Parts Coming and Going

My new friend Jim took the Bel Air engine to its new home in New York last Saturday. It was a pleasure chatting and doing business with him. Loved hearing about his sizable collection of vehicles and various projects. He checked out the '49 chassis while he was here, then emailed on Sunday to say he wants that too. Figured I better get busy removing the body, and managed to get the front clip off the truck today. It was easier than I thought and not difficult to move. The bed and hopefully the cab will come off tomorrow, along with the bumpers and brackets.

When the Fed Ex man rolled into the driveway while I was wrenching today, I figured it was something for Meg. I certainly wasn't expecting the S10 parts I ordered from Rock Auto on Thursday night with the cheapest shipping option, but there they were. I'd call that pretty good service! It was a welcome surprise that added a nice touch to the day.



No luck yet finding a temporary indoor space to pull the S10 body parts (which will be sold - they're in great shape) and get the chassis cleaned up for the swap. I guess I could put it here with the '49 chassis out of the way, but I'd really rather not have to count on good weather to be able to get work done. Maybe Santa will finally bring me that garage I've been asking for every year... ;-)

Thanks for stopping by! See y'all down the road!


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Bel Air Engine Goes Down the Road

The '53 Bel Air engine has been sold and will be picked up today, as preparation for the chassis swap continues. Some have expressed concern that swapping in the '91 S10 chassis will devalue the truck. I would agree if we were talking about an all original '49, but this is not the case. Mine wasn't even original when my brother bought it in Missouri and drove it home to Connecticut in 1981. The original blue had been painted over, it was on its second engine and Pete swapped in a different '49 chassis that was in better shape.

For as long as I live the truck will never be for sale for any price anyway. The real value for me is in the story, and how it's all dedicated to Mom's memory. When the swap is done we'll have a comfortable, dependable driver that will get me not only down to the Sycamore and other nearby events with ease, but also across the country and back, allowing me to cross the epic road trip off the top of my bucket list.

Looking forward to working with and learning from Jason Woodage at Custom Conversions in New Milford, as we write the next chapter in the history of this old beauty.

Thanks for stopping by! See y'all down the road!


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Dream Trip First Look

Time and circumstances will tell whether or not it actually happens, but I figured I better start planning just in case. So let it henceforth be remembered that on Halloween 2016, the overgrown boy posted a rough draft of the epic, top of the bucket list road trip he hopes to take in the old truck in the summer of 2018. I'm thinking Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk, CT would make a good starting point...


(click photo for larger version)
Some of the numbers you see are just waypoints to mark the route, but there are several that do actually mark planned stops. There will certainly be more added before the route is final, but for now here we go... #2 is Sawdust, Tennessee, where the fine folks at Possum Holler Garage have provided immeasurable inspiration for my truck project with perfect restorations of trucks like mine. #3 is East Adams Street in Chicago, where Historic Route 66 begins. The Mother Road was decommissioned as a highway in the 80's, but about 85% of the route remains driveable. This trip will follow it from beginning to end. Along the way, stop #7 is the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Definitely gonna bust out the spray paint and leave my mark there.

Slight detour northward for #9, Grand Canyon. Flew over it once and was blown away. Can't imagine what it will be like standing on the rim...

#12 is the Santa Monica Pier, where the trip west will be complete and we'll splash the truck with Pacific Ocean water. Then it's a short run south to Huntington Beach for #13, a stop at Foose Design and hopefully a meet and greet with Chip Foose (who you may know from the show Overhaulin'), another huge inspiration for the old truck dream.

A cruise up the Pacific Coast Highway is next, with a right turn at San Francisco to start headin' back east... #14 is Kindig It Design in Salt Lake City, Utah, where Dave Kindig and his crew have been doing killer custom and restoration work for a long time. Their show on Velocity is called Bitchin' Rides, and every one they do fits the show name perfectly. Hope to meet Dave as well, another huge inspiration.

#15 is Eagle, Colorado, where my friends Bob and Laura live. I've been saying for a long time that one day my truck will sit in their driveway and we'll do some cruisin' through the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Really looking forward to that.

#16 is the big one, and the whole reason I want this trip to happen in 2018. The goal is to roll into our 50th family reunion that August in New Matamoras, Ohio, finally returning my '49 Chevy to the place where I saw it for the very first time in the summer of 1981.

I certainly understand that the whole thing represents a pretty tall order, but I figure screw it, if you're gonna dream you might as well dream big. It won't be the end of the world if it doesn't happen, but it will mean the world if it does. And it will all be for Mom. If you're not familiar with the whole story, please check out the link to it on the right of the page here.

Thanks for stopping by! See y'all down the road!


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