I can't remember where I left off, so I'll just start where I currently am. =) Yesterday, my dad helped me put my new "bedliner" in. I had this idea to incorporate yardsticks like quilt blocks (I've quilted for over 22 years and currently make custom t-shirt quilts). Bruno was a farm truck in Kansas in his past life, and since I had my quilt shop name aged on the doors, I thought the yardsticks would be a good alternative to a shiny new bed. I scrapped the quilt pattern idea when I realized I was overthinking it, and decided to stagger them like a hardwood floor instead. There are 116 pieces, and I put six layers of urethane on it in 46 sections of application. I used subfloor adhesive to adhere them to plywood.
Bruno came without a shifter knob, and my original idea was to have a thimble made. My (at the time) 22-year-old son told me that most people his age wouldn't know what it was (valid point! LoL), but how about a spool of thread? Perfect! A young gentleman in a neighboring town does custom metal work, and he was up to the challenge! I can't wait to use it!
Hubby just ordered me a new water pump because the 261 pushed the fan blade out too far for the radiator. Since the original 216 Babbit was seized, the 235 with captain's bars (from a 1961 Chevy) was the next best thing. The motor runs, but I have to wait for the new water pump to arrive to actually start the truck for the first time.
The toolbox in the bed was a nod to my paternal grandpa, since he was a master carpenter (and Bruno was my maternal grandpa's name). I saw it at Frog Follies a couple of years ago and had to have it. It now houses...my battery! I swapped to 12V and needed a place for the larger battery—it fit perfectly.
I realize that my additions aren't for everyone, but other than the door art, everything I modified was missing or needed replaced. Hubby got me new rims and had them powder-coated to match the green on my door, and I have original hubcaps to put on it as a finishing touch. A reducer and new gauges allowed me to keep the original instrument cluster (my favorite part!), and Hubby purchased the faux leather seat for me because mine was covered with a bath mat-like material and needed replaced.
A muffler system, finishing touches on the interior, and a little more wiring, and I'll be on my way! This has been my dream for the last five years, and I'm so happy that my husband helped me make it a reality! I've learned quite a bit about vehicles, and I've thoroughly enjoyed almost every moment of the restoration. I personally removed everything from it (sans having help with the motor and tranny), cleaned what we could salvage, and replaced quite a bit of it myself. It's definitely something I'm proud of, and thankful for the overtime and family who made it possible. =)
1946 Chevy Getting started on Bruno Follow the story in the DITY Gallery You can't buy happiness but you can buy a truck ... and that's pretty much the same thing.
