Grizz's Redneck Express 1966 Chevy Short Fleetside BILLYBOB

[Grizz]

I have quoted Paul Y my partner in crime from today.


[quote author="@pauly" source="/post/2278402/thread" timestamp="1483902809"]Don't know about checking my world, more like doing a stock take on the inside of my eye lids....

Anyway... as I was recovering from a 620mile drive conducted over 12 hours the previous day I was slightly less...buoyant... than normal but feeling pretty damn privaliged to be asked on a Grizz road trip. I mean, come on, there are 105 pages of adventure! so being asked along for a small part was all the reason I needed to drag myself from my pit.

Well that and STATION WAGON.

Rian has pretty much covered Dennis, a really nice chap with very interesting toys. Anyway.. STATION WAGON.

When I first saw the Ark Royal nestling in its dry dock I was pretty much sold on it. A really genuine, honest original car that was wearing the battle scars of the previous 46 years with pride.

The small challenge with the ramp meant that we spend 30 minutes doing our best Magiver getting it back where it should be and also enabled Rian to get his first 'seat time'

Ok so photobucket is being an

Looks right at home....

Showed around 31k on the clock and I would not be surprised if that was genuine.

All,of the controls, contact surfaces etc looked great, no wear.. the doors closed with a new car clunk plus the door gaps were spot on and no play in the door hinges.

A quick look underneath showed a pretty much prestige undercarriage. A little wear in the steering, but probably an advisory rather than a fail, engine was a little wet but nothing to worry about.

It looks,as if there has been money spent on it -fuel pump, radiator, pads, alternator etc all looked recent.

Engine oil looks fresh and the auto fluid was clear and clean.

Tyres are good. Got it back on the ground and had a play. Everything works! Even the aircon was cold! Radio sounds like you would expect and the CB lit up.

The über cool rear tailgate worked as it should and the power windows went up and down all be it slowly.

Bad bits are the rear floor needs some attention due to the leaking rear window.

It needs window and door seal.

The interior is a bit cracked

There is a few dents and a little rust on the tailgate and lower rear quarters but nothing major.

I would have bought it but I knew Rian was not.



In fact if I had the £5k it would be now sitting in my drive to replace my wife's modern daily. She might be my ex wife but you get the idea....

So, in closing. If you want a wagon. Buy this one. Spend £500 on seals, shocks and steering. Drive, enjoy and then hit with the lowering stick, Astro Supremes or the 17" Honeycombs - bag it, clear coat it and sort out the seats.

Some one needs to buy this. Before I find myself living out of the back of it....

P. [/quote]

[Grizz]

Still coughing and spluttering, but a lot better.

Had my birthday on the 17th, sat in a business meeting all day in Reading, 100 miles from home.

On the way home I decided to pop in at Miss Katy for dinner and a quick visit.
Scrambled egg, toast and a pile of Scottish smoked salmon...... perfect.

Katy had bought me a nice shirt, some Digestive biscuits and a pair of very pretty cuff links for work.

Can you tell what it is yet?



Sweet girl had also baked me a lovely cake for my birthday, we had some after dinner and the rest came home.

Last night and tonight the House Ninja and I had some too.



Yesterday a card was left by the postal courier service that a parcel had been attempted to deliver, I could go collect at a post office.

So today I came home early from London and got to the Post Office at 4.45 which was too late, thankfully it is in a corner shop, and the lady behind the counter took my deliver card, checked it through and handed it over.

Parcel from the USA.......

Buddy Jeff Scheu had a bit of a clear out and wanted to send me some plates for my collection and a T-Shirt.

Thank you very much for everything mate.




In the mean time, despite feeling rubbish, I have been looking at Chevy S10 trucks.

There are the 2.2 litre four cylinder models, 200k km on average, and then some 4.3 litre V6 trucks.

Typically the one I liked best, is 980km from here.........

So now it's spinning in my head, do I do a road trip and fetch it, or find a transporter to bring it here, or at least closer.

Of course when you read the internet via Google, it seems the 2.2 is not the best option.

Great.

And then I still need to find a decent lodger too, as my house ninja has given notice for end January.

[Grizz]

So with my chest still beating me up, not much has happened outside.
I find that if I go from hot to cold or back, I end up with a hacking cough for 10-15 minutes.
So indoors it has been, with random stuff, but nothing worth reporting.

