Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT Big Country Texas Shop

[consti2tion]

Fighting the oil filter on my 7.3 right now. I have never had this much trouble with a filter before.

They are big enough to get a big set of tongue and groove pliers or pipe wrench on at least.

 

[83VillageRepair]

What's wrong with it?

Trying to remove. Never had one that tough. Finally had remove the sheet metal and filter medium and chisel it off.

 

[83VillageRepair]

A set of bypass hoses I rigged In case I need to bypass the fuel selector along the road somewhere. Dorman sells a set of double ended hard lines for both source and return for $14 on Amazon. The model number is in the picture.

 

[83VillageRepair]

First leg of my trip went well 1000 miles no problem. Going to spend a week or so here with my family. I brought my trailer so I can bring some treasures back to Texas. Drove through tornados in Kansas and a blizzard in Nebraska and South Dakota.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Spending the week in SD helping my dad out in his classic car salvage yard. I come for a week in April and a week Oct every year.

This year my brother and I are stripping out batteries and cats for recycling and organizing the yard.

It's been a fun week so far.

 

[jollygreengiant]

Some very cool vehicles there! Does your dad just collect them?

 

[83VillageRepair]

Some very cool vehicles there! Does your dad just collect them?

No it's a business. He buys and sells antique vehicles and pickups, mostly fords. Are you looking for anything? The 56s are mine. It's what I collect.

 

[jollygreengiant]

No it's a business. He buys and sells antique vehicles and pickups, mostly fords. Are you looking for anything? The 56s are mine. It's what I collect.

Um, well. The adventurous gearhead in me says hell yes, but the logical common sense part of me is asking me if I like being married lol. So probably not right now but I'll keep it in mind.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Um, well. The adventurous gearhead in me says hell yes, but the logical common sense part of me is asking me if I like being married lol. So probably not right now but I'll keep it

That's why I never buy or sell always trade. Keeps my wife happier.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I am headed back to Texas in the morning. I had a productive week here. Got 4 pallets of batteries stripped out and a pile of cats. It should give dad a little folding money for a while.

I bought a milwaukee fuel 18V hacksall for this and it worked well. I tested Bosche, milwaukee and diablo blades and the diablos were the clear winner on exhaust


Edit - that was 2k in cats in that picture, way more than we expected.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I drug back a carport that was in dad's junk pile. It's not something I would have bought but it was free and 30ft of shade over my vehicles is good. The Texas sun is tearing up my red paint.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I just realized I never posted a picture of the Bronco after I got it. I haven't owned a new vehicle since my 1990 F150 so I guess it was time. I had it on order for a year and a half because I wanted the base model, manual transmission, hard top. The only option I got was keyless entry. It came in just under 30k, which is a pretty low cost vehicle these days.

I have had it since March and have around 1500 miles on it.

 

[jbrentd]

Congrats on the Bronco. We are loving ours so far. 9k miles since last November. Got any plans to modify it?

 

[83VillageRepair]

Congrats on the Bronco. We are loving ours so far. 9k miles since last November. Got any plans to modify it?

Not really. It is my daily driver. I might put a hitch on it. I wish there was a half cab conversion avaliable

 

[83VillageRepair]

Went to an auction this weekend. I posted most of what I bought in the 2022 garage sale thread but I'll drop this last thing here. The auction was an estate sale for a 60 year starter and alternator rebuild shop. I bought this for $7 to save it from the scrappers who were buying everything else. The reversing switch, 3hp 120/240 v motor and the Sun test set were definitely worth the money.

And because everyone loves snake pictures...here is a little bullsnake on my way home. They are a "good" snake so I leave them be.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I spent the weekend cleaning the shop and figuring out the jigsaw puzzle of carport parts I brought back from SD. It has been unseasonably hot already so I go outside at daybreak and make it until early afternoon when it gets unbearably hot. I also put the new head on my lawnmower so I will mow down what little grass is growing this year. I also unloaded my trailer from the SD trip and put away my auction treasures.

