Build is looking great, Dave. There are a handful of great 40s around NE OH. All are great in their own way. Hopefully I'll have something to see soon other than a rolling chassis. @dlzadl s 69 will be back on the road soon after some TLC.
Builds Doc's 1978 FJ40 Rebuild (1 Viewer)
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Build is looking great, Dave. There are a handful of great 40s around NE OH. All are great in their own way. Hopefully I'll have something to see soon other than a rolling chassis. @dlzadl s 69 will be back on the road soon after some TLC.
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- #302
First, Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there.
Took ours out to supper this afternoon; trying to focus/stay awake for this post after eating more than my share.
Since our last visit to the 40 I installed and plumbed the lines into the charcoal canister.
The lines from the vacuum valve and carb were easy enough to figure out. After some research I learned the third line connects to the vent setup atop the fuel tank. (This was never installed when I acquired the truck). After some digging I found a correct version of the line; I made a new one out of the 5/16" line I used for the fuel lines. This line is long and actually runs under/along the inside of the rocker and then up thru the floor into the cabin. I would highly recommend installing this line before installing the fender to anyone that has to replace one. I was not able to install it in one piece due to the length/position it lives in so I simply cut it in the middle and I will join the two halves with some black fuel hose.
A sharp eye to the above photo will notice grass below the P/S cowl/fender.
Well, after hooking up my temporary gas tank, priming the lines, and adding water to the cooling system (Water or antifreeze is always one of the last things I add during a rebuild. I wanted to start with water to make any leaks easier to clean up -- of course I heard that dreaded sound of liquid hitting the shop floor as I was about 1/3 into filling the radiator. . . luckily it was because I neglected to tighten the drain valve on the side of the engine block) I wanted to see if the engine was ready to start. Double checked all the fluids, had a fire extinguisher ready, closed my eyes and turned the key. . . and nothing. A quick look under the dash revealed I had not yet hooked up the ignition switch to the wiring harness -- a quick, easy fix. Take two, turn the key. . . and still nothing. After about five minutes of scratching my head I realized I had not turned the battery kill switch to "on." At least I know it works!
Third time was the charm as after several turns of the engine the fuel pump did its job and the engine fired up. What a great sound! It was loud with nothing but a short pipe off the manifold but still sounded great to me. I let it run for a couple minutes. . . oil pressure was good, no drips or leaks under the engine, no smoke emanating from the engine compartment.
Inspired, I re-installed the trusty bucket seat and drove the 40 out of the shop for the first time in many months under its own power. I took a couple victory laps around the farm drives before using the working brakes to stop and take a couple pictures.
Yes, the wires look like they are dragging on the ground/near the tires but really it is an effect from the picture. They were completely safe. Temporary fuel tank visible strapped to P/S "B" Pillar:
And the driver side view:
I really need to get to work on the headlight buckets and give the poor thing some eyes. . .
Very happy with today's accomplishment after the work/time taken to get here. One more quick spin and I pulled the 40 back into the shop and installed the kick vent doors. Left things there for the day due to the previously mentioned Mom's Day Dinner. . . that and I had to help dad clear yet another tree that this time fell into the cow pasture. This was a Cherry and Fun Fact: Wilted cherry leaves contain cyanide and critters that eat them can be poisoned by it. Somehow I always remembered that from all the hours at school.
Next steps will be planning where to drill holes in the tub for seats, roll bar, center cover, etc. I will probably start with the gas tank and work my way up from there. I remember my seat brackets needing some work so that will slow me down a bit too. I can hear the hood and windshield frame calling for me from the storage barn but I really want to have the tub ready for paint next -- that will be the next huge hurdle and I hope to leap over it/have it done sometime in June. Not sure if I will make that goal but certainly will give it a go!
Took ours out to supper this afternoon; trying to focus/stay awake for this post after eating more than my share.
Since our last visit to the 40 I installed and plumbed the lines into the charcoal canister.
The lines from the vacuum valve and carb were easy enough to figure out. After some research I learned the third line connects to the vent setup atop the fuel tank. (This was never installed when I acquired the truck). After some digging I found a correct version of the line; I made a new one out of the 5/16" line I used for the fuel lines. This line is long and actually runs under/along the inside of the rocker and then up thru the floor into the cabin. I would highly recommend installing this line before installing the fender to anyone that has to replace one. I was not able to install it in one piece due to the length/position it lives in so I simply cut it in the middle and I will join the two halves with some black fuel hose.
