At Long Last...A Projects Post!

To all who have been waiting to see...our summer builds are coming right along.

The '49 GMC has been up on jack stands for months on end.  Andy's tired of looking at it, and is trying his hardest to get it rolling and running by the end of today!

The motor's been cleaned up and has new belts and hoses to make sure it runs smoothly when he fires it up.

 

Ready for fuel with a gas tank in a slightly safer location than the original, which was right behind the seat in the cab!

Steering and brakes are ready - just have to bleed the brakes here soon.  Accelerator is hooked up as of yesterday.  Wiring is in progress, as you can see.  New window glass is here waiting to be installed (whoohoo for side windows in this truck!); all the old crispy door rubber is gone and the new stuff waiting to replace it; seat brackets are built, and this cab is about ready to insulate and finish up!

Speaking of brakes, here are snapshots of the front and rear set-ups:

 And suspension!  A must for a long roadtrip, pulling a load.  Andy's hooked up leaf springs, shocks, and air bags.  This should be a pretty nice ride.

 

 The leaf springs had to be mounted upside-down from the original Nova suspension, so Andy fabricated a bracket to let the ends pivot as needed.

Although shop nights with Forrest weren't as frequest with this build as with the Dodge, they still managed to get together occasionally and help with each others' projects.

Now that Andy's almost got the vehicle ready to go down the road, it's time to fix up our lodging for the trip.

Our lovely '53 trailer is finally getting some attention!  It's been airing out since the rain let up, and we replaced the broken glass and gave it new tires.  Neither Andy or I are qualified for the next part of the project...

 Finishing the inside of the trailer requires a lot of sewing! 

  As short as it is, the trailer has nine windows that all need curtains.  The curtains that came with it are a very faded red gingham.  We're transforming the interior into a 50s island getaway.  Faith came to the rescue and is sewing the new curtains as I type.

There is currently no place to sit or sleep in the trailer.  It was gutted, in the process of remodel, when I bought it, so we're working to create new furniture for it.  The foam is cut for the benches and odd-size bed (some variation of a 3/4 mattress), and we're hoping the upholstery part goes smoothly.

 There will be more to see before long!

I better get back to helping...

Independence Day @ Sun Up Bay

Although the weekend of the 4th was much more chilly than we're accustomed to, it didn't stop us from having a fabulous time at the lake.  And, our guests from Arizona enjoyed the break from 100+ degrees!

It was a weekend of simple pleasures.

 

 

 

 The little community at Sun Up Bay has a parade every year on July 3rd (also the night they do their fireworks show).  Faith, Charity, and the little guys even walked one loop around in it!

 

 If you missed the mini race cars in the parade, you better bet somebody didn't! (didya notice his sidewalk art above?)  As soon as they were parked after the parade, Andy was drawn to 'em like a magnet, and Jason, Josiah, and Tobias were right behind him!  These neat little cars are true race cars, built to precisely 5/8 the scale the original car it is modeled after.

Other weekend highlights that need a little explanation:

Andy's friend Ryan rode his new jet ski into the bay so Andy could show off his paint job.  

Looks pretty sharp!

 Charity and I got away on a little hike up to the Girls' Scout Camp.

We discovered an incredible sand sculpture on the beach.  They have a contest every year (we competed 2 years ago), and although we missed the award ceremony, we're guessing this was the winner! 

We temporarily got rained out while trying to set off our own kiddy-pack of fireworks.

 But, the big fireworks show was rain-free and spectacular!

One Sunny Saturday

Last Saturday was the most beautiful, most summer-feeling day we've had all year!  And, we ate it up.

W never paid much attention to our Rhody before, and they are such intriguing flowers!

Happy hosta!

The lanky tomatoes finally got to spend a night out of doors without a risk of frostbite.

The Dodge rolled out of the shop to make more room for the project in progress. (a post about this to come)

And, I invited my friend Monika to come enjoy the sunshine with me while Andy worked away in the shop.

We decided an adventurous stroll was the ideal way to spend our afternoon.  We took our time, stopping often to "smell the flowers" and maybe being goofy from time to time. 

 We love living on the palouse!