Cranetruck in Ventura, CA

[cranetruck]

I'll be here a couple of days helping my brother in law to build a privacy fence...
Devin (Djfreema) stopped by yesterday in his deuce with his young daughter. It was great fun with two deuces on the street here and the crane was used as a swing for the kids.
There were a lot of pictures taken and we'll get some posted later.

 

[ken]

It's good to see you made it. Have you decided on the route home? IH-10 is much flatter and closer to sea level.

 

[area52]

Hey Bjorn,

If your gonna come back along I40 give me a shout. I might need something from Barstow Trucks if you could.

thanks

 

[Djfreema]

Had a great time, wish it could have been longer! My daughter LOVES riging in the "Ducie". Seeing Bjorns truck in person was impressive. He has done alot of really cool modifications to it. Bjorn , it was a real privaledge to have met you and your family. Hope you have a safe uneventful drive home!

 

[Djfreema]

Here's my co driver!

 

[Djfreema]

And one more of us monkeying around.

 

[cranetruck]

Here are a few more images...

 

[cranetruck]

Wade, I do plan to stop by at the surplus yard in Barstow, let me know what you are looking for.
My own shopping list includes in-tank fuel pump(s) and bed sides for the pipeline construction bed.

Ken, the return route will be I-40 and Oklahoma City is still on the list of destinations.

 

[wreckerman893]

Will you be running on bio/SVO? Do you have contacts on your route for oil? Are you on some of the WVO forums (Frybrid, Greasecar)? You can find sources of oil by logging on and posting your route. Often you can get the fuel for free or for a small donation from other WVO minded folks. Just my rambling thoughts. Good luck on your long journey.

 

[cranetruck]

Yes wreckerman, bio/wvo will be in the tank. I have had offers for used veggie oil , but timing has been a big problem. A couple from the greasecar.com forum has offered filtered used VO if/when I drive by Victorville, CA and again, if the time is right, I'll swing by and see them. They wanted to see the installation I have on the deuce.

Unfortunately, the in-tank fuel pump (it was a used one to begin with) for my "AUX" diesel only tank, failed during the run South on I-5 here in CA. I'm stopping and starting on the "MAIN" tank now, so the fuel mix will have less bio/vo than before.
When it failed, I had just left a truck stop and was warming the fuel in the main tank while driving on the freeway at about 50-55 mph, the boost suddenly dropped and there was a substantial loss of power. Switching over to the main tank "on the fly" restored power and I have been on the main tank ever since.
Fuel temp with the heater is kept at about 130 to 140 °F. Without the heater (coolant coil), the temp will gradually increase to about 120 or so, from return fuel alone.

 

[Polverone]

Good to see you made it Bjorn.

I just returned from my job in Indio and would love to come up there and see you. I have 20 gals of WVO here and will gladly give it to you if you want it. I also have a HDPE 30 gal drum if you would like it to put diesel or bio in. I bought it new 1 month ago and I have only had diesel in it for the 980 Cat while grading the property here.

PM me directions or a phone #.
Sent you a PM.

Hope to see you

 

[cranetruck]

Hope to see you later today Gary. Not typical California weather here with a light drizzle/fog this morning, but will change my generator belts later.

Here are two more images, Devin's visit and my visit to my wife's school (she demanded that I bring the deuce there). Lots of fun actually, and pictures are destined for the school's yearbook...

 

[Blake]

teaching

Bjorn:

What is your wife doing teaching in California?

Good Luck!

 

[cranetruck]

RE: teaching

Blake, she wanted to spend some time with her sister here and found an art teacher opening in Ventura. Applied and got a one-year contract to teach at the Anacapa middle school. I'm just bringing her books and stuff (tons of it it seems. )

 

[Blake]

teaching

I guess that means a return trip at the end of the school year/beginning of summer!

 

[steelsoldiers]

RE: teaching

Hey Bjorn,
Glad you made it safe! Please keep your eyes peeled for any more 756 parts when you are browsing Barstow. Dad is still looking for all of the rigging equipment. Thanks!

 

[Recovry4x4]

RE: teaching

See what driving across the USA can do to ya! Bjorn has grown a beard from the experience.

 

[cranetruck]

RE: teaching

LOL, yeah Kenny, when you sleep in the deuce for a certain number of days, that beard saves on morning routines.

Chris, I'll keep my eyes open for the M756 parts for sure, I need some bed sides myself.

News flash: The list is again working overtime to help out. An occasional squeek, squeek from the fanbelt/generator has bothered me for some time and with time to spare at the moment here at my sister and brother-in-laws (Mike and Michelle Marson), I decided to replace the fan belts.
After the belts were off I discovered that the generator didn't turn over very smoothly...bearing(s) bad. Figured I could handle this w/o involving the list since it's not exactly an emergency.
Well, Gary and his wife Kelly Berg stop by for a visit from nearby Thousand Oaks while I'm working on the generator.
Gary shows all his fantastic artwork and we enjoyed a couple of hours here. (his website: megasticker.com)
He also gave me 20-30 gallons of used veggie oil for use on the return trip. Thanks Gary!

A few hours after they departed, the phone rings and Will Wagner (Monrovia, CA) is offering the alternator from his deuce for my use!
Not only that, but Gary would "swing by", pick it up and deliver it to me on Sunday if it suited me! What can I say?
My wife, Jill was upset for missing Gary's visit. She is an art person and surely would have had a lot of questions for him. Looks like she'll get a second chance at meeting him now.
The alternater will be shipped back upon my return to Virginia, of course.

I think the alternator is slightly larger in dia than the DC-generator, so I'll be moving the primary fuel filter below the flange to provide a little more clearance (once suggested by Kenny Engle, BTW).

 

[cranetruck]

RE: teaching

For next post , see "What, me worry?" thread.