Grizz’s OCD Awesome ASTRO Van 🚙 Megane SCENIC 1.5dci 🚙 MX5 JEEP For Sale.🚨 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 USA Road Trip

[Bazfr69]

1 minute ago, grizz said:

PS. 
 

I actually painted it right there on the sidewalk with a small home built compressor. 
 

Did my cousins Suzuki 850GS shaft’s panels in two pack metallic blue.  Came out stunning. 

You’re making me feel very lazy. I’ve had a cheap Bigfoot pedal in the garage for about 18 months and I haven’t even got around to fitting it yet. 😄

[grizz]

15 hours ago, Bazfr69 said:

You’re making me feel very lazy. I’ve had a cheap Bigfoot pedal in the garage for about 18 months and I haven’t even got around to fitting it yet. 😄

Never the intention of my thread, to make anyone feel bad, if it motivates them then it is a bonus. 
 

We all march to a different drum. 

[grizz]

Journeys of discovery 

They are all very different, I recall the first breast I fondled, clear like the light of day, under the mulberry tree. 
The first car I drove (a 1968 Mini Pickup my dad owned in 70, 71) metallic green, as he had a thing for having cars repainted. Driving it around our town oval stock car racing track. 
The first time I was Shooting a gun (rifle) at someone in anger. 

I also remember getting these replacement parts out of a Chevy truck in Arkansas  

So the last four weeks have certainly been a Journey of discovery for me  

Little by little I have discovered parts for the truck that I have forgotten about over time  

And most came off the truck and will need cleaning up and further sorting out  

But it is rewarding and fun to some extent  

Saturday I got on with all the used parts that came off the truck originally and put them in places, containers and marked them more clearly than before  

At one point, @nickwheeler popped in, after his Saturday bell ringing session to cast an eye over my progress. Though he says little, I think he is quietly impressed that I have binned used split pins, toilet tissue and empty Pepsi Max cans  

I found my old registration plates and though I love American style plates, and planned to fit some to the truck, these also look good, due to the sheer size of the truck  

We will see what happens when the truck is ready for plates  

I carried on after Nick left and found more treasures. 
Sorting, packing and cleaning some of them. 
Resulting ultimately in this…….

 

There will be a few more things to find, figure out and sort but hopefully they will surface soon. I recall buying some really good quarter windows and rails, much better than what was fitted to the doors, they will be interesting to fit when the time comes  

There are newly powder coated Rallye wheels and new trims, center caps etc.  All to be rediscovered  

I also moved the blower unit that Ian Brown customised for me many years ago back in with all the parts  

I remember rebuilding this unit years ago  

For anyone who is interested, the blower motor and power switch from earlier Mazda MX5’s are an incredibly easy retrofit here. I used some foam insulation to seal it in  

 

 

Happy with the result  

 

 

Sunday was planned for a few tasks as well  

 

Report later  

Maybe 😉

[Bazfr69]

1 hour ago, grizz said:

Never the intention of my thread, to make anyone feel bad, if it motivates them then it is a bonus. 
 

We all march to a different drum. 

I’m only joking.

I was undecided about fitting it or putting a roller pedal on for a while and I think the Bigfoot will need fettling to get on properly. 

[GlenAnderson]

Am I right in guessing that the lack of comment about it means the prospective buyer of the Peugeot didn’t show? 

[Westbay]

1 minute ago, GlenAnderson said:

Am I right in guessing that the lack of comment about it means the prospective buyer of the Peugeot didn’t show? 

Arrrggghh! you mentioned the Peugeot !! 😀

[jim89]

1 minute ago, Westbay said:

Arrrggghh! you mentioned the Peugeot !! 😀

🫣

[grizz]

Mope or Nope en equal measure. 
 

Arrived at 12.00 for 11.00 appointment. 
 

Asked some dumb questions. (I am known to do so too)

 

Left to go “look at some other cars”

 

I am not too bovered. 
 

Once I get my fingers further out, and fix it, the price goes up again. 
 

Still would give it away rather than sell to some illiterate. 

[grizz]

Drip feeding. 

 

Too much of a good thing and all that. 

 

Sunday was a slow day after all the rummaging around on Saturday. 

 

But I was onto a bit of woodwork again 

 

Being creative is a lot nicer than just moving stuff around. 

 

I wanted to make a cab lifter again so that I could remove the cab from the chassis when I needed to work on the cab, on its roller jig. 

 

So based on some photos I took years ago, I measured up, then found some lumber in the store. 