A sharp eye to the above photo will notice grass below the P/S cowl/fender.
Well, after hooking up my temporary gas tank, priming the lines, and adding water to the cooling system (Water or antifreeze is always one of the last things I add during a rebuild. I wanted to start with water to make any leaks easier to clean up -- of course I heard that dreaded sound of liquid hitting the shop floor as I was about 1/3 into filling the radiator. . . luckily it was because I neglected to tighten the drain valve on the side of the engine block) I wanted to see if the engine was ready to start. Double checked all the fluids, had a fire extinguisher ready, closed my eyes and turned the key. . . and nothing. A quick look under the dash revealed I had not yet hooked up the ignition switch to the wiring harness -- a quick, easy fix. Take two, turn the key. . . and still nothing. After about five minutes of scratching my head I realized I had not turned the battery kill switch to "on." At least I know it works!
Third time was the charm as after several turns of the engine the fuel pump did its job and the engine fired up. What a great sound! It was loud with nothing but a short pipe off the manifold but still sounded great to me. I let it run for a couple minutes. . . oil pressure was good, no drips or leaks under the engine, no smoke emanating from the engine compartment.
Inspired, I re-installed the trusty bucket seat and drove the 40 out of the shop for the first time in many months under its own power. I took a couple victory laps around the farm drives before using the working brakes to stop and take a couple pictures.
Yes, the wires look like they are dragging on the ground/near the tires but really it is an effect from the picture. They were completely safe. Temporary fuel tank visible strapped to P/S "B" Pillar:
And the driver side view:
I really need to get to work on the headlight buckets and give the poor thing some eyes. . .
Very happy with today's accomplishment after the work/time taken to get here. One more quick spin and I pulled the 40 back into the shop and installed the kick vent doors. Left things there for the day due to the previously mentioned Mom's Day Dinner. . . that and I had to help dad clear yet another tree that this time fell into the cow pasture. This was a Cherry and Fun Fact: Wilted cherry leaves contain cyanide and critters that eat them can be poisoned by it. Somehow I always remembered that from all the hours at school.
Next steps will be planning where to drill holes in the tub for seats, roll bar, center cover, etc. I will probably start with the gas tank and work my way up from there. I remember my seat brackets needing some work so that will slow me down a bit too. I can hear the hood and windshield frame calling for me from the storage barn but I really want to have the tub ready for paint next -- that will be the next huge hurdle and I hope to leap over it/have it done sometime in June. Not sure if I will make that goal but certainly will give it a go!
Looks like your getting a bit closer looking great keep up the great work
So very, very pretty. Great work!
- Thread starter
- #306
Nothing terribly exciting to report this week; just a lot of time spent in front of the blasting cabinet. Before I can start drilling holes in the tub I want to mock up the seat brackets and such. Behold the seat brackets with which I have to work:
Rusty, crusty, and in need of some repairs. If @waitingfortime can bring some of the parts back to life he starts with I feel inspired enough to try and fix these. If you have not seen his hood repair thread check out his work -- you might be inspired too!
Anyway, I need to clean and repair the brackets to properly fit them . . thus time spent in front of the blasting cabinet. Of course Ive not cleaned only seat brackets. . . other pieces made it into the cabinet as well. . .
Might as well give some of those parts a quick coat of epoxy while they are hung up on the rack so nice. . .
A quick teaser for what might be to come on the next post. . .
After consulting with @Coolerman I will run an extra harness with a relay to power the headlights directly from the battery. . . I am not quite ready to make the conversion to LEDs but will up the light output without burning up my factory harness. I am trying to maintain a vintage look and LEDs are just a bit too modern for my tastes.
I will try to get back over to the shop tomorrow; the paint may be dry enough to bolt a few pieces up!
Rusty, crusty, and in need of some repairs. If @waitingfortime can bring some of the parts back to life he starts with I feel inspired enough to try and fix these. If you have not seen his hood repair thread check out his work -- you might be inspired too!
