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Update 6/9/1999

6-9-1999 - rollcage is done and in. Steering column n' box are in. Brake booster & m/c in but not tested. Rear driveshaft in. 727 is together, 304/727 and Dana 20 are IN. Interior is gutted. Knuckle is ready, drag link is ready. 4.88s are in the front axle, I pick it up tonight. New custom radiator mount in-progress. Seat mounting "rail" in progress (getting U-bolted to the rollcage). License plates are in-hand. Truck is now flat-black. It's all coming together..

Update 5/4/1999

5-4-1999 - posted two pictures of the racer.. with the front clip on it and the full size front. I've stripped the interior, and started cleaning up the 'cage for installation. I'm waiting on the custom steering knuckle and to repack the Ford hubs so I can move the racer in reach of the welder to repair a broken e-brake bracket, and a broken transmission crossmember mount.

One Hub on the Racer Front end

Historical - originally with Pictures in the text.



When my Scout II "Racer" project vehicles showed up, I was short some axles (and other things). I was given a Dana 44 rear end from a '63 Travelall - full width with 3.73 gears. I didn't have a front axle. I thought about using the Dana 30 front axle I had (my only spare I was willing to donate to the racer) but John and Pansy Comer said, "Uh.. no, Tom!" and so my search for a front end started..

In the beginning...

First, the history. I've always been fascinated with goin' faster.. from watching the guy that rented the garage across the street (when I was much younger) wrench on his black '69 Z/28 race car.. to watching dirt oval trackers when I lived in California .. the stock car races here in Helena.. pushing my own '76 Chevy Luv to unthinkable reaches...

Hit n' Run

At 2:37am on 6/27/2002 my neighbor woke up to the sound of a loud crash.. I heard it too, followed by tires squealing. My first thought was, "Someone just hit my truck!".. followed by, "No, it's probably just fireworks, quit being paranoid"


Then I got in my Travelall, and set the stereo radio station and started to pull out, looked left and.. What the .... !!!


There was my Travelette, the one nice vehicle I own, SMASHED, about 10 feet farther back then it was when I'd parked it, and now sitting on the curb.





Pictures


I had searched for a few years to find my tow-rig, and finally found one in nice shape that I could afford.. and then someone plows into it while parked in front of the garage.


First Home - the new Tow Rig

My friend Blair had emailed me in February or March about an add in the Mini Nickel for a '74 IH crewcab HD. I never bothered to call on the truck, until early June, when I finally thought I'd give it a try.


I spoke to Chris on the phone about it, and it was still for sale. I talked Blair into making the 30 mile drive to Livingston to have a look-see for me. The feedback was favorable.


While going to Billings for their rally around June 23rd in 2001, Michelle and I borrowed Blair's Bronco (leaving my loaded Travelall and trailer in town) and headed to Livingston to see the truck in person.


After an hour of looking and putting around the trailer park and discussion, I wrote a check and received a title. Chris threw in a couple 2wd 727s and a few carbs, while I fixed a sloppilly installed driveshaft U-bolt and crossed my fingers, along with scraping some of the carbon off of the distributor cap - that made a big difference!

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