The last two weeks have been bloody cold too, and of course I work in London by train and some walks plus waiting on platforms, and being a contractor, I cannot take time off sick as that just perfect for thenknob type in management to see when they reduce the size of teams. And with my House Ninja, the Lodger moving out this week, I am needing to keep a job and paying the mortgage even more desperately than ever.........

So going to work, this is what my car said a few days last week, along with delayed trains byup to 40 minutes, meaning I am standing around on platforms etc.....



The only benefit is a few lovely sunrises.



I did go see my GP this week on an unrelated adult type proble, but of course could not see him for my chest or back that has been killing me too, the photo explains why I think they are king sized d1cks.



Of course while I cannot go out to the garage etc, and to be honest, working in an open, uninsulated blockworkmgarage would be 90% unpleasant, there has been a lot of stuff spinning around in my head, as you will know from various questions I have asked on various forums and threads.

I probably can't afford to do any of this stuff till I have a lodger in again to help fill the hole in my wallet and mortgage payments........

But Hey-Ho.........!!!

This is how we go !!

Something I would really love to build in the style of a Rally Support vehicle that can be a parts carrier and also backup to not having a personal car (company cars don't count as they are tools with logbooks and get monitored)

If only I could find a cheap one that was mechanically sound and roadworthy, they do go badly wrong.

Thanks to Jan, "TurboDieselWeasel" for a load of information and help on this, as well and many guys on various forums.

This is certainly still viable.




The next automotive sleepless night creator was the newer Chevy S10 trucks.

Uncommon in the U.K., and not that popular here, but. I have more plentiful in Europe, especially Germany and Holland.

Here ZXRob came to the rescue from Germany as well, and as he has one too, it seemed the right guy to ask.

His thread here: http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/ ... y-s10-pick

So he shared some info with me on trucks for sale.

Now I don't know the real benefit of having a 2.2liter four versus a 4.3liter V6 other than more power is always nice.

The 2.2 must be cheaper to run, and 4.3 more fun, for me it would or should never be a daily, so consumption, unless stupidly high, is not an issue, and road tax in the U.K. Is probably the same for both too............??

I like Feetside truck more than Stepsides from a practical point of view, and in these S10 trucks the X-Tra cab or King cab is perfect as it give a bit of secure space for stuff and the occasional extra passengers.

Input on these S10 trucks appreciated.........

Any advice on longevity of the 2.2 vs 4.3 , rust, spares etc all appreciated.

This Red 2000 model King Cab Stepside 2.2 with 120ps or 90KW really appealed to me, some cosmetic damage to the paint, it just looked awesome, except a 980mile or 1600km road trip plus flights for two to fetch it would be necessary, as I would probably have to take mymate Craig along and do a one hit drive back to the UK, unless I had it ferried back here in a transporter, you don't want to break down in winter with a brand new 17 year old truck in a foreign country now do you?







Of course in a world where sh1t goes wrong, my heating died this week too, I am on bottled gas, being rural, and we can never prove it, but it is known that the delivery guys deliver half bottles or even empties in order to build up their own stock of full ones to sell on the side at mates rates etc.........

This is the second time I have had 5 weeks out of 4 x 47kg bottles.

Anyway, the house has been freezing and I left an electric heater on for Harley every day and at night I had the fire on, with her down there with e on her fluffy blanket, then charging up to bed and in the morning showering fast (thankfully I have an electric power shower in my bathroom)

Since the bottles were replaced on Thursday the boiler has been playing up too, and I had the engineer out twice, still not fully resolved but let's see what this week brings. I am at Miss Katy for the weekend and her home is always toasty and hot.





Lastly, seen outside her parents house yeaterday, Imthpught this caption kind of summed it all up, even though things seem a bit slippery right now.



Off to B&Q in a bit to buy some tools for her home, she needs pictures up etc, and I cannot be bothered carting my tools over here at weekends.

Surely every girl needs a good drill??

[IndianaJones]

Now go find me a car.......... or truck or something.

So besides the Benz panelvan and S10, what is on the wish list? Or what kind of vehicle tickles your fancy, and what kinda budget?
I suppose it should be ready to use as is, and a winter runner, and somewhat disposable, as the C10 when finished would get babied?
Would love to help look, but shipping from SA to UK, would probably take a hefty chunk out of your budget?

Have always thought this generation of S10’s are pretty cool pick-ups, but always wondered why GM never produced a V8 version, or at least another turbo V6 version. I would think the 2.2 would have similar consumption to the V6, but at least with the V6 you have power when you need it. There were a few RHD Blazers sold in SA, thus in theory one could have a RHD S10.

