December 3, 2011

Two weeks ago something happened. Mike and I had seen some flyers at the local Chick-Fil-A for a "Car show / Cruise-in" or something to that effect, and we decided to check it out. The whole thing was pretty small as far as number of cars on display.  We found out that it was put together by some people from a social network called Mid Florida Cruisers. I decided to join up. Going to car shows and being connected to people that are into classic cars and restoration help keeps the energy in my own project. So what does that mean in terms of action?

First of all, I checked this blog and realized that it's been a year since I found out about the parts truck still extant. I notice that I had never posted any update on that front, so here goes. I went down and looked at it sometime, I don't recall when. There are still some parts worth taking, but I think I decided it wasn't worth hauling it out of there. Sadly now it's been so long that I've forgotten exactly what I wanted to do with it. I called up the people who own the place where it's stored and said I'd be down to start taking care of it the following week, which is the week that is now gone. ( Some stuff came up for work.) I plan to go down there next week and have another look, maybe pull some stuff off of it. More updates on that to follow.

Progress on the truck itself- very little. Radiator seemed to spring a leak and magically heal itself. I started cleaning all the junk out of the bed in preparation to get moving on the restoration again, much of which has been there since I moved here a year and a half ago. Beside the fenders and other various body panels that are back there, I found two boxes of water guns, chrome rings for the wheels, shelf brackets, a vacuum, various hoses, a slingshot, a pile of brass disks, that fender from the Porsche 944, styrofoam coolers, a bird feeder, and yes, a kitchen sink. It's still an ongoing process. I've started building racks and shelves for stuff that up to now has been sitting in or on the truck. That kitchen sink will make a useful utility sink behind the garage.

In other news, at the Cruise-in I met (or re-met) a local guy that's got a restored '65 truck. He told me he had seen some parts listed for a '64 on craigslist. I was able to make it up to Osteen today to check it out. The guy had a bunch of parts left over from a restoration he and a friend of his had done. We spent maybe an hour picking through it. I got a new "Deluxe" heater (an upgrade from the "Thrift Air" heater from the parts truck), a new windshield gasket with aluminum trim, a few other gaskets, new glovebox, aftermarket fuel gauge sender, door stops, dome light lens, door and window handles, aluminum headlight bezels, a license plate light, rearview mirror, turn signal switch, horn button, door windows, vent window assemblies, and a new grille support panel. All for $100! Now I gotta find a place for all of it...
 

 Aside from all of that, my Christmas wish list is full of body panels to replace the floorboard. We'll see what happens...