Anyway, I need to clean and repair the brackets to properly fit them . . thus time spent in front of the blasting cabinet. Of course Ive not cleaned only seat brackets. . . other pieces made it into the cabinet as well. . .
Might as well give some of those parts a quick coat of epoxy while they are hung up on the rack so nice. . .
A quick teaser for what might be to come on the next post. . .
After consulting with @Coolerman I will run an extra harness with a relay to power the headlights directly from the battery. . . I am not quite ready to make the conversion to LEDs but will up the light output without burning up my factory harness. I am trying to maintain a vintage look and LEDs are just a bit too modern for my tastes.
I will try to get back over to the shop tomorrow; the paint may be dry enough to bolt a few pieces up!
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thebigredrocker
SILVER Star
You are oh so close. My victory lap on my 76 was July 4th 2015. Luckily, my daughter captured it on video. I ran acrossed the video last night and watched it a few times. Made me think about your victory laps. My rig was about in the same stage as yours. I know this isn't your first rodeo, but those first laps sure are sweet aren't they. Cheers.
Thanks for the props doc.
You are doing a fine job too, no need to be modest.
You are doing a fine job too, no need to be modest.
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks LED-lighting robs the vintage look of the trucks. I'm very pro-LED for most all other applications... but non-halogens sitting in the bezel of a 40 are a non-starter for me. I swear I'm not old enough to be this fussy about something like this... it just doesn't sit well. =)
Ive been looking at lights as well and dont like the modern look of the LEDs available for a 40 build. My wife has them on her daily driver and loves the light output as long as its not snowing or raining.
Your build is looking great, Dave, care to share some details on your headlight setup?
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- #311
So close indeed! Hard to believe that a few holes needing drilled into the tub are my biggest hurdle and mental challenge right now. Not being up on Aluminum welding techniques I get one shot and want to take my time to get it right. Gotta love the victory laps. . . had a big smile on my face the entire time for the first cruise around the farm!
Thanks for the props doc.
You are doing a fine job too, no need to be modest.
Many thanks. Modesty always keeps me grounded. The second I start strutting around and talking up my work I get bit on the backside by one of my mistakes or oversights. I am proud of where I am in the build, but its only due to the help and advice from many others on this forum and beyond. Completely understand. I have no problem with LEDs at all. They are an excellent option if you do a lot of night driving and I know a lot of people like them. . . Racer offers a set on his website and I suggest anyone considering them to start there. Sometimes my mind prioritizes image over function. . . I just have a picture of what I want in my mind and it can be difficult to alter it. The front of the truck/bib with lights provide so much of the truck's personality and I just like the "single eye" look of halogen bulbs or sealed beams vs. the "broken up" look of the LED lights.
Yea, there is a lot of odd stuff going on up in my brain and not all of it will make sense to everyone. Speaking of Racer's website; In this week's edition of "Doc's purchases at CityRacerllc.com" we have the following:
Headlight adjusting bits, an official OEM JIS Driver, and the new and improved hinge pin set for the rear tire carrier (really excited about those!).
Today I used those headlight adjusting pieces to install the buckets on the front bib. I like this next picture with its sharp contrast of colors. . . shame they do not see the light of day with the bezel on!
Weeellll. . . if you promise not to judge me I will tell you what I am working with. The lights you see in my last post and in the next picture are from my, uh, '16 Wrangler JK. I know, its heresy to use J**p parts on a Land Cruiser. In my defense, I had the light assemblies in my basement after I upgraded these stock housings/bulbs to more powerful lights (that did in fact have LEDs as a component) and amazingly enough the new light housings fit right into the original Toyota buckets:
I prefer to think that these light units are more "universal fit" vs. parts made for the 40's evil cousin. To utilize the higher output from the newer bulb assemblies I will install an additional harness. The dash light switch will still power the stock harness; a connector in the stock H4 connector will travel to a relay (vs. the headlight). Power to the relay will "switch on" power from the battery directly to the new light assemblies. At least that is the plan for now. I had all intentions of getting the bezel painted and installed but at last minute found a couple dimples I wanted to smooth out. My lack of patience and uncured paint/spot filler were not a good combination today so the bezel will have to make an appearance on another day.
