A new year has begun.
On a hunch, I started to track down the original owner of the truck, looking in Norwich, North Dakota via Google and Facebook. Norwich is 77 square miles but averages about 284 people. So, I figured: small town, beautiful area, and the possibility that someone may remember a farmer having a truck sitting in a field for over 30 years may just work.
I ended up connecting with a woman who owns a business there. She is willing to help and even has an idea or two regarding who may have owned this truck. I would love to use the original owner's story and include this beautiful small town. I also asked the guy (dealer) who sold me the truck but thus far he has been reluctant to name a name.
The bed of the truck, that was full of parts, is down to a select few at this point.
Craig expects his end of all this work to be done in March. Once he is satisfied, I will go to Chicago and do the shake down of the truck with him before shipping it home.
Once I get it here, I need to install the used tailgate, have the two windshields replaced, work on the driver's door so it closes properly, and insulate the floor of the cab. Then, at some point I need to gently sand the body and put a clear on it to preserve the rust.
That is the plan but all the while I intend to drive it and take it to a few shows in order to let others see this work of art.
Craig installed the window regulator in the driver's door and it took him nearly three hours as the bolts were all rusted, the access was terrible, and the entire procedure was difficult.
Craig got the grille back in. He has the brake / tail light assembly working now. He will install the wiring from front to back in a corrugated wire case to protect them. A very good idea for sure.
Craig put the battery hold down in, exhaust hanger on, the clamps on the exhaust and the big one ---- the two seat belts are bolted in place.
A headliner showed up in error rather than the door panels. I asked Craig not to install it as I wanted to really look at it to see if I really want to install this.
Gearhead Geek web site requested all the pictures and story of the truck to put on its web site. Another win here.
We started the re-build story on Stovebolt in the DITY Gallery. It was great to see all the pictures on-line for anyone who desires to see the process and read about the journey.
Barnfinds.com put
a story about the '49 on their web site along with pictures and a video. Very well done article by them.
I sent a note to our local free newspaper, Cranberry Eagle, asking if they would like to feature this truck in an article. I mentioned the other publications that were carrying the story. The editor was not interested then ... but he came around later.
I contacted the local paper in Craig's hometown, The Homer Horizon, to see if they would be interested in the story and they jumped all over it. They talked to Craig initially and then called me for additional insights.
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I wanted to take a moment today to reflect on Craig. Here is a guy who was involved in cars since a young boy. He began in our family garage buying an old car and through much work and very little money, got the old thing running and road worthy.
After that project there were others as he served as a mechanic, foreman, and eventually a shop owner before halting that career and beginning a new.
Along the way he suffered a devastating eye injury from a battery explosion from no fault of his own.
As time marched on, he married and was blessed with children and continued to strive for excellence in everything he did.
Then, the worst nightmare for any parent happened on February 15, 1996 when his daughter was called home to The Lord after a vehicle accident. There are no words that can ever calm this hurt, but the family that was close, now grew closer than ever before to help one of their own. That is what this family does and will do as time goes on.
The world is a very different place today than it was that day in 1996 but one thing that never changed is how this family sticks together.
I could give you endless examples but just look at this project and you will understand not only how the three brothers stuck together but how the offspring of Bruce and Craig have carried this attitude on to this very day.
It is an amazing family and our hopes spring eternal for the future of the Weisseg family.************************
A very pleasant surprise gift came from Patrick's Antique Auto and Truck as promised. I will keep the contents to myself but needless to say it was generous and unexpected. Patrick and Danese are certainly special people and have proven that time and time again.
I heard from the guy I bought the truck from. I asked for a recommendation to haul the truck home soon and he replied.
We will soon be on a roll!
