Hollywood Montage

[Richard Coutts-Smith]

1st pic is december 1996. Brought the truck of Bruce Wiltshire (sadly no longer with us) who had used it for a donor vehicle for his gun tractor. It had been owned by Tim Vibert way back who had fitted it with a bofors 40mm, before it went trough a variety of owners, losing all the good bits along the way.1/2 a seized motor, 1/2 a cab, gearbox/t'case full of water, the only good bit left was the winch and most of the rear fairleads.
Found a cab that was originally the Tooma No2 fire truck, before ending its working life on a farm at Tintaldra, after one too many brake failures. Not a straight panel left, and the drivers door hsd to stay on the farm as it was part of the family history. Pleased as punch to get that home.
Hand stripped EVERY part of the truck, with the exception of the cab floor frame which I had sandblasted, found what I could, made what I couldn't (notable find was an engine cover under a tree in the mountains, and a front fairlead in a trailerload of "Chick" stuff at a swap meet...$20) Bought another truck so I could workout how to put it all back together and had a dozen or so promises of a drivers door ( in as many years) before I had the good fortune to run into Rick.
By this time I had a running 216 but decided to go for a 235 for the better oil pressure system. went through 2 of them to get one runner.
Due to finacial constraint, the truck was put together with whatever bits I could afford to do at the time, so the motor went in after the cab was finished, and I never got to do the test drive of the rolling chassis around the yard sort of stuff, so it was a most nervous yours truly who ventured out on the maiden voyage last weekend, all the way to top gear.
12 years, 2 more kids, a replacement dog, a few grey hairs.
All in the blink of an eye....
Rich