I always liked the lanyard that hung down from the overhead in the old semis that went past our house as a kid. We'd do a couple of fist pumps to the driver and he'd blast us with a couple toots on his air horn. These horns were on my 47 panel when I got it so I decided to put them back and rig up a switch with a lanyard. A wooden rocker and an old spring, the string from a hooded sweatshirt and an old ford starter relay. The red wire has a stripped portion which grounds out to the bare steel patch on the trucks roof panel. Cost nothing but the 3 hours I stopped working early today. At todays shop rate that's..... Oh never mind, it was kinda fun. And they are very LOUD!!!

 

There must be something in the bylaws that prevents one man from having this much fun on one truck...

Thought I read that somewhere...

 

There's also an ancient proverb that says 'bylaws are meant to be bbroken'.....I do admit I have a lot of fun with my trucks. Much of my work over the last 40 years has been on high end yachts and later high end homes. Architects, interior designers and the like expect one to follow all the details on the drawings with no variances and all the detailing must be crisp and properly aligned. That's fine and good and I'm happy we can pull it off consistently, but after work I'll be darned if my 'hobby' is going to be building a perfectly restored, Dearborn correct 100 point trailer queen. Like I continue to say, "thank God there are no rules in this game." (Well maybe brakes, steering and brake lights and sometimes a valid license plate)

 

That is definitely not meant to be a criticism. I'm sure I speak for most of us when I say I truly enjoy your work. It seems to me that I am not having that much fun with mine any more. Hmmm

 

I never took it as criticism. I know I can do proper work when the need is there. I just like the free-form way I do my trucks and I have had many kind remarks from all of you so I understand. While I have only worked on old trucks, not cars, I fell hard for the car Willowbilly built from various inexpensive parts. It's not exactly a race car and certainly not a rat rod. It's just a really cool car that came from his vision of the fun to be had in this hobby. Feel free WB to post up a picture or two. There are some new guys here that haven't seen it yet.

 

GB... I'm with ya on that... WB posted that car... Something similar will be my next project!!!

 

I think I'm gonna do my '47 1/2 ton next, just because I'm going for the trifecta... But after that I think it's time for something fast, light, open and easy to drive. WB style for sure.

 

GB... What do think about "blacking" the panel outer fenders to match the 1 1/2 ton?

 

So now you have done two to my none GB. Guess I'll go over there and sulk some more...

 

nice job !!!

 

I have definately considered it. Only thing is it's a lot of colors already, and one more thing is I feel I would then have to do the rear fenders as well. It's just a dusting from a rattle can of bbq black so If I do try it I can always go over it with something else. Either way I am planning to do some welding/patching on the rear fenders before painting any color. Still making it reliable with wiring and fuel stuff, which is minor at this point and then on to the rear fender repairs. Door bottoms need work too. I thought I had sworn off buying rusty trucks, but a tonner panel is pretty hard to find in any condition. You might see those fenders in black before too long though.....

 

Your panel is coming along nicely Gary. If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong!
I built my COE the same way.....not worrying about it being perfect. Most fun project yet!