Winter without a project?

[GB SISSON]

No, not me.... I had this '46 tonner PU in deep storage in a shed down below. I got it in the 'gotta take all five jailbars' deal east of the mountains about six years ago. Good 7.50s all around....recapped michelin radials on the front, new tornels on the rear. No bed, no engine or trans, but pretty clean, with a genuine title. About seven years ago I got this other green jailbar tonner kinda rusty on the rainey West side. But... The bed was really OK somehow. About two years ago on a sunny early Fall day I married the good bed to the good cab and chassis. Then it went back in the shed. Flash forward til this Fall when I got that H six cyl running super smooth and cleaned up a nice T9 4 speed that fellow barner Art had given me. Call it magnetism or gravity, whatever, but when I get a spare moment I find myself working on a frozen window regulator or adjusting a door latch. Stuff I can do outside in a half hour window. It's getting rained on big time, but soon it will go into the work bay for bed and front clip removal, brakes and engine/trans install. Every time I need a part I find a good useable one. This will not be a perfect truck by any standards. But it will be a solid and useable truck. The red tonner PU I installed a cummins in is decked out like a heavy work truck and noisey beyond belief! With added leaf springs all around it is one rough riding SOB, but I Love it like that. This one is gonna have it's own quiet and lightweight feel. Heck, with the 100.00 lifetime vintage plates and Hagerty ins at about 100.00 year, why not get it running/driving? My intention is to get it running/driving looking like the pics, but I have two better doors, well not rusty on the bottom anyhow, but they both have lower hinge issues. They are both green. I might switch them out. I have a good enough stock seat. The interior and floors are pretty good and dash is un drilled and never even had a heater or sun visors Anyhow, this is what I've been up to this Fall. Will report as I get time.

 

[flatford8]

The bed matches great....coming from a different truck!.......Mark

 

[cas3]

Gol dangit, some guys get to have all the fun! That looks great to me GB, never a dull moment there on the island

 

[GB SISSON]

This is the trip when I got the Tonner from East of the mountains. Very unusual country over here. In an hour you can drive from a very wet coastal plain, drenched by Pacific storms, but quite mild year'round. In that hour you crest the Cascade range and enter an arid high country. Hot as blazes in the summer and freezing in the winter and way less moisture. Great climate for sheet metal.

 

[tomcarman]

Gary, what pass is that? I've been over every pass in the State but those pics aren't ringing a bell. If I had to guess it would be North Cascades or possibly Stevens, both of which I haven't been over in years. Judging by the pick up location of the third photo you must have been in North/central or NE part of the state seeing the pine trees in the background. It is rather exhilarating to crest the summit(s) then descend into warmth, sunshine and the smell of pine trees (except in the winter when it's colder than a tax collectors smile over there).

 

[petehoovie]

This is the trip when I got the Tonner from East of the mountains. Very unusual country over here. In an hour you can drive from a very wet coastal plain, drenched by Pacific storms, but quite mild year'round. In that hour you crest the Cascade range and enter an arid high country. Hot as blazes in the summer and freezing in the winter and way less moisture. Great climate for sheet metal.

 

[GB SISSON]

Gary, what pass is that? I've been over every pass in the State but those pics aren't ringing a bell. If I had to guess it would be North Cascades or possibly Stevens, both of which I haven't been over in years. Judging by the pick up location of the third photo you must have been in North/central or NE part of the state seeing the pine trees in the background. It is rather exhilarating to crest the summit(s) then descend into warmth, sunshine and the smell of pine trees (except in the winter when it's colder than a tax collectors smile over there).

It's Washington Pass on The North Cascade Highway, SR 20. This pass closes every winter as it it extremely difficult (and expensive) to keep clear. On the East side of HWY 20 the first town is Mazama, then Wintrop, Twisp and on to Omak and points East. In the middle photo there is a cab and a front clip on my F350, on the trailer is the half ton I used to build the woodie wagon. the bed was used on the toyota landcruiser frankentruck as was the factory cowl in the bed of the 1/2 ton. This load was indicative of the other 4 loads I brought over that fall.

 

[GB SISSON]

Thank you Pete! And seems just a few years back an early bronco could be sitting in a row of dead vehicles. This pic shows heading south from HWY 20 towards Wenatchee to pick up some grill bars and other parts from Barner 'tacoma cream'. Then West over SR 2 across Steven's pass.

 

[flatford8]

So much nice metal !!!!.......the part of the country I’m in, a five year old vehicle needs brake and fuel replaced due to rust.......Mark

 

[GB SISSON]

If I'm not mistaken they have started using some briney brown fluid on the roads East of the mountains during the frequent snow conditions. Back when these trucks were on the road you just needed to know how to drive in the snow. And the snow over there seems quite dry to me. The TV says the Cascade mountains could get something like 4' of snow tonight in the passes. Skiiers gonna love that. I was thinking of going skiing next weekend myself, but then I remembered I was gonna be busy sticking pins in my eyes instead.....

 

[Lawson Cox]

GB you amaze me and wear me out at the same time. Keep those pictures coming. Love 'em.

 

[flatford8]

I ain’t much of a skier myself......as a matter fact, I don’t at all !!!!!.....I can think of a better way to come down a mountain than on two pieces of wood strapped to my feet !!
I hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!!......Mark

 

[sugarmaker]

GB,
That joining of the cab and bed looks perfect!
You are allowing me to appreciate these tonner jail bar trucks more too.
Thanks for the awesome photos and up dates! Always interesting to see what your up to!
Regards,
Chris

 

[petehoovie]

GB you amaze me and wear me out at the same time. Keep those pictures coming. Love 'em.

 

[GB SISSON]

Pete, don't ever stop doing that. On FTE (ford truck enthusiasts) forum, the pics always automatically appear large. Thanks for all the nice words from my great Barner pals!

 

[petehoovie]

 

[cas3]

I always know when I see PeteHoovie in the last post, I am in for some good pics! Thanks Pete for you're efforts

 

[tomcarman]

I always know when I see PeteHoovie in the last post, I am in for some good pics! Thanks Pete for you're efforts

Yes indeed! I'll drink to that. And let's not forget Mercman from Oz and V8Coopman for some remarkable illustrations/enlargements and knowledge. I apologize in advance for others I've missed that contribute in such a manner. I can only speak for myself about being techno ignorant but my sense is many of us share the same malady. For me it's much appreciated.

 

[cas3]

x2 ^^^, sorry not to mention all the other folks !

 

[Bill]

GB you conyinue to impress me. Some on this site will spend thousands on a restoration and then park it in a garage under a cover. You pull a jailbar out of the woods, have a ball making it roadworthy then fire a load of lumber onto it and go to work! I think you're having toooo much fun! Certainly your possessions do not possess you.
May it never end! ....Bill.