#4 - Feat Dont Fail Me Now

Well it was a successful weekend in tearing things apart. My only hope is that I will be equally motivated and successful in putting things back together. I was going to try to start the engine this weekend. I have replaced the plugs, points , condenser, coil, distributor cap, built plug wires and ran through the elelctrical system. But one thing led to another and I chickened out on inducing a defibulator to the poor girls heart.

I disconnected the old heater hoses and plugged them to be able to have the radiator work when starting, but the radiator hoses and fan belt didnt look so good. Being the Memorial Day weekend and not much was open, I moved on. I decided to attack the brakes, what good is it to make it roll without stopping it. So all the brake rotors, master and slave cylinders have been taken off. The flexible lines which move as the front axle moves for steering were not easily acceessible, so the whole front end came off in order to be able to start and complete the brakes system. The brakes arent very complicated just large and hard to un-screw and bolt everything. Even the rear axle has to come out to free them up.

The next move is to complete the brakes and clean the engine. I wont go any foarther until I have completed these items. If not this thing will be spewed across half of Brazoria County with no idea on how to re-assemble any of it. Now I will seek new parts like a Christian after the Holy Grail. Will they be as hard to obtain, only time will tell. But Im up to the task but will try to keep the overhead down. I would like to re-build what I can, but I also now my limits and want this 2 ton hunk of american steel to stop when I want it to. My buddy Kelly came down from Austin and helped with the seek and destroy side of auto mecanices 101. He is has inept as I am but totally invaluable. He, like myself, took took physics not shop in High School. But he has the same gleam and vision in his eyes as I do.

This week will be parts shopping and learing about rust removal, priming and painting. As long as I have most of the hard stuff off , I think I will clean and paint. It was fine in Oklahmona sitting for 3 decades,b ut our humidy will take is toll. Until next time...Caio

#3 - Turning Over a New Leaf

I was taught as a youn'un that hard work and patience will pay off. I am going to test that theory over the next few weeks? months? years? Who knows, but it beats soaking up the nice AC and being entertained by crappy primetime.
Today was a good day! I got the old girls shoes off and her put on jackstands. I took the ole split rim hub and tires off and in to the local tire shop. Good thing becuase they are the only guys in the county that will mess with them. I thought they were going to have a stroke when I told them that their boss said I was going to wait. I broke they staring gaze from the time clock, knowing that they were primed up for an early cold beer by telling them I was joking. In other news I was afraid that the motor was siezed. I had pulled the spark plugs the other day and poured in some secret concoction a friend told me about to free up the pistons. I waited a couple of days, as this was the extent of the directions , for the witch's brew to do its duty. Sure enough with a bit of elbow grease the old girls heart spun over a few times. This was my biggest fear that the whole motor would have to be torn down. Not this means she will start, but it is great news.
Heres a pic of the old tires....

#2 - The Journey Home

As with any new project breaking ground is the hardest part. My father has been ill and I have not had the time to drive to Dallas from south of Houston the pick the truck up. Ron, the guy whom I bought her from was coming down to Galveston for a graduation and said he would bring her. They had just delivered their first child and has other car projects to work on and was sad to sell her. His lost may gain, yeah right, time will tell:).

We went to meet him in Houston about 60 miles north from our small town of Sweeney to save him some time for his family. Much to my chagrin my trailer was to narrow. The truck had no tires to speak of and winching her onto my trailer was a no go. If there was any possibility of steering her it would have been easier. So we decided that he would drive here the rest of the way on Mothers Day to our rural home.

These old International trucks were affectionately know as 'cornbinders'. Now anyone who knows my wife knows that she is a bit eccentric in that the way she views the world. She loves off the wall cartoons, the stooges etc. Well 'Cornholio' is the first thing that came out of her mouth as she learned of the real nickname. So with this a star was born.

#1 - Hell has frozen over...

Well, I am sitting down so as not to passout. Yes world I have entered the 21st century and am posting a part of my life for everyone to see. As the honorable Van Halen once said " I have been to the edge and there I looked down", I have my own blog, not that I despise them, I just havent entered their world.
I have had a tough week, one of my best friends was killed in a carwreck over the weekend and it has reminded me that life is way too short. His candle was barely lit and it is now dark. I will miss David and the light he shared with me.
In a lighter note I have purchased an old peice of shit truck. This is the main reason for beginning this blog. To share with someone my trials and tribulations that will define my automotive skills. Which are as pathetic as anything I have ever done, you see I took physics in high school and left shop to the stoners. Although they did share:)
This poor old truck was bought off of ebay. I have spent about a year trying to decide which vehicle would be best to bring about unmentionable torture upon myself. Like American Idol ,we have a winner. She is from Oklahoma, born in 1948, and has sat idle under a tree since 1970. Yes, I am an idiot. There are way too many other projects that lie in wait for me to finish. Could I have spent 6 grand on one that ran and looked good, or nothing on a peice of crap that will be a money pit. The work idiot continues to pop up in my find, or maybe that is my wife reminding me of my destiny.