GRIZZ’s ‘79 - 2WD BLAZER Challenge over in London, England. “~It’s not a Project~”

[Grizz1963]

Becoming a habit it seems.

George walking up the garden path by 07.00 meant company.

First time he has come to sit on the armrest when I am doing my early morning day job stuff.

He also does sit on my lap a bit……..

Life is certainly good for me, having company.



This week has been very busy from,a,work point of view, full days of online training, testing and planning.

So yesterday was my first chance to go for my daily walk, and it was pretty good. Somewhat fresh if not chilly, not cold.

By 3.00pm the warmth leaves and the sun is heding home.



Look carefully at this pile of hay bales.

Zoom into the left top of the pic, and get a perception of the sheer size and height when you see the fences and gate on the ground.

This new farmer has so much scaled up his operation, which of course if destroying the roads because of the sheer size of the machines and tools running up and down here.

And it seems the local council and he do not give a toss, or care for anything except profit.

It really does anger me.



Now a home, but the St Mary Hoo Parish Church has been here a long time.

Quoted off the internet.

Of the three churches in Hoo – St. Mary’s, St. Werburgh’s and Allhallows – it is not completely clear which came first. However, St. Mary’s is the best contender as there is record of one Wifward de Hou passing part of the tithes of the parish here to the Priory of Rochester when he became a monk. This was around 1068 and strongly implies a church was already well established here.

By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 Hoo St. Werburgh seems to have existed and was prevailant over Hoo St. Mary already. This is probably because the site of Hoo St. Werburgh was more suitable for habitation and that village grew as St. Mary Hoo shrank to a few houses.

Nevertheless, the church at St. Mary Hoo was rebuilt between about 1280 and 1350 as a fairly typical Kentish ragstone church with a castellated tower. All of this was heavily rebuilt around 1881.

Today the church is, unusually, a private residence and no longer has any ecclesiastical relevance. It is an odd feeling being the graveyard, which is still open to the public, but being aware that you are also standing in someone’s garden.






Hopefully I will be able to get back to the Rezin Rockit by the weekend inbetween giving Sally some deserved time.

Friday tomorrow.

[Grizz1963]

Partial lunar eclipse this morning early.


Sunrise was just a continuous spectacle.









Weekend soon.


@nickwheeler saving my butt on Sunday around midday with the Rezin Rockit rear brakes if anyone wants to come cheer us on.


Fridays are mostly good unless a deadline is included.

[Grizz1963]

My mate Kevin continues to move along with his build.

Wiring currently challenges him.



The S10 on the other hand is an absolute pleasure.



Life does go on.

And it’s good.

[Grizz1963]

Does it really matter?

Tasteless will always be that.

However, tongue-in-cheek? Well, that may be different.


Saw a used set of these in this new thread by @etypephil and it made me chuckle.

https://forum.retro-rides.org/thread...arlin-roadster


So I ordered a set.






I also fitted another strip light in the carport, now it’s like daylight in there.




Followed by swearing repeatedly at my new Dewalt cordless drill that for some reason will not retain a 4mm bit.

It keeps releasing the bit.

Surely not right, is it, or is it.

While I was down there, I modified a rolling stand that I had made years ago to carry the space heater.




And lastly, added another permanently live, Motion activated light that will make finding key holes easier in the dark.

@craigrk gave it to me last weekend, and this is the right job for it.

Quite a lot of light.



@nickwheeler will be over this afternoon to help with the safe changing of the rear brake shoes and cylinders.

Plan is to try get the curtain side up before that too, as cold weather has been forecast.

More later.

[Grizz1963]

Chilly day yesterday, possibly the first one this year.

Weather has been so mild to date, so dropping to @pauly territory meant I had three T-shirts and one of my garage hoodies on to protect my chest and prevent couching and spluttering.



So when I built the carport, I knew that at some point I may want to add a curtain to cut the breeze and even hold in some “HEAT”

First job was drilling pilot holes, and then adding these coach screws, a 3/4 box of which cost me about £2.00 at a bootfair last year.

New impact driver working nicely, the drill being a pain in the butt releasing the drill bit constantly.



Once the canvas was measured as the holes are individually spaced, screws were in, it was time to hook and hang the truck curtain side to see how it fits before @nickwheeler came around midday to help me do the rear brakes on the Rezin Rockit.

Of course it is way too big, so I guess a bit of folding and tucking will be in order.



Looking over from the neighbours yard, it is obvious that there is a 4 foot gap from the left side.

This can be fixed……. Or not.

Due to folding under and raound some beam ends it is a bit slack.




I think it will work well along with the space heater later in winter and for now it is folded, packed and put away.

Small steps.

I also raked up,a load of leaves, cut the grass and pulled some dead bits from the side beds.

