The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (MD, VA, West VA, DC, DE and PA) December Wrench Day at Mikey's

Had a great day yesterday with the ODSS. Members present: Mike Roache (Host), Chris Sweet (Ranking ODSS Official in attendence), Billy Marlow, Hambone, Freyja, the pig and myself. AmtrakJoe joined us by text at various points throughout the day. More about the pig later ... Object of the day was two-fold -- 1. Get the Buddy Truck running and drive it around; and 2. Remove usable parts from the latest junk truck (a 1950 1-ton).

A little background ... Back in October, Hambone and I helped a co-worker of mine "rescue" an International-based firetruck and a second rolling chassis. Our boss let us use the 359 Pete and the Landoll 330 for the day (a Saturday). I drove the Pete and operated the Landoll, Hambone was the "Swamper." While extracting the firetruck from the fence line brush (and out from under the fallen tree ...) we happened to notice the unmistakable outlines of an Advance Design cab in the brambles. Our curiosity got the better of us and we looked closer -- It was a 1950 1-ton (dually) sans bed. Interesting to look at but it was pretty far gone and probably best left where it was ... After we got the International stuff on the trailer, and before we could get strapped and get out of there ... they tractor reappeared with the 1-ton on a chain. It was ours if we'd haul it away... Well, we REALLY weren't all that interested in dealing with it, we thought it would be rather unfriendly to make them put it back in the hedge row ... But we had no space on the Landoll and we didn't want to make a second trip ... we thought we had a good excuse ... until my coworker whipped out his phone and called his son to bring his truck and trailer for the '50.

Fast forward to yesterday. We had to get the truck off my coworker's hands as it was in his way. We moved it over to Mike's yesterday and we commenced the parts removal (dissection...). Also on the agenda was getting the BUddy truck running again and possibly drive it around some. The buddy truck has lived at Mike's farm since it left the farm formerly known as Stovebolt HQ.

We got to a point where we couldn't remove any more useful parts off the donor truck easily. Mike's wife showed up with lunch from one of our local BBQ joints (which was fabulous! Thanks again Carey!!).

After lunch, we moved over to the barn where buddy was (next to the barn and the hog pen...). After a lot of head scratching and battery charging and pig visiting. Yesterday was also Freyja's 7th birthday ... so her birthday present was being with us and a bonus was getting to meet a pig nose to snout. Wins all around!

We could not get Buddy to crank fast enough to start. So Mike broke out the Farmall H and a chain ... and ... Buddy Started! We spent the rest of the afternoon taking turns driving buddy around the farm. Buddy, as many of you will recall, is a large (3-ton?) GMC with a Clark 5-speed, giant Braden winch and ... air brakes! It is just a fun truck to drive.

A fun day for all of us to be wrenching together again. Plenty of jocularity and good natured ribbing.

A big thanks to the Roache family for hosting us. And a special shout out to Sally the Sow for her expert advice, warm friendship and for keeping Freyja company whilst we were out terrorizing the neighborhood in Buddy.

And thanks to my ODSS brothers for a great day of wrenching/Garage Therapy.

JM

More pics. I added a couple more from the 1-ton retrieval day.

Y’all have way too much fun!

weather was not any good though.

Thanks for coming fellas. Was more fun than you know. Buddy sits back in his spot next to the pumphouse quietly and patiently waiting for another fun day. Hopefully in the near future to get Johns trailer unloaded and useful parts stripped off.

Darn you guys!!
I could use some help here in the Heartland. Picked up a couple buckets of row crop corn today and getting a homemade trailer ready to get to our place.
Tomorrow will be cutting some more oak firewood and waiting on the the new Bead Blaster to show up in the front driveway.

Should I start posting pictures of Heartland life?
Don

Makes me wish I had had more Bolters closer to me. Looks like you all had a great day wrenching, to bad about all that rain

Craig, if there is a Homecoming next spring, you need to meet these boys!
But don’t turn your back to any of them.

