A clean looking car with dirty secrets

The next year worked perfectly to plan.  I registered and drove the truck around and learned what I wanted to do with my project.  It looked cool, sounded cool, was fun to drive, and drew looks.
What I did learn is that although it looked cool,  I didn't get the deal I thought.  While I was never lied to - it's amazing what can get concealled in pictures.  So while I did enjoy the summer of curising around - it got more and more embarassing to actually stop and let people see the truck up close.
Here's what I learned that was wrong - in the order I noticed it:
1) What is that banging everytime you hit a bump?  It's the entire front clip bouncing on the frame because it's not bolted down.
2)  The mysterious power steering leak is revealed.  The boots on the rack were actually glued on.  Possibly with "great stuff".  I kid you not.
3)  Ever loose the lights on a pitch black night while going 55 and merging into traffic?  Wouldn't recommend it.  Ever.  I didn't die, but I was led on a merry chase of spaghetti wiring.  Thought I fixed it several times, but the lights would mysteriously cut out randomly.
4)  Dead battery.  Not a new battery needed.  Nor an alternator.  After a lot of searching I found a weakly secured ground line that had rubbed off the casing and was draining the system.  However, now I had a new battery and alternator.
5)   Brake lights out.  New switch didn't work.  More wiring problems.
6)  The reason it seemed to brake funny was because there were two different leaf springs used in the rear suspension.  I'm all for junkyard finds - but this seemed to be pushing it.
7)  Lastly and most importantly - it became very clear via cracks in the paint and the pealing back of carpet that there was A LOT more bondo in use than I hope for out of a Texas car.  This could be ugly.

The end result - I didn't need to just change a few things.  This entire car stung of duct tape and "good enough" that I just didn't like.  Time for a full rebuild down to the frame and back up.  At least then when something goes wrong, I'll know who's to blame.

Leaping In - 1954 Chevy Truck

I finally made the leap in the summer of 2004.  Living in NY, there seemed to be only three ways to get started on a classic auto.  Pay top dollar for a totally complete project - where I would learn nothing, buy someone's "partial" project - where they usually wanted top dollar for a box of parts, or a rusted heap that hasn't started in 15 years - where the usually wanted top dollar.
I spent a few months looking at Craigslist and Ebay.  I found what I thought was a good compromise with a guy who listed his truck on Ebay - but it never met his minimum.  After the auction was over I emailed him and said I would buy it at the last failing bid and he accepted. 
He bought the truck from Texas, so I thought the body and frame might be in reasonable shape - and it had already been converted to 12V with a 350 engine and 400 transmission, and it was already registered in the North.  Pictures looked okay.
For better or worse, I went for it.

And so it begins

My grandfather, who was awesome in my young eyes, knew how to fix any vehicle.  Growing up I  knew serveral guys that knew about cars and it always seemed so cool - and amazing.  They could diagnose a car problem like a surgon in the operating room.  I, on the other hand, knew how to change tires and the oil.  Pretty low on the awesomeness scale. 
In high school I bought a 63 F-85 Cutless in mint condition off a little old lady who (literaly) only drove it to the grocery.  It looked like it came straight out of this commercial.  One little rust spot on the door.  Otherwise it was pristine origional.

  From then on I was hooked, even though I didn't know as much as I'd like.  The car was almost in too good of shape.  I wrenched a little on it - but tentaively with fear and ignorance.

  Ever wonder what exactly happens if you replace spark plugs without setting the gap on the new plugs?  It's not pretty.  And pretty embarrasing for a teenager, expecially if your girlfiend's ex know what you did wrong.

Had to sell that car to pay for school, and missed it ever since.

This blog is my journey to have a cool car again - but to know everything about it.  And maybe finally become one of "those guys" who can tell whats wrong with a car.