Pictures from Paul
9 Months to the Recycler ...
...with old "OLDNSLO," my 1949 Chevy Pickup which I've owned since December 1999
Former Glory
Here's the truck parked in my back yard, just before I loaded it for a trip to the recycler...
The Wreck - October, 2000
...when the truck rolled out of my driveway and and impaled itself on a tree in my neighbor's back yard.
The Damage Done
The right side of the truck was pretty well crushed by the impact with the tree.
Replacement Cab
Tac Collins said "we can fix anything." First step was finding this '53 GMC and removing the cab.
Dipped & Stripped
Then the replacement cab had to be dipped in an acid bath to remove all the paint and corrosion.
Sheet Metal Work
After it was dipped, the bottom corners of the cab had to be refabricated and pieces welded into place.
Primed
After nearly three months, the sheet metal was ready for a coat of primer.
Just A Litte More Metal Work
Once the cab was primed, we could see what a great job Tac and his crew were doing.
Meanwhile...
... the crew started taking the old truck apart by removing the "clip" -- the front fenders, grill, and radiator.
Goodbye to All That Rot
Once the clip was removed, we could see just how rotted out the original cab really was.
The "Clip"
Here's the front clip, in the yard out behind the shop. Sorta looks like a grin without a face.
Tac Collins...
of Collins Automotive in Kingston Springs, TN, with the right door from the GMC, also primed and ready to paint.
Ready for Paint
After some more patching, sanding and filing, the "new" cab was ready for paint.
Painted Cab 1
The deadline for this project was the 4th of July. Here is May 22nd, and finally, the cab is red!
Painted Cab 2
The cab turned out beautifully, but there's only 6 weeks left till the 4th of July parade and still a LOT of work to do
Painted Cab 3
Sure is shiny. Now the real work begins...
Destruction
Starting with the utter destruction of the old cab, which was literally ripped away from the chassis of the truck.
Destruction 2
By the time the old damaged cab was removed, there wasn't even enough of it to make for decent yard art.
This is Andy
...who did most of the metal work, and most of the assembly and finish work.
Assembly
The dashboard from my old cab was glue/welded into the new cab. And this is what an old looks like with no cab.
Fender
When Tac couldn't find a replacement for the right front fender, his guy had to pound and file the old one into shape.
Nearly Finished
At the end of June, the truck was nearly finished and ready to roll.
Finished
This is the 3rd of July, 2001.
The "Repaired" Part
Here's the side of the truck that was crushed in the accident, looking good as new.
Lining Up
And here we are all lined up and waiting for the start of the 4th of July Parade!
Everybody Loves A Parade
...especially when there's a newly restored old truck to show off in the procession!
Mr. & Mrs. Oldnslo
We're not sure if the name refers to the truck or the people who own it.
Finally, The Recycling
More than nine months after the original attempt... I made it to the recycler....
Parked
...and this time, made it safely back to the garage.