As with any older vehicle, you become familiar with its traits. Its strengths and weaknesses are part of what make it seem more alive, and though this would sound crazy to anyone but a car person, I think the thing has a personality. Not in a kitchy Herbie way, but in a more subtle way, like an old friend or a trusty dog. It begins to live vicariously through you as well, as you become "the Willys guy" to your friends, that sort of thing.
Anyways, after nearly 60 years of existence this old truck is beginning to show its age, and much like a human - its vitals display fatigue from a life of hard use. This truck is absolutely littered with what I have come to deem "old man fixes;" which range from body mounts made of tire slabs, coat hangers for stringing up the exhaust, 8' of wire made from splicing 7 peices together (not an exaggeration), and a host of in-between fixes, designed just to keep it going for a little bit, but ended up being permanent.
It is also home to what I now know as "Champion Fixes," which differ from old man fixes in that they are more permanent, and usually involve some form of welding. Since the Champion Grader Company had loads of steel and a host of welding supplies, it only makes sense that their yard truck would be privy to make shift spruce ups and plasma cut mounting brackets. Radiator supports made from 1/4" angle iron welded to the frame have an heir of solidity about them; and why make a rear bumper out of 1 peice of 5/16" channel steel when we all know 2 is better. This truck screams tack on, cut off, it'll do manufacturing; no wonder it needs a working restoration.
A working restoration, quite simply, is the rejuvination of an aging vehicle. It does not encompass a full on frame off restoration in which everything is dismantled and re-worked. Many mechanical things will largely be left alone, since they seem to be working fine (although they will be inspected). it will entail rebuilding most of the lower portion of the cab, which has been semi fixed many times, and finally tackling the roof seam, which is mostly bondo. might finally put a replacement hood and grille on it, like the original.
Well said.
ReplyDelete