New York August NYC Meet-Up 2021

[Calzone]

Picking up the Arm-War today. This will be used in the “Powder Room” as a closet. Stuff like towels, the Dyson Vacuum, and cleaning supplies will be stored there. Kinda clever my idea of not having a conventional closet.

At yesterday’s BBQ we got a tour of our neighbor’s house. Set on four 40x100 lots our next door neighbor’s house appears to be 1 1/2 times the size of our house. In other words it looks like a big house around 2200-2800 square feet, but in fact is about 1400-1500 square feet and about the same size.

The dining rooms and living rooms compare in size, and the hall entrance as well, as well as the layout. Pretty much almost the same floor plan. I recognized the same 5 panel doors and moldings as ours.

Their house had a more modern vibe with the hallway opening leading to the living room opened up, and a look through a weight bearing wall from the kitchen to the dining room opened things up.

Our house had a different kind of openness because of the three windowed “walkouts” that extend outward like partial stop signs. The concentration of windows and the amount of light allowed to enter added a great amount of perceived space and openness.

Anyways I was surprised how similar but different their house was.

Our basement is not conducive to finishing, but theirs was fully built out, also they had a full attic that could be built out, while ours is all broken up by the Victorian complicated roof lines.

I guess what makes their house appear so much and dramatically larger is the wrap around porch. Oddly our house is claimed to be a 4-bedroom, while theirs is only a 3-bedroom.

Anyways old houses that are over 100 years old are interesting. Our neighbor’s 4 lot property is crazy huge for Peekskill, where most houses are on just 40x100. We are lucky to have 2 building lots, but the value added is being on the very fringe of the city and butting against public land that can’t be developed. Secondary bonus is that we are in a Buchanan School district which is a better school district than Peekskill proper.

Understand that is not that Peekskill schools are bad, but because of testing establishes ratings that Peekskill’s immigrant population and a larger ESL (English as Second Language) that Peekskill scores get dragged down.

Anyways our neighbor is a talented gardener, and she loves the Patio/Pergola garden outdoor space we created. Actually this means a lot to me because she is such a great gardener. I love our next door neighbor.

So my dead-end neighbor is a retired couple, and they have the run down house on the block. I pass no judgement, but evidently they did not prepare for retirement, meaning they did not save and plan. Sadly they are in a bit of a death spiral financially that is not sustainable. Their house is neglected, needs a new roof, and is so bad that the roof of their two car garage is collapsing (hip roof like mine on a two car garage).

In conversation they spent $5K for their summer campground which seems like their social world where they have a camper, but they don’t have the money ($11K) for a new roof for their house.

One of our neighbors (Called a busy-body by my dead end neighbor) called the city on an unregistered RV that was an eyesore parked illegally somewhat in our dead end. My dead end neighbor sold the eyesore for $800.00 (he tells me) and figured he could of gotten more, but was pressured because our Busy-Body neighbor called the City on him.

Smut was that one of their friends at the camp ground works for the City of Peekskill and gave my dead-end neighbor the heads up that a citation was going to be issued.

So you guys know I’m a drama queen, and it also seems that on my 13 house “Avenue” that there is a bit of Hill-Billy drama and feuding.

I have mixed feelings: I have sympathy and concern about their future; they are responsible for their poor decisions on the other hand; but I’m concerned about what may or may not happen over the next few years as things play out.

If the home deteriorates even further it could become a take-down. I already can see where possibly a roof leak already could have promoted mold. Evidently the roof has been needing replacement for a while…

Now I look at how “Maggie” and I saved money, lived below our means, and sacrificed to be able to have the life we now enjoy now which is just the opposite of across our dead end. It is kind of a riff off the book “Rich Dad: Poor Dad,” except “Rich House: Poor House.”

So I wonder with my luck if I will expand my “Empire” and acquire this house built in 1938. It is at a point where it is on the road to maybe becoming condemned. I eye the possibility of gaining an additional two building lots and keeping the garage. The possibility for a massive garden… or building out a really big studio… or doing something in the “Calzone” tradition where a remote day dream becomes reality.

Seems like I’m the only person that is friendly with our dead end neighbors. Pretty much they are written off as being ghetto and are shun and banished.

