Making do with what I have!

[longlivepunk]

Nice haul, man! Love CT sales. Good old rain in winter, hey? I'm actually having a beer at my buddy's in the Fort right now.

 

[1/2 Cup]

The truck looks great Sean, one thing is that we don't have roads as slippery as you guys have that's for sure..

 

[ADSR]

You charge out your truck to the company?

 

[sean Buick 76]

You charge out your truck to the company?

Yes, $180 a day extra on top! And only I drive it, and never use the box... I just 4x4 around the work site with it.

All ready to go get a trailer load of Buick engines! Built these 4 pallets to ship some Big block 455 Buick engines to eastern Canada to a friend who rebuilds them... Drain the oil, wrap them in plastic, drop them onto the pallet, ratchet strap them down to the pallet, and drop them at the shipping depot... Getting a total of 7 engines this trip! The tailgate shuts I just left it open to show the sturdy engine pallets I built.

 

[Billhae]

Sean - damn it looks cold there - bbbrrrrrr!! But dude you do a lot of great stuff in a fairly small space, love it! Reminds me of trying to rebuild a 64 Ford Galaxies 500 in that size bunker - not easy at all

 

[sean Buick 76]

Sean - damn it looks cold there - bbbrrrrrr!! But dude you do a lot of great stuff in a fairly small space, love it! Reminds me of trying to rebuild a 64 Ford Galaxies 500 in that size bunker - not easy at all

Thanks, it is tight and I am looking forward to building my future shop at the acreage for sure! It was actually +44 F today which is VERY warm for this time of year where -44 would not be surprising.... Thanks for stopping by guys and sorry my updates are not too exciting these days I am just swamped with work and stuff with Shane....

 

[HSpencer]

Sean

I always have a treat when visiting your thread. I like the truck and am sure you need it for all that icy road stuff. The scores on materials look great, and I like keeping many supplies on hand myself. The 4X4 repair was brilliant!! Just a sensor to fix it. I don't use my Silverado 4WD much around here, but I sure am glad I have it.

Great things always going on with your operation!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[rixtrix1]

Thanks, it is tight and I am looking forward to building my future shop at the acreage for sure! It was actually +44 F today which is VERY warm for this time of year where -44 would not be surprising.... Thanks for stopping by guys and sorry my updates are not too exciting these days I am just swamped with work and stuff with Shane....

Truck looks great, Sean. So does Shane! I don't miss all that snow and ice; especially after a +44 degree day that will melt a lot of snow that will turn into more ice in a day or so. Are your tires on the truck studded, or do they allow them in Canada? Thanks for the pics.

 

[HSpencer]

Here's my 4X4. It is a 2004 with 72000 "TLC" miles. It is the stepside model which is sort of rare in these parts. This truck rides like smooth silk!!

Best Regards
Herb

 

[Park]

I'm from Edmonton as well, Southside. Nice to see some locals here.

I feel your pain on the tight garage, here's mine with my project parked in it.

The front bumper is against the front wall.. Lol

 

[sean Buick 76]

Truck looks great, Sean. So does Shane! I don't miss all that snow and ice; especially after a +44 degree day that will melt a lot of snow that will turn into more ice in a day or so. Are your tires on the truck studded, or do they allow them in Canada? Thanks for the pics.

Hi Ric, thanks for stopping by! Studded tires are allowed here, however I am not using them right now... I find these BFG AT tires great year round both on and off road. The mud tires are better in the mud and WAY dangerous on the roads in the wet or winter.

Here's my 4X4. It is a 2004 with 72000 "TLC" miles. It is the stepside model which is sort of rare in these parts. This truck rides like smooth silk!!

Best Regards
Herb

Nice truck, they are stylish those step-sides! Mine has about 150,000 miles and it is a 05, with nice heated leather interior, sun roof etc.

I'm from Edmonton as well, Southside. Nice to see some locals here.

I feel your pain on the tight garage, here's mine with my project parked in it.

The front bumper is against the front wall.. Lol

Thanks for chiming in, yes it ***** dealing with a tight garage but not too many 3 car garages houses around here under $800,000... And land is expensive so its tough to have a big shop... That is why I am building out in the sticks at my chunk of land, it was low cost for land out by Redwater 10 years ago when I bought.

 

[rixtrix1]

Is the main driving force for employment there money? No wonder safety officers are a big thing; everyone working must be on the edge of exhaustion, especially if they have to be outside of a heated truck driving around the worksite 12/7, Just kidding, Sean. I would say you've earned that place. Is it an excess of work and a lack of workers, especially in the winter, or does this happen all over Canada?

I average around 10 hours a day/5 days and I'm beat, but I work 2 days, take a day off, then work 3 days and take another day off( off Wed and Sun) and I think 5 straight would kill me as I've been on this schedule since 1985. ( My day starts at 6 AM with the boys and ends with them between 11 and 12PM, 7 days a week. Not complaining, it's worth every minute).

Make me feel good; just say you can do it because you're young. Wait a minute, that makes me look old, lol.