[Grizz1963]

Completely non retro, but may be of random interest.

Seen in London this afternoon.

License plate search shows.


LJ70FMF
KAR-GO DELIVERY-BOT

Colour
Green

Fuel type
Electric

Date registered
1 November 2020

[Grizz1963]

Progress at Craigs place in Sandford near Whitchurch in Shropshire

Casting the two large slabs, yes there is a second one too, being cast today for a rather large shed.

So a concrete pump at £380.00 set up and £80.00 per added hour and a few more costs, its not cheap.

Concrete is being made up on site by an amazing machine.

10 cubic meters.




Mixing on site.



Pumping



All the way up to the top.

Over the second sheds steel reinforcing.




Looking forward to seeing this completed.

Still looking for cheap sleepers nearby.

Concrete or wood.

[Grizz1963]

So in the mean time, I decided to rather than fight them, just put things right for the testers.

No need to stress them out, is there.



I am sure these look much nicer than the American style items.

[Grizz1963]

Searched Google for a MOT testing station close as possible to home last night.

And found what seemed like a good idea.

A station that only charges if your vehicle passes.

Also, they do only the test, and no repairs or parts…….

So no incentive to fail and possibly take advantage of anyone unsuspecting or lacking in knowledge.

So I drove there after getting the truck ready around 12.00 today.

They doo bookings and some walk in appointments.

So I got lucky, their only walk in for. The day was a cancelled booking for 13.00

So I took it and went to the shops, before returning at 12.50



I felt like a dad watching his kid ride a bicycle for the first time.

45 minutes later they reversed the truck out and after paying £45.00 for the service I was handed a certificate, valid to 23 December next year.

No advisories either as I had addressed them all before.



The whole team there liked the truck, and it seems it was the first S10 they had tested.

.
.
.
.
.
.


And back as we were.

Number plates swapped around too.




Pretty chuffed it passed and that I have another job ticked off for now to end of year.

[Grizz1963]

For those reading the random stuff.

Sally made two more of these river glass gifts.

Really like this one.

Bits of pottery added as found.


I am now looking for a few broken tiles or delftware style plates etc to make some fake materials for her. (Cement mixer, sharp snd and spin for a bit to crete river style wear.

Sadly, no bootfairs now.





And her first one.




Friday morning very early I woke to a weight on my chest.

Seems George, the cat I do not own was plotting to smother me, or something.

[Grizz1963]

Not an ideal weekend, but the S10 passed MOT yesterday, and today is a bit wet and cold out.

But @nickwheeler and @pauly would not forgive me for not at least walking down to the garage and looking at whats laying around on the floor.

Both are much more hardcore than me.



Lets see if I make it down there.

[Grizz1963]

With the weather being a bit rubbish outside today, i had two options when it stopped raining

Cut down this tree to below last years pruning knots where the new growth started, up a long ladder, or go play with the Chassis and front end.



Decided the soft ground and working alone was not that clever, I did last year and nearly came down with the ladder at one point when the ground was too spft.

So I moved everything out from under the carport, cleaned up, swung the chassis through 180 degrees, then realised it was wrong, and swung it all around again.

After picking up and loading the chassis onto the front crossmember, I took a jack and lifted the rear to get the 8 bolts seated and in place to keep it all together.

Awkward on your own, but not impossible.



Chilly outside at 4’C when I started, moving up to 6’C or 40’F at which point I was missing @pauly who usually is spread out on my driveway when the temperature drops to that level.

Front end in.



Done.



I thought getting the back end up and in as well was happening, till I realised there were two studs missing from the one hub, and that I need some very short wheel nuts/lugnuts to hold the 4x108 to 4x100 adapters in place. I thought I had a set, but they seem to have disappeared.

I also want to get different wheel bolts for the rear wheels than the chrome ones that came with the adapters.

So I pulled things together, disassembled the rear wheels and adapters that need some more parts to get the steel wheels on there.

I suspect @nickwheeler will be grinning tonight.



Weekend over, dark and cold outside, heating on for a bit, chill from being outside.

[LT7A]

I'm glad you filled us in on the work details. Pretty interesting and lots of work you guys did. I think many people see something like those stables as needing to be torn down, and then they build whatever they need out of new materials. A philosophy I guess, to use what you have, but I honestly think that some people don't have re-use crossing their mind. Craig is lucky for the help, and the companionship of stuff like that is really fun. Plus it doesn't hurt to be fed well. You appear to be well entrenched as part of George's daily itinerary. Funny how he adopted a warm spot on your truck and now has a warm spot in your home if not in your heart as well.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I'm glad you filled us in on the work details. Pretty interesting and lots of work you guys did. I think many people see something like those stables as needing to be torn down, and then they build whatever they need out of new materials. A philosophy I guess, to use what you have, but I honestly think that some people don't have re-use crossing their mind. Craig is lucky for the help, and the companionship of stuff like that is really fun. Plus it doesn't hurt to be fed well. You appear to be well entrenched as part of George's daily itinerary. Funny how he adopted a warm spot on your truck and now has a warm spot in your home if not in your heart as well.

