Although I haven't posted in awhile I still read the posts occasionally. Here is my last two journal enrtries from my infrequently used journal. Hopefully I can look back on some receipts and fill in some blanks. Any way here they are for your entertainmemt.

06-2006 What can I say. Three hurricanes, a tropical storm, and numerous personal health and family issues brings me half way through year 2006. So here is the lack of update. I have to do all my frame sandblasting over and I never did find the POR-15 that I was looking for in February of 2004. I'm too young to be losing my mind and I'm pretty sure I think I bought it. Since I can't find the POR-15 I did the next logical thing. I changed my mind and ordered Zero Rust paint along with a HVLP paint gun. I also purchased a gallon of Pickle X along with a gallon of Dupont's Pre Cleano. It is the consensus of some people that do this stuff for a living that those three products make a bullet proof finish for the frame. It is also the consensus of some of the people that I am a complete fool. I believe that some of the people are right but I'm not sure which ones that is. There is a some other non work progress. I have purchased the poly graphite front suspension bushings, new ball joints, tie rod ends, front bearings, and grease seals for the Mus II suspension. To compliment that I have had the upper and lower control arms, control arm spindle crossshafts, spindles, springs, and strut rods powder coated. I have purchased new 11" Granada rotors and the 99' - 01' Mustang twin piston aluminum calipers.

07-2006 I had the nuts bolts and washers powder coated last month and discovered that the PC is so thick a wrench no longer fits. ARRGHH!!!!!!!!!!! Also I am tinkering with adapting the aluminum twin piston caliper too the Mus II spindle. It doesn't look like it will be too hard but it definately is not a cake walk. The earlier thought I had of adapting another caliper bracket that uses a Chevy caliper will not work. The ears of the Mustang caliper are too close to the mounting points on the old bracket. This will be solved by rotating the caliper on the new bracket. My present plans are to continue working on the caliper adapter while I finish the rear spring hangers and shackles. I have finished the drivers side so all I have to do is mirror image the passenger side. After the rear suspension is finished I'll have the parts powder coated and then start on the 70' Mustang gas tank install.

So this is where I am. I think I've done my part of living up to my siganature.

 

The progress sounds cool!

I know what you mean, sometimes life just seems to happen and the truck gets relegated to the back burner. I seem to work on mine in fits and spurts.

Good luck with it
Bobby

 

Sometimes you have to look at what is more important. Is having an old truck something we need? I think not. It is however a great hobby. I have always thought you need to help yourself before you can help somebody else. Same idea with an old truck. If you can keep what you have I encourage it. If you need to put it on the back burnner for a while so be it it will still be sitting when you get back.
If you listen to country it is kinda like Gary Allan says, "life ain't always beautiful, but it's a beautiful life". Do what you can while you can, if you stay with it you will finish it.

 

It's great to hear from you again, Darkman!!! Every time a hurricane hits Florida, I imagine you out there doing your job in it. Glad to hear you are OK and back in the swing of building your truck again.

Hey, that snail stuff is underrated anyway. Everything needs to take extra time, otherwise, how else can you make time to change your mind?

I can relate to the POR15 story. I spend at least half the time in my gagrage trying to remember where I put stuff.

 

Charles,

It is great to here from you! Too many of the old members aren't heard from much anymore. Like Randy, every time I hear about another huricane hitting Pensacola, I worry about you.

Hang in there and keep in touch.

 

I can relate to your loosing things in the garage, usually happens after I clean up and put things where they belong. It takes another month or two afterwards to find everything again. I thought that buying these new brightly colored tape measures and screwdrivers etc. would solve the problem but now everything is brightly colored and I still can't find anything.

Glad your back working on the truck, I know you folks on the coast have been through a lot, I have a sister in Mobile.

 

CHARLES !! MY MAN !!

boy it's good to see your signature on a post again. You're on the right path... with patience comes perfection... I'm into year 11 and sadly haven't touched my truck this year.... but it's there patiently waiting for me... unlike all this other 'stuff' that crowds around me jumping up and down shouting "ME ME ME ME"

I know you'll get it done... probably before me !!!

take care old buddy... good to hear from you again

John

 

Thanks to all for the words of encouragement. We all have our fingers crossed that we will be spared this year from tropical systems. The truck is always the last priority however with the drought we are having this year I'm hopeful that it can rise above a few things that have in the past pushed it back. Namely yardwork, landscaping and a garden. The garden is out this year and yardwork has been relegated to a little bit of mowing of what is left of the yawn. I'm gunshy on any landscaping. It is tough watching a few hours of wind undo years of work. I'm taking the minimalistic look this year. Lots of Pine bark mulch. Buy it 10 yds at a time. That and a little weed killer for the brave souls that penetrate the mulch and I'm all set. I'm glad to see a few of the guys that have been here a while. Notice I didn't say old guys. Although for a few of us, that would fit nicely. LOL There are so many new names and the participation on a daily level seems way up too. All good for FTE, the hobby and our projects. More people = more diverse knowledge. hope fully I'll be able to participate a lot more. I will have some pictures of my suspension work later this year. Thanks all

 

Hurricanes suck..
I'm in Central Florida.. 5 miles from the famous "Lake Wales" where all three major Hurricanes of 2004 criss-crossed. Charlie, Francis, and Jeanne crossed right over us. Ivan had a sense of humor and went up through the pan handle, came out of the north east, went back into the atlantic and came right back down across central florida.. lol Wasn't a bad storm, but he was just trying to **** me off.