Test setup of 1 carport section (I should wind up with about 30ft)


The dogs "helping"

 

[83VillageRepair]

My big project this weekend was moving my new storage building 1000ft from the neighbors place. I traded some structural pipe for the shed, a 90 f350, and the contents of the shed. I knew there was a tire balancer in there but was surprised to find a star brake lathe and a propane infrared heating tube in there.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I was going to put it on some beams and an axle to move but the wind started howling so I finally just hooked onto and drug it up with my telehandler. I was worried about it blowing over. I am going to rebuild it but keep the aged look. It was over 100deg F each day so I worked early and then went inside.

The electrical panel has the most mud daubers I have ever seen. I was really surprised there were no snakes. There were two vultures nesting inside that were not happy losing their home. They circled me all weekend and dove at me.

 

[jollygreengiant]

Good deal with the new carport.

Man, there's no way I could live down there. I don't deal well with temperatures over 80, let alone over 100.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Good deal with the new carport.

Man, there's no way I could live down there. I don't deal well with temperatures over 80, let alone over 100.

It is hard in the summer but 70's the rest of the year. I get my best work done outside in spring, fall and winter. I just endure the summer, the low humidity helps though. I trained by living in the tropics for 3 years before this. I just got tired of hard winters in South Dakota.

 

[86turbodsl]

The older i get, the more i like the idea of hot hot weather. Skin thins out and cold weather hurts more.

 

[86turbodsl]

I just realized I never posted a picture of the Bronco after I got it. I haven't owned a new vehicle since my 1990 F150 so I guess it was time. I had it on order for a year and a half because I wanted the base model, manual transmission, hard top. The only option I got was keyless entry. It came in just under 30k, which is a pretty low cost vehicle these days.

I have had it since March and have around 1500 miles on it.

Guy at work ordered one just like that and had to wait a LOOOOONG time too. He just got it last month.

 

[83VillageRepair]

We got almost an inch of rain last week so I mowed this weekend. It only took a couple of hours to mow the 5 acres I mow more frequently (I mow another 10 less frequently)


I also picked up a trailer hitch and wiring for the Bronco. The rest of the weekend I spent working on and contemplating the new building.

Got the back wall disassembled and collected up all the material to start rebuilding.

 

[86turbodsl]

You guys are so lucky down there having access to all that oilfield piping. Anything tubular up here costs $$$

 

[83VillageRepair]

You guys are so lucky down there having access to all that oilfield piping. Anything tubular up here costs $$$

My place had several hundred sticks of it when I bought it. You can build really stout structures with care and forethought and a stick welder.

 

[Ford52PU]

Found your Thread from the Yard Sale thread. Not sure how I missed it all this time. Really enjoyed it.
Love the Bronco. I have a F150 on order, my first new truck since 97, a retirement gift to myself. Its been on order since March. Didnt know it would take this long.
Love all those fords at your fathers place, I have a soft spot for 55's.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Found your Thread from the Yard Sale thread. Not sure how I missed it all this time. Really enjoyed it.
Love the Bronco. I have a F150 on order, my first new truck since 97, a retirement gift to myself. Its been on order since March. Didnt know it would take this long.
Love all those fords at your fathers place, I have a soft spot for 55's.

Thanks for dropping by! I piddle around a lot outside but never seem to get everything done that I want. Its been so darn hot lately that can only get about 4 hours outside. What's the story on the Red 52 in your profile picture? I have a 51 that I am going to use as yard art.

 

[Ford52PU]

I've had it 15 years now. Its got a newer 223 in it. 1962 era. I'm currently putting a red oak bed floor in it. Now that I'm retired I've run out of excuses!! I've done the body work and paint and it runs fairly well. Its far from perfect but keeps me busy and out of the bar!!
I've had a string of Fords since I turned 15, 50 years ago. Falcon, Maverick, Pinto!! 2 times. Both my Dad and Grand Dad had 55 two door sedans when I was a kid and I've always wanted one, thats my bucket list car.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Went out yesterday to a friend's of the abilene public library book sale. 100,000 books on sale got quite a few off topic books and a couple of Clymer motorcycle manuals for vintage bikes I own.

Second stop was to pick up this Graco Service Merchandiser that I bought last weekend.

I also found a snake in the backyard. I only kill venomous ones that are close to the house. Pretty big one, 9 rattles.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I haven't done much this summer because it has been so hot. This weekend was in the middle 70s most if the time and rainy so I got some QST in.

