Grizz's Redneck Express 1966 Chevy Short Fleetside BILLYBOB

[paulusvrotius1]

A whole lot easier than rubbing down by hand, I've done quite a few that way and it takes forever if you want a decent job.
I'm intrigued to see what the Chevy badge thing is all about. I always thought the bowtie on a Daihatsu was ridiculous.

[Grizz1963]

A whole lot easier than rubbing down by hand, I've done quite a few that way and it takes forever if you want a decent job.
I'm intrigued to see what the Chevy badge thing is all about. I always thought the bowtie on a Daihatsu was ridiculous.

May end up in disappointment for some.



Between a cat on my head, and a small little chainsaw in bed next to me, I was out of bed by 05.15 and surfing the web with a mug of tea by 05.30

Then ironed 13 shirts while trying to keep quiet so the chainsaw could rest and hit peak revs all at the same time.

By 10.00 it was brekkie time, giant crumpets with apricot jam and a good mug of tea.

Followed by cleaning with thinners, and priming the wheels I blasted yesterday.




Next up the glass came out of the Berlingo.



All needs washing, cleaning and drying.

Fortunately Katy was here to supervise, I nearly messed up twice, cutting wrong and facing the film the wrong way.

Than lay out the tinting film, cut to size and fit.



Squeegeed out the water used to float the film.



Result.



Contrast.

Interestingly, once fitted to the van, you can see out very well, but trying to see in is a lot more difficult



Once we refitted the glass, I was pretty pleased to say the least, as this was another one of those things I thought was worth trying.

Then up to the farm for a couple of pics to show the result of our work.








After this we came home and I thought it was a perfect time to complete painting the wheels.

I am really pleased with the outcome of this all, good prep, priming and a decent result.



Tonight Katy and I are taking it easy and she is still,cooking dinner....... lucky me.

And of course tonight I probably deserved my Rum and Pepsi Max.

Tomorrow.....?

Who knows.

[Grizz1963]

A quiet day.

Kind of weird for me to do nothing or as little as I did today, but it was a good day.

CraigRK used his new wagon to pop over to Disasterbus early morning to pick up the lawnmower that I had been given.



Katy has a tough day job and was shattered yesterday so crashed and fell asleep on the couch after dinner, then this morning I was up early as usual but forced her to sleep late and then stay in bed reading a book, relaxing, taking her tea in bed etc.

We went shopping around 11.30 as she had stuff to sort out.

A nice coffee at Coffee Republic, people watching and then home.

We were expecting Ian "Overload" from UKGSER.com to pop in to deliver a new, unused towbar for the Berlingo.

He and partner Julie were here at 13.30 with their two awesome dogs.

Cuppa tea, Digestives and we were off to the garage to look at all my stuff........ I think Ian felt a kindred spirit in my wombling

One towbar delivered......... but it has a mystery attached.




The label on the packaging reads "Opel Corsa Combo" or Vauxhall Combo would be the same thing I suspect.

Who knows for sure.......??

Was there a floorpan share between Vauxhall and PSA or the Peugeot/Citroën meaning the Berlingo and Corsa take the same Towbar?




Time with Ian and Julie flew by and all too soon they had to hit the road home.

I went back to the garage after taking the Prozac-Mobile down there and started to mess with it.......

Get my drift?





Debadged.......



Not yet fitted, just held in place with some masking tape.

I still have to prep these badges with automotive tape so that I can fit them to the tailgate.



Another weekend over.

Next stop, next weekend.

Thanks for looking in and commenting.

[Grizz1963]

Got home from work tonight and did a load of admin, followed by cutting the grass, then painted the insides of the alloys black as well, and then solved the problem of how to fill or cammo the holes where the side trim is affixed.

2x2meter and 135 mm high means the holes can be managed before moving to the next phase.

I ordered red and white.



Next up.....

QUESTION TIME.

When I bought the car, it only had this one key.

It has central locking, so not sure there was a remote central locking key.

Where can I buy a spare coded (suspect it is) immobiliser key for sensible money??






Any advice on getting a duplicate key made up, appreciated.

[Johann65]

Not surprised to find the Bowtie elsewhere! Remember the Chev LUV? I believe that was Daihatsu!
The Mazda with the Holden Body? The winds of change!

[Grizz1963]

Found this pic on the Berlingo forums.

However, it is just a guidance pic

Who knows what front lips, spoilers, splitters etc are out there on existing cars that can be transplanted or grafted to the front of mine?

I know Mk1 Golfs had them a long time ago.



Bad photos of current front end.





Thanks guys.

[ters]

Found this pic on the Berlingo forums.

However, it is just a guidance pic

Who knows what front lips, spoilers, splitters etc are out there on existing cars that can be transplanted or grafted to the front of mine?

I know Mk1 Golfs had them a long time ago.

Custom made http://www.cardomain.com/ride/350371/2000-citroen-2cv/

Ters.

[Grizz1963]

Found this pic on the Berlingo forums.

However, it is just a guidance pic

Who knows what front lips, spoilers, splitters etc are out there on existing cars that can be transplanted or grafted to the front of mine?

I know Mk1 Golfs had them a long time ago.

Custom made http://www.cardomain.com/ride/350371/2000-citroen-2cv/

Ters.

Thanks Ters.

Wonder what she looks like now.


Away from home for four days this week, I was just down the road at Heathrow in the line of Terminal 5's flight path.

Training, followed by more training and planning, strategy and sales talk. Three days of a throbbing headache, too little sleep and too much good food.

Ohhhhh, and I dressed up.




Got home late afternoon, and Harley of course made it known that 4 days of opening her own tins of tuna just was not on.
So she then followed me the rest of the day, garage, house and back.