If anyone is still reading after my light revelation I have one more picture of nearly all the pieces cleaned in the blasting cabinet.
Its a bit of hassle that the slider mechanisms do not come apart any further. I will try to get them cleaned out as best I can to avoid the future sound of grinding abrasives every time the seat is adjusted. Next week shall be devoted to repairing the compromised brackets. . . and maybe even drilling a few holes.
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Now that's funny right there... my Hella H4 assemblies are off of a '15 Wrangler JK. They work great! I put a rubber grommet in the daytime running light hole and they work a treat.
- Thread starter
- #313
Im glad you get the humor I try to incorporate into some of my posts. I find a good laugh here and there during the day makes for a more fun existence and always try to pass on a smile when I can. I also like to think that I am more resourceful than cheap (Heaven knows Ive spent more on this project than I ever planned to) and could not pass the opportunity to use brand new light assemblies I had laying around vs. buying new ones. . . especially when they fit without any modification. I think there are aftermarket options using the same light housings offered for FJ40s out there on the market -- I looked into that before making the last post and adding photographic evidence to my build.
Had a couple extra hours today to start on one of the seat bracket repairs. I need to fix the center bracket as everything else is based off the placement of that (for drilling holes) but today I took the easy road and started with the simplest fix on the passenger side single bracket. I started by drawing up a rough pattern of the replacement piece:
A little bit of time with the cut off wheel and drill and the new piece looks to test fit nicely:
At this point you may be asking "Why don't you just use the bracket on top of the one you are fixing?" The answer would be that the top of that bracket is rusted out/through and much rougher than it seems in the picture. Happy with the new piece fitment a few touches with the welder and grinding wheel later and we have one out of three seat brackets repaired:
Two more to go. . . they will take a little more work and head scratching to get right but should be able to get them done by the weekend. I probably would have accomplished more today but I was pulled into the temptation of installing the bezel on the front bib. I picked up a rattle can of Dupli-Color Wimbledon White at O-Riley's; it looked more cream colored than white but the archives suggest this is a close match to Toyota's Cygnus White (original bezel color). The off white is probably a good option on my truck as I think a bright white would give a giant smurf vibe after the fiberglass top is painted/installed. Nothing against smurfs, but Id prefer that not be the first thing to go thru people's heads when they see me drive by. Barely had enough in one can to get the bib sprayed; the spray pattern and finish did not impress me all that much as it was going on. I ended up spraying a quick coat of clear over the color and that improved the end product immensely to my eye. Here is what it looks like on the truck:
You can also see that I was unable to resist the temptation of fog light installation. I know the last thing my truck needs right now is fog lights but installing all the fancy/shiny pieces keeps me motivated to get the dirty work done as well. I must have stood in front of the truck just looking for ten minutes or so. Dad even came over to see what I was looking at and after a few seconds said "I think you should give this to me." and then walked off to run the flail mower around the farm fields. I think that is his way of saying "Nice Job, I like it" but he never has been big on giving compliments. . .
Nice job on the seat bracket!
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- #315
After catching up on all my busy work for the day I as able to make it over to the shop around 4pm this afternoon to spend a little more time fixing on seat brackets. I started with the driver side single bracket as I had a plan worked out in my mind. . . I went thru the process snapping pictures as usual but was half done by the time I realized I forgot to install the picture card in the camera. That is where we will jump into the process with the first picture; basically I measured, cut, and bent some 18ga sheet steel into a rough shape after determining how much bad metal needed removed from the bracket. You can see the cut out section in the foreground.
A little welding and a little grinding. . . I am quite proud of how this one turned out. After a little more finessing you will have to look at the backside to know it was repaired! I still need to drill the bolt holes on the bottom but as you can see from the original section I was not quite sure of the location. . .
Next up was the center bracket that helps support the inside driver and passenger seat brackets. Originally I thought the passenger side was needing the repair but after setting everything up it is actually the driver side that had rusted away. I cut the weak metal back to good stuff and measured out my attempt at a replacement. I had some square metal tube I originally thought Id use but the bracket is more of a rectangle so I went a different direction with the repair.
