vanscottbuilders

I noticed it has the windows in the sleeper. I always leave the curtain down on the passenger side,if you have to blind side back that window comes in real handy sometimes. You can use the power mirror at first,then when you get jacked around too far you can look through the sleeper window and see the back of the trailer. Real nice.

Tom, I thought the same thing - pretty handy to be able to see out that window when blind side backing.

Do you use an electric right mirror too?

That's also handy - we use them on the heavy tractors, along with extendable mirrors to see around some of the fat loads.

I didn't how common the electric mirrors were today.

Tom, I would like to make one good long trip in this 379. It just sems like a comfortable way to ride.

But - I SURE DO HOPE THAT IT ENJOYS IT'S NEW HOME!!

Joe, I have committed both the B-67 and my H-63 to the Watt's Mack show in September.

The intent is to drive the B with the lowboy, and put the H on the trailer. The H will not be running, or even under resto at that point.

If I get real ambitious, I might get the R-600 ready, and drive that instead, with both of the others on the trailer.

The R needs rockers and paint, and it's ready to go.

Paul VS

We should know better than to fool with computers.

Go to the neighbor's and see if you can borrow an eight year old kid.

Let him do it.

Paul VS

Too old, too much excitement? Nonsense, dirt is old, rocks are old, trees get old sometimes. Someday I might get old, but I refuse to grow up. I WILL NOT GROW UP. I like 16 just fine thank you. James

I didn't say grown up - I just said old!

I'm a long way from grown up.

Paul VS

Tom,

Don't tempt me.

I need to get one done before I can even think about getting any more!

And I have a few more projects waiting for their turn in the shop.

Although I would like to have a tandem tractor.......

Seriously, it really does look like a decent project for somebody.

I've kind of got it in my head to build a B model straight truck with about an 18' van body.

In the van I'd like to put a mobile shop with a generator and air compressor, long (18' x 2') bench with

a compound miter saw; set up a table saw at the same height as the bench; maybe a planer too, put tool storage cabinets

under the full length of the bench, and lumber/ladder storage racks above the bench; install a lift gate and

use the whole thing as a onsite shop for my brother and myself.

It would also be a fantastic advertising tool for us. And we wouldn't need the gas guzzling pick-ups just to go back and forth to work.

It's actually a pretty realistic idea. We would like to shrink the company a bit, and go back to being more "hands-on".

Getting smaller - an idea that is looking better every day, is our idea of getting back to having some fun with our business.

Think about it - wouldn't it be very cool to have a real nice B-67 with a lowboy and maybe a flat trailer to move the larger stuff;

and a really nice straight truck to move the tools and smaller equipment needed onsite everyday for construction.

Then maybe a single axle B model dump truck to round out the fleet.

Can't get any better advertising - people would identify the trucks with your business immediately,

And - as long as they aren't broken down on the side of the road, that's a good thing.

Have a good night!

Tom,

That looks like a pretty good B-61.

Any idea if it will run? Or what it might be bought for?

Paul VS

I don't the going to get tough to take a nap!

And - I think we should all do what we are good at doing - and I'm good at taking naps, so..............

Paul VS

It was a good race at Daytona.

Hope you got to watch it.

As much as I don't care for it - Toyota is going to change the face of NASCAR.

And the new cars have some really good handling characteristics that will make them

a lot safer and faster.

Should be a really good couple of years for the superspeedways.

The short tracks are still a bit unknown for the new cars.

PVS

I'm always impressed, too.

Your weeks seem to end up as productive and organized trip logs -

even though I know it can't really be all that smooth!

And I know that the company has to be happy.

I'm curious - about how many miles do you average per year?

Paul VS

I like the looks of the mixer, too.

Yeah, it probably is a little limited in its' use,

but nobody else has one!

And, it would deliver crushed stone or garden mulch,

or top soil pretty well. If you really wanted to work it a little,

you might contact a local landscaping or garden supply company

for Saturday work. (Like you need more work!!)

The nice thing about working it a little is that it keeps the drum clean

inside and it keeps all the parts operating nicely. And it looks really cool.

Just a thought - -

Paul VS

Actually, I've got two of these old straight trucks on my radar.

Guess I'll go look at them both and see if I can bring one home.

One of the trucks was a service truck for a local concrete company and is in running condition.

There's a method to my madness. I have two spare engines and transmissions,

and two spare front axles for the B model Macks, so the restoration process is

fairly easy. And I'm getting the process dialed in pretty good.

The building business can actually use a straight truck, and it is great

advertising for us.

I would try to find a dumping flat rack for the body, if possible. With stakes and

side racks we can carry a variety of loads from trash to long (16') new materials.

And - I just recently sold an older one ton GMC we used for this purpose.

Sounds like a pretty good week, in spite of the weather!

Those icy, slippery streets not made for big trucks can get plenty exciting.

Especially for us old folks.

Paul VS

I try to stay out of conversations about how other guys look.

But - to each his own.

Paul VS

Definitely confused.

Could be lost, too.

But usually returns to pick up his paycheck.

Stay Tuned.

Paul VS

I second James' comments.

It's always good to sit down and read through the forums and these blogs.

Have you noticed that there are only about four of us regularly writing?

Wonder what's up with that?

Anyway, have a good week.

