly not easy to write with the milling machine. Since we were just slowed down by Covid19, we watched trooping the color for the jubilee, what a great queen over this long period, what a great presentation from the regiment.

Sorry to hear you have Covid.

Yes, the milling machine is less controllable used freehand.

But it suits the style of the bench.

Once it ages and blends into the garden it will be good.










Saturday at Craigs.

Weirdly slow, but busy.

We prepped the American mail box mounting that had to wait this long until the gate post was repaired, two large trucks had managed to hit it last year.



And weirdly, in the old mailbox were all these address change documents from DVLA. Seems a few more came before.

Who needs this many V5c documents.

Craig does.



After this we headed into Whitchurch for a few hours.

I needed a few things, including a small gift and a card for Sally, turns out that I needed a bottle of Jack Daniels Tennessee Honey to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee with.

Saw a few older cars, some lovely British vintage stuff.

Including this mechanically fully restored Land Rover, a double mailbox with patriotic crocheted cover and a lovely large cast iron drain cover. Foot added for perspective of size.







Back home we unloaded the 8 foot concrete posts and carried them around to where the reclaimed/recycled greenhouse would ho.

A bit of digging and levelling to get the foundation work sorted.

Lunch on the job was curried beef mince on rice, on site and a cuppe later.



Then I spent an hour cleaning it all up.



While I was doing this, Craig burned and cleared a load of his hedges where the previous owner had for years just dumped all cuttings and garden waste.

It took a few hours but made a huge difference to the fences and underhedge spaces.

Much better.

Glass next.



After the greenhouse, I got the super long extension put and got my personal hedge trimmer from the car.

Then went up to the rear and side boundaries and hard cut the hawthorn horse paddock hedges back.

They have not been cut since last year and needed a good meter or 3 foot cut back.

Once done and cleared up, it looked a whole lot tidier too.

We decided to shut shop by 6.00pm and relax with the Queens Jubilee etc.

Dinner was pretty much unsurpassed.

Meatballs in Tiger bread baguette rolls, followed by another bowl of trifle.



Overnight rain set in, so the planned bootfair today was shelved.

Watching the rain is rather enjoyable too.

Headed home, down South Later.

[Grizz1963]

Popped over to my friend Kevin this afternoon to use his hydraulic pipe bender to try and see if I can actually make up my own roll bar as local builders are too busy to take on a small job like this.

He has completed his build too.

Not bad for a first build done in your 70’s

[Grizz1963]

Popped over to my friend Kevin this afternoon to use his hydraulic pipe bender to try and see if I can actually make up my own roll bar as local builders are too busy to take on a small job like this.

I took my template and a length of scaffolding pipe.

Resulting in.



And realising that I should be able to pull it off.



I will have to find a 14 foot length of scaffolding pipe to use.

Also important is to keep in mind the amount the metal moves when you bend it in the hydraulic press.

Pretty chuffed with this tonight.

[Grizz1963]

Went out to walk Bonnie tonight.

Up,a lane I saw a pile of scrap.

And a nice wrought iron bracket.

On the way back, I went and knocked on the door and asked if I could rummage in the junk.

Yes of course came the reply.

Walking back toward the car, carrying this lot for 2km had Sally taking a pic of just how good I look scavenging.

Do I care?




Back home I checked it out.

Thermometer one side,



Clock, that works and barometer on the other side.

And it all works.



Chuffed for sure, a nice thing to hang somewhere..

[realvc]

Real nice find from your walk.

Very nice shirt you are wearing too.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by realvc

Real nice find from your walk.

Very nice shirt you are wearing too.

Thanks Vince, I am sure I will give it away to someone who needs it more than me.

That hoody came from Tat2Don years ago in a care package.

Well worn, but still a favourite.

[Grizz1963]

Went for a walk with the dog out toward Cliffe and Cooling.

Saw a few intersting things

Last on the road in 2017

Dodge Polara.

Is it valuable, covetable? Who knows.



Empty barn near it.

I could fill it fast.



Some real beauty out there.

Also a few retros in farm yards with a lot of long grass around them.

I may investigate some more in future.











Part of the walk passed Cooling Castle.

Owned by Jools Holland.

For the uninformed……..


https://youtu.be/_A1VAsl_4TY


A nice place to call home.






Also walked through the Parish Church yard.



Home to some history.





And description below.






Spoke to some other interesting people on the walk.

One guy with a few motorcycles inside his house in the lounge and large entrance.

I am not the only one then it seems.

[Braunschweiger]

A nice piece of land where you live, very nice.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

A nice piece of land where you live, very nice.

Thank you.

I made the choice not to live in the city a long time ago.

I do not like cities.

So always happy to live out in the middle of historic England

[Grizz1963]

George, the cat I don’t have, seems to have settled in here.

His owner is pregnant with No2 and it seems he prefers sleeping here most days.

Easy pet ownership in a way. He comes, he eats (I leave some dry food in a plate for him to graze from and give him the odd bit of chicken or ham, yes he trained me well) he sleeps, he leaves. And repeat.

