Late Thursday or early Friday

[DanS HJ-45]

Man that's looking good.

My 14 year old son has really dug into this project with me. He probably thinks he's gonna get to drive it to school someday.

Might not be a bad idea. I drove a power wagon or two to school just a couple times in high school. Way more fun that the carpool I normally had to ride.

Very nice! You work quickly sir!

Dan

 

[island45]

I can get some good hours in these days as I'm self employed, AND I don't have a wife.... and the three oldest kids are on their own now. My own little slice of cruiser heaven....oh wait my new girlfriend is showing up at 2....

 

[merbesfield]

That is looking exceptional. I am sure by the time your son turns 16 he will be responsible enough and know how important this truck is to you that he could be trusted for one or two trips to school. It would probably be quite a confidence booster for a young man to be able to drive that truck to school.

 

[beav]

Time for an update?

Actually, my girlfriend and I are talking about living on the island fulltime, she has a place on Vusario ln. I drive a red 80 and a blue 40. See you around.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Hows the build going? How are the thumb and finger?

 

[island45]

Well, the 45 now has a roof installed and the doors are almost ready to hang. Funny thing is that I enjoy the truck without doors and roof as a summertime thing like some guys with their harley. I have other rigs to drive in the winter with good heaters etc.....My thumb and finger are pretty well healed up, but they don't have a lot of feeling and get cold easily. I've been spending a lot of time with my gf, and that's been nice. Oh, and I bought another truck project. I sold my '02 powerstroke and my '29 Model A flatbed and put the money in the bank for lean times ahead. I have been working on this new truck for ten days straight. It's no Toyota, but it will be a good trailer pulling work truck. I had a thread in the 'other vehicles tech' and got some advice there. Here goes. '92 f350 4x4, 7.3 IDI international diesel, 5 sp manual, 8000 lb Ramsey winch, 90,000 miles. Paid 3500. It had been used pretty hard and the rear springs were shot, so I added some extra leaves... Welded up the clutch pedal bracket, rewired the glow plugs, replaced the thermostat and belt and tensioner. Cleaned and painted the insides of the boxes and filled 46 bolt holes that leaked into the compartments. Rehung the exhaust and what else... oh, I painted inside the bed and the wheels, and swapped out some used tires so they'd all be the same size. It had a mixed bag of low profile 75 series tires on it. I came up with 6 of my favorite tall skinnies 255 x 85 x 16. (33")Painting that huge lumber rack will be done tomorrow after I work in the cabinet shop for the morning Then I should be back to the 45 and finish the roof and doors just in time to take them off again. We are planning a open air trip to Montana next summer. Sorry 'bout the Ford, but you sure get a lot of truck for the money with 'em!

 

[island45]

OOps, that was a 'quick reply' and I couldn't post a photo...

 

[malcb]

and my '29 Model A flatbed ......................... Sorry 'bout the Ford, but you sure get a lot of truck for the money with 'em!

Modern looking for the year as well

 

[dmaddox]

VERY COOL!!! I hope to drive my 45 up there some day. You have a nice 45!

This is exciting. I am so glad that we have this Al Gore creation of an internet to share our stories and progress.

Very cool man.

Dallas

 

[island45]

Thanks for the interest in my project, guys. Sharing my 45 with all of you has been almost as much fun as the restoration itself. Here are a few pictures as it looked last summer. We had so much fun driving it 'open air' style, that the old beemer r75 never left the shed. So I sold it.... At 55 years old, I feel a lot safer in the truck. I'm very pleased with how it came out.

 

[spotcruiser]

The truck looks great, Gary. I'm glad that you're enjoying it so much.

Hey, maybe we can manage to get a bunch of the local cruiserheads together up there one of these days.

Todd.

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Glad to hear it's going well. I know what you mean about the open air feeling. I used to have a Harley and after I got the 45 I discovered it was more fun to cruise in the 45 with my kid than on my Harley without him.

It looks like you did well on your new to you Ford, 7.3 and a work bed. That's pretty cool.

As bad as your fingers looked I say it's turning out o.k. Oh yeah, the 45 is looking good.