[Grizz]

Now go find me a car.......... or truck or something.

So besides the Benz panelvan and S10, what is on the wish list? Or what kind of vehicle tickles your fancy, and what kinda budget?
I suppose it should be ready to use as is, and a winter runner, and somewhat disposable, as the C10 when finished would get babied?
Would love to help look, but shipping from SA to UK, would probably take a hefty chunk out of your budget?

Have always thought this generation of S10’s are pretty cool pick-ups, but always wondered why GM never produced a V8 version, or at least another turbo V6 version. I would think the 2.2 would have similar consumption to the V6, but at least with the V6 you have power when you need it. There were a few RHD Blazers sold in SA, thus in theory one could have a RHD S10.

Hallo Ben,

Thanks for the update on cars for sale.

I am certainly addicted to those entries, regardless of whether I can afford or want them.

So to answer some of your questions, budget, a relative number but I think a top of £5500.00 including insurance and MOT for the year, so probably a £5000.00 car or truck.

My tastes are slightly eclectic and weird...... so ranges from a Cortina station wagon, a Datsun 1200GX or 1400 bakkies (too small for me really) an Isuzu bakkie, older Hilux 2x4 bakkies no interest in 4x4 or turbochargers.
Which is why I asked the question in the general board before about SA bakkies. I am sure that has to be some decent unrusted, unmolested ones out there.......

I prefer practical commercial type vehicles like small panel vans or station wagons, but equally like the Datsun Stanza you posted today.

There was a 70-80's Datsun Laurel you posted last year that I loved to bits, Granada Mk1 or Cressida, the older or even GLi 6 are all good.

The rough cost of getting a car onto my drive here in SA from a SA harbour is probably around £2000.00 so you lose a lot of value on this level.

Lastly, the C10 will be nice, possibly very nice, but it will be a working driver truck, I need to use it, even to lug loads of bricks etc.


The S10 is a sensible small modern truck, and can also be a donor chassis for stuff like the 48 trucks.

[IndianaJones]

My tastes are slightly eclectic and weird...... so ranges from a Cortina station wagon, a Datsun 1200GX or 1400 bakkies (too small for me really) an Isuzu bakkie, older Hilux 2x4 bakkies no interest in 4x4 or turbochargers.
Which is why I asked the question in the general board before about SA bakkies. I am sure that has to be some decent unrusted, unmolested ones out there.......

Yes Rian, there are, but you will be very surprised at the asking prices of those. It is really difficult to find unmolested examples from original owners, even here in the rural areas, when you become aware that they are for sale, they are already at the speculators. Since they are workhorses, I firmly believe these agents have people on the ground scouring for finders fees. I myself have been looking for a decent 4x2 SWB RN30 Hilux, but can't find one with a decent compromise between initial cost and work still left to do on the vehicle. Every time I find one, it has already been tampered with, fixed up in a way that's workable, but not in the manner I would've done, so then the work has to be redone, and the cost becomes too great.

[Grizz1963]

New username.

Same old doos.

Starting post count from zero. Not 1129.... or whatever

Obviously cannot access my old saved PM's etc.

Not impressed that the forum repetedly locked me out and that we could not reinstate my old username and access.

Thanks to Ters for really trying repeatedly to get it sorted.

Some recent changes.

Ready?

[Grizz1963]

Quick update for those who still follow on here.

Friday I went in early to my GP practice to get some bloods drawn for prostate testing, however, not sure why the needed so many tubes.
The lady who did my bloods was possibly the best phlebotomist I have ever come across.
She also heard my chest when I coughed and suggested I make an appointment for the afternoon, which I did.
This resulted in antibiotics and a GP telling me I should look after myself better.



When I got home, Tony my plumber, sparky and general handyman had been in to service my heating system again, draining it and replacing some switch gear in the boiler.

He sent a pic of the inside of some of the pipe work, no wonder the system was not firing up properly



On Friday night we had real heating, what a pleasure.

Saturday was booked to replace the carpeting in both my lodger bedroom and the main bedroom as I chose 6 years ago when we moved in here, not to replace those carpets as there was too much furniture to move about.
Of course in the mean time prices have gone up and now was going to be the right time with no lodger, I could move furniture around etc.

Miss Katy had come over as well for her weekend to help move stuff and to drive the bucket and mop as well as the Polish and duster cloth.

So by 09.30 Shane, who had carpeted the rest of the house over the last 6 years, was here with a 80% wool blend carpet and some new 15 year guaranteed under felt.