Don

Great day indeed, especially after the work schedule I have had of late. I forgot what it was like to hang out with good buds and have a few laughs. When we were having trouble getting Buddy to crank even with a fairly decently charged battery, I was seriously having my doubts as to whether he would run again that day. Mikey gave him a couple of tugs with the H and darn if Buddy didn't fire off. The further we drove the better he ran. That truck is cool for a lot of reasons but I love the air brakes and the Clark. We did discuss some Official ODSS business while we had ad quorum. Stay tuned for details. Kind of wish we weren't headed into a long cold winter. Saturday kind of got me excited about doing some truck stuff again...... Work and Home projects have taken all my time lately.
I did get the '50 out to deliver the sleigh we restored at work

Great day indeed and long overdue.

Any day that starts with a line of John Deere tractors that extract a 50 one-ton is going to be a good day. Add a handful of ODSS Brothers, and top it all off with Freyja the birthday pup. The truck extractions was either really easy, or this group has gotten really good at it.

Did a few hours of wrenching, tool finding, and laughs.

Top it off with Buddy finally firing and cruising around the farm.

Thanks to all that made it. Look forward to the next one!

Let me ask this. Has anyone ever witnessed a more serious "work face" than what Sweet wears when he is elbows deep in an engine bay, or staring blankly in the general direction of an engine bay?
I can't say that I have.
If you listened closely, I'll bet you could hear the gears turning in his head.
I really need to work on that trait so that it looks like I know what I am doing.

I was THIS CLOSE to making that trip to Mikey's. Matters at home keeping me local these days. Hambone teased me all day long with pictures of the "jewelry" I needed off the 1-ton for grandpas truck someday. I imagine he has what I need and I will pay dearly for them when we catch up. Glad to see Buddy turned over and ran. That truck sits with an attitude - a photographers dream in the right light. Talk soon men. Great post John. Amtrakjoe

Horsehockey, Joe! *I* have what you want. You have to deal with *me*

hehehehehehe...

But you are spot on about Buddy. He has absolutely the right stance for a truck. AND ... he is SOOOOOOOO much fun to drive. People who drove trucks like Buddy are the ones who coined the phrase "Drives like a truck..."

Plus ... it's cool how Buddy dwarfs Charlie and makes him look like a girlie 1/2-ton .... It would be fun to park a 3100 next to Charlie and Buddy for the full effect.

I got dibbs on that nice carb!

Hey Jim, Awww nuts.

Saving you all the poison ivy vines Jim.

That’s what friends do!

Need some snow photos of trucks to get the feeling

No snow in these parts Tim! it's going close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit tomorrow!
Thinking about a nice December drive tomorrow if I get some time.

No matter how much rust is involved, removing the remains of a 1 ton from the bushes is an honorable accomplishment ! Well done !

Jim

You guys, i.e., John, Billy, Chris, and Roach, make me proud to be associated with ODSS, as what could be more fun than rescuing old iron out of a hedgerow? Hey, I believe I found the owner of the last Chevrolet Pick-Up produced at the Baltimore GM Plant that closed in 1995. More to follow once I actually see it and arrange for ODSS members (or any stovebolters) whom want to visit with the old man.I sent pics to John & Peggy at editor@stovebolt.com. It appears as though it's a 1972 , but unsure at the moment. V/r, Nick

And Hambone.

Nick -- Make no mistake about the "rescue" ... It was *only* Hambone and I. And we were not all that enthusiastic about it. It was rather forced upon us, as it were. We were no heroes. What happened after that was ... well, it happened after that. I will not try to make any more of it than what it was. But what it was ... was a lame excuse to get the band together to have fun with Buddy and to enjoy each others' company (whilst quaffing some adult beverages ...) As it is, we are trying to make the most of a less-than-optimal situation and getting enough usable parts off of it to make the whole experience semi-legitimate... We still need to figure out how we are going to save the brake drums as I *REALLY* need this hunk of scrap metal OFF MY TRAILER soonest. I may just cart it as is to scrap soon as I need my trailer for other tasks. Hate to scrap (possibly) usable brake drums, an SM420 and a non-seized 216 ... but ...

Did I mention that I need my trailer?

Here's the situation, gang. And yes, I am well aware of where we are on the calendar.

1. I need my trailer next Wednesday.
2. I do not have a place to unload this truck (it does not roll -- rear axle is locked up) to store it).
3. One way or another, my trailer will be unloaded by Saturday evening.

Should a workable plan not be presented by Saturday, it will go to scrap Saturday and be unloaded there -- Brake drums, 216, SM420 ... all of it.

I need my trailer back.