So now I can see how the new Modeling career might lead to a cash offer in a few years. Not sure any bank in a time of rising interest rates would finance a mortgage. Pretty much the envelope is closing, and the better time to have sold has past. I’ll be keeping my eye on this opportunity.

Pretty much the dead-end would become my publically maintained property as there are ony two houses on the dead end, and also this house also A-butts the public land I call the frog ghetto. I also would have a similar layout with a front-backyard and a back-backyard.

I would effectively have a “compound.”

Anyways, call me a delusional artist, but I can see this happening. Know that my diagonal neighbor also has similar thoughts. His house is a massive 4-square home, and he would like to downsize. I also have him lined up so that if I don’t secure the house that perhaps he might.

I think pretty much the way to secure the house would be a cash offer, and perhaps it would be wise to have the cash required to do the gut reno in the bank, otherwise not the bother. My diagonal neighbor wants to downsize, but he would keep his big house. Pretty much I have a “Plan B.”

So just another spontaneous crazy thought, but also just another way that “I’m just minding my own business.” Anyways I have crazy daydreams like this all the time… How crazy is that?

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Picking up the Arm-War was fraught. So far I only have the draw at home. “Maggie’s”brother and I tried to wiggle it out of a bedroom, but the height prevented us from doing a 3-point turn into a hallway.

John had a commitment so like Cinderella he was running out of time by the time we figured out how to remove a base to make it fit through the doorway.

We have to reschedule to actually remove the Arm-War a second time.

”I was just minding my own business,” I say, but I happen to notice a whip on the bedroom door knob of the door of the bedroom that held the Arm-War, then on the second bedroom there were a couple more whips. We were trying to navigate a leaned over Arm-War into to get clearance into a hallway so we could get out a rear door.

Like I said, I was just trying to mind my own business, but I had to think if Rosemary was the ‘Whipper” or the “Whippee.” Pretty much one does not have to be a delusional artist to think this with all the visual clues in plain site.

So then the drama queen in me starts to connect the dots, and I can tell from Rosemary’s T-shirt that she is a full blown Harley biker chick that has been around for a while.

My journalism skills picked up some facts.

The Arm-War is over a hundred years old and has been in the family for longer.

Her dad moved it from one bedroom to the other while Rosemary was gone, so I suppose it was her father’s house that she now owns. The house was unkept and was really a crash pad littered with belongings helter shelter in every room worse than a Frat house or dorm room.

In one bedroom I did see many spiked heels that kinda suggested part of a uniform when the whips were used. Pretty much left out so easy to get to.

The smut is Rosemary is going to sell the house, travel, and might relocate to Florida because New York winters are not great for the hard core biker lifestyle.

BTW in a street fight with Rosemary I might not win. LOL.

Anyways I can see her now traveling around the U.S. on her Harley with a set of spiked heels and a whip or two packed in her saddlebags.

”I have friends all over the country,” she said, and what was not spoken was, “Have whips, spiked heels, will travel.”

So this is another episode of how I meet crazies. “Takes one to know one,” I say. LOL.


Cal

 

[Calzone]

Carpenter comes by today. Time is passing fast, but construction seems like slow motion.

Glad the heat wave dissipated.

My Oak tree seedlings I think were attacked by a squirrel. Had more than a dozen.

Ran into a remarkable guy. He remembered me for gathering leaves because he works for the City of Peekskill and a UBER fit black man with lots of horse power. He was working at my local CVS as a side hustle because he has a son in college. I asked about his age and he was 37, and if you do the math basically he became a father at a very early age.

Much respect.

I wonder if I can put in an offer for all these bags of sand that I saw at Rosemary’s. Evidently she had a large inflatable pool, but it went south. Pretty much could be mucho clean fill for my back-backyard. Hmmm. Could be 50 bags or more, but I would have to rent a Home Cheapo truck or van…

Sand combined with my mulched leaves kinda makes topsoil. This would speed things up. Kinda funny how one thing leads to another if your name is “Calzone.” Anyways I believe in divine intervention because too many great and odd things happen to me.

I remember leaving for work and forgetting to bring an umbrella, but out on the street I find a brand new umbrella that still had a price tag on it on my way to the subway. When I got to Manhattan I used it in a downpour. How crazy is that?

