What OT crap are you working on

Heres my off topic shitbox that has been consuming my time for the last week, without going into a lot of detail I needed a fuel mileage vehicle so I figured a Ford Ranger would do the trick so I bought a Ranger that a teenager owned needless to say it was kind of beat up but all the parts are available it's been fun so far I will post a few more pictures when I get it finished in a few days.

 

@Atomic Reverend Alexander - I was sad the day I sold my little 4.0 Ranger danger. Good trucks!

 

Don't encourage him! Lol Jack

 

When on come the rains I can feel the tell in my bones, this time of year we are on borrowed time and summer projects take precedence over the affairs of state...and car shows.
My entry doors on the house are protected from the rain (unless it blows in sideways) but not the afternoon sun as the bottom halves evidence.

I hate working with wood. It doesn't weld proper, shrinking discs just make it smell funny and it doesn't take body filler either. It is also tediously boring labor! I should have got to the doors last season, but life and cars got in the way.

This is how they look after three days of sanding to remove the clear and the stain that was coming off. These doors cost a fortune, 17 years ago when I built the house and my wife doesn't want them painted. That would have been a lot easier and quicker and I know how to do paint. This is a lot like the bed wood in the PU. Next trick is to try to match the color as close as possible with stain.

I thought I designed that entry deep enough to protect those solid knotty wood doors but you can see the sun lighting it up this afternoon exactly where they are peeling. And yes, I tried to remove them and lay them down flat on fender racks but after I knocked out the 4 hinge pins I realized the door outweighed me and I hung it back on the house.

Do any of you have a suggestion for stain? I got a sample pamphlet from Corbet with colors in it, they have stain, and then clear, or a stain with UV clear already in it (one step). That sounds like the ticket but I have little experience with this stuff and I DO NOT WANT TO SAND THEM AGAIN!! Sorry, I need some advil and a drink.

I plan to apply the finish by hand so I can match some surrounding areas with brushes/rags/ steel wool as opposed to spraying the everything. I'll take any advice...well not "any", it would be nice if the advice was helpful and polite.

 

I grew up south of Seattle, and Dad always had a boat. The worst one was a 47ft Chris Craft with full mahogany decks and cabin. I still hate sanding.

I’m out of date on modern wood finishes, and a lot of mine was indoor stuff. But for outside I’d be looking at deck finishes. More money, but more durable. Here’s a link on a woodworking site, that Corbet is pretty highly ranked, if it’s the same one. The other thought is trying the marine stores. “Marine” means they doubled the price, and there’s not so much wood around, but worth a look. I’ve also mixed oil stains to get color matches, but that is trial and error as you lay it down on the wood. Wood is wood, no two pieces the same. Good luck.

https://www.woodsmith.com/review/best-deck-stain/

 

You need to clean the door with Murphy's oil soap first, so that you can truly match the stain that is on them, then it might be wise to hire a professional to mix stain to match it and be sure to get extra stain mixed so you're prepared for the next time around!

 

So Iv'e been a bit frustrated with my C10 build because its taking forever just to do a basic paint job on it. I fired it up today and and took it down the road...no front fenders no hood no lights no bumpers etc. Stabbed it from a 20mph roll and boiled the hydes into high gear. I'm enthused again

 

Oh and playing with this..

 

Color is not spot on but it's wood not a fender, still looks nice and it is protected from the weather this year.

 

This is another OT deal I work on regularly...was even on the local news a couple weeks ago...

 

Used a Tahoe rear axle originally. The math said it was too wide. The math was correct. Had a 9 inch ford laying in the parts pile. 3 inches narrower

the 22s tuck in a lot better.
Now to weld up the stud holes and add the gm 6 lug pattern.

 

@lumpy 63 - Is that the E force blower?

 

Ahhh ... a Gerstenslager .... my buddy Marvin's dad bought a '60s mail truck at PO auction - blown up 170 & Loadflite or Torkflite. Someone on his mail route gave him an Imperial to get it out of the yard. He had the 413 & TF in it in a weekend, hooked to the stock axle. He liked his Early Times, & liked giving rides ... I only took one.

 

Yes its an eforce. Wieand no longer makes a little blower same for B&M . I have built a couple of small blocks over the years with the B&M blowers and they always were really fun to drive. We will see how the 383 runs , its going in a 40 ford PU my friend Vito is building.

 

went to the little swedish auto shop in Edmond and picked their brains on making power in the little 4cyl redblock in our 245… which we decided to keep all Volvo- but since it would
just go from super duper slow to still slow- LS has been once again added to the menu ( that was the intention all along… ) really wanted that blueprint 4cyl but they wont make it- they just wanted to tease us all… oh well I do have a couple of angry LSXs on stands needing a car…

 

Fun, fun today…

 

I narrowed the Ford 8" rear end seven inches and then had to build up the axles to cut the splines.

 

Neighbor picked up a '72 Monte Carlo about a year ago, finally got the bug to fix it and wants me to teach him the ways. So I mostly stand back, eat food, and crack wiseass comments.

2 weeks ago had him replace the turn signal switch and a few bulbs.

Last week replaced fuca bushings, as the originals were just shells and crush sleeves. Sway bar bushings and endlinks also were replaced. Took it for a spin and noticed the brake pedal was only good for the last ¼" of travel
You've been driving it like this?!?

This week replaced the MC, bled, and replaced the front disc hardware. Removed some coil spring spacers from the rear coils. Found the date code of the tires, 3103. And do they look every bit.

Next week new tires, hopefully.

Still needs an oil change and a proper tuneup. Pretty sure vac lines are original. SBC is leaking oil from... somewhere.

It's getting there.

 

Buddy wanted help on his beater. New suspension, steering, etc. He is one of those people with a unique? Vision on things. So we lifted his corolla a few inches this weekend, along with the other stuff.

 

Added some new carpet as well.

 

wish I had a nice Olds like that one

 

Next time she tries to talk you into a road trip and you dont wanna go, Please give her my name I can make myself available.

 

You'll need ear plugs ....she never stops talking

 

I'm not sure she looks entirely convinced.............

 

Nah, I've convinced myself over the last 27 years that the face she is making is her "I'm so totally impressed by your manliness and creativity" face. It's get me by.

 

383 getting close. Posted here because it's a little modern... also found this Pic of one I did for a buddies 55 awhile back, not my style but he digs it.

 

Changing airbag on the daily Mercedes

 

Coming together

 

So the "daily driver" mini got C notched over the last 2 days... I am new to this "late model" (1995 was 30 years ago wow!) lowered truck game and having an axle hit the bump stops on every bump may have been cool when I was 19 but at 46 my daily needs to not be a teenager car but something I can just hit the key and buzz off to estate sales and swap meets...
Next will be painting the peeling hood and roof and my just acquired 20 dollar bright red tonneau cover.

 

Busy being the general contractor on our new house.