The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (MD, VA, West VA, DC, DE and PA) My Brothers, its days like today the reason for old trucks........

Today was a great day.

My fellow ODSS Brother Jim Brad and I met a little over a year ago. We connected through another Stovebolter as Jim got the itch and bought a basketcase truck. When I first saw the truck it was a cab, chassis and a rusty mess.

Through this past year Jim was determined to get this truck running. He has used this site as a great resource and I have been over a few times to help out.

Today was the day. He was going to get the truck together and go for its maiden voyage. So I hopped in the GreenMachine and headed over for an escort.

Here is a link of the day: First Cruise

Jim's truck ran great. The best part was seeing his big grin as I drove by.....

Congrats Brother Jim!!

Congrats indeed!

Great feeling, isn't it, Jim?!?!? Good going, Shipmate!

Drive it to Homecoming this year!

Good on ya, too, Chris, for helping a Brother. That's what I hoped this site would be all about. Days like this make us happy, proud and motivated!

Thanks for sharing,
John

Good work you guys!!!

Congrats Jim!

Nice video Sweet!

Mike B

As always, Chris is being modest...he was over to the house more than a few times. Along the way, our familes got to know eachother and our kids got to play together. He nursemaided me through one issue after another and showed patience with my panic attacks. Always the steady Sergeant-at-Arms.

We did, indeed, turn a corner yesterday...took a nice long run with zero stalls, hiccups, or roadside service.

And, you're right, John; It's a great feeling! I owe a debt to Sweet (and others here) I can't repay, but I can try by hopefully learning enough to help another brother through the issues I had.

I had hoped to get the truck to Homecoming, but don't know if I can get it back; The transmission demo that Cosmo is planning for me may be a prelim one and it will be the first time he's seen it. So when we tear into it, it might give up the ghost. We'll see. I could always pull it there and get help removing the trans! How's that for pushing my luck???

Thanks to all. This has been a great year!

Jim

Awesome job gents! Congrats to Jim and his cool '57, and kudos to Sweet for his assistance.

Friendships formed in rusty steel are as hard to break as an east coast inner fender bolt!

Now get your butts over to the ranch and help with my '49 Burb.

George

Great job you guys. Jim you are making great progress on your project and it is very impressive and as John said, motivating too. I know the feeling you had taking your truck for its first cruise, a day I will never forget either. We are fortunate to have the the likes of one Chris Sweet in our group. Congrats to both of you on a job well done.

Thanks for all the atta-boys, but really, Jim is the driving force behind this truck! His rate of progress is difficult to keep up with! He is a busy bee in his workshop probably daily doing something, whether it is cleaning rusty parts, re-installing sheetmetal or something else, I am always amazed everytime I go to his house at how much work he has completed form the last time I was there.

I am glad to have such a great trucker so close by!!!!!!

That is one suh-weet ride. Very nicely done! I have absolutely NO idea when I'm going to get mine on the road. I keep letting the issues ahead intimidate me (gas lines, brake lines, changing out the leaf spring axle perches, etc.). As much as I like stock, I'm putting mine together the way I wish I could've afforded to back when I was 16 and owned my first one, Chevy 350 small block, 4-speed auto trans, disk brakes front and rear (Pacer front end, Explorer rear). I think 52 Carl will probably have all 3 of his on the road before I even get my one truck done!