Pilgrim's Progress

[BronCowie]

You can follow him on fakebook... the dude does phenominal custum car work.

https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=chad%20hiltz%20bad%20chad%20customs%20fans

 

[Howard2x4x4]

The highly engineered precision jig and rip fence worked fine, just fine to get a straight +/-, flat +/- surface on the reflector pods so that they could be attached to flat sheets of ABS for installation purposes. Used plastic epoxy to connect the parts to the other parts, and then weighted them down to set. When set, I gooped the epoxy here and there and everywhere just to increase the odds.


With the reflective pods relatively stable, I reconfigured the highly engineered jig and rip fence to allow a smooth, curve cut on the other side of the pods. I left a litlle space so

that the chrome bling piece would fit in. Next, secured the assembly to the tailgate pockets using SS Tnuts and button head screws.

Now here the 'progress', scant as it may be got even more scant. Remember the chrome bling piece? Yeah, it was 'nuther

"How'm I gonna do that?" moment. Considering the angled paint scheme, I reckoned to keep that ball rollin'.
Frittered with and finger-fit some pieces of tail light lens. And once more said, "That'll do, Pig. Wish it was tomorrow".

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Oh, btw, the extra bulb socket was added in order to use the top and bottom light compartments as turn signals by using amber bulbs.

 

[sprdv1]

Fancy...

 

[BronCowie]

Fancy...

Fancy Schmancy!!!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

 

[El Kabong]

View attachment 895991

Very very cool!

Made me want to sing along.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Very very cool!

Made me want to sing along.

Very good El Kabong! Hank's been high on my list ever since I wuz knee-high to a grasshopper!

 

[El Kabong]

Very good El Kabong! Hank's been high on my list ever since I wuz knee-high to a grasshopper!

I didn't realize that Hank wrote it until today.

 

[bronkenn]

It was awful nice of your wife to sing for your video.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Big yuppers on that, Ken, she's a keeper fur sure!

 

[Howard2x4x4]

I've been busy with some plastic surgery - not on me (inspite of multiple requests) but on some tail lights and front marker lights.

Tail lights first. They started out as tail lights for a Ford Escape.

A little bit of trimming....... After a prodigious amount of anguish and adjustment...

Finally ended up saying what my dad used to say alot - "Good enuff for the girls Jr. knows."

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Front marker lights were bunches easier, just had to figure how big/small, because size matters.

Not the finished product yet, btw.

 

[El Kabong]

Finally ended up saying what my dad used to say alot - "Good enuff for the girls Jr. knows."

Would that be this Jr. & these girls?

 

[Howard2x4x4]

That's a good question Kabong! Pa and I used to work alongside a fella nicknamed Junior, and I'm Howard Jr. Everytime he'd say that, neither of us knew for sure which one he was talkin' about, so we'd both think it was the other guy and laugh!

And that's a great seguay into what's been goin' on. Turns out, the lenses were NOT good enuff for the girls this Jr. knows. I had field tested various glues and methods and finally settled on a JB epoxy, and also acquired one of those glue needles from West Marine. I was pleased enough with those discoveries that I cut the lenses apart again and re-glued them. I wish I had taken some pictures - in order to keep everyting square and copesetic, I fabricated four jigs per side just to keep the angles straight. Mediocrates, take a hike.

Btw, I love the clarification about the bong!

 

[sprdv1]

Glad you are making some more progress buddy

 

[El Kabong]

Glad to hear you're getting it sorted out. It's such a cool idea that it needs to succeed.

Btw, I love the clarification about the bong!

Yeah, I never thought about anything but the cartoon horse when I chose the name. Oops. There has been a lot of confusion since. I finally added the clarification to my signature anywhere I use the name. Thanks for catching it.

 

[Howard2x4x4]

Me too Sprdv1 and Kabong, thanks!
Also fabbed up some pieces and parts to make the F150 tilt steering wheel installation a bit more gooder.

Made plates to secure the coloumn on both sides of the firewall.

It looked like it would work without the column...... and without the dash.....

.....and with the dash. Awright, gurus and poobahs and wizards,

is that gonna be close enough to the dash to leave enuff room for my belly. Howard in beautiful west Michigan

 

[BronCowie]

Love the "Eject" button... Howard is rrrrRockin it in the USA!

 

[rydog1130]

Hey howard, just checking in on the build... hope all is well....I won't be at the swap meet but if you make it to the take over in august ill be there!