 

 

Cut it all up to size as needed. 

 

Dealt with a time waster who cost me over 90 minutes. 

Changing from my garage clothes into jeans, trainers and hoody, before his 11.00 appointment, waiting for him, then getting called to say he had a flat wheel ( I have no doubt he is just a tardy timekeeper) and was running 30 minutes late, which turned into an hour late, ultimately not buying the car after some pretty dumb questions, and going to look at some other cars. 

 

Wood cut up and ready, then assembled it. 

 

Mickey popped in to supervise me and of course help while smoking a couple of smelly roll ups. At 78 he is still going strong. 

 

 

 

VIDEO OF PROCESS. 

 

https://youtu.be/W7P0pxKO3Eg?si=8jFOl4LZQFLaigjh

 

 

 

Shut shop by 4.00pm as I had dinner being cooked and needed to spend time with Bonnie. 

 

I also decided not to paint the lifting tool. 

 

 

Famous last words. 

 

 

By Monday afternoon I was on it, having dug out some old paint. One metal tin had rusted through the bottom before and was stood upside down on my paint shelf. And a plastic tub of what was left over of a purple/blue made perfect volunteers for random mixing 

 

 

And done. 

 

Pretty stupid but hey……. Makes me happy. 

 

 

 

In the evening I took a look to see if there were any of the Little Tykes Woody cars for sale online. 

 

A few popped up. 

 

Clearly valued by some. 

 

Me included. 

 

And then some dreamers. 

 

But of course if someone paid the price, I would be wrong. 

 

 

Back to Bonnie. 

 

Loves a ball. 

 

Nonstop. 

 

I try hiding them……

 

Not a stupid dog. 

 

 

Wednesday today. 

 

Hump day. 

[jim89]

2 hours ago, grizz said:

 

Hump day. 

Can't beat a cheeky mid week one 👍🏻🙂

[grizz]

Seen at my local food shop. 

No….

Not Walmart or ASDA. 

Morrissons. 

Be interesting to see the check out process. 

[grizz]

Well it seems spring is here. 

 

The Rapeseed Canola is already in flower. 

 

Time for pretty car pictures. 

 

But also started my yearly 6 months of non sedative antihistamine 

 

Went looking for my left over pills from last year as I start on them and get a repeat prescription which unfortunately takes up to 5 days. NHS at it’s most efficient. 

 

I rediscovered a steering wheel that I bought from mate Darren about 8 years ago for a big wad of cash. 

 

And tried out some checkered vinyl in the rear. This used to be fitted to my 1963 Ford Transit van.  

 

 

I don’t think so. 

 

Conversely, the steering wheel has still got the same appeal. 

 

For the C10. 

 

 

Been a busy week. 

 

Not a lot to show, but certainly productive. 

 

Weather still is not done with winter. 

 

Last night rain and wind. 

 

Thankfully moved the van by 18.00

 

Woke to this today. 

 

The neighbours own that fence, thus responsible for replacing it. However, they sold or are trying to sell the house so no interest in spending money on anything. 

 

 

Good Friday. 

 

Public holiday in England. 

 

Lots to do today. 

 

 

[Bazfr69]

That steering wheel is lovely. 😍

[grizz]

9 minutes ago, Bazfr69 said:

That steering wheel is lovely. 😍

Thank you. 
 

Love a pin up and feminine women. 
 

There is a guy selling these keyrings in the Netherlands…… €8.00 plus shipping, tax and import duty. 
 

Would love one, but not at that price. 
 

 

[Bazfr69]

I think I only have a single pin up sticker on my dash, must check later. 
I do like the style though. 

[Bazfr69]

Yes just the one, likely a freebie with something I bought. 
Certainly basic and stylised compared to the more detailed images on the wheel and key ring. 

[grizz]

You know those days where you are busy all day but have nothing to show for it? 

Couple of them this week. 

Some of you may recall that I built a small raised sandbox for Sallys grandson during Covid. 

Sand was super expensive but my time was not. 

Harry her older grandson always plays in it when he visits. 
He has been joined by a brother, Alfie now, about a year old. 

So the rime had come to replace the plywood lid and to repaint it more appropriately. 

I used some checkered vinyl that was in the back of my 1963 Ford Taunus Transit. 

Painted it all. 

Then headed to Sallys place and painted the box. 

Also made a new name and redecorated the step. 

I will tackle the paving with my pressure washer some time in the next few weeks

 

Box done

New name plate and step painted. 