Cut the metal piece out from my plate:
From here I bent the three vertical lines (pay no attention to the crooked line on the left) 90 degrees to form a rectangle similar to the shape of the original bracket tubing. A little more welding and grinding and the bracket now extends down to the floor as it should. I ran out of daylight (try to do all my cutting/welding outside to avoid sparks in the shop) so I will have to cut and weld the foot on tomorrow. Not quite as pretty as the single driver side bracket but this repair should blend right in after I work on it a bit more.
No new holes drilled yet (in the tub) but we are getting closer. I am also trying to decide how to paint/what coatings to go with on the inside of the tub. Right now I am leaning towards Raptor Lining just the floor and painting all the inner walls/fender humps body color. This blue seems to go well with the black and I think lining the floor will help it hold up a bit better as well as break up the all flat surfaces that come with the non-OEM tub. Still aways off from spraying anything but it never hurts to think ahead. . .
A little welding and a little grinding. . . I am quite proud of how this one turned out. After a little more finessing you will have to look at the backside to know it was repaired! I still need to drill the bolt holes on the bottom but as you can see from the original section I was not quite sure of the location. . .
Next up was the center bracket that helps support the inside driver and passenger seat brackets. Originally I thought the passenger side was needing the repair but after setting everything up it is actually the driver side that had rusted away. I cut the weak metal back to good stuff and measured out my attempt at a replacement. I had some square metal tube I originally thought Id use but the bracket is more of a rectangle so I went a different direction with the repair.
Cut the metal piece out from my plate:
From here I bent the three vertical lines (pay no attention to the crooked line on the left) 90 degrees to form a rectangle similar to the shape of the original bracket tubing. A little more welding and grinding and the bracket now extends down to the floor as it should. I ran out of daylight (try to do all my cutting/welding outside to avoid sparks in the shop) so I will have to cut and weld the foot on tomorrow. Not quite as pretty as the single driver side bracket but this repair should blend right in after I work on it a bit more.
No new holes drilled yet (in the tub) but we are getting closer. I am also trying to decide how to paint/what coatings to go with on the inside of the tub. Right now I am leaning towards Raptor Lining just the floor and painting all the inner walls/fender humps body color. This blue seems to go well with the black and I think lining the floor will help it hold up a bit better as well as break up the all flat surfaces that come with the non-OEM tub. Still aways off from spraying anything but it never hurts to think ahead. . .
On the aqualu site, they have a pic gallery of the 40 tubs. Some pics show the different ways some have done their aqualu tubs on the inside. BTW if you do go Raptor, I think a company called tcp global, they sell Raptor in different colors ready to go if you don't want to mix your own color.
Excelent work Doc.
I find this kind of work very rewarding, makes you proud everytime you look at it.
Way better than buying parts.
I find this kind of work very rewarding, makes you proud everytime you look at it.
Way better than buying parts.
- Thread starter
- #318
I had one goal today. . . to get the seat brackets bolted in on the 40. After a lazy/slow start and an emergency cat examination at the office I made it over to the shop and started planning my approach. I started by placing the seat brackets roughly in position:
There were several preplaced holes for the center two seat brackets in the tub; I figured Aqualu or the PO created those. I have been trying to keep everything metric and JIS as much as possible but the seat bracket bolts need to be extra long to pass thru a tube channel in the tub. The already present hole(s) were too small for the provided bolts so they needed drilled larger as well to accommodate the bolts; 3/8 SAE Stainless it is!
I drilled and installed the rear passenger/driver side seat brackets first. From there I worked out to the outside rear seat brackets using a square to try and keep everything lined up. . . as well as installing the bottom seat cushions for a proper fit. The center front bracket was placed/holes drilled next finally followed by the outside brackets. The square helped keep the driver side bracket lined up straight -- the taper of the tub sides made it difficult to judge proper placement.
After several hours of work I finally accomplished the desired task of the day by having the seats bolted in. This was by no means an efficient process. . . I had the seats/brackets in and out near a dozen times to line up and drill holes. Remove bracket, drill hole, replace bracket, tighten bolt, line up next hole, remove bolt, remove bracket, drill hole, you get the idea. I stuck with the light beer today to avoid too many crooked holes.