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Major steps forward in the kitchen. The mini-split air handlers have the refrigeration lines plumbed in and are routed to the outside. Rock wool insulation is installed, and the framing is all done. Things are really shaping up. The rock wool really muffles sound.

Bounced the idea of a pull-down stairs for attic access, and also pitched to the carpenter about removing two closets, installing a load bearing beam, and connecting what is now the guest room to the tower room to create a new master bedroom. All the above EZ-PZ.

I did the favor of buying ast Home Cheapo the Aquabar “B” vapor retarder that is basically two layers of kraft paper laminated together with as thin layer of tar.

Gave away three bedroom sized air conditioners since the mini-splits will have the first floor covered. Still got two window units for the upstairs bedrooms.

Went to a paint store to buy kitchen paint. The contractor will actually do the painting.

Seems like a peat moss shortage at Home Cheapo. Made two trips with the Audi to buy stuff.

Now it seems “Maggie” is promoting us getting a full sized pick-up truck. Pretty much a king cab or extended cab is out of the question, and pretty much she wants a retro truck from the 60’s or 70’s. I’m cool with that. Pretty cool that a retro pickup is being promoted.

She thinks she is too anxious to drive, which I would agree with, so pretty much I’m the driver. Some other questions came up about buying another Audi, and I mentioned that it would be cool for me to bear driving the 2015 A4 twenty years from now, and pretty much that is what I would want to do, but I would have in the bank replacement money for something crazy. Don’t tell Maggie, and electric RS5 or RS7.

When I bought home the Audi initially I got the “scowl,” but now she is in love with the car. She thought I bought a brand new car because of the low mileage and because it was kept in a garage. Then again I suspect Vanessa might have things lined up already because she has been shopping us around.

A luxury brand contacted Maggie, and this was forwarded to our agent. Don’t know if this will eventually become a gig. Let’s see.

Cal

 

[MrFujicaman]

Cal-I checked and there are trailer hitches made for the Audi A4. Perhaps a small trailer?

And nowdays to get a pickup with a standard cab, you pretty much have to special order a truck. I do know that the only way to get a Dodge like that is to special order a Ram 1500 "Tradesman" work truck.

 

[Calzone]

Cal-I checked and there are trailer hitches made for the Audi A4. Perhaps a small trailer?

And nowdays to get a pickup with a standard cab, you pretty much have to special order a truck. I do know that the only way to get a Dodge like that is to special order a Ram 1500 "Tradesman" work truck.

MFM,

This has been talked about here in earlier posts. Kinda funny how it as if “Maggie” has been reading the thread.

I don’t want a king cab or extended cab, and Maggie likes the old trucks. I understand because it kinda goes with our “Branding” of where we can project identity and harness the iconic status that an old truck has as a legacy.

Toughness, utility, rough and tumble, multifunctional, old but classic, durable, practical, timeless. In many-many ways an old pick up, the more retro the better, kinda makes a statement.

We could really use a truck because we like going to the big flea markets, and we are antique hounds. The Arm-War is a really wonderful piece that we purchased for “No-Money” that is worth mucho. We are thinking of perhaps doing a business. At Elephant’s Trunk we bought some valuable stuff we needed and can use for “little-money” that we could sell at triple the acquisition costs.

There has been talk of renting a commercial space…

I kinda baby the Audi. It gets dealer maintained, and I can see still driving it twenty years from now. I guess I have a lot of sentiment for this compact executive car, and already it is a bit of a trophy to me with a history. How cool would it be to have and drive the Audi 20 years from now? I think I want to keep babying the A4.

Then there is curb appeal. An old pickup in the driveway not only is a statement, but also would add curb appeal.

I know also myself. I can see me getting some crazy crate motor and a beefy tranny. They also make fiberglass body panels, so the key would be to get a solid frame. I would use POR-15 to pickle and pot a rolling chassis. An old pickup with two doors and a full bed. No need for 4-wheel drive.

Kinda funny how Maggie is promoting this. I love that she realizes that she is too anxious to drive. My bueno.

On my farming front I bought a packet of Hard-Shelled Gourd seeds to basically build Birdhouses. I have a dozen seeds to plant today. I’m thinking of using the dead apple tree as a trellise. The vines will be 10-16 feet and kinda add to the trellis. You know me promoting chaos and being a lazy slacker.

