Clean sparkers

Marge has been limping along this spring. She has been running rough, but I have not taken the time to figure out why. This afternoon I needed to use the truck for a while, and once I got home, I decided to tackle the problem.

First, I let the engine cool down for a few hours. Yes, in a 68 Chevy C-10 there is plenty of room to work under the hood, but I have learned, the hard way, that if I am not stuck on the side of the road, then it is best to work on this old engine after it cools down.

After I checked the timing and dwell (yep, Marge still has a points based ignition), then I pulled the spark plugs and gave them a good cleaning. I checked the gap before reinstalling and after I lowered the idle (that I had raised to try to smooth out the engine) to a decent level, we hit the road for a while.

First time in a while I have had a big grin on my face, just cruising the 68 through the neighborhood. Yes, the brakes still suck, so I stayed close to home. Otherwise, it was a great cruise in a smoooooooooth running ride.

Been a long time since I stopped here

Marge is still alive and kicking. She just does not make many trips out of the garage over the winter.

A couple of weeks ago I went for a short cruise and to haul some yard work tools across the neighborhood. The brakes were crapped out.

I should have checked the obvious before that drive. Brake fluid was way low. As loon as I topped it off, the brakes are ok. Not great, but not death-trap scary, either. Of course, that means I have a leak in the system. And I have to get the fixed ASAP. But it is nice to know that the problem was not a lot larger for now.

Same old truck

Nothing exciting to report. The truck only gets a workout now when I am driving it across the neighborhood to mow a few yards for customers. I mow 3 yards on the same block and I cut them all at the same time, about once a month at this time of year.

So Marge works out great for this gig. She gets run every few weeks but the mileage stays low.

I am in desperate need of a brake job/system rebuild. Until the time comes when I can plunk down $500 on Marge, she and I will only cruise to the mowing jobs and back home.

Hot truckin'

The truck is running along just fine. So I have been using it to cruise across the neighborhood when I mow a friends yard.

Other than that, Marge sleeps in the nice dark (but not cool) garage.

He'll only have half a truck left

OK, he has a whole truck, just it is sitting in several different parts of his house.

Still, Rick is selling his 1925 Chevy Truck that I covet very much. Buy it for me, OK?

Marge is Back!

I spent all day under the truck. Started off by finishing up the install of the replacement steering column and the brand new rag joint/steering coupler I bought last week.

Then, when I realized that the shifting was all bunged up on the new column, I decided to rebuild my old one, with the steering shaft from the new one.

After 7 hours in the garage, Marge and I took a cruise for the first time since November 9.

By my count 209 days have lapsed since we hit mile 46011. Now the odometer is sitting at a staggering 46013.

I didn't really start off the day thinking I would make enough progress to take a drive, but good things come to those who cuss like sailors wait in the garage.

A pretty well spent $8

I ordered some vinyl die-cut letters for the tailgate, since I highly doubt I'll ever get around to the bodywork and painting that re-finishing the tailgate would require. For$8 I think they look mighty fine. Bonus that they went on easy