I will need to have driver seat set back as far as adjustment allows. I possess freakishly long spider legs and every extra bit of space will be utilized. This drives the Mrs. crazy -- her OCD demands that the front two seats of her vehicle be even at all times (even when I am along for the ride). Too bad the passenger side (her side) does not adjust on the 40. I will probably have to seek out a pair of skinnier shoes as well. The work boots just about fill up the footwell.
You know I held onto the steering wheel and made a couple engine noises when I was sitting there
!
We will see what tomorrow brings. Id like to say that efforts will be made to finalize placement of the transmission hump and fuel tank cover. . . but there is a long list of other projects needing attention around the homestead. Nothing worth posting pictures about in the next update unless you like seeing images of cutting grass, planting shrubs, cleaning out the chicken house, etc.
A big thank you to everyone that has served or is an active member of our armed forces. Hearing my grandfathers talk about their experiences in WWII (Grandpa Ed was in the Navy/Pacific, Grandpa Joe was a Medic that took part in the invasion of Normandy via Utah Beach on D-Day) put a lot of things in perspective for me and I am very grateful for the freedoms the armed services help preserve. I wish a safe and happy Memorial Day to everyone out there; thoughts, prayers, and gratitude to all those who never made it home.
There were several preplaced holes for the center two seat brackets in the tub; I figured Aqualu or the PO created those. I have been trying to keep everything metric and JIS as much as possible but the seat bracket bolts need to be extra long to pass thru a tube channel in the tub. The already present hole(s) were too small for the provided bolts so they needed drilled larger as well to accommodate the bolts; 3/8 SAE Stainless it is!
I drilled and installed the rear passenger/driver side seat brackets first. From there I worked out to the outside rear seat brackets using a square to try and keep everything lined up. . . as well as installing the bottom seat cushions for a proper fit. The center front bracket was placed/holes drilled next finally followed by the outside brackets. The square helped keep the driver side bracket lined up straight -- the taper of the tub sides made it difficult to judge proper placement.
After several hours of work I finally accomplished the desired task of the day by having the seats bolted in. This was by no means an efficient process. . . I had the seats/brackets in and out near a dozen times to line up and drill holes. Remove bracket, drill hole, replace bracket, tighten bolt, line up next hole, remove bolt, remove bracket, drill hole, you get the idea. I stuck with the light beer today to avoid too many crooked holes.
I will need to have driver seat set back as far as adjustment allows. I possess freakishly long spider legs and every extra bit of space will be utilized. This drives the Mrs. crazy -- her OCD demands that the front two seats of her vehicle be even at all times (even when I am along for the ride). Too bad the passenger side (her side) does not adjust on the 40. I will probably have to seek out a pair of skinnier shoes as well. The work boots just about fill up the footwell.
You know I held onto the steering wheel and made a couple engine noises when I was sitting there
!We will see what tomorrow brings. Id like to say that efforts will be made to finalize placement of the transmission hump and fuel tank cover. . . but there is a long list of other projects needing attention around the homestead. Nothing worth posting pictures about in the next update unless you like seeing images of cutting grass, planting shrubs, cleaning out the chicken house, etc.
A big thank you to everyone that has served or is an active member of our armed forces. Hearing my grandfathers talk about their experiences in WWII (Grandpa Ed was in the Navy/Pacific, Grandpa Joe was a Medic that took part in the invasion of Normandy via Utah Beach on D-Day) put a lot of things in perspective for me and I am very grateful for the freedoms the armed services help preserve. I wish a safe and happy Memorial Day to everyone out there; thoughts, prayers, and gratitude to all those who never made it home.
Just a quick tip for more room of the driver seat: Flip the rear mounts 180, then flip the triangle mount 180. All the holes should still line up and you should have about 3" or so more leg room. At least from what my memory tells me of the stock seats which I haven't had in my rig for some time. That was with a stock tub too, so not sure if the aqualu thicker metal will allow it as far as fenderwell to seat bracket clearance.
My Dad was in the Navy/Pacific also. He never talked much about what he went through. After he passed away my Mom eventually told us a little bit about what he went through. The one specific incident that I remember dealt with a suicide bomber that, only by the grace of God, a gust of wind blew off course and missed the ship he was on.
My hats off, and my prayer of thanks to all our vets, especially the families of those who gave their all.
Don
My hats off, and my prayer of thanks to all our vets, especially the families of those who gave their all.
Don
