A Little Wood Work

Took the bed wood over to Pete's this evening to run it through his router. Since I flipped it and made the underside the new top, we needed to cut the grooves for the metal pieces, which I didn't think to do before I refinished the wood. I'll hit the grooves with the stain and polyurethane before we put the bed together. This is the garage, by the way, where the truck sat for 20 years before we made our deal about 10 years ago.



And while going through his stuff in preparation for my visit, Pete found a real gem. the actual sales receipt for the router, which dad bought for him as a birthday present in 1980. If you look closely you can see the date - 9/15/80.



I think it's pretty cool that 34 years later, and 30 years after he passed away, Dad has a hand in the restoration of this truck. As Pete said tonight, "The story continues." Indeed it does, big brother. Thank you.


###

Officially Disc

Great to have my friends Steve and Ed at the house yesterday. Thanks to them, the disc brake kit is fully installed.


The day included my mad dash to three different auto parts stores, as I hunted for the castle nut and washer we needed. Kind of important, since they hold the entire assembly on the spindle. The local NAPA had one nut/washer combo on the shelf, and the total including a few cotter pins came to $7.11. I figured it was all a sign of good luck.


Looks like we'll be sitting through another winter before taking that first drive though, since Steve's lift is outdoors and it's almost October. Fabricating the new master cylinder mount and running the lines will take him a couple of days and he doesn't want to get caught in bad weather. So while I'm disappointed that I won't actually be taking that first drive soon, I still think it's pretty cool that the old truck is now rockin' front disc brakes!


###

It's Gettin' Real Now

It's great to have friends who actually know what they're doing when it comes to the really important stuff. Like brakes. My friend Steve, a long time hot rodder who owns a very cool 1938 Chevy sedan delivery, will be here tomorrow to help me with the brake job. Oh who am I kidding? He'll be here to do it all for me while I feed him tools and coffee. Rumor has it we might also see my friend Ed, who drives a beautiful red '48 Chevy truck.

After we get the wheels on, the truck will go back on the trailer for a ride over to Steve's house, where it will go on his lift so he can fabricate a bracket for the new dual feed master cylinder I'll be picking up today, along with all new brake lines.

When the stopping situation is all buttoned up, all we'll have left is putting the bed back on and throwing in a new battery, then registering and insuring the truck, and we can finally go for that ride I've been dreaming about for 33 years.

It sure IS gettin' real now.


###

Another Step Closer to Drive Time

Just ordered the front disc conversion kit. Speedway Motors was highly recommended by far more experienced hot rod friends and actually had the best deal, even with the shipping added. Now I just need to find a couple of stock five lug wheels for the front, mount our existing tires and we'll be on the ground again when the brake job is done.

Then it's just a matter of putting the bed back together (all parts in house), throwing in a new battery, getting insured and registered... And after 33 years of being in love with this truck, I will finally drive it for the first time. It won't be long now!


###