After ten years, I sold my truck. All I did was own it, replace the fluids every once in a while, and drive the sucker. I always had plans to fix it up, but had too much fun driving.
I was worried that the new owners would get it home and be totally disappointed in the amount of work it needed.
I feel much better after receiving this email:
Hi Jim,
Hope this mail gets to you! My son and I bought "Big n Yella" and i thought you might like to know the status. First, we are glad we got her!! A real thing of beauty! The plan for her to be Ashlen's first rig so he calls most of the shots on what gets done. I maintain a complete power to over-ride the order of work and complete veto power if necessary! He is a reasonable and bright kid so we are taking one step at a time. Since he doesn't have a license yet driving a lot is not top priority but stabilizing oxidation is! We pulled the doors to get at the hinges to re pin and bushing them so they close where they are suppose to. We pulled the front fenders bumper grill and the bed. Pressure washed/degreased everything twice. Pulled the bench out and stripped to the springs. I found a sheet(3.5'x5') of 20gauge stainless at the recyclers which we are using to patch with.(a friend who does body and fender work said that is all he uses) There were a couple of holes in the front fenders and one "attempted repair" which we removed and redid using ss. Ground off rust in and out, converted the rust with phosphoric acid sanded and primed. Same with all the removeable panels in the cab, power wire brush(twisted wire cup type), convert rust sand prime and stack inside garage. Most of the inside of the cab has been power wire brushed and rust converted. This weekend we worked on the bed and doors. Welded a small round wire brush to the end of a 3 foot stainless rod which we could mount in a drill and grind the inside of the doors (after creating a new access panel in each door on the hinge end). After brushing we treated heavy with rust converter/polymer. Ashlen has practiced the simple patches and spent most of yesterday fashioning the new bottom of the driver side door. It will be better than new. I have driven up to Lake Oswego every weekend since we got her to work in an effort to make hay while the sun shines!! Of course last weekend it rained like crazy. I bring home to eugene parts to work on during the week(one side of the bed and a couple cross bed supports and the frond end of the bed which we will build all new steel the rust is too bad to save.
Thank you for the service manual, parts, and website info!! I spend a lot of time on Stovebolt.com! Great info, love the gallery(so many start with so little) people love these trucks!!
Ill send you some photos next time.
Scott
Last edited by Jim Bow; 08/02/2011 9:53 PM.