The cat does make me laugh.



Once I got the laundry started and had a mug of home made tea......

It was time to get down to the shop and get the Berlingo up in the air and the rear wheels off, followed by the brake hubs.



Getting those barsteward Torx screws out of the rear hubs was a nightmare, thankfully Stuart my neighbour two houses down had a decent Torx bit and used my impact driver and a hammer to unseat the very rusted screws that I had repeatedly wetted down with penetrating oil.



Ultimately this was what came to the fore.

Drivers side brake cylinder leaking, badly.

Needs new shoes and brake cylinders.



I will order the brake parts online tonight and collect tomorrow morning when I go collect the bandsaw I got off Facebook marketplace earlier this week, that friend Paul F went and collected and paid for,for me. Thanks mate.

The biggest challenge may be to get the brake lines undone at the backplate to the Brake cylinders, seems it is a know problem too.

While working on the brakes, I also primed and painted two of the signs Darren at Unit Signs made for me.





When I got back the stickers I had ordered for the sides of the car had arrived as well.

And I took the cars new alloys into the house (my house, my rules)



About three years ago, I bought this Lazy Susan table top piece for silly money, brobably £2.00 form a young couple who,had carried it back from a trip to Australia and yet had never used it.

Pretty much the same here........ till this day.

CLICKY LINKY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8zgjD3873U

Another 10 yard hand painted finish.





Pretty pleased with this outcome too.

Now just need to get the brake lines loose tomorrow, replace the brake parts and reassemble.

Then of course get the wheels and tyres switched around, may only happen next weekend, but looking forward to it. Along with removing the side trim and replacing with the stickers above.

That's it for tonight.

Thanks for checking in.

[Grizz1963]

Take two.......

Not what I like to do when the iPad deletes a long winded write up just as I want to post it, especially after another bad night not sleeping.

So yesterday I took advantage of Eurocarparts' "Up to 55% St Patric's Day Discount" to buy the rear brake parts I needed, shoes and wheel cylinders. I decided to replace the lot, rather than just one side which some people would do. The passenger side shoes and wheel cylinder are fine, so if someone needs them, collection and a cuppa tea.

Back to the discount, so despite these mostly being predetermined and not really affecting profitability of companies, the counter price for the parts was £79.88 or something like that, while the click and collect price is £54.88 so technically I saved some money, and of course when I got there, the wrong parts had been picked..... oooopps.




What I got for my money.




I had been lubricating the brake line nuts and bleed nipples for a week, as they are known to be a problem.

When I tried to undo them with my normal tools, it became clear that I was headed for a heart ache.
So I popped around to my neighbour a few houses down to see if he had advice, he is a mechanic. Spent 90 minutes chatting to him while he finished off some work and then he grabbed a few tools and came around, open ring spanner, vice grips and not very long......



This lot was ready to be replaced with new parts.



All 6'7" of him crouched in front of the job. I did help a bit.

Copper grease going in everywhere appropriate so next time could be a bit easier.



I had also had to remove the centre console to release the handbrake cables so that I could get them off the rear brake shoes.
This was a good thing as I managed to set it right after my test drive once everything was reassembled.

While I was under the car, I tried to offer up the Corsa Combo towbar I got given, but it was not going to fit.

I noticed the spare wheel condition and decided to replace it with the spare, spare that Laurence had given me when I bought the car.



After cleaning, washing and then prep n prime, I gave it a few coats of satin black and refitted it under the car.



With much light under the car, it became apparent that the bias valve return spring was rusted off and needed replacing as it is an MOT fail if not correctly in place.
So it seems I will be spending another £22.00 on a spring as well.
But it needs to be done.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Berli ... SwepJXWmtn

Ebay ad for the very overpriced bias valve return spring



Once I had reassembled the wheels, put away my tools etc, I took the car for a drive up to the farm and bedded in the brakes as well as using the handbrake repeatedly to stop or slow down the car.

When I got back home I readjusted the handbrake some more and refitted the centre console etc.

The brakes are now really great and I feel confident to use the car fully in any traffic.

It still makes me smile and as I said to a mate who asked if I would sell it, the. Reply was a definite yes, and I would replace it with another the same.

I really like the simple lines of the Mk1 model, and specifically the Multispace with its rear door that creates such a great overhang.

Lastly, a photo I took yesterday of one of the alloys just put in place on the hub.

I like it and am certainly looking forward to getting the tyres switched over.



Not as far out as it seems.

[Grizz1963]

Mate CraigRK was baby sitting this weekend with his wife out in the Canary Islands getting pampered and eating salad.

I had made good progress with Prozac for the Soul and decided to take in the alloys to and get the tyres to be switched over this morning.

I always use KwikFit in Stroud as they have always treated me well.

While I went there, Craig and his daughter drove over and let themselves in at my place.
The wheels took a bit longer than planned, but I got home by 12.15 and then we had a good time, garage and other stuff.



Sticking the standard 175 tyres on the VTR rims meant a bit of stretch, that actually looks good to me.



Came home via the carwash, weather was a bit dull, but very pleased with the outcome.



We also removed the side strips with the intention to add the checkered stickers down the side but found that it is only red and blank, so I need a strip of white to add under the checkers.

Also found some great repairs under the side trim...... part of the cars history and the signature of a top flight body shop.
It really is quite rough.



Craig left early by 4pm as he had a viewer coming over for his ML that is up for sale.

So I went to the garage later to gloat as I am still pleased with the car and the change appeals to me. Minus side trim and with the wheels.



I am looking forward to the rest of this coming together.

It will certainly be a Marmite car once done, some of you will laugh, some cry and some will outright hate it.

Weekend over again.........

Thanks for looking in.