In a hollow in that tree I planted a Morning Glory seed, and it germanated. I expect it will climb the tree. Meanwhile Morning Glories reseeded on the “table” and will grow as a thicket of ground cover. Some invasive flowering ground cover is dying off, so a new blanket of flowers is going to emerge. Very creative how Morning Glories can make a great living carpet that is thick that extends about 6-8 inches off the ground in a thick tangled mat.

I also planted Morning Glories where a fallen dead tree created a natural blind/cave because an invasive vine’s foliage weaves into the branches. The Morning Glories will thicken the cover and will be a “hide-out” for the “Creature-Junior” grand daughter.

My driveway resembles a bit of a Mini-Home Depo garden center with bags of mulch, manure, compost, and top soil. Mucho hill-billy. I need to stockpile peat moss which currently is in short supply.

I think I will head into NYC to pick up my M3-DS that hopefully stays unjammed.

Cal

 

[Austintatious]

Cal, this is what you want right here....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d63hdvnr7Ok

It matches your "Branding" I think.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

New York state has a little more relaxed laws regarding rust, so finding a decent working truck, should be easy. I'd recommend something prior to 1986, to get you around the OBD-I sensors and you'd be within the "antique" or "classic" category as well. That would allow you to both use the vehicle as a work truck but still drive a minimum of miles per-year, saving a lot on insurance. A Ford F100, or F150, or Chevy C10, C20 would be perfect. The older 1/4 and 1/2 ton trucks are not as giant and bloated as trucks these days. Somehow, both Ford and Chevrolet made their 1/4 ton pickups so big you could wrap one around one of their older models from the 90s or prior. Idiotic, since they just waste more fuel by being a larger box, pushing more air. They are still getting similar fuel mileage as a well-tuned and maintained 1/4 ton with I-6 or small-block V-8 from the carburetor era. It's ridiculous but just one more thing that points to how powerful the oil industry is to work to influence the production of vehicles to be inherently more wasteful of fuel.
We had fuel mileage beat back in the late 70s, with small cars that got over 40mpg. I have a 2016 Ford Fiesta that gets incredible gas mileage and is all the vehicle we need. Too bad Ford no longer makes small cars, instead choosing to focus production on wasteful SUVs and bloated pickup trucks, that aren't really work trucks unless you special order one.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

New York state has a little more relaxed laws regarding rust, so finding a decent working truck, should be easy. I'd recommend something prior to 1986, to get you around the OBD-I sensors and you'd be within the "antique" or "classic" category as well. That would allow you to both use the vehicle as a work truck but still drive a minimum of miles per-year, saving a lot on insurance. A Ford F100, or F150, or Chevy C10, C20 would be perfect. The older 1/4 and 1/2 ton trucks are not as giant and bloated as trucks these days. Somehow, both Ford and Chevrolet made their 1/4 ton pickups so big you could wrap one around one of their older models from the 90s or prior. Idiotic, since they just waste more fuel by being a larger box, pushing more air. They are still getting similar fuel mileage as a well-tuned and maintained 1/4 ton with I-6 or small-block V-8 from the carburetor era. It's ridiculous but just one more thing that points to how powerful the oil industry is to work to influence the production of vehicles to be inherently more wasteful of fuel.
We had fuel mileage beat back in the late 70s, with small cars that got over 40mpg. I have a 2016 Ford Fiesta that gets incredible gas mileage and is all the vehicle we need. Too bad Ford no longer makes small cars, instead choosing to focus production on wasteful SUVs and bloated pickup trucks, that aren't really work trucks unless you special order one.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

I have owned the Audi A4 for a year and a half. I got it with 16K miles, and presently it still has under 25K, under 9K miles in a year and as half.

I don’t use cheap gas, and I always use Mobil Premium. Today I filled up a 16 gallon tank and at $5.59 a gallon it cost $75.00.

I kinda favor something over 25 years to get the antique car insurance discount. That is just a great idea. “Maggie favors mucho old like 50’s step side classics, but I want a plain work truck I can park in the driveway because I need half the garage as a workspace/studio. As much as the older trucks are mucho cool, I don’t think they have the bang for the dollar I want. “Don’t tell Maggie.”

