Looking good Joe. Another FTE member graduating and going off to the parade circuit... we are all so proud! Looking forward to seeing the pics and video of Betsy all decked out to honor our vets!

 

Thanks Rob. I hope to have a few pics to share and a video if possible.

 

I put that "temporary" right taillight on her a year ago just so I could wire up the turn signals, which I did last April.

Looks a little better with the new ones, I think.






I may flip the mounting brackets over to raise the lights when I put the "temporary" parade bed on her. That might look better too. When I finally get around to making the permanent bed, I'll probably attach the lights to it directly.

 

I painted the brackets today and turned them over. This raises the lights several inches and I think it looks better.



I think this is just slightly higher than the original light / bracket. I also braced the license plate bracket, as it was really flimsy.

 

Joe, the lights look good. Wow, I noticed it the picture how close you are to your car. It looks just inches away. I wish mine fit in my garage !!

 

So does Joe,LOL

 

Thanks Keith. I'm happy with the lights for now. I may mount them to the bed in the future.

Yes the two vehicles fit in the garage. We started putting the truck in there because Hagarty Insurance requires it. And the wife and I have got the distance down pat. I have more trouble gauging the truck next to the car than the car next to the truck. That dual wheel sticks out a full wheel wider than the front wheel. So that makes it a hair raising event pulling the truck in if the car's already there. But, no accidents yet...

And when I finally get a 9 foot bed on there, the truck will still fit in the garage, but I won't have as much room to walk around the front.

 

Believe it or not, I can actually get into the truck on the driver's side (usually) with the car parked there.

As close as it was in the above pic, I'd probably have to go in through the passenger side. But that's because I'm getting fat...

 

Joe, your truck is looking good!

Just curious......aren't you required to run mudflaps/guards on your rear tires where you live?
In MT they are required on any truck with duals or exposed (flatbed, etc) rear tires. It's actually a pretty steep fine here...

 

Yes, Scott, they are required. I have the mudflaps but haven't devised a way to hang them yet. I'll be making a "temporary" bed for the parade next month, so I'll hang them on that. But I won't know for sure how I'll permanently mount them until I finish the bed.

 

JOe, have you tried backing the truck in? When I had the motorhomes, I put tape strips down on the barn floor, turned the mirrors down slightly, and could put the beast exactly where I wanted it every time. Maximized space utilization. I cemented a 2 x 4 down as a stopping point.

 

Funny, after carefully measuring, I put two 4x4s down and secured them well. Big idea was that they'd keep me from backing into my buddy's carport to far and hitting his boat. Well, the F500 took to those 4x4s like a fish to water! I never knew that I hit them until I heard his boat bounce out of the trailer cradle! Fortunately, he had super-reenforced the hull and no structural damage was done.
As well, I took out a brick mailbox last week while turning around. Didn't even scratch Albatross' paint on the bed bump-rail. Totalled the massive mailbox structure. Don't ask.
Anyway, I'm very sure I will accept my limitations and install that backup camera and display that I'd been stalling on. Sheesh! :redface

 

FWIW, I could never get an accurate eyeball distance from the back wall with the camera, nothing I would trust, hence the 2 x 4s. Easy on the throttle does it.

 

I can't back it in. In order to miss hitting my compound miter saw stand with the outer wheel, I'd have to park so far over I couldn't get the car in.

I had already tried that.

 

Joe,

I'm just curious, how tall is your garage door opening at its lowest point? I've always thought that I'd be able to fit the Panel truck inside my garage, but by my measurements, I may have to let the air out of the tires slightly.