The wasps had built some big nests over the summer so I had to clean them up. I managed to not get stung

I also finished off the oil tote that I had started earlier and processed a bunch of tires for the dumpster. Listened to the Delbert McClinton station most of the day. Made a trip to the magic dumpster and oil recycling this afternoon with the missus and got ice cream at Sonic on the way home. All in all a nice weekend.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Only got one day in the shop this weekend. Had 2 Christmas parades and worked on our Buffalo Gap Adventure racer at a friend's house.

Today I cleaned the shop a bit, packed up my secret Santa gift and stripped brass. I have quite a few valves to clean and with brass bringing $1.50 a lb I can add some to the shop fund.

 

[consti2tion]

Don't know how I missed that Graco but that is going to be sweet! have you had a chance to work on it? What are you guys using for the Buffalo gap racer?

 

[83VillageRepair]

Don't know how I missed that Graco but that is going to be sweet! have you had a chance to work on it? What are you guys using for the Buffalo gap racer?

I have that and a Lincoln. Trying to decide if I want to restore or leave it crusty.

The rules for the Adventure Challenge are $750 car and $750 in repairs. We purchase a 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue at the Abilene Police Auction. 318 LA dead simple to work on after getting rid of the Lean Burn.

 

[consti2tion]

I have that and a Lincoln. Trying to decide if I want to restore or leave it crusty.

The rules for the Adventure Challenge are $750 car and $750 in repairs. We purchase a 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue at the Abilene Police Auction. 318 LA dead simple to work on after getting rid of the Lean Burn.

Sometimes all the crusty stuff makes something like that charming.

That sounds like a blast. SBM are pretty bullet proof. I had a 318 in my 1971 Dodge Sweptline when I purchased it, it had 5 psi of oil pressure for a long while, barely any oil getting to the top end and ran great. Replaced oil pump and cleaned out pickup tube and it survived with 25 psi after it got warm, 50 cold. Good little engines. Is it happening in June? Gonna need to get that AC tuned up, does that go towards the repair budget?

 

[83VillageRepair]

Sometimes all the crusty stuff makes something like that charming.

That sounds like a blast. SBM are pretty bullet proof. I had a 318 in my 1971 Dodge Sweptline when I purchased it, it had 5 psi of oil pressure for a long while, barely any oil getting to the top end and ran great. Replaced oil pump and cleaned out pickup tube and it survived with 25 psi after it got warm, 50 cold. Good little engines. Is it happening in June? Gonna need to get that AC tuned up, does that go towards the repair budget?

It is in June. This year going north to Kansas so better than the last 2 years but AC will be nice to have. Everything but safety items goes to the repair budget.

 

[83VillageRepair]

Fell into a good deal this weekend. A bunch of once used SYP form wood. I need a new deck on my trailer so this is going become that. First time the F250 has been used in anger in about 6 months so good exercise for it and the trailer. Also picked up a livestock scale for a friend.

There was lots more wood but I only took what I needed. I don't have room to store any extra.
Mostly 2 X 8s and 2 X 12s along with a couple sheets of plywood.


Got it all under cover before the rains came.

 

[83VillageRepair]

I also got a 4 × 6 to cut up into blocks. Can never have too many blocks. I use old serpentine belts as handles. Less bending over to retrieve blocks.

 

[Bob Heine]

I also got a 4 × 6 to cut up into blocks. Can never have too many blocks. I use old serpentine belts as handles. Less bending over to retrieve blocks.

@83VillageRepair, like you, I save a lot of blocks of wood for cribbing and other uses. I really like the handles but now I'm regretting trowing out that old cracked serpentine belt.

 

[83VillageRepair]

@83VillageRepair, like you, I save a lot of blocks of wood for cribbing and other uses. I really like the handles but now I'm regretting trowing out that old cracked serpentine belt.

It's a sickness. I don't care to admit how many old belts I have hanging up. It felt good to use some

 

[83VillageRepair]

Between being sick and our recent cold weather I haven't got much done.

I did buy a project vehicle at the local police auction. Grandson will be needing a car so this might be it depending how good it turns out.

Its a 99 Ranger 2.5 4cyl 5sp MT. They are a great little rig that get decent mileage.




It's been sitting there waiting so today I cleaned it out. 4 trash bags full of garbage but underneath all that was a couple of brand new socket sets.