”Maggie’s” brother has a Jeep Gladiator. Remember I had a Jeep Scrambler with a half cab. You are right about how “bloated” new trucks are today. My Jeep weighed 3K pounds with the top and doors off, weighed on a truck scale at Brookhaven labs. That was with a hundred pound 4-core copper radiator, a Corvette engine, a 200 pound cast iron three-speed with an under drive and overdrive, body armor, and a full 23 gallon gas tank.

Remember that I had 350 HP and 400 foot pounds of torque.

The Gladiator weighs around 4500 pounds. What a pig.

The new F150 though has an aluminum body to shave a lot of weight, but the price is too crazy for me.

Cheap-cheap-cheap.

Also I don’t want to get sidetracked: I’d rather have an IBIS Exie than a pickup I would feel compelled to have in the garage.

I’m cool with a used work truck that I would have to re-engine and put in a new tranny. Something less computer controlled. This is more my style.

I think an inline six would be fine, I think I favor a long bed though.

Cal

 

[Austintatious]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQZzg6rWyo

Eluminator Electric Truck, 1978 Ford F-100 electric motor conversion. You can buy an old truck and then get a new electric "crate" motor to convert it .

 

[Calzone]

Cal, this is what you want right here....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d63hdvnr7Ok

It matches your "Branding" I think.

Austin,

Very cool, but would never get “Maggie” approval. LOL.

I do happen to love Ford F100’s BTW. Ideally probably ideal, but could already be pricey.

I am also interested in Chevy trucks.

I think what is key is getting a solid chassis, a foundation that is strong. Pretty sure the aftermarket will allow keeping a truck for decades.

BTW crate motors are kinda cheap. The ZZ3 Chevy crate motor, 4-bolt crank, forged pistons, and aluminum heads with variable timing only cost about $2.7K -$2.8K from a Chevy dealer. Pretty much a Corvete engine without the fuel injection, but with a 4 barrel carb-ER-A-tore manifold (Carb sold separately).

I saw a mod where they spliced an 80’s F-Body front end suspension (Camaro or Firebird) onto an X-chassis.

Anyways now I miss my Checker Limo. Pretty much a long bed X-chassis from Chevy was used. That Limo could of been converted easily into a long-bed. That would be mighty evil. A Checker Pickup. BTW the Limo was likely one of about 200 ever made. Not quite a hand built Ferrari, but still a rare car.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Went into NYC to pick up my M3-DS. It was a wash because in Grand Central on my way home I jammed the camera again dry firing it.

It was kinda lucky that I was not on the train when the jam happened, so I headed back to Nippon Camera Clinic. The Old man owner apologized. He assured me that he personally would test the camera over a period of a few days to ensure the camera is good-to-go.

I only dry fired it about a dozen times. I did this gingerly, but upon trying to advance the film advance I could feel something binding so I stopped.

Anyways I used expired Metro North tickets. The tickets I purchased under deadline expired May 14th, but evidently the conductors don’t ever check the expiration dates.

Disappointed, but all I want is a reliable M3 that is fresh and good-to-go. I trust this will eventually get resolved.

While I was in NYC the building inspector did the framing and insulation inspection. The sheet rock should be going up tomorrow. Things speed up from here.

”Maggie” is driving me nuts with getting a new front door and sidelights done, as well as the bathroom. Pretty much explained that before anything can get scheduled: first the kitchen has to get finished; then we have to do the legwork of ordering required materials and having all items “in-hand” before any further scheduling can be performed.

Pretty much I have explained all this before, but with “woman-factor” somehow picking out a door and having the door and sidelights on hand as our responsibility does not register, even though we had to do likewise with all the kitchen items that were our responsibility.

The same holds true for the bathroom. It is a process it seems she has a difficulty understanding or believing.

O.K. Let’s get the door we are responsible for ordering and have it installed before it is delivered.

Anyways Maggie has a PhD and two Master’s degrees. Pretty hard to deal with hysterical woman syndrome.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJQZzg6rWyo

Eluminator Electric Truck, 1978 Ford F-100 electric motor conversion. You can buy an old truck and then get a new electric "crate" motor to convert it .

Austin,

For SEMA some fanatics installed a V-8 in a Tesla.

From experience (my Jeep Scrambler) conversions usually expose weaknesses and requires mucho expense.