I had a set of "summer" tires on my S10 before the current set . Pure grease below 40 degrees, and it was below freezing at my home every morning for almost 6 weeks in 1013

 

[rixtrix1]

Here's my 4X4. It is a 2004 with 72000 "TLC" miles. It is the stepside model which is sort of rare in these parts. This truck rides like smooth silk!!

Best Regards
Herb

Nice truck, Herb. One never knows when they may need it. I was going to get a 2WD S10 Blazer, but Trudi convinced me to get a pickup, mainly because I complained so much the last time I hooked up the trailer to the Suburban just to haul a couple boxes of stinky stuff to the landfill.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Ric, Oil and Gas is the driving force here, and no there is no where else in Canada or north America really that has the amount of demand for skilled tradesman and other skilled or educated people... The center of the economic pulse is in Fort McMurray which is 4 hours drive north of where we live, but the next biggest hub is the area north of Edmonton where we are located.

A rig welder with a truck charges about $1400 a day out here, and carpenters are $42 an hour minimum just to put it in perspective.

We paid about 400,000 for a regular 27,000 square foot house 2 years ago and it is now at about 450,000 so the economy is booming a lot. Things go up and down but overall this is a really strong economy even with oil prices as they are we are in the beginning phases of a multi-year 6 Billion $ project to build a new oil refinery. Our area is behind schedule so we are working 24 hours a day 7 days a week till it is back on track. Hoping to get back to less than 70 hours a week by spring. If I continue working this much I will make about $240,000 this year and my job description only allows me to:

1. Observe Environmental Health and Safety
2. Document
3. Advise management

No actual work other than e-mails, walking around, and shooting the **** with the workers, so yes I am lucky!

 

[mistervelocity]

Where do I sign up?

 

[1/2 Cup]

I was going to say the same thing..

I have been trained as a Health, Safety and Environment Rep, may be you have room for an understudy Sean.

Regards

 

[rixtrix1]

A good friend of my works for JD Driver in a fab facility they built down here in Phoenix, He got laid off late last year as the permits, prints, etc., for their role in that refinery project hadn't come through yet, and still haven't. Maybe they are waiting on your crew to get done before they re-start production here. ( Although they retained his assistant, who only had a month of training under Mark, and probably works for a lot less). Mark is considering retirement as he is a year older than me and his wife retired 5 years ago. He's probably way overqualified as a safety co-ordinator, but production justifies payroll in the fabrication business. I'd say, get it while you can and hope your body, mind and family can take it. Best wishes!

 

[longlivepunk]

The low price of oil has my shop down to an 8hr/day 4-day week, luckily I'm In school anyways. Can't afford to work that little when I'm done though, so I'll be looking for a new job.

Glad to hear the new Redwater plant is pushing forward! My friends and I have a yearly "Boys Only" camping trip around there on Crown Land, it's been a raucous bachelor party every year. (There was only 1 year that no one was getting married, but we went anyway) But supposedly now you can't camp on Crown Land???

Anyways, that's my random rambling contribution. [emoji14]

 

[ADSR]

I've know a few guys coming back to BC looking for work. They said AB is shutting down like mad.

 

[ADSR]

Yes, $180 a day extra on top! And only I drive it, and never use the box... I just 4x4 around the work site with it.

sweet gig! I've been thinking of coming out that way looking for work, but the wife won't play nice.

 

[sean Buick 76]

For sure a slow time overall here but not a long term issue I am sure. The oil companies use these times to cut costs and re negotiate contracts.... Here when the economy is in trouble it is an instant shot to many jobs, and it bounces back just as quick...

My aproach is to be versatile. I took a two year Environmental Diploma, became a journeyman Scaffolder, and then Safety Advisor. Even when things are slow there is work for people with the best reputation, qualifications, and peformance. I base everything we own off of a 40 hour work week as a Scaffolder and then I do no feel strapped for money if things are slow...

 

[longlivepunk]

At the end of the day, we have oil. It'll always bounce back.

I plan on trying to get away fr oil and gas. Hoping to find a job at the University's machine shop.

 

[dubber]

Great approach to back yourself up Sean and ensure the smooth running of your families life.

 

[sean Buick 76]

sweet gig! I've been thinking of coming out that way looking for work, but the wife won't play nice.

She would change her tune once the $ start flowing in... Both Leanne and I are from Nanaimo, but moved out here due to the huge opportunity...

What work are you into?

At the end of the day, we have oil. It'll always bounce back.

I plan on trying to get away fr oil and gas. Hoping to find a job at the University's machine shop.

That would be an awesome job! And if needed the oil and gas is always there to fall back to!

 

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Nice truck! What size are the tires? I have a 07 Silverado and I need new shoes! Only adding a 2" leveler kit to the front though. Just trying to get a sense of reference.
Thanks.

 

[ADSR]

At the end of the day, we have oil. It'll always bounce back.

This is how i feel about the NG that's about to come out of BC.