Your observations are all spot on.

I think both Craig and I have the financial ability to go out and pay people to do jobs, or to buy new materials etc.

But we get a buzz out of reuse, repurposed materials etc.

The cash saved means you can do something else again.

My S10 truck is a perfect case in point.
Bought for cash, I have colleagues who ask how I can afford my toys etc, we know that using “man maths” the “savings” go into an imaginary, though real cash pot and are then applied to whatever needs to be bought.

The Ford Galaxy I had moved and collected a load of expensive, but free stuff, to me, that is money I never spent, so when I need to buy stuff, it is quite painless.





[quote author="@admin" source="/post/2705389/thread" timestamp="1636484578"]Thanks for the extra info @grizz it was tricky to get enough info on all the builds in the time between announcement and when we recorded. Actually partly why I made this thread as I'm hoping to spend a bit of time filling in the gaps.

S10 is definitely much smaller than I thought then![/quote]

My S10 is about 100mm or 3-4” narrower than my 2020 Ford Focus estate.

Thought I would post a few pics of the 3rd door in here for those interested, or not and for @rmad and @admin to broaden their S10 knowlege 😉

The door is almost invisible, unless you know that the shut line on the rear of the cab actually for the door.



So once the small door is opened, a skinny lad life Hotwire and others could get in there and sit on the sideways mounted seat for a 5-10 mile trip to a pub, show etc.

Full size …. Chunky (fat buggers) like me would fit in there mainly if hijacked or prodded with an AK47 in the back, or a Glock in the neck for an indefinite distance ride.



The 3rd door also locks in place to form the B-pillar for the drivers door.

So it cannot latch unless you close it.




These are on a long wheelbase chassis, and actually have a different length to the LWB trucks.

The bed is a really useful 6 foot bed as well.

Turning circle on these are extremely poop, and having mounted slightly wider than standard tyres, I have a bit of chassis rub on full lock.

Other than that, these trucks have extremely comfortable seating and ergonomics are on par with luxury cars of the era.

Aircon, speed-o-cruise control, automatic gearbox with an overdrive gear in my ZQ8 factory special which included a bunch of nice touches like upgrades on steering and factory lowering has made this truck a real keeper, unless someone needs to have it more than me.

[Grizz1963]

For those still interested in how this build is progressing……

Craig sent these this morning.

The two foundation holes for the concrete pads and brick raised edges have gone down.


I think the biggest problem is going to be to find some helpful people when the walls have to be raised and held in place, the first corner is a minimum of a 5 man job as the panels are a 4 man lift and carry from where they are waiting.

The roof gables and panels will be a many handed affair as well.

Of course finding help…… THAT is the problem.

CLICK PIC FOR VIDEO.





Membrane down in the Stables (now it will become a workshop and office) and first bit of type 1 to keep it in place.



Trust me, it is a large piece of real estate.



And then the second concrete pad will go down here.

Next to the house, and be known as the shed.



This used to be Craigs “Bike Garage” where he lived before.

Currently stacked along the side of the house, awaiting assembly.

Pity his son is in Ireland at University.

Hopefully it will come together.

[Grizz1963]

Here is a pic I lifted off FB.


Remember it in future when we start talking paint designs etc.

@nickwheeler seems to be quite convincing when it comes to making big jobs look a lot smaller than I see them.

All about perspective ehhhh.

It started out because I am still hoping to find another RX8 passenger seat to either add to the one I have, or even trade for the adjustable drivers seat I have but do not want.

So Nick reckons (correctly) painting the Rezin Rockit is quick and cheap, due to it being such a simple vehicle.


I like this design, the red one at the bottom.



Can it be altered and something created in that style to suit the completed car?

[Grizz1963]

Weather is not pleasant as well.

Just cooked a beed mince curry with chunks of carrots and cut baby potatoes, topped with a bottled curry sauce.

Ate it too, was nice.

Weather kept me indoors and not where I wanted to be.

Sally was here and is busy with some crafting, so I helped her with preparing the materials.

Printing and cutting the templates for her.

I also deep cleaned my range cooker and then put all the parts in the dishwasher that I rarely use, to clean them, and also all the glass we had picked up on the beach down at the Thames river.



Sorting colours and types out.



And finally, ready for the dishwasher……




Once she gets the right backing pieces to add the glass and pottery to, I will report back.

Maybe tomorrow will be a warmer day so that I can get down to the garage.