I’m probably more likely to stay OEM or stock. I already kinda know I can do crazy, and I don’t have to prove that again.

I think spending my money on a crazy mountain bike pays bigger dividends. “Don’t tell Maggie.”

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Sheet rock went up today. Tomorrow cabinets will be mounted. Made wooden partitions for an herb garden, and finalized a raised bed for blueberries made of pressure treated 4x6’s.

I’ll fill the blueberry raised bed with topsoil, manure, compost, and plant the bush and trees they are a year old that currently are container plants. They should mature a lot this year, and the run off from the garage roof should encourage growth.

Lately I have been watering plants and realize how that encourages growth. The patio garden is about complete, “Maggie” has to plant a dozen herbs in the partitions I made.

I think Phil has very practical advice. I’m going the frugal route: likely a F100, F150, C10, or C20. I don’t need 4 wheel drive because I have AWD with the Audi. Really don’t want a collectible or valuable truck because I value having a garage/studio. Anything older than1997 is older than 25 years and can utilize antique car insurance.

With cars and trucks it can’t get expensive, and I don’t want to go there. Anyways there is no need. To be clear: the Audi I want to keep fresh and in the garage; the truck is for utility and will be parked in the driveway.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I guess there are practical limits when one wants to just spend your money just once. Been working hard to breaking “Maggie” into avoiding cheaping out and going “one and done.”

$5.59 a gallon premium is kinda brutal, and I figure the money has to come from somewhere.

Maggie wants the upstairs bath and front door done pronto, but instead of going to the specialty shops to do the “legwork” required to have all materials on hand for the contractor to start the job is of secondary importance, as if it will magically get done.

Instead she wants to go to antique fairs and massive flea markets to explore and as a past time. I understand the need for distraction and entertainment, but in the end this just generates conflict, pressure and anxiety. The sense of urgency IMHO is somehow diluted and not grounded in reality.

I blame the Internet for this. In a profound talk the over use of Autism as a diagnosis came up, and in conversation the Internet was kinda blamed by us as the reason why a generation has lost the ability to read social cues, facial expressions, and body language. Think about how people interact less today then in decades past, and then compound that with social distancing that has been going on for 4-years due to Covid.

So is it the Internet, Covid, a world of less social interaction? To me Autism should not be confused with the new culture of a lack of social awareness that is surrounding and permeating society and the world. I think somehow some of our humanity has been lost.

To further all this I also say, “The world would be a better place without cell phones.” The Internet is taken yet another step further to permeate our lives: we can carry the Internet in our pocket.

Cars today are of safer design and are safer due to government mandates and regulations. Of course regulations have made costs go up. “The money has to come from somewhere,” I say.

But fatalities are up due to texting and distracted driving. This is a very serious problem and IMHO is about as serious a problem as Drunk Driving.

So know that I only have a “Dumb” flip phone, and I don’t text. This annoys people… Also I limit my time on the Internet because I want to avoid the anxious and crazy behaviors that I believe being wired to the Internet causes: basically “Maggie-Disease.”

So everyone now knows why I consider myself a lazy slacker and why I have a go with the flow mentality. I have to balance pretty much just the opposite. This juggling is not easy, but great project management skills have evolved further than when I worked at Grumman and at Brookhaven National Labs. At Brookhaven for me it was a pretty big construction project involving crews of people.

Know that managing Maggie is harder.

Anyways perhaps I’m not so smart, and perhaps my rants which at times present profound insights that actually make sense when the rest of the world does not make any sense at all is just being old school and not having been infected with “Maggie-Disease.”

My training in Journalism (Masters degree and a year of TV Broadcast Journalism experience) will state the obvious, the news on the Internet is dumbed down, simplified, has less depth, and specifically is a shorter form to deal with and promote shorter and shorter attention spans.

Around Grand Central I can no longer buy the Wall Street Journal in a hard copy, or The New York Times in hard copy for more in depth reporting.

Anyways call me old school, but the spread of the over diagnoses of Autism, Maggie-Disease, and lots of bad kinda crazy thinking or lack of it is a product of our time.

Old school works for me, but also it seems I get projected onto me that somehow I am missing out by being old school. In a ways I’m beginning to feel more the loner, not because I am socially distant or don’t participate in social media other than this embedded blog within this limited forum, but because my thinking and logic is becoming isolated. In this fashion I feel like I’m an “Outsider.”