And put together yesterday. 

Sallys younger son, Ryan, was 24 this week. 

His choice for a birthday dinner was a kebab and chiips from the kebab shop 200 meters from home. 

I passed on my normal choice of fish and chips and went for a lamb kebab, salad and chips. 

We also watched Topgun. Maverick on Netflix and Sally stayed awake for the whole movie. 

Today is Saturday so shops are open. 

I have a parcel to post. 

The excess from the garage continues to sell out in fits and starts despite the number of illiterates not becoming any less. 

Still, despite the irritation, cash is king. 

[Westbay]

"I have a parcel to post. 

The excess from the garage continues to sell out in fits and starts despite the number of illiterates not becoming any less. 

Still, despite the irritation, cash is king. "

 

Like all of the great entrepreneurs - you gota start somewhere !  😁

[grizz]

1 hour ago, Westbay said:

"I have a parcel to post. 

The excess from the garage continues to sell out in fits and starts despite the number of illiterates not becoming any less. 

Still, despite the irritation, cash is king. "

 

Like all of the great entrepreneurs - you gota start somewhere !  😁

Amazed at what has sold. 
 

My relatively low price may help on many items.  

[SilverMachine]

good progress there fella! my mojo faced a setback, ill go into that more below!

was wondering what other bits n bobs the toad needs? if you got anywhere with the caddys key? is the woody getting a restoration or customisation?

 

as previously said i have left the big blue supermarket and now work for a small family run company where i can speak directly to the buisness owners on a daily basis! that dose not meant that its not as busy as a supermarket though, and it challenges me more so this dose mean im not aimlessly filling freezer after freezer with my own thoughts to entertain me, as i would have! so, new job so far is good!

Progress is progress, except when its not. which is what i have experienced. you know those 10 minute jobs that arent..... purchased some nice new curtains and curtain track to smarten up the lounge one end went up perfectly, the other, the timber the rail was on was away from the wall, so attempted to drill a hole add a plug and screw to pull it back. no that wasn't happening as the thin skim of plaster over the lentil was crumbling then the drill would not drill into the lentil! no idea whats going on with that, thought i might try sticking it back instead. teased it away a little to remove wallpaper from stopping me getting the grip fill adhesive behind and the whole timber bit comes off, bringing with it more wallpaper plaster and making more mess. stand back clean up make a cup of tea and abandon until a new  plan forms. this house was built in the late 1950s early 1960s and the walls are hard. but the plaster seems to blow out easy. so i have an area about six inches wide, by two feet tall where there are bricks exposed next to the window, ive got rid of most of the crumbly plaster. any advice on repairing this would be very welcome!

 

[grizz]

46 minutes ago, SilverMachine said:

good progress there fella! my mojo faced a setback, ill go into that more below!

was wondering what other bits n bobs the toad needs? if you got anywhere with the caddys key? is the woody getting a restoration or customisation?

 

Thank you. 
 

Toad needs boot to open. 
I never progressed with Caddy keys. Still opening up with ket in rear door. Not ideal. 
Woody is perfect as is. Plastics are brittle and I rather see the age on it. 
 

 

No idea on your lintel problem. 
 

I have in the past hit a chunk of granite when drilling. It stops progress. 
What I did once or maybe twice was to put a punch in the hole and whack it to break the stone in there and then carried on drilling. 
 

So not sure if that helps. 

[SilverMachine]

51 minutes ago, grizz said:

I have in the past hit a chunk of granite when drilling. It stops progress. 
What I did once or maybe twice was to put a punch in the hole and whack it to break the stone in there and then carried on drilling. 
 

thats not a bad idea,  but i dont want to break the lintel (not lentil, although drilling a lentil as i previously said would be a challenge!) priority now is sorting out the bare bricks. think i may have to get some proper plaster and pva  as the filler i used on the small bits wont stick to the bricks. but that will be a next week job,  ill try sticking the wood back up with contractors adhesive when the wall is ready for it! ( it was originally nailed on with six 2 1/2  inch concrete nails of which one was bent hence the gap at one end!)

 

52 minutes ago, grizz said:

Woody is perfect as is. Plastics are brittle and I rather see the age on it. 

yes was wondering if any of the plastic car bumper treatment stuff or upvc window revitaliser stuff might help the plastic? 

1 hour ago, grizz said:

Toad needs boot to open. 

the fishing seems to be the only way? would the local dealers not have a trick? im sure others will have visited them with similar issues

 

[grizz]

Local dealers are thieves. 
 

