M43 Resurrection

[Ghostdriver]

This is my rock crawler.

 

[rickf]

Well sir you never have to worry about me getting upset about the extra hardware pictures, I am behind you all the way. GD, I also like your choice of rock crawler. I haven't ridden in years and I don't know if I even still can with my bad back.
Young lady, You need to get back to work on that thing, summers coming and if I remember weren't you complaining about the heat a few months ago. Suffer in the cold so you can enjoy in the summer. We want to see driving pics this summer.

Rick

 

[Oldfart]

I am the fault of no work on Ghostdriver's M43 yesterday. Weather started out OK, but things were going to mud season quickly. I stole Ghostdriver to help me with a recovery and it turned in to a longer day than we thought what with snowy slick roads and drivers who just can't cope. Some sexy all wheel SUV shot past us just out of Colorado Springs and we found it ass backwards against the concrete median just south of Castle Rock. Lots of vehicles over the shoulder in that 60 miles of highway. Some snap shots of what we recovered taken this morning. Not sure what we will get to after the livestock gets fed and the sun works over the snow.

 

[Ghostdriver]

This is a sickness.... I have it bad.... and it just never ends..... soooo much green iron, so little time...... and I wonder why I can't get a date.... For the record, dad was almost going to pass on the weasel. A few choice words and I got him talked into it.

 

[rickf]

Yep, been there, done that! See Pics. GD, Can't get a date! You should be every guys dream girl. Buys old Army trucks, WORKS on same trucks and even talks dad into buying a weasel. Now if I wasn't married.........................

 

[jets1959]

 

[STSCSS]

It is not a sickness just green passion

 

[Oldfart]

I think the last "something we have to do before we can start on the M43 again" issue has been resolved. I took some cell phone photos of Ghostdriver installing the power steering gearbox on her F350 crewcab dually this afternoon. It has been so long since I used my cell phone for a camera, that I forgot to save the photos. I know, I know

 

[rickf]

Wait a minute here! I thoght the steering box was being done the same time as the starter. You mean you have been driving without power steering or just a semiworking and growling steering. I have one of those. That is NOT a fun job.

Rick

 

[Ghostdriver]

The starter and gearbox together was the original plan, but time was a factor, so just the starter got done that day, because starting was more important than stiff steering. Fortunately, that truck pretty much just goes to the feed store and back, so it wasn't too big a deal. And it would turn really well to the left, but it took some serious grit to make it turn right. She turns both ways now. And putting that gearbox in was one of the most miserable jobs I have ever undertaken. About halfway thru that $500 estimate I got seemed like a really good deal. But it's done now, and I am looking forward to working on something that is actually fun, and that I can walk away from for a day if I get frustrated.

 

[zout]

GD - you need to join NASCAR Winston CUP or whatever they call it now cause:

You said it only turned left really good - well - that is all you have to do in that sport.

Just awaiting pics of that ole 43 getting its overdue tender lovin care taken upon it.

Patiently waiting.

 

[wallew]

I've read the whole thing, start to finish... this is so typical of this family

I gotta tell all you folks here, these people are quite literally some of the finest people my wife and I have ever met.

What you don't see or hear is that they are farmers - third gen if memory serves with JR and GD being that 3rd gen

they own numerous OTHER businesses - they KNOW all sorts of automotive folks - they even got me into SEMA this past year (I still owe them for that a - buddy of mine and I are working on) - they are members of at least two clubs I know of for sure and probably one or two I don't

THEY ALWAYS respond when a call for help goes out

THEY THROW A GREAT PARTY

OLDFART showed my wife and I a photo of himself on the QE2 looking out a porthole - the wife still laughs at that one

his wife is the best lady I've met and neither of us likes to wear shoes

and the ONLY REASON Ghostdriver doesn't go out on more dates is because she is just too busy with her life, helping others, working, having fun and just living like the rest of us wished we could... doing things 'her way'

we sure do miss you folks - wish you were here - glad we are not freezing it off there right now

we've been in the seventies this week - hope to get that axle clamp set up from you folks this next month - seems I'll be here the next two months while the wife is on the road

Did Ghostdriver get her OTHER business up and running yet? I need her artistic talents as we discussed a couple of months back on shirt designs

JR, are you still baching it these days? com'on down south here and I'll take you over to 'Red Neck Heaven' kind of a bubbafied 'Hooters' as it were and buy you the largest steak they have and all the juice you can drink - and we were out riding around today and I SWEAR I saw you - in a skid steer with a front bucket - rumble across four lanes of traffic in a semi-rural area - the reason it reminded me of you is he had his dog in the cab with him - that's something that you would do (I know, I know)

 

[rickf]

A dog in the cab of a skidsteer? Sounds like something I would also do, love my dogs. Problem is that when I am in there there ain't much more room for anything else.