 

[ADSR]

She would change her tune once the $ start flowing in... Both Leanne and I are from Nanaimo, but moved out here due to the huge opportunity...

What work are you into?

I'm a carpenter, but i don't want to do it anymore. Need a career change

Nanaimo is one of the most beautiful places on earth. You're so close to every outdoor sport there is!!

 

[sean Buick 76]

Nice truck! What size are the tires? I have a 07 Silverado and I need new shoes! Only adding a 2" leveler kit to the front though. Just trying to get a sense of reference.
Thanks.

Hi there,

The 07 has a LITTLE bit more room in the wheel well than the 05 that I have however here is my info:

I have a 6.5" BDS lift and with this lift I had to use a wheel with more offset than stock to clear the knuckle... This makes a wider stance and looks great however the downside is it also pushes the tire closer to the inner fender reducing the max tire size. I had 34" tall by 12.5" wide tires on it at first and it was too tight in the front, just barely cleared and rubbed when off roading... Plus the fuel mileage was shity.

I swapped to a 32" tall by 11" wide tire and it was like night and day, the truck drives better, no rubbing even when ********* 4x4ing, and much better fuel mileage and better throttle response.

I was looking into the newer trucks as I will replace this truck in a few years and I found that the newer GM trucks are also pretty limited for tire size but I still like the interiors etc. better than the other brands so I will get a newer GM 1500 4X4 and do a 6.5" lift and 32" tall tires again.

I can tell you though you can use a larger tire on your truck if you keep the stock rims, but if using a rim that is either wider and or has more of a negative offset then you will not get much more than stock sized tires fitting without rubbing.

Also be aware that the leveling kits are not really very good for the long term life of all the front end components... A 4.5" lift may be a better option as it will cost more but it will keep the geometry correct... I find trucks ride poorly with leveling kits in general but do some research... I can tell you that I drove my truck about 3000 Miles in 3 days and it was as comfy as any other car I have ever drove and that was with the 6.5" lift... The BDS kits are the best as far as I Know.

Here is a stock truck like mine compared to mine.... Go with the real lift kit it looks a million times better:

 

[rixtrix1]

Good advice, Sean. Everyone here thinks 6" lift = 6" larger tires, so they cut the heck out of the fenders and bumper and lug the motors, but man they look...( Insert personal comment here).

 

[sean Buick 76]

Well I booked today off work and drove about 250 miles each way to get 7 Buick engines.... It snowed like crazy! Had to tow in 4x4 the whole time. I know i needed a lower drop hitch to level the trailer but it towed well anyway. I will take more pics tmrw as we unload.







Got 10 mpg towing in 4x4 not bad..

 

[ADSR]

10mpg isn't bad at all!!

 

[1/2 Cup]

That looks like one tough gig Sean, take it easy..

 

[rixtrix1]

Did you already own these engines, or purchase them from another Buick hoarder? I would be hard pressed to even find more than one down here, for a reasonable price. Pretty decent mileage for that size rig and trailer, especially in the snow. People from this area couldn't fathom a trip like this. I don't miss doing similar things at your age, but I did it all the time in Nebraska.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Thanks guys i bought them from a Buick hoarder, i have to go back as he has 8 more! I paid $100 for the complete Buick 350 in the back of the truck and $200 each for 6 Buick 455 engines... Selling two 455s to the guy who bought my Skylark project, shipping 4 455s back east to a rebuilder friend who needs cores... And keeping the Buick 350.

 

[sean Buick 76]

The roads were still pretty bad yesterday when I went out to drop off the engines.... Most of the way I was able to keep it up to 70 MPH, revving 2500 RPM in 3rd gear is where the engine was happy:






I got them all unloaded at Blake's Shop using his forklift! Blake is the guy who bought my project Skylark and he was in need of a few 455 engines for another car so we worked out a deal where he would drop off the 4 engines to be shipped at the depot... And he bought the other two that were not on pallets.





Then I got home and took out my new 350:









Mission complete!

 

[rixtrix1]

Brrrrr. Sounds like a good, "car guy" kind of trip.

 

[sean Buick 76]

I am still waiting for my new car to get here, the suspense is killing me!!! They tell me it should be here in the next few days.

Some progress with the new engine for my car...

This girdle will help support the main bearing journals and keep the engine reliable even when making obscene amounts of power, special thanks to Gary Paine of Chardon Ohio:

Rough prototype:







Final product:





Just waiting for custom pistons and custom billet crankshaft, and things can move forward.... many $ into this one!

 

[ADSR]

^^ Holy smokes!!!! It's going to be bullet proof!!!

How much boost you going to run?

 

[sean Buick 76]

^^ Holy smokes!!!! It's going to be bullet proof!!!

How much boost you going to run?

Well the car runs 10.15 in the quarter mile as is with a mild 350 and low boost due to its low wieght and turbos providing torque.

I will run 20 psi on the chassis dyno once just to see what it makes and then will turn down the boost and shoot for 10.01....

 

[1/2 Cup]

That looks like it is going to be one tough engine Sean.