[Grizz1963]

More parts to the puzzle ordered in

£54.00 from Evilbay.

Hope the drivers side fits in.






And rather than collecting on Saturday morning, delivery of a 4.2 meter and two lengths of 1.2 meters of pipe, to add to mine.

Also realised that the rear braces need to be different to create the right look.



Can you see the rear brace?



I am really liking that.

More on Saturday.

[Grizz1963]

After work. Work.













Weekend.

[Braunschweiger]

This is really a great roll bar, great work.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

This is really a great roll bar, great work.

Thanks Harald,


Just bent a pair of braces before coffee and toast with Sally this morning.

Cross brace cutting next, then make it all fit by cutting the curved shapes where they all join, grind back all the galvanising so I can stick weld them together and tack onto the base plates after I make the rear base mounting plates plates and weld in a pair of captive bolts so they all can slip fit together and be bolted down in one, once full welded up.
.



Fingers crossed.

[Grizz1963]

Long day.

Made the rear chassis mounting plates for the supports.







Then made some “fish mouth” or whatever you call them, joins.



Mocked up.



Chassis mounting plates welded on the braces.



Mounted in the cab, roll hoop in place, on its base plates……

For the anal amongst us, zoom in, knock yourself out.



Carrying on, later, around 5.00pm John the lodger joined me, both to help and give advice.

Then Mickey came around.

They sat chatting, discussing South London, where they both grew up, a lifetime ago.

Mickey had to point out the joins being very good.



A load of preparation and grinding to make the joins work.



Lots of tacking in place, removing and stick welding.








Getting there, bit by bit.


.

Happy



Done.

Paint in the morning.

FIA approved………



Cheese and crackers for dinner.

A serious rum, after a tall beer.

Tired tonight.

Rewarded




Bootfair in the morning, if I wake in time..

[Grizz1963]

So yesterday @nickwheeler was here and the day ended in a bit of a whimper.

Trying out the rear lights and wiring, he and John the lodger found that the existing units were so messed up, not reading the current etc…….

That we realised I will need to find another Mk 2 Capri LEFT Hand rear light unit.

They are left and right handed for those unaware, despite looking universal.

If anyone has a decent left handed light body or a pair for sale, donation, trade, whatever, please PM me

The lenses are good.

So only the bodies needed.






Thank you.

[Grizz1963]

So the roll hoop is done.

Next stop…. Get the Harnesses attached.

Needs some slide buckles.

3mm steel plate should do just fine, NASCAR approved after all.



Chassis and seat mounts as well .

Copy



Cut



Finesse



@nickwheeler it, I mean paint.




Also in the post today.

These.

Should clear things up a bit.



Biggest concern was if the motor would fit in a way that would leave my knuckles intact.

Success it seems.



Another small step forward.

[Braunschweiger]

You've already turned onto the final straight, a big difference from before, very nice

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

You've already turned onto the final straight, a big difference from before, very nice

Thank you Harald.

I feel there is still a mountain of work left to get done.

but a lot has been done.

[Grizz1963]

Harnesses are different makes and needed different approaches.

Some changes may still be affected.







Drivers side HOOKER Harness.



Passenger is SIMPSON ITEM.



Lots more to come I guess.

Awaiting rear light units.

[Grizz1963]

Also in the post/mail today a random sticker.

I like the sentiment.

And have suspicion who it is from.

Come on…… own up.



Certainly will be used on the ally firewall.

[Grizz1963]

So last night I went out in the truck to the 6 Bells pub in Cliffe for a car meeting.

A load of very different stuff, older, newer, traditional, not so traditional…..

Noisy Harleys ridden by crippled geriatrics trying to grasp that last handful of youthful pleasure. And making me look the other way while they rev up their overly loud, expensive steeds, tottering about trying to park them for all to admire.
These are absolutely beautiful machines, don’t get me wrong, and I have ridden since age 13.

Click link for photos.


https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread...m-retro-loaded






Today was hot, unpleasantly hot, even the dog was not impressed.





Quick after work job.

Buckle for the crotch strap.

And then bolted into the frame as well.





Tight, but adjustable fit

.

Done.



Weekend has arrived.

[Grizz1963]

Ahhhh, MOT man says you need to see where you just came from.

Combined a set of old and new mirrors.



Needs tidying up.



Better



4 of these made as only one original.



Ready




Tight fit, call the octopus.



Arms on.



Done.



Looks so wiiiiide now.





Central rear view mirror also contemplated.

Chevy mirror from my stash.



But then found this one.

Sucker



Job done.



Spent the rest of the day with Sally.

Walked the dog.

Saw my next resto project. Right there in the Thames, Essex in the background.



And took her out for dinner.

Happy life.

[Grizz1963]

Had an interesting question about the mirrors on another forum…….

From someone with a scatty memory. Asking why fit these mirrors.


Original fitment.


I just added new mirrors as one glass was broken.