Chassis extension

[mike wade]

Bill,
About an hour ago Frank said on FB that the insurance company is going to come though with money so All is good maybe........

Mike

[Bill Cleveland]

That's great to hear! Thanks, Mike.

[Bill Holley]

that is super news... very glad to hear this.. now it's just gonna take a little long to finish, but finish i hope happens..

[frank_a]

Sorry folks, been dealing with PTS. Not fun having a fire that on top of everything else comes whisker close to taking your house with it when you have all your kids and grandchildren in it. It's more than 3 weeks ago now, and I'm still dealing with it. Should catch up soon, long as I can get a couple good nights sleep in a row. Yawn...

Soon as we get a new shed up and get the new lawn tractor, lawn mower and other stuff out of the garage, I can get back to work on the hot rod. Insurance came through fine, and I could go two ways - either replace the CCR Smooth body, or just run over to CT and get one with a door already in it and a back seat from Jim at Win Tec Fabrications. That may be a distinct possibility because I had the chassis extended 6". Looks like Jim's welders could move my M/C bracket, steering gear bracket and motor mounts for this body they have, and I would still have 2" to spare. I hope to know soon, but can't even get at the chassis right now there is so much other crap in my garage stall.

Taking the day off tomorrow to burn two huge brush piles left over from taking burned trees down. Once that happens, the shed folks can bring gravel in to level the site for the shed and the shed guy can bring in our new 12 X 20 tall barn shed and sit it down. Then I can empty the garage and get back to work.

Looks like there may be money for more stuff I need for the hot rod. We're doing good already, just being able to replace what we lost, but more is coming. I have absolutely no complaints about Met Life, who held insurance on our house.

One other change with my T is I plan on running two 1/2 kegs instead of one. I have acquired the kegs, now just need to figure out how to make them pretty!

I'll keep you all posted as we move ahead.

Frank

[Lee in KC]

Good to hear, Frank! Sounds like you're getting past the troubles and headed for a good time rebuilding your hotrod! Looking forward to reading about (and seeing pictures of) your progress.

[frank_a]

Thanks Lee. Pretty much among the living again. Have lost a lot of sleep over the whole thing, and getting by it. Once I get the new shed in and my work space for the hot rod cleaned out, I'll be back in business. Along with getting the hot rod done, I am busy getting some work done on the house so we can retire and sell it. With luck, both the house and the hot rod will be done at the same time, and we can retire!

Enjoy your day pal.

Frank

[Bill Holley]

burnt trees ??? wow u had a good one then.. keep your head high, it'll take time but u can see the light at the end.. getting there can be a pain now and then but do-able...
too bad i don't live closer.. i'll do the bucket and u figure out why the trans pan on the fairlane keeps leaking.. 3 new gaskets and 1 new pan..drip,drip

[frank_a]

Insurance money for personal property finally came through this week. Remember I said they would not cover auto parts? Well, lo and behold, they gave me a bit over a grand for the CCR body, gauges and wiring. That was a real surprise. The way everything is going (fingers and eyes crossed here), I may end up with the resources necessary (other than my time of course) to get the stuff I need for the rebuild. Time is an issue, as it seems most all my spare time since the fire has been taken up in one way or another with recovery from the fire. We're about there, but I am still not sleeping well, which is a problem getting anything extra done, like work on the hot rod. Even though the chassis is at Wintec Fabrications/CoolFlex over in CT, I have plenty to do on the other stuff that attaches to the frame, like the jag IRS. So far, between my mechanic buddy and me, we're ruined 4 inner wheel seals, him with a hydraulic press and professional seal installer, me the old fashioned way with a piece of 2X4. Getting two more seals this weekend, gonna stick 'em in the freezer, bring the hubs up to the kitchen, and see of a bit of contraction will allow me to get the darn seals in! Third try be the charm ya think?

I hope y'all are doing better than me! Enjoy the weekend folks!

Frank

[Bill Cleveland]

Great to hear that, Frank! Re: seals - sounds like you gotta plan . . . hot rodders will find a way to fix anything!

PS - I remember heat-treating a set of rearend gears in Sally's kitchen oven; I'm still getting grief over that one!