 

[Ironmanfj45]

Gary, Your truck came out looking great. I really like the color and you made it look so simple. Great Job Man!

Cheers,

Jim

 

[island45]

I wish I had some sweet progress photos of my beloved 45... but a week ago Monday I was heading to the mainland and I just HAD to sneak a peek at that frikken Craigslist.. anyhow, I bought this 37 ford 1 1/2 ton that was in a shed in Ferndale for 27 years. Guy wanted 1800. Said it had only 'light surface rust'. He wasnt kidding. He did a bit of body work on some small dents before it went into storage...I had it running next morning by 10 am. Today I was driving it to all my buddies places on the island.... with no lights, license plates or any other frivolities! I'll be onto my 45 doors next week.... I promise!

 

[rockcod]

Nice split window bug in the corner!!

That is a sweet old work truck, nice buy

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

Nice split window bug in the corner!!

That is a sweet old work truck, nice buy

Holy Cow! Was the split window bug for sale as well? Nice truck by the way. Running by 10 a.m. is quite an accomplishment.

 

[island45]

The split window is for sale too. I didn't ask the price. It has been molested a bit with a 2300 cc bus engine and some other 'upgrades'. His only comment was it would be worth 30,000. restored to original. ( Of course we all know that would cost 31,000.... and some change). . And Todd, I like your idea about a get together on Orcas Island. This time we can just hang out, tour the island and maybe do some trail stunts on my 10 acres. No 12 hour wrenching session this time .... How 'bout a log skidding competition? I need to get next years firewood out from my lower portion of woods. I have found cruisers make great skidders! Beer to follow ......Today I'm getting those nice Arizona doors ready for weatherstripping. Don't look too close.... I know I'm no 'Bucruseau', but I am the 'Charlie Daniels of the paint brush'.......

 

[a.greenspan]

The split window is for sale too. I didn't ask the price. It has been molested a bit with a 2300 cc bus engine and some other 'upgrades'. His only comment was it would be worth 30,000. restored to original..

Ha ha ha... never
scroll Volkswagen (prices € December 2008)
http://www.motor-klassik.de/hps/img/hxmedia//mpsmkl/pay/6N7Rewqe0FgCzc.pdf

Cheers
Peter

this one Citroen 2 CV Sahara 4 x 4 1958 would be worth( if you can find one ) 25000 € all original !!!
Cats Citron Net 2cv Sahara History

 

[spotcruiser]

Those are great looking doors, Gary. Now that they're up here in WA, you might want to do some rust-proofing along the botton inside. Maybe hit it with a sufficient coat of Eastwood Rust Encapsulator to seal the seam between halves and then make sure the drains are free. I wish I had done that with the doors on my '78 back in '77. I'm doing the rust repair now.

I'll inquire about a group trip up there. It's tough getting a consensus out of the group, but with summer weather I might be able to get some people together.

Todd.

 

[island45]

I plan on rust proofing inside the doors. I have used rustoleum rusty metal primer all my life, beginning almost 40 years ago. The guy who got me started happens to have bought an fj 45 brand new in Weymouth Mass. in 1967. (Unfortunately he didn't do inside of his doors with it...)... But I'm going to. I have painted rusty truck floorboards with it that I have now watched for 30 years, never even got a topcoat and still sound. I like using it best on a hot August day when things are nice and dry. I go for the brush on type and thin the first coat so it creeps in 'nice and deeplike'. For these doors I have actually considered making a trough, perhaps several feet of aluminum gutter with 2 end caps, and standing the doors up in it in a bath of thinned primer. I am also a big fan of the waxy oil treatments. I may finish off the job with a dose of LPS rust preventive spray from an aerosol can. I have even considered putting the gutter on a hot plate with oil and parrifin and beeswax and whatever else and soaking the doors in that. I know I will have to really clean the surface before the weatherstrip will adhere, never mind the paint. I'm sure the new products are great, but I always seem to have a gallon of rustoleum on the shelf and i kinda like making a witches brew now and then..... and I'll try not to forget to shut off the hotplate before going to bed...