DAMHIK except that they failed a perfectly good car on an ABS sensor that was perfect the lifetime before and the day it got taken in for MOT.  Then quoted my ex wife something like £2k to fix or £2k as s trade in. No…. Fuck them forever. 
 

Plastic revitaliser is just that. 
will shine it up but not make the molecules stick together like they used to be. 
 

I have had chunks of ceiling missing for a year. Getting a plasterer in to do small jobs…. Nope. Want a weeks money gor a two hour job.  

[SilverMachine]

35 minutes ago, grizz said:

I have had chunks of ceiling missing for a year. Getting a plasterer in to do small jobs…. Nope. Want a weeks money gor a two hour job.  

i get that. im looking into learning enough to do it myself -or  find someone that can for sensible monies, have also got a bit to do where i removed a wall....

[jim89]

4 hours ago, SilverMachine said:

i get that. im looking into learning enough to do it myself -or  find someone that can for sensible monies, have also got a bit to do where i removed a wall....

😬

🙂

[grizz]

Every time you think it’s all over, you trip over something else. 

 

A 14 year hoard of nuts and bolts, washers, brackets, hinges, wood screws of every conceivable kind, and many more small items was a full day’s worth of sorting out. Hard to believe?

 

You never saw my hoard. 

 

Ask any previous visitor to Grizz Towers. 

 

Cake tin after cake tin of imperial, metric and unidentified fasteners and random stuff was poured out and sorted through. 

 

Keep in mind that I also ha md to create and rearrange all the storage space and containers. 

 

One thing I did, with a heavy heart was to jettison all the traditional wood screws that were stored in various locations and containers. Modern Pozi-Drive type, self cutting screws are just so much quicker and easier to use and I certainly don’t create artisan level work any more. 

 

I didn’t take any photos of this at the start, but trust me……

 

It was a lot worse than that. 

 

 

 

Eventually I also cleared the “electronics table” where most of the Rezin Rockit nuts, bolts, washers and electronics plus paints etc lived for three years. 

 

Could be cleared of a few more bits. 

 

 

Looking at this lot, it is hard to believe that this is the result of a days work unless I mention that stuff found it’s way to possibly as many as 10 destinations from the sorting table. 

 

 

There still are jobs to do as part of the clear out and preparation for the C10 build but it’s not easy to understand unless you’re actually here on site. 

 

The cash fund that started with an imaginary target of £500.00 in junk sales has made it up to £1670.00 so far. 

 

Yesterday I spent just over a third of it on two new mattresses for my lodger’s bedrooms. 

 

Possibly a better investment than buying another car for now, especially that red Camaro. 

 

It still blows my mind that despite low prices and cheap selling of excess junk, this amount of money has come in over four weeks. 

 

 

Coming back from town, I had offered Salky our usual 3-6 monthly treat of a quick cheap Turkish lunch, she declined and asked for a McDonalds Biscoff Frappe and something random to eat. 

 

Now McDonalds is something I don’t eat as a habit but I have to remind myself once a year why I don’t eat anything from these “restaurants “ 

 

Crispy Chicken Ceasar wraps and caramel Frappes eaten in the carpark like the common people. 

 

Dodged a bullet with the heartburn too. 

 

 

Came home after this and Sally went home to work in her garden and I started on a two day job that I do yearly. 

 

Spent 4 hours out there hurting. 

[Westbay]

You'll really reap the rewards of doing this when the C10 build starts - you'll have fresh memory of where everything is ! well done !

[Westbay]

Do you know any furniture restores/upcyclers ?  ... they may be grateful for the traditional screws ...

Sold from Grizz Emporium naturally 😊

[grizz]

1 hour ago, Westbay said:

Do you know any furniture restores/upcyclers ?  ... they may be grateful for the traditional screws ...

Sold from Grizz Emporium naturally 😊

oooooppps. 

[grizz]

Like Prozac the Berlingo, the VW Caddy continues to earn its keep. 

 

Every time it does a new job, it ticks a mental bank account box for me, justifying its existence throughout igu “man maths “ 

 

Two double bed mattresses, two TV’s, a wooden TV stand, some other random junk. 

 

Tomorrow it fetches a wooden double bed frame and disposes of a double bed base. 

 

Yup…….

 

Function over Form.  

 

 

 

 

Caddy delivers. 

 

And at an average of 43 MPG (imperial gallons)! I think it’s a bit more special than it looks.  

 

Almost the weekend too.