The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs New Parts!

My Suburban is very much a back burner project these days. It runs and drives and with little attention has done so for most the nearly eight years (April 11, 2002) that I have owned it.

I've been collecting parts here and there for that day when I'll fix the rusty body. I have pretty much every panel Ray Stanley sells plus I've bought one Suburban and three panels to get more usable sheet metal.

About five years ago I passed up an opportunity to buy the inside window trim for the side windows. All mine are rusty and at least two of them are not salvageable. The guy wanted what I thought was an outrageous price.

In the years since these window garnishes are something I look for at every swap meet and junk yard and I've never found a set at any price. I've had people tell me they had a set but no one has ever come through.

In fact I recently told my wife that next time I found a set I needed to just pay whatever the price was and be done with it. She cringed.

And then about ten days ago a guy emailed me out of the blue and asked if I was still looking for a set. I immediately said yes.

He sent me some pictures and he had three of the four in what looked to be pretty nice condition. I bought them for the price he named, which was well within what I felt was a fair price. My wife still cringed, but it wasn't because the price was high, but because my health problems are straining the budget. She worries about such things.

The three arrived today nicely packed and every bit as good as they looked in the pictures. A little cleaning and fresh paint and they will be ready to go.

I'm not sure which one I don't have, but its one of the forward pair and looking at my not so good ones I'm thinking it may be time for me to practice welding really thin sheet metal. I might be able to use my falling apart rusty ones to fix one more.

So I'm just a little bit happy. Actually I haven't stopped smiling since the UPS man came. These were not the only pieces I was still looking for, but they are the ones I was most worried about finding.

Party at my house tonight! Come by for a beer and I'll show you my new treasures!