Rick

 

[wallew]

and it was a large lab too!

 

[1943ht]

Reminds me of "Papa-Bears" pup "Bear" .. That pup will climb into or onto any vehicle regardless of the amount of room as long as "Papa" is driving it. Skid-Loader, Backhoe, Golf Cart, Gun-Truck

 

[Oldfart]

I've read the whole thing, start to finish... this is so typical of this family


What you don't see or hear is that they are farmers - third gen if memory serves with JR and GD being that 3rd gen

they own numerous OTHER businesses - they KNOW all sorts of automotive folks - they even got me into SEMA this past year

we sure do miss you folks - wish you were here - glad we are not freezing it off there right now

we've been in the seventies this week - hope to get that axle clamp set up from you folks this next month - seems I'll be here the next two months while the wife is on the road

Did Ghostdriver get her OTHER business up and running yet? I need her artistic talents as we discussed a couple of months back on shirt designs

JR, are you still baching it these days? com'on down south here and I'll take you over to 'Red Neck Heaven' kind of a bubbafied 'Hooters' as it were and buy you the largest steak they have and all the juice you can drink - and we were out riding around today and I SWEAR I saw you - in a skid steer with a front bucket - rumble across four lanes of traffic in a semi-rural area - the reason it reminded me of you is he had his dog in the cab with him - that's something that you would do (I know, I know)

Wallew,
You are too kind. It is good to hear from a Legacy Club Member. Your axle clamps are here when you need them. Ghostdriver has not gotten the silk-screening operation set up yet. She is waiting for Jollyroger and Oldfart to get her studio set next to her house. (The bed off an M109a3 shop truck which we will then part out the rest.) In the meantime she has taken a position with an accounting firm so she can get the "experience/intern" requirement out of the way for a CPA. Mrs. Oldfart is stepping up with the other business to cover. It looks like another batch of employees is in order again. Just too many sticky fingers in this world. ~~ Jollyroger is batching it on the road. He has had a couple of weeks in Puerto Rico, a week in Hawaii, several trips to California, Seattle, Utah, and Tucson doing stuff like mold abatement. When he has a break from that he is helping buy cars in New Mexico and then get them transported. That operation might expand to looking for cars in your part of the world. I hear he might be troubleshooting around McAllen later next month. ~~ You are right about freezing our behinds off. It was 10 degrees before dawn, we just got through snow ranging up to 2 feet or better on the SE side of the Metro area. There are reports of 4 to 6 feet in the foothills. My sis on the western side got squat out of this storm and they are trying to snowmobile on a couple of inches of hard pack. I had to buy some small bales to throw over the fence to the hill llamas as the feeder was covered under a drift. Almost got stuck there, but instead, I took Mrs. Oldfart's truck off road to the house. I am getting a lot of ribbing over that. Anyhow, needless to say this weather does not help with getting much of anything done. I will PM you a photo of our truck well off the shoulder since it is not Military related and shouldn't be in the thread.

 

[steelandcanvas]

GD, Can't get a date! You should be every guys dream girl. Buys old Army trucks, WORKS on same trucks and even talks dad into buying a weasel. Now if I wasn't married.........................

She's a little too competitive for most most Guys, and a lot better Mechanic!

 

[STSCSS]

She's a little too competitive for most most Guys, and a lot better Mechanic!

Nothing wrong with a woman who can work on trucks and better than me... Just means that as a team we can fix anything

 

[jets1959]

Nothing wrong with a woman who can work on trucks and better than me... Just means that as a team we can fix anything

I totally agree with this statement!!!! Still waiting on updates on the meat wagon!opcorn:

 

[Ghostdriver]

I don't know that I'm a great mechanic, but I drive pretty darn well, if I do say so myself. Honestly, better than most of the men I've met. No offense intended to anyone. I've just taught every man I've ever been with something about driving. Double clutch training happens a lot. Enough of me touting my amazingness.

I thought I would go down to the shop today and work on my engine, because it is a BEAUTIFUL day, and THIS is what I found. Note the little green fan in the back of the pile. Yup, that's my engine. Not much of an update. Sorry.