[Grizz1963]

For those interested in the continued activities at mate Craigs place in Shropshire where the horse stables are being converted into office and woodwork shop, plus motorbike storage and shop before adding a garage and workshop for his old cars…….

Progress continues.

Ready.





Also where the shed next to the house is going.



Next job will be measuring and shoring up for the concrete slab.

He also needs to find a supply of cheap or free used railway sleepers.


We all have our own crosses to bear.

In mate Craigs case, it is an attention to,detail, possibly borne out from growing up in a family where his mother and father owned a rather large, successful VW garage and engineering shop, started as a home industry in the time of aircooled VW’s where the local dealership would send complex, impossible jobs to to be done.

His mum was the machinist, and both parents had day jobs on night shift at GM at the same time.

So getting it right is part of his DNA.

I used to buy parts from his dad for my various Beetles and Bay window bus.

Anyway…….

Buying a barn conversion home, that used to be stables will always bring it’s own challenges.

This week it must have exploded his head.

While redecorating his sons bedroom, the carpet came up, shirting boards came away……

There is more to what meets the eye.

But, this took the proverbial totally.

Pink toilet paper used to fill the gap, topped by some builders caulk and painted over.







You really are never to old to learn a new trick or two.

Or are you?

[Grizz1963]

Weather has been a bit chilly, windy and wet.

I had planned on doing something, anything, down at the garage yesterday and today.

Nope, rubbish weather, so yesterday,I cleaned the cooker and helped Sally with some of her crafting stuff, posted elsewhere.

This morning I had the osteopath at 09.00 and some shopping after that.

Then came home, cleaned the fireplace and started a fire.

Deciding indoors was a much nicer place than outside……..



So much more sensible, and nicer.



Yes, it would have been nicer doing what @nickwheeler had suggested, slipping some bits together.

Tomorrow I may regret it, but man it is chilly outside today.

[Grizz1963]

Class, you just cannot buy it.

But you can fake it, RIGHT?

RIGHT…….

CLASSY VALVE COVERS FOR THE REZIN ROCKIT CAME YESTERDAY.







Going to add so much class and value to this build.

Can’t wait to fit them once I figure what tyres to fit to the steel wheels I have waiting.

Almost weekend.

Cold forecast again.

[Grizz1963]

Got a phone call yesterday from AIB insurance brokers.

I suspect to pre-empt me looking at comparison websites.

Ultimately, increased the value of the truck by 25% and the price of the insurance came down by about £8.00 for the year.

Happy with that.

[Grizz1963]

Two day business meeting at Heathrow Terminal 5

Amazing how we get ripped a new ring every time we turn by the government and their cronies.

Signage is a bit ambigous and misleading, a bunch of colleagues managed to drive through the drop off zone at T5 and the fee, £5.00 for dropping a passenger, or just accidentally driving through.
Stealth taxes are all around us, and many are blatantly obvious.

Anyway………

Park your car sir??



I have had a chesty cough the last week, not the nasty governments mate virus, just a cough and a snotty nose that made me feel somewhat sorry for myself.

So by 4.00pm my boss sent me to my room to continue attending the meeting remotely on Teams.

Much better, though the cough continued.

Managed to stay awake all night, thanks to the cough etc.



Back home yesterday, I fell asleep in the chair, eventually waking at 7.20 and heading straight to bed.

Today was again desk time, but by 3.00pm my back had had enough and I had to go for a quick 3km walk,

Winter is here.

Over there is the Thames and Essex beyond it.



Sunset is early, and the chill slides in fast.



Weekend weather promises to warm up by Sunday to 12”

Fingers crossed.

[Grizz1963]

Saw this on FB.

[LT7A]

Sally's crafts turned out nicely. It looks like we are getting a lot of the same type weather that you have, but you are getting more blue sky days. Good job getting out there in the cold to get a few things done. I'll bet having the carport helps with that.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Sally's crafts turned out nicely. It looks like we are getting a lot of the same type weather that you have, but you are getting more blue sky days. Good job getting out there in the cold to get a few things done. I'll bet having the carport helps with that.

Yes, weather is very similar.

Small jobs, all need doing.

Carport makes me smile a lot, especially having built it too.




Some of you will recall my friend Kevin who lives a kilometre from me was building this Rolls Royce based replica.

Jaguar 4.2 engine……

CLICK LINK for VIDEO

https://youtu.be/lBQyUQN34oY

Completed and on the road.

Not bad for a guy in his 70’s who never built a car before.

Things like the bumpers, created from basic flat stock.

The rear wing stone guards, bashed out of flat aluminium sheeting and polished to a high sheen.

So many individual, hand made parts on this car that the most people would not notice.



So to celebrate, he went out and bought himself a new Aston Martin Convertible.



I love it when a man works hard and plays hard.