I'm legit again, my "new" '68 LB

['68OrangeSunshine]

Those look pretty snazzy there, Boy Wonder.
But if you ever had a set of West Coast Juniors, you'd never go with mini-mirrors. Absolute total top notch rearward surveillance. If you know you're not the fastest pumpkin on the freeway, you know most of the impact-related threat is coming from your 6 O'clock.
Also great for checking our chicks in the parking lot.
But I'm an old dog. I'll never change.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

[...]
But if you ever had a set of West Coast Juniors, you'd never go with mini-mirrors. [...]
But I'm an old dog. I'll never change.

The '69 that I had before, had those. Sounded like an F-15 taking off when going into a headwind. These have enough convex curve to make up for the size. Old.... sometimes change is not for the better.

Haven't done a thing, other than drive, and hauled some demolition lumber for firewood. Tonight I took some glamor shots:

['68OrangeSunshine]

Nice pix.
I had to down the Orange Creamsicle for a couple weeks. The ''custom-made'' clutch rod was coming apart, and I was afraid it would happen in traffic. Also my passenger side window came out of the track. So I replaced the regulator and the window run and post channel rubber, and the felt side wipes, but couldn't figure how to put new rubber seals around the vent wings, so the old prehistoric rubber went back in. Very involved process according to You Tube videos. Only did the RH door window rubber. I'll do the drivers side later. Won't be so hard a second time.
So nice to have a smoothly rolling window again. Also, on cold, icy, dark and stormy nights, driving in the blackness, wind whistling thru the gaps in insulation, and the intermittent rapping, rapping, rapping on my door. You'd think the bony fingers of the Grim Reaper were knocking to be let in -- at 60 MPH. Well Nevermore.

A freak wind gust blew my 20' x 10' ShelterLogic canopy over. Fully tits-over-teacups and landed on the tin shed next to it -- ripping my new-in-September cover, and bending most of the poles useless. I can get another on Amazon, but it's a $300 setback.
We used a 10 x 10 Arizona Wildcat popup to work on the door, but it can't be left up overnight, the wind will kill it.
I went to see my machinist about his custom upper clutch rod. He said the rod ends weren't really Heim Joints, but something for tractor/implement linkage shifters. He directed me to Don's Hot Rod shop, our local "Candy Store" and I got a pair of proper heim joints, then Ace hardware had 3/8-24 1-1/2'' bolts, bronze washers, and locknuts to complete the fix. After replacing the upper clutch rod so it's bombproof for another 14 years, I noticed the clutch feel got a lot taller. I let the 2 jam nuts on the lower clutch rod out about an inch and a quarter -- taking pressure off the fork, but it's still a high stepper.
But now it runs.

Still haven't gotten fresh aspen swamp cooler pads yet, and it's 95F inside with fans on. Now with the truck running, I can pick up the pads.

The '71 Jimmy is running good. I was on my way to the Shell station to tank up last Saturday night. I get 80 cents off a gallon from Fry's VIP points. The gas gauge never worked since I got it. The traffic light changed red before I could pull a left into the Shell Station. When the light went green, I hit the gas, got 25' into a 90* turn and it stalled. Deadstick. I tried to start again and it coughed to a shaky start, but sputtered around the corner and up to the pump. The log showed I had gone 201 miles since last fillup. [I figure 10 MPG.] I filled one 5 gallon jerry can with premium, and slowly pumped 20.3 gallons into the blazer tank. It's a nominal 20.5 gallon tank. The in-cab tanks will hold 22.5.
After a fresh filling, the Jimmy was good to go.

Major gripes are the PO's redneck adaptation of late '70/80s Camaro/Firebird buckets. The wire/coil framing was enveloped by the foam padding and they're not repairable. Also the way the back mounts are set into wood 4x4 flat post sections with lag bolts is unnerving. But real bucket seats would run me $1000. [Before you even get the right seat brackets.] Toss in another grand for Air, and half a grand for new floor matting/carpet and interior wall trim panels, and it might become a nice truck. [Not counting body work and paint.]
Another long hot summer. At least the snowbirds are gone.

[89AKurt]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Nice pix.
[...] new rubber seals around the vent wings, so the old prehistoric rubber went back in. Very involved process according to You Tube videos. Only did the RH door window rubber. I'll do the drivers side later. Won't be so hard a second time.
So nice to have a smoothly rolling window again. Also, on cold, icy, dark and stormy nights, driving in the blackness, wind whistling thru the gaps in insulation, and the intermittent rapping, rapping, rapping on my door. You'd think the bony fingers of the Grim Reaper were knocking to be let in -- at 60 MPH. Well Nevermore.
[...]
Still haven't gotten fresh aspen swamp cooler pads yet, and it's 95F inside with fans on. Now with the truck running, I can pick up the pads.
[...]
Another long hot summer. At least the snowbirds are gone.

I replaced vent rubber on the '57 Chevy wagon I had last century. Danchuck is the go-to place for restoration parts. A year later, they looked worse than the original rubber! grrrrr Oh sure, take them out, return for new ones. Took a freaking day just to do one! That'w when I learned that new rubber sucks.

Been cooler this year, I just set up the a/c unit in the house, still haven't put the window fans in. Usually all that gets done first of June. Tis the season for other birds coming to Prescott, the big World's Oldest Rodeo is in town.

[89AKurt]

I haven't posted for some time, just been driving it. Been salvaging old lumber for firewood. The only mechanical stuff has been to replace a battery cable that was short enough to pull out and not allow starting, then the last straw was having it quit while driving. Replaced with a new cable that was about a foot longer, and soldered the ends, plus the end of the other cable at the battery.

Odometer went over 88,888 miles today, when I went out to cut a Shaggybark Juniper for firewood.


Hood is up, because I disconnect the battery, so no chance of draining. Long tow from here.



Of course I took some glamor shots, Ranchtruck: