This is the time of year we can reflect on our past year's accomplishments as custom truck enthusiasts. If you were hoping to complete your latest project this year, you have only a couple of months left. This time of year, we should be devoting quality time to family and holiday shopping for others.
Whether we spent '06 attending or participating in show 'n' shines, for some of us it seemed like we spent every spare moment in the heat of summer or the bitter cold of winter bent over a fender, bustin' knuckles while trying to remove the number six spark plug that was buried in the back and pinched against the firewall; or under the frame, trying to detect an air leak in the airbag system; or as a contortionist balled upside-down under the dash, trying to make something of the wiring without a schematic.
How about the road trip from hell? While towing or cruising to an out-of-town show or just across town to a shop and experiencing those damn inconvenient roadside dilemmas, it's amazing how we can MacGyver a mechanical failure when we are stranded out on a desolate road. (It's always a good idea to have your AAA card with you at all times.) For some of us it seems to be a regular occurrence every time we leave our zip code.
Then there are those who seem to have it all together, cruisin' to shows with no mishaps or roadside drama. It seems every show that they enter as a participant, their custom truck is an award magnet and they go home with a wheelbarrow full of trophies. If you were one of these fortunate folks this past show season, then congratulations on your accomplishments.
To me, the most rewarding accomplishments when I am reminiscing about this past year have been seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Whether it's while covering a tech story, shooting a cool feature, or attending another colorful show 'n' shine, the camaraderie in this hobby is the self-satisfaction we should all value.
So now that 2006 is winding down, it is time to begin planning for 2007. For most, the upcoming dormant months of winter will allow us to begin or finish our project journeys.
I personally am going to continue and complete my '50 Suburban ("Sublime") this year, after it has spent the past five years in mothballs. Recently I trailered it to Street Rods By Dowdy in Kingman, Arizona. Dan Dowdy and Dale Taylor will be performing some serious body mods to the ol' sheetmetal. Check this out: We are going to be chopping the long roof two inches, sectioning the entire body four inches all the way around, then shaving off three inches of the fenders to make them even with the running boards. The hood will be pie-cut to achieve a more aerodynamic appearance and the headlights are already frenched. We will be re-chroming the five grille bars and front and rear bumpers to keep the hot-rod look. The door handles and gas filler will be shaved, along with the rear barn door hinges, which will be inverted. The narrow stock rear fenders will be replaced with '50 pickup fenders, which are wider to accommodate the much wider wheel/tire combo. LED taillights will be frenched into the rear fenders. With the body mods completed, it will then be skimmed, primered, and block-sanded before paint. We are looking at a dark gray (top) and silver (bottom) two-tone paint scheme. We are contemplating installing a '48-'54 Chevrolet rounded, one-piece car windshield or a V-butt glass windshield.
Stay tuned for the continuation of Sublime's journey in upcoming issues of Truckin'. Remember: Old Guys Rule!