I had volunteered to help him not just make the tea.

Shane reversed up my drive.



Lodgers room floor, house built in 1921.





Final result of £720.00 worth of work, very satisfied.




Also been chatting with Dennis in St Louis, Missouri. This week he has been building and painting this truck.

One of the nicest ones in my opinion.

On its way now to Kansas City for a Car show.



Almost got a Hot Wheels feel to it.




Really looking forward to my chest getting well after 5 weeks now, as I have a load of little jobs to get on with.

Later guys.

[Grizz1963]

Thanks guys.

Well, this bloody chest thing has changed direction again.

The antibiotics reduced some of the coughing, made my phleghm dark, thick and nasty for a couple of days, now tonight my face hurts, eyes are sore and a new, different cough has been at me all day.

Of course we have also had a week of even colder nights and days forecast, which when you are out on a station platform at 07.00 in the morning, does you no favours.

Today my work day started at 07.30 an hour from home.

When I came back to my car in the car park 7 hrs later, someone had managed to park their car next to it and leave afterwards, in the time it was there, using Braille as the method of entry and exit.......

WT actual F ???

Of course the people managing the carpark for the hospital will not share any video surveillance as there is a sign showing they take no responsibility.

So now I will have a no fault claim against my name for the repair. Hardly visible on the photo, but of course some paint missing and scuffing. The lease company crucifies us for damage as well...... so really pi$$€d off.

Wish I could do something unpleasant to the dipchit who did it.

First question the insurance girl asked me was if the car has parking sensors...... seriously.

Second question....... have you been on a driver awareness course.

Of course the answer is yes to both, but REALLY ????? What has it got to do with my car being hit in a carpark in my absence.

You can hardly see the damage in the pics, yet scuffs are quite deep on the wheel arch and some paint missing.



Note my parking of the car, so really leaving a lot of space to get another in.......



Some people really should not be allowed to breed.

[Grizz1963]

Valentines came and went.

I hate Valentines, along with all the other commercial days that business exploits.

Miss Katy loves Valentines.
So I discovered a parcel in my office after she left on Sunday. Bugggerrr!!
Forced my hand.
So on Monday after my business meeting at Heathrow Airport, I took her flowers at work in a 30mile detour.
Thankfully it made her blush in front of her staff (she is a unit matron in a plastic surgery hospital. Google Guneapigs of WW2)

When I opened the prezzies, she had hit the nail on the head. Perfect for a laugh. All I needed. Nothing serious.



Had my car collected by body shop this morning.

They left me this little Nissan Micra.

Should be interesting.




In the mean time I have been looking at this this week.

May go look at it tomorrow morning early.

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/ ... multispace

Fingers crossed it is half decent.

Take a look in the linked thread for my ideas with it.


In South African Rand this little car is only R4000.00 or £250.00

The insurance is £372.00 per year

Road tax £225.00 per year....... go do the currency conversions.



Another one of these info gathering type threads.

So feel free to throw in all you know and opinions, warnings and any other views or real world experience you may have of these little vans.

Photos below of the van in question.

51 reg.
1.4 petrol
87k miles.
Sliding sunroof
Two owners, first made all the corners round
MOT to mid October.

So Wheels.......
Banded steels?
Alloys?
Easy lowering? Or lifting...... imagine an off-road Dayvan/BBQ van. Just stuff running through my mind.


VW already commented this:

[quote author="@vw" source="/post/2290328/thread" timestamp="1487191042"]I had a 1.6 petrol.

Good on fuel, quite quick, handled well, abused savagely for 4 years amd always came back for more.
Only ever got minimal maintenance, never even serviced it.

Used it as a work van hack and put loads of miles on it.

Hate the things but I cant actually think of a single bad thing to say about them apart from a little dull and a pain to do the clutch on.

How the 1.4 compares I'm not sure.[/quote]

And Rich said these warnings:

[quote author="@foxmcintyre" source="/post/2290347/thread" timestamp="1487194191"]Watch for oil leaks over the alternator from the head gasket. New HG is the only cure but it's an engine you can remove the head from in half hour at the side of the road. Heater matrix's are a weak point and are a total dash out job to replace so bear that in mind also. And the rear beam bearings fail giving horrible noises and loads of negative camber. Clutch release bearings and guide tubes fail and ram the fork through the cover plate. You are forwarned long in advance by a grating screeching noise from the clutch. Other than that pretty hardy. [/quote]

Car in question.

Photo shoppers............ have your way with it.