ranchhopper

We stay on 23 just to avoid most of the idiots on 19 I run from elgin to Hampshire 8 times a day so were bound to cross paths somewhere during the day.

I called you the other day on 19 Im driving that old welch RD with the galbreath aluminum trailer behind it.

I see him every day when they haul to CP running down 20 they run the same way from Hampshire to elgin that I do.

I cant go that far during my work season I work from march to December with no time off except sundays its not really a show quality truck anyways its fine for parades though.

Thanks I almost bought a B when this came up for auction had I bought it I would have hoped it came out as good as yours did.

Thanks guys the parade is the loyalty days parade sponsored by the Batavia Illinois VFW its been going on for 41 years its quite an honor to be left into the pool of people who do it every year.

I took the truck out and did a parade today it still isn't finished I have the fiberglass sunvisor painted blue with a row of stars across the front didn't have enough time to get it installed. The blue paint stripe has to be run across the doors and stars added to it I will get that done this week weather permitting supposed to be a rainy one though. The truck was a hit at the parade I heard a lot of "nice truck" as we went along the route I took a few pics at the beginning of the parade couldn't get any when the crowd got thick though the people were throwing so much candy into the road I had to pay attention not to run over any kids that were everywhere.

Something is off about that truck cant figure out what yet maybe just the crappy paint but it looks like if it could be scratched , cracked or dented it was.

That's one massive cherry tree looks like a good part of the load went over the top it sits atop the tree branches.

A little to add today buffed the hood and got the stars put on all that's left is add the two mack script pieces and put on the one inch wide white stripe to divide the blue from the red then install the lights on the right side. I cut some new headlight bezels out of 1/8 inch polished aluminum diamond plate they look great I had gotten lots of complements on them so far..

Al its not a show quality truck but I may get out there if that's a Saturday it may be doubtful we are going to be working every Saturday.

Not sure I have had good luck with it in the past Im going to keep it parked in the shade anyways and in winter it will be parked indoors.

NAPA single stage acrylic enamel.

A little more progress today got the top of the hood painted blue paint went on good no runs.

Had the same problem on the RS a little corrosion on the pin holding the brake pedal on wasn't letting it come up all the way just enough to keep the lights on.

Followed Mike on my way back to the pit to get my last load of the day he was on his way home he turned off on allen road I went up to big timber. I like the old single axle B his dad has Mike told me he bought it the year he was born I hope he restores it when he owns it.

I remember the old international S series trucks you couldn't see out the mirrors at a stop they vibrated so bad while sitting you could almost watch the screws back out of the headliner at a stop with all the vibration.

Its pretty heavy too I had to weld L brackets to the frame mounts to set it on while I drilled the holes to mount it just to hold it in place.

Im to cheap to let someone else do my work for me that's how I learned how to make custom gunstocks and engrave guns because its so expensive to have it done for me same with paint and body work its better than passable but no where near what a pro would do.

It will be the same blue as the rear bumper with white stars.

Those classic trucks are fun to drive but that light axle trailer is going to beat your fifth wheel to death hopping around on our fine Illinois roads.

A few new things done to the truck the rear bumper painted and installed the bumper is blue because the top of the hood and sunvisor will be blue. The step on the bumper is rhino lined so no slipping one mud flap has been put on waiting for the other to arrive got the roof all drilled and the inserts installed for the sunvisor. We took the hood off last week I sanded it down and painted the red part yesterday really tics me off I had 3 runs and some small sags on one side it was too dark on that side to see them until it was too late the worst part was I have no orange peel in the paint so if it wouldn't have ran like it did I wouldn't have had to wet sand it the third picture of the hood looks like the paint is not right but its just reflections its so shiny and uniform its scary. The top of the hood will be painted the same color as the bumper I will have the blue top and sides of the hood lined with white stars like a flag I was going to paint the stars but a friend gave me some UV resistant vinyl made especially for doing things like this for free so Im going to give it a try. The sunvisor and grille go to the media blaster tomorrow they will be back tomorrow afternoon then I will paint the grille silver argent and the visor will be painted blue when I do the top of the hood.

I have been looking for them too just one side though the other was still on the truck.

I ground the heads 3/4 or better down center punched them drilled them out until the rest of the head came off then drilled them to where the square part of the carrage bolt was gone them used an air chisel to punch them out the back. I sanded the hood down good tomorrow after dinner I will prime it then the red goes on the fenders and front and the blue with white stars will go on the top and sides.

That's it my friend passes it all the time says its just rusting away sitting in the same spot for years.