Aw c'mon Thomas, it's not April 1; quit kidding us! A
pristine 21 year-old truck with the delivery plastic covering still intact? Honest Injun? I've just got to believe you bought that truck new and had it
carefully flat-bedded to a temperature/humidity controlled vault, encased it in a huge hermetically-sealed plastic cocoon and just brought it out for the pictures to spoof us poor fools at GJ. We all know you take EXCELLENT care of all your collection, but that truck's condition is just tooooo beautiful to be believed! All I can say is that Gus must feel he has died and gone to 'Truck Heaven' known to all here as Philo, The Center of the Universe.
The back of the Johnson grandson's work truck in post 6000 shows a family connection to Mr. Johnson for sure. Similarly, the back of your truck (heck, ALL of your truck!) shows a connection to you that is just as strong. I suspect that your sense of 'a place for everything and everything in its place' is major motivation for not just the cleanliness of your projects and vehicles but also your sense of responsibility to return tools and parts and such to their 'rightful owners'.
Well done on all counts.
Thomas that truck looks great and I have no doubt that you really use it as a truck is meant to be used. But with the original paint looking that good does it get driven in the winter too? Not trying to be a wise-guy at all but it sure is hard to find trucks that age looking that good. Any tips or secrets other than keeping them super clean? Whatever it is you've done a great job with this one.
Thanks for the background on the truck! After 21 years, I don't even think I could keep the plastic on the floor in that nice of shape. I bet you were one of those kids that kept the boxes for all his toys (I was too).
For all you "old hands" that have been reading this thread for a while you know that periodically there are, uh, pauses in the action as it were, while I'm gone, hard at work in my office at 37,000'. But they always seem to let me back in the country, so far at least, so I can get some updates on here and this is just such as occasion. Just in from Brazil and before I take a nap I wanted to catch up.
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Omphaloskeptic - Honest Injun, what you see is what you get! It is kept in an environmentally controlled space, the barn, which is not only heated but humidity controlled too. That keeps away any big temperature fluctuations and prevents, or at least slows down, rust from forming on all the bare metal surfaces. I got a call 7 years ago from a local drag racing buddy who wanted me to buy his late uncle's farm truck. He wanted it to go to a good home where it would be well cared for much as Uncle Ray had done and thought I'd fit the bill. It had 25,000 miles on it when I got it and at present shows 52,000 + miles. I'm trying to be a good custodian of it. Gus is parked 2 slots down and reportedly is indeed very happy with his lot in life at the moment.
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utahdog2003 - What an interesting observation about family organizational habits, or the lack there of. It worked for Mr. Johnson and it seems to work for his grandson but it just doesn't work for me. Not saying one is better than the other, just different. To each his own, huh?
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impala4speed - Uncle Ray never drove the truck in the winter, nor have I, at least not when there is any hint of salt around. It was rust proofed with Ziebart when new which seems to help. I protect the bed floor with plywood and protect the insides and top of the bed with furniture blankets when necessary. Keep it waxed regularly really protects that paint. GM generally didn't do all that good a job with paint back then so I try to compensate by taking especially good care of it. So far it seems to be working. Note the
big ugly mud flaps on all 4 wheel wells. They look nasty but they sure prevent the lower rocker panels from getting chewed up. Form follows function. It is a work truck in the sense that I use it to haul "stuff" and it tows my rig around the country but I don't earn a living with it. That makes a difference I suspect. I also have a cargo van which is used extensively.
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Mavawreck - um, yes I did.
In fact I still have a few of those boxes left, toys intact.
Off to a nap and I expect to get my latest powder coat project on here later so please check back.
Thomas
Dennis
The saga continues...........
At the rate we're accumulating material here, it just might amount to a Masters degree or even a Ph.D. More history and test material for you Chris.