Basically I’m a true outsider to the culture that has permeated that surrounds me. I am reminded of the film “Omega Man” and basically I’m Charlton Heston.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

I’m a dog chasing his tail today because I’m considering a 1964 Chevy C10 long bed that I looked over that is local. Seems to not have been exposed to road salt, possibly only 60K original miles. The owner already threw a lot of money into the truck before loosing interest.

The C10 has the small rear window, which means the optional “Panoramic” window option was not chosen. This truck has coil spring suspension, but I also saw an auxiliary single leaf spring which is a factory option. I suspect that this truck was a farm vehicle and perhaps it has the wide gear ratio three speed that too was an option. Bonus would be a posi rear.

Other daydreams or possibilities are lower rear axel ratios other than the standard 3.73 like a 4.11, and also again posi since it has the optional heavier suspension for load carrying. Know that there was a full rear axel leaf spring option…

Three on a tree shifting though and an inline 6, perhaps the 292 cubic inch engine over the standard 230 cubic inch engine. I kinda like I-6 engines for their low end torque. They are not high RPM engines so they last a long time.

Know that sometime in the 70’s they used disc brakes on the front, but a resto-mod would be to add disc brakes to all 4 wheels. Pretty much the chassis has been updated to this point. Next would be the brakes.

The smut is that the owner had a driveshaft business. He had this local suspension garage rebuild the complete suspension. New bushings, new ball joints, new idler arm…

Oddly I see the usual gas tank behind the seat, but I think there is an auxiliary tank under the bed in between the frame rails. The wooden bed is open over the mystery tank, and it looks to have a brand new tank. I would need a bed replacement kit made of wooden planks and metal strips from the aftermarket.

From 1964-1966 pretty much the exterior is all the same and this supports a strong aftermarket for parts.

The owner says the truck runs and would pass inspection but new tires would be prudent. The windshield has a crack I guess that is new that the own blames kids. I would run the truck as a resto-mod. Likely would upgrade the brakes to 4 wheel disc for safety.

I would hopefully drive this till I kill the engine and tranny, meanwhile save mucho money to do something crazy later. This C10 is mighty clean and warrants being parked in the garage, so I have to rethink things through of where my priorities are. I have conflict and choices… Careful thinking is underway, but I need to secure this truck at my price point or it is not worth the possible sacrifice I might make.

I could see lowering the suspension and installing a ZZ3 crate motor (350, 4-bolt, forged crank, Corvette aluminum heads, dual plane carb manifold, 400 foot pounds, 350 HP) and depending on rear axel ratio a crazy tranny. Might have to tub the rear wheel wells, but this truck could tow pretty well.

I could also be happy with just a straight resto-mod without the crazy power. Pretty much just an old man’s truck slightly modded.

Price-price and price is what is important. I’m going with the flow…

Anyways this local truck has a lot going for it. Might have to nix the IBIS Excie. I’ll have to figure out a new workspace.

Anyways I have choices, and I can’t have it all.

Cabinets are being mounted…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Cabinets are installed and I will schedule for the quartz countertop to get “Templated.” Was told that this takes about 2 weeks.

The kitchen looks big. Love the custom cabinets. They kinda close themselves and the open fully for access.

Now back to the 1964 Chevy C10. Seems that an aftermarket fuel tank (18 gallons) was installed in between the frame rails made of galvanized steel that is silver powder coated to eliminate the gas tank in the cab.

There are 11 inch drum brakes on all 4 wheels, but a lot of money was spent on restoring and replacing suspension components. Pretty much the suspension is done.

I guess I want to get the VIN number and really dig in to see how the truck was ordered. Believe it or not replacing the cracked windshield is not a huge problem because of the aftermarket. It seems because the 1964-1966 are pretty much all the same it is likely the most common which supports a very strong aftermarket, which is ideal for what I want to do.

Depending on the gearing of the rear end the long view outcome is dependent. My hope is for a posi-rear. 4.11 gears would lead to needing an overdrive, but is conducive to violent acceleration. My old 200 pound cast iron NV4500 tranny would be a bombproof 3-speed with an underdrive that would support a high powered small block 350.