Paul VS

Hi Paul, haven't heard from you in a while,i've been out and about. About that Peterbilt, - ...oh...well..,never mind then.

You're going to have to move quick if you want the big Peterbilt.

Looks like it's going to a new home in Oklahoma. (hopefully!)

It seems that we have finally met up with a real serious truck buyer.

Thanks,

Paul VS

Boy, I thought I was getting ornery.

And that looks like my B-67 on that trailer.

Another guy with great taste in trucks.

Paul VS

Thanks guys.

We're kind of excited about the big Peterbilt staying right here.

I think the C-16 engine and the driveline/axle set-up fits our operation

pretty well.

I was venting about the number of people who would deliberately lie about buying the truck.

If a guy wants to talk trucks, and tells me so, I'll talk all night! Just don't lead me on - I'm too old and ornery!

David, you're right about buying everyday things made in this country, as well as the big purchases like trucks and cars.

I deliberately try to buy my clothes, shoes, food and anything I can from manufacturers right here. It's getting harder to do, but I believe that it is the only way our real economy can thrive. (As compared to our "political economy" which is based on whatever story someone feels like printing)

As I have said before, I run my family's building business. The construction industry has been pretty much insulated from import goods - but that is changing fast. We now see Japanese toilets, among other things. That seems a little unecessary!

Much of our raw material comes from Canada, which is quite a bit more tolerable, at least to me, although the end result is exactly the same as buying overseas goods.

Interesting to note that with the rising cost of fuel and the uncertain economy, there seems to be fewer trucks rolling.

We live within earshot of I-90 (NYS Thruway), and just over the past few weeks, there is far less truck noise at night than there has been in the past. That cannot be good. (By the way - this is definitely not a scientific study)

Every one of those loads rolling by represents commerce. Any reduction doesn't bode well for our near term future.

Thanks for letting me ramble and vent. BMT should collect fees as a "therapist".

And, if I can figure how, I will set up a gallery of some of the heavy hauling equipment the company has.

As for the B-67, I've been keeping a good photo log of the progress, and will post those at "milestone" points throughout the process. That truck is coming along good, and I have committed it to Barry's September show. So I need to keep moving it along.

It sure brings back some memories hearing all of the backwater Florida town names.

Although I suppose most of them aren't really backwater towns any more.

In the mid 70's I worked for Meat Dispatch, then based out of Rochester, NY. One of our

big customers was Neisner's and Big N department stores. It seems every little town in Florida had a

Neisner's or a Big N. A typical load might be 12 to 16 drops and would usually go either down the east

coast, or down through center state and the west coast. Usually loaded Tropicana orange juice in

Bradenton going north.

Those were fun times. Single and young, and travelling a lot. And I've forgotten what the job paid -

so it must not have mattered too much.

Thanks for the post - I enjoyed it a lot.

Paul Van Scott

Joe,

I didn't think the price was too bad for having all four shoes relined.

Not sure about the your Ford truck, but on the Mack the linings bolt on, and the material

is pretty fragile. It's easy to crack the new linings with the wrong torque, or uneven

tightening, or poor preparation of the shoe itself. So I decided to let the experts do it.

I think the total cost was about $200.00 for the rear axle.

Replacing the linings is probably easy enough, if you have the proper level of training

or practice. I don't, so I sent them out. And I'm glad I did.

The experts are on their third set of linings on one pair of shoes! Apparently, it's not as easy as it looks.

Thanks,

Paul VS

Good story!

It's nice to win once in a while.

Just don't get caught.

Paul Van Scott

First - You have to want to do it.

Second - You have to make the decision and take the appropriate action.

Third - You can't outguess yourself - you have to know the decision is the right thing. That will keep you going.

Fourth - Keep reminding yourself of the benefits of not smoking - all the time. Get outside and move around - a lot.

I wasn't able to do it all at once. I started in steps like not smoking in the house, then added places where I didn't smoke.

I found that just setting small goals, like "I can go until after dinner without one", or "I can go one more day", etc. really helped.

And I hung around with the people I knew who didn't smoke.

Someplace in the course of doing that - it got a little easier, then a little easier again - until finally I realized that I didn't need

to smoke. That was a long time ago - and, truthfully, it still tempts me once in a while. Then I'll see some poor SOB coughing his

lungs out and hardly able to walk around or carrying around a tank of oxygen - and I think how lucky I am. That makes it a lot easier.

You can do it. It's not easy - but, most of the real good things aren't.

Good Luck,

Paul VS

not a problem,Paul- just go back and look at the digital pictures you took and printed when you were taking it apart.

VERY FUNNY!

PVS

Quitting the smoking is the hardest thing I have ever done.

Been about 16 years for me.

Good Luck.

Paul VS

One more exit east from 390 on 90 puts you within five minutes of our shop.

Real easy to get in and out of and adjacent to the toll road.

The hill at Steam Valley, north of Williamsport, used to be able to keep me wide awake, at times, this time of year.

We never had engine brakes or ABS in the Meat Dispatch trucks.

It was still a pretty narrow two lanes up and two lanes down. And I always seemed to be there, at the top looking down, in the middle of the night in a snowstorm!

Probably wasn't really that bad - but the memories tend to grow more dramatic with time.

PVS