Now that the holidays are nearly gone (Super Bowl yet) what's on the agenda? I finally got my 63 in the garage and am getting ready to do some patch work. Floorboards, cab mounts etc. Never welded thin gauge so will be learning. Fact is I've barely ever welded, so lot's a practice first.
Hadn't been on FTE for quite awhile, but had alot of non-Ford projects to deal with. Got a ceiling up in my garage finally, so I can stand to be out there in the cold now. Gotta get rid of a metal lathe yet - I posted in the 'for sale' thread. One "project" was playing racing games on the PS2 with Captain Henry Morgan for a few of those crazy cold days. Just put both rear brake cylinders on my 87. Looking back, I did alot more hibernating then I thought!

So how about you?

 

Got a lot of maintenance type work around the farm, then a lot of repairs on vehicles, including both of the trucks. Reverse went out of the Cummins conversion, and the clutch is out on my 86. I haven't had a day that I just had nothing to do since I moved back, but that's ok with me. Just started to work at Autozone, had to get a little money coming in while I am going to college. College has been going well though, three semesters in a row on the Dean's list.
So about that lathe, what all does it do, and what all comes with it?
Welding isn't too bad once you figure out the way it works, and panel welding is more pulse welding, get a little bit of an arc going, shut it off, then do it again in another spot. You don't want a lot of heat in one spot or it will distort the panel.

 

I didn't mean I had days with nothing to do, I just had a few days where I said NO to doing anything. I drove to and from work with practically no brakes for 3 days (I know) because I was so burned out from working in those sub-zero wind-chills. Guess I meant by hibernate, getting simple indoor projects out of the way. I've done alot in the last few months, just not much worth mentioning. Unless you consider stuff like fixing a leaky faucet or a off kilter cabinet door interesting.

Anyway, about that lathe, if I get up the ambition -I've been a little ill- to head for the garage, I'll take a few pics and get the model #'s. Might not get to post them till tomorrow. We have to go to Menards - last day for a sale on a stove. I have a feeling I'm gonna get sucked into grocery shopping too.

Good job on the Deans list. Funny, I always seemed to get more things done around the home when I was going to school than when I wasn't. Probably an avoidance issue. Although I enjoyed college - wouldn't mind going back again myself.

 

Fellro - I put some pics in my gallery and posted some additional info in the 'for sale' thread.

 

Hey Sam how bout that blizzard warning the other day, I attend classes out at Scott in Bettendorf they let us go at 3pm. I sat in line for about 45 minutes trying to get out of the fricken parking lot before I jumped the curb and went accross the feild and through the ditch up to the street.

Driving home the 86 stalled when I restarted it my volt meter was only reading 11.5 volts. My 22 year old alternater finaly bit the dust. I spent the next day freezing my fingers off replacing the battery and alt.

Drove the truck to class the next day, when I got out all I could smell was gas. Popped the hood and my fuel pump was leaking like crazy out of the weep holes. Was out til 4am the next morning laying under the truck on a water bed liner, on top of the snow, freezing my fingers of again replacing the fuel pump.

Hopefully I've got the old girl patched up enough to make it through the winter. My 96 is parked in the garage with no insurance, the 82 is parked next to it with no engine, and my Buick is sitting in the back yard waiting for a tranny. I cant wait til it gets nice out again.

 

Yeah, that blizzard warning was pretty good... I got let out from classes at 1 pm, and the roads were way worse tonight than they were then. Many high schools were out all day, and nothing really happened...

 

Jimbo, not to be Mr. Obvious, but have you ever thought about temporarily pulling your 96 out so you can work on your 86 inside? Just a crazy thought.

Looks like we're getting the real deal today. I just got home from work - left at 2:10. I couldn't go more than 25mph without the back end wanting to go another direction.

 

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Thats normally what I do, but the front part of my garage is currently being occupied by my buddies crap. I'm letting him store a fridge, a couch, and some boxes while he's moving. I would of had to move all his crap out into the driveway, just to get the 96 out.

Also my fuel pump just happened to crap out at school, I had a buddy give me a ride to carquest, and then I just replaced the fuel pump in the school parking lot. I didn't want to chance it and start the truck on fire on the way home.

We got out of class at 3 again today. My sister called this morning because she didn't want to drive to class in the stuff. She drove over here and then I drove the two of us back and forth from class in her car.

53rd street was a disaster area on the way home, luckly she's got a newer Mecury Sable that just pulls its way through anything. Its a joy driving something like that after putting up with the truck for so long.

I just seen the 5 oclock news, looks like the worse is still yet to come.

 

well it's almost 2a.m. was just outside for break... doesn't seem like a lot of snow, but the wind has picked up from 2 hours ago.

I haven't done a whole lot lately. I can't wait til it warms up. I bought my house last march and I seemed to be going at a pretty good pace, fixing it up and making it nicer. That is until winter hit, I haven't done anything since.

lets see what's on the list:

umm... I did tile in the kitchen last summer, I've had all the supplies to do the bathroom since then. But the ol lady doesn't want the bathroom to be out of commision for a whole day. So, I need to kick her out of the house for a weekend so I can do my bathroom floor.

I ripped up the crappy plastic edging and the river rock that was all the way around my house. Need to "aquire" some more railroad ties, and get new rock to put around the house.

One stall attached garage (which is too small for my truck to fit in)needs to be converted into a den (with a pool table) which means I need to find a place to store some of the crap that has accumulated in there.

And build a double carport onto the front of the house. which will eventually become and enclosed garage. But to save money, we'll do the structure now and enclose it in a couple of years.

And my father-in-law is getting me everything i need to try painting. So i'll probably paint the truck (after i hone my skills on some junkers)

It needs to get warm... the list is getting longer by the minute.

 

I know the feeling, I just set this place up last fall, took a lot of work to get it done so we can get moved in. This kind of weather is sure showing me that I need a lot of snow fence... that's the curse of a long lane, but otherwise, it is nice. The ground is too frozen to put posts in, I got maybe 3" in before I gave up. I had to tie some old junk posts on to prop it up.
Seems that every time my parents go off on a trip, we get hammered by a big winter storm. Did it back in high school, doing it again now, they just left Monday. I brought the loader tractor to my place so that I can dig out to get down there. I had to tarp it, since I don't have any outbuildings to park it in at this time.My classes got cancelled, the wife doesn't work today, and I don't have to go to work until tomorrow, so other than taking care of the critters and such, I don't need to go anywhere.
If I were to do a rundown on all the things I need to be getting done, it would exceed the length allowed on a post, not to mention, drag on and on, just have to pick what is most important and try to get that. The front steps at my parent's need to be reworked, since the idiot that built them made them too light, the steps flex when you step on them, not to mention the first step is 12", second 7 1/2".. bathroom needs totally reworked, the other needs the floor done. that is the tip of the iceberg there, but it is what we have materials for. Then there is the outside buildings... that is one long list...

 

To-Do lists never get shorter.