If the gearing is taller that I would build out the truck as a “cruiser” verses an “Accelerator.” The idea here would be for fuel efficiency, durability (long life), and comfort. Pretty much would upgrade to AC.

Of course a high powered motor would require perhaps cutting down the rear and tubbing for a pair of steam-rollers. Would likely lower the truck too. Brakes and drop spindles involve brake choices.

Off to check the VIN number.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Danny the owner of the 1964 C10 called and I checked out the truck. Had not been started in a while, but eventually it started. Likely has been sitting for a month or more. No starting fluid required. I know from experience the bowl in the carb dries out because the gas evaporates.

Exhaust has some puff, meaning either the valves are worn or out of adjustment. Not sure if it has mechanical or hydronic lifters. The truck is so remarkably clean it is like a barn find, and it is plausible that the 60K on the odometer is for real.

We have a handshake deal and I have to hit CitiBank early tomorrow when they have the cash. Tomorrow we seal the deal. It is a pretty clean truck with original paint.

“Maggie” walked with me to look at the truck and realized it is mucho big. She wants me to at least get front disc brakes installed for safety.

Also I need to get a set of new tires also for safety reasons. A friend at the suspension and alignment shop suggested getting wider more modern rims. The retro OEM rims are only 5.5 inches wide and 8 inch would be better.

Perhaps some Chevy later OEM steel rims. I’d like to retain the retro hub caps if I can.

Pretty excited. I know this is a hill-billy move.

Cal

 

[MrFujicaman]

Cal, get a subscription to "4 Wheeler " magazine. They have ads from suppliers of all kinds of parts for older pickup trucks.

And I fully agree with Maggie about the disc brakes. Cars and trucks from the 1950's and 1960's were well known for POS brakes.

Before you get the engine opened up, run a tank of gas thru it with Sea-Foam in it. Might just fix the problem. Also put some Sea-Foam in the motor oil and run it for a while.

And post pictures of the new "Cal-Mobile"!

Oh..and have Air-shocks put on the back. I speak from experience.....

 

[Calzone]

Cal, get a subscription to "4 Wheeler " magazine. They have ads from suppliers of all kinds of parts for older pickup trucks.

And I fully agree with Maggie about the disc brakes. Cars and trucks from the 1950's and 1960's were well known for POS brakes.

Before you get the engine opened up, run a tank of gas thru it with Sea-Foam in it. Might just fix the problem. Also put some Sea-Foam in the motor oil and run it for a while.

And post pictures of the new "Cal-Mobile"!

Oh..and have Air-shocks put on the back. I speak from experience.....

MFM,

I remember my 67 Mustang, I had to use both feet and do a leg press to stop the car.

The hydraulic valves need an adjustment. EZ-PZ maintenance.

If I use some synthetic oil it will cut and dissolve any sludge. Might expose oil leaks though.

I use this fuel additive called Techron which is an octane booster made for cleaning fuel injected engines. This will clean out carbon deposits.

I’m a lazy slacker, remember, I’ll likely repost when “Maggie” posts shots. The truck will look awesome parked in our driveway or in front of the house.

I’ll likely drive the C10 as a Resto-Mod for a long time. The aftermarket is mucho huge for the First Generation C10. Pretty much with the coil spring suspension GM was attempting to make a pickup more car like. Maggie hated the Scrambler’s leaf spring suspension and ride. If I really want it to be more car like I can lower it like a car.

This barn find was about a mile from my house. The owner also lives in Peekskill and is glad that he will see the truck around. Kind of a barn find that is remarkable, original paint looks good.

Comes with a Chilton’s and another technical maintenance manual.

BTW it has a factory optional painted rear bumper that has a trailer hitch. The front bumper is chromed.

Oddly it has no backup lights suggesting it is a 1964, but a placard inside the cable mentions the 250 Cubic Inch I-6 which is on the air cleaner which is the base engine for a 1966. I have to look at the stub for a Panard bar on the rear axel to verify 1964 or 1966. Does not appear to be a Frankenstein Truck.

Pretty much OEM paint and everything except the under bed mounted gas tank.

It has the upgraded “Custom” trim, optional gauges, heavier duty heater, aux leaf springs.

Pretty much a perfect truck platform to do something crazy down the road.

Cal