updated pics
Here is a picture of the old "steel Soldier" after two weeks of INTENSE shop time. When I pulled this dodge to my class and told the kids that I wanted to drive it in the upcoming "Farmers Day Parade" in home town they laughed.
After a few discriminating words of encouragement that only a high school shop teacher could utter, they set about breaking it down. The engine needed NO work...thank the Lord! We did have to rebuild the master cylinder, replaces all 4 wheel cylinders, and the soft break lines. I little bit of fuel tank cleaning, replacing fuel lines, filters etc.
The bed, fenders, hood grill, doors etc were removed, and stripped to bare metal....mostly. Some replacement panels were fabricated for rusted out areas which needed cutting out. They were welded in and ground smooth.
We managed to get it all back together, shoot a coat of paint on it and throw some stars to it. My little boy Michael and I along with two students DID drive it in the parade today! Lots of veterans came by and oohed and ahhed over it. I could not begin to count the pictures taken of it.
We are a long way from where we want to be, but it did get a lot of attention today.
Oh, I also put my 1917a1 and tripod in the bed.....just for kicks! It got about as much attention! Sorry for the crappy cell phone pics, but that was the best I could do.