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After asking around (family, friends, kids at school, colleagues, Stovebolt) I think I've settled on #2. Not basic green, not as involved as the other 2, still killer! Numbers 2 & 3 were heavily favoured. I like them both, but I think I'll go with simpler over #3.

Thanks all!

In the meantime, I have been finalizing the exhaust system. I removed the manifolds and primed them and reinstalled. It is fully tacked in place the entire length to the last bends behind the tires. I’ll do those last when the bed is on. The hangers are in and oh boy do I like those. Good quality methinks and well priced, too. Walker style. I also installed a few v clamps along the length so I could remove the exhaust in chunks if needed. I did test this to be sure it worked! I am very happy with the outcome so far.

I have also bent a few lines running up to the MC on the brake system. I mocked up the steering shaft for clearance and slapped on the inners and core for reference. Not a whole lot of differences, but some stuff is getting done. Once the brakes are roughly plumbed in (I'm not sure where the e brake cables will run yet... puzzle truck video here I think! 😉😎), I will try to get the fuel lines plumbed and then turn attention to the radiator, shroud, and transmission lines to the rad.

Then wiring?

Tonight I prepped and primed the intake, as I had washed, sanded, and filled it a week ago. Looking good so far. I have a little sanding and touch up filling of microscopic filler pinholes, but it's going well.

PS- In addition, I also pulled the plugs out of the Rambler and dumped some oil and diesel down her holes to try to loosen her up. I let it sit for a couple weeks and then I tried to turn the crank bolt with a breaker bar. I could feel too much resistance so I stopped so I didn't twist off the crank bolt. Next, I ripped out the radiator so I can later build a good strong bar to grab the dampener and try to turn it. If no luck, I'll pull the head and see what's happening in there.

I also took its keys to the locksmith. I had a working glovebox key, an ignition partly removed but no key and 2 door locks with no keys. The glovebox key wouldn't open the trunk. So I figured if I got some keys made and one of them would open the trunk...right?

Nope. $80 down and still not in the trunk.

So I told my wife one day, "I'm gonna pick that lock."

"That's nice, dear. Good luck."

Everett was playing in the snow bank, my wife and daughter were taking a nap, so I grabbed all the paper clips in the drawer, a long Swiss Army knife flat blade attachment and went to town. After about 35 minutes of fiddling I began to get a feel of what tumblers were where. I grabbed another clip and began to bend and match it to previous clips I had made. I slid it in and could feel 3 very satisfying click, click, clicks...

Hold breath...

Turn...


POP!!!

Whoop whoop!

I stopped for the night and told Everett, "Let's go in for supper."

My wife asked, "Giving up already?"

"Nope. I got it."

"What?! That probably saved us a couple hundred bucks in labour and travel time!"

I'm happy to report that Jimmy Hoffa is not in the trunk and that there were some actually good things in the trunk: spare tire, jacks, spare MC, hub cap, a pile of old 77 Ferd truck parts (again!), and get this....

THE BLOODY KEYS FOR THE CAR!!


Did you see that coming?!

I didn't even hesitate to close the trunk lid and try the keys I found as I knew I already had a working, home made paper clip/knife combo thing a ma jig! 😉

What an adventure that was! 😎🦊