After our survey, Cappa and I went into a barbeque joint for lunch where I had a Dr. Pepper with my meal and Cappa had a whole pitcher of beer. Apparently he gets bored easily in the car when he's a passenger and drinking a whole pitcher promised to entertain both he and I for a good portion of the trip. The fun started when he grabbed my camera and started shooting photos of everything, including the grey pickup that had been following us for several miles.
Drunken Cappa really wanted to get a good, clear photo of the splatted bugs on the F-250's windshield for an art exhibit he was working on. Something about Kentucky road kill cooking or some such nonsense. I didn't argue the fact that bugs technically aren't road kill and we weren't in Kentucky.
Around the middle of nowhere the pitcher of beer hit Cappa's bladder and I started looking for every pothole and bump I could find. It was pretty good fun until Cappa realized we were in my vehicle and not a press fleet loaner. I hit the first exit I saw when he got that I'm-going-to-pee-my-pants-on-your-cloth-bench-seat-look on his face. Here is a much happier and lighter Cappa emerging from the bushes and just taking notice of a car full of laughing college coeds.
Once we arrived at Cappa's dirt house we pulled the drain plug in the Willy's gas tank only to have a foul smelling sludge slowly trickle out. Cappa tried to hasten the flow by shoving a stick into the tank, only to break it off inside. Thanks, buddy. Good thing I'm putting a fuel cell in this rig anyway.
The stock steering is pathetically worn and inadequate. I never though I'd wish for a bellcrank, but the factory lever and rod system is about the worst that's ever been put on the planet. The front axle already has spring plates welded on top for a front spring over, but I'm really not looking to keep the Dana 25 axle.
The rear axle is a pretty good score, with its nodular iron centersection, big bearing ends, and rebuilt brakes. Although I doubt I'll keep it in this vehicle, it's a good rear to hang onto for when I finally get around to building that prerunner I've been wanting. But by then monkeys will probably rule the earth.
It's going to be a little hard to get rid of all the trinkets like the spare tire carriers on both sides of the bed, the cool retro heater, and the stock horse hair bench seat, but I've got absolutely no love for the old-school Ridge Runner tires on 15x12 wagon wheels. I'm sure the fenders, winch, PTO, front axle, and all the other good stuff will wind up for sale on the web somewhere.
Someone spent a whole lot of time reinforcing the rear side steps and bumper, but it's nothing the Miller Spectrum 625 plasma cutter can't take care of in a matter of minutes. I do dig the pintle hitch, and the tailgate, though. We'll get rolling on this new project vehicle beginning in the early winter issues of Jp Magazine. It's going to be nasty, powerful, and multi-purpose.
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 1
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 1 - Web Extras
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 2
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 1
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 1 - Web Extras
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 2
Project Murderous Overkill, Part 3