Hey all - thanks for following along. Quick update here. To confirm, seller is a great guy - we've talked a few times and yes, we did agree on a price. Update tonight is that I'm pushing back the pickup until next weekend - the 24th is the agreed date to be specific. I talked the the seller today, and we're both aligned on the new date. Reason for the week delay is twofold:
1) I've got commitment from my cousin (
@jwheelwr the OP on this thread) that he's going to make the drive up to Montana to get it with me, but he can only go next weekend. We shared the same Grandfather who owned this very same Cruiser when we were kids in the 80s and early 90s, and we share memories of going rabbit hunting and wheeling with him. We were laughing today that we remember Grandpa taking us in winter and accidently doing a full 360 on some black ice when we were both strapped in the jump seats in the back. OP is as pumped up as I am to get this back in the family! He's in Salt Lake and I'm in Reno, so he's either going to fly to Reno next Friday to make the drive all the way with me, or meet me in Wells, NV and go the rest of the way with me.
2) I'm having some work done to my utility trailer this week to be sure I'm safe to tow it. I've having some D-rings welded on and I'm repacking the wheel bearings and adjusting the brakes before this nearly 2k mile drive. It's a tandem axle 16ft trailer - easily will handle the Cruiser, but wasn't really setup with good strap points to axle strap vehicles. This will be good to get this done right.
@centerlineseal - the -15 forecast on Saturday night this weekend will be nice to avoid also!
Now that I have some help coming with me and some extra time - I'm seriously considering trying to install the hard top when we're up there. I think I'm going to have to bring all the needed hardware with me to be safe, since I doubt we'll find the hardware when we're up there. I saw a few posts above about possible bolt sizes (M6). My goal is a temporary install - safe for the trip back, but certainly will need to be taken apart for new seal and other work.
Can anybody confirm what bolt sizes I should try to get my hands on for this install, and how many? Other than the bolts and normal hand tools - anything else I need for the install?
I'll send a few pics of the trailer when ready, and you'll get to see some photos next weekend of both
@jwheelwr and I going to pick up the Cruiser. I'll do my best to document this journey and get photos as we go and keep everybody up to speed. Once I get this thing back home, we can start talking about the right way to restore/resto-mod/other.
Last note for today - I talked to
@orangefj45 at Valley Hybrids on Monday by phone - he's going to get me on the schedule to give this a thorough inspection and make a plan with me on the mechanical component. It will make the trip to Stockton in sometime in the next 4-8 weeks. In the meantime, I can figure you what the end goal is here.
