Put out a request last week on Freecycle for any old Imperial spanners or sockets as one can often see them thrown out at the council tip.
The day after the post I got a PM on Retro Rides from Luke (Smurf) to offer me a set of Imperial spanners he has had for years but never used, he saw my request on Freecycle and responded.
I popped around this morning on the way to work to collect them, and offered to pay for them, however he refused payment.
I was more interested in his new toy........ Mitsubishi Delica
After using Martin's articulated ratchet Imperial spanners he picked up in a pawnshop in Florida, I needed a set as well, Pronto !!
Found a set on Ebay for £29.00 delivered, and they were delivered to Nicola's work today, so double joy on the spanner front.
Tonight after work the first thing I did was to put two oil heaters in the trucks cab at maximum heat, to heat it up, and soften the rubber around the broken front, but perfectly intact rear windows, as they were both coming out tonight so that I can carry on with the body work, and changing the dash colour.
So after about three hours the cab was toasty, both inside and out.
Having worked in a body shop for many years, Martin knew his way around and was quick to pull the rear screen out.
Unfortunately I did not get a photograph of his laying curled up on his back like a stranded dung beetle when the front screen came hurtling toward me.
It looked great from where I stood to catch it on the bonnet and the cushion I had put there.......
He pushed it out in one long hard push with his huge safety boots planted firmly in each corner, breaking it a bit more than it already was..... thankfully the damage was already done at the end of last years last ride out.
He was laughing like a mad man as he said he had always wanted to "kick a windscreen out"
The whole of the top steel ridge is rusted, but recoverable, and there was quite a bit of silicone where leaks were obviously treated before, I have never had a problem when it rained or when I washed the truck, so I suppose the sealing treatments worked.
Last thing was to remove the instrument cluster from the dash.
This turned into a major ball ache as the ignition switch unit, including the barrel could not be removed, so it meant getting in from behind with a 1/4 inch spanner (yes, I do have one) and a 1/4 inch socket to undo the large cluster bezel from the actual instruments rear.
Can anyone please explain to me why I could not get the part that holds the key undone, the bezel does not fit over it, and these two little holes did not react to the panel pins I pushed in there, though the one hole felt like there was a spring in it.
In the end removing the instrument cluster's large bezel released it so that we could get it out in two parts, with much of the front glass falling out, as I knew it would because it was damaged when I got the truck.
All bits removed, next up for removal will be the seat and old carpet, which is in remarkably good nick, despite having some colour changes.
Last thing I guess is again proof of the great vibe in this hobby and community of ours.
WhippinSaw in Illinois offered to sell me a replacement section for my dash where the radio fits, so I agreed to buy it from him, and will be welding it in when it gets here after cutting the Badgers Revenge out.
Catfood was not included in the deal.
Thanks again for checking in.