Exorcising a '78

Doing it ourselves was my first choice. After doing the math my kid said no way in hell. It's is almost 700 bags of 80lb concrete. It would cost about 30% more for the concrete bags vs getting a truck. I could do a few bags but then I would be layed up again as the concrete dried in the mixer. Getting a truck is too much at once for an inexperienced crew of me and him. I never know when my back is going to act up and it could all fall on him.

I am going to get more quotes. Going to skip the patio for now. 80% of the patio is okay. I want to repair the bad spots but last guy wanted to replace the whole pool deck. Unfortunately I live a whole 15 minutes from the main highway which makes it hard to get people to even come give quotes anymore. Our town has 2 stop signs. Saying the name makes people think we are way out in the sticks when we are actually pretty close. It takes 35 minutes to get to the center of the closest city from here. Unless your familier with the town most think it takes hours. Our address was deleted by the post office 10 years ago and I still have trouble with fedex, ups and navigation software. Our house was the first one built on this street back in 1968 and because of a clerical error we just don't exist anymore. I called around 10 contractors to get estimate on the barn repairs. Only one guy showed up and never responded afterwards with a quote. I have called at least 10 concrete guys the past 2 weeks with only 1 calling back so far.

Speedway has a coil over kit for $466. It uses QA1 shocks and afco springs. It has the 1/2 bolt for the bottom shock mount. My speedway control arms are only a couple years old but have the 7/16 shock mount. A similar kit with 7/16 bolt hole is $658. The actual shocks are the same price on their website. The cheaper kit uses a bearing on the bottom and the more expensive uses a bushing. The only difference I can find is they may use different brand springs. But the springs are only a $20 difference each. I talked with them yesterday to see if they can put together a kit for me at the $466 price. The two people I talked with were trying but could not come up with a reason the kits are priced so far apart. I should have an answer later today or tomorrow on getting a kit built for those of us with the stock 7/16 bolt.

Today speedway shipped me out a set of coil overs. I had to talk to the tech department. The normal sales persons could not make it happen. Their tech guys handled it in short order. They moved parts around and got me the price I wanted! Just over $500 for qa1 shocks, 500lb springs, toroidal bearings and new spring isolators. I hope to have them installed shortly after the first of the year. Weather permitting.

I am waiting on the concrete guy to get back on schedule. He is running further behind then I wanted but it is what it is. Half my floor is dug out and partially prepped for the new slab. My barn is more jam packed than normal with half the floor unusable.

I also took advantage of CAR's sale today. Picked up a shorty front spoiler and t top felt is finally in stock and on sale. By spring I will have all new weatherstrip for the t tops installed. I still need a front valance but the better half is gonna be mad enough I spent what I did on car parts today. I had permission to get a new tv but that kinda got blown up when I saw CAR's black friday email. Thanks Robert.

She hates my giant 2000's rear projection tv but it just keeps on working. Yeah yeah it uses a convertor to get hdmi to the old component. Half the time takes a few tries to get a picture. But... Car parts. On Sale! Besides we don't need 4k. Being 300 lbs is kinda a bummer but car parts. on sale.

So yeah. If I never post again check her garden for a fresh grave.

I asked. Her reply was "Hell no. I am getting some of that money back after your dealt with". So apparently the car may be available in the future. Possibly the very near future.

Speedway rocks! But they delivered them today. Guess what day she is off this week? As a mail carrier she has been working 6 to 7 days a week. But not this Sunday. I am trying to get a hold of my son to see if he can let me couch hop till the steam stops pouring from her ears.

They are so pretty....

I am not sure whats up but I cannot upload pics again.

Here is the listing for the other ones. They are the same except the lower mounting bolt is 7/16 on the set I now have.

I am speechless. Just flabbergasted at those shipping prices. They are insane. I wouldn't have been able to do half what I was able to on her at those prices. Does anyone stock qa1 over there? The 7/16" bolt set use their MS303, The 1/2" bolt is MS301. Someone in europe has to stock or make something similar. Then again it's a II and being over there your hot roders probably use a different front end.

Still in their boxes. Coils are 6lbs each, shocks are 5lbs each. Total shipping weight on fedex label was 23 lbs. That included the wrenches, shocks, springs, bearings and new rubber isolators.

Blue... You may wanna write your congress persons. I am not sure if you know, but stateside most of our shipping comes on bunker fuel powered giant cargo ships. Not 3 masted schooners. It may help prices some if you guys can cut the shipping time from a year down to a month. I understand being green but thats a little too 1800's for me.

No II updates. Just wanted to let everyone know I am not buried in her garden. Yet. Although I have been banned from more car parts for a while.

Luckily I already collected the stuff to add ac to the interior and do the coil overs. I am just waiting on the concrete to cure. Ohh yeah. btw CONCRETE IS DONE!!!!!! Needs to cure for a week or so more but I now have a real floor!

I was looking at a lift but then both my old trucks decided they want new parts. Seems every time I drive one they are lighter as parts and the bodies rot away. I love my seasons. I love snow but hate the salt and especially the beet juice brine. So I used the last of my tornado money for a new to me pickup. Hence the no new parts ban. Once spring rolls around I will sell off a couple of the old trucks and hopefully get a lift. For now though I gotta say that 8 speed hemi with 3.92 gears is one hell of a driveline combo. Even in a 4 door truck.

You pull it into the weaker part of the bracket? Typical Mopar. I have been a Dodge guy since I learned to drive my dads '78 Cordoba. Took my drivers test in a Dodge Omni 024. First car loan was a Daytona Shelby Z. Only new car was a Dodge Shadow v6 with 5 speed. I love my II's but almost every other car I have owned is Mopar. The first vehicle I bought was a '78ish Extended Window Van with a 360 and a 3 on the tree. It was the party bus for the summer I owned it. Orange with plaid curtains. Shag carpet. Rotten exhaust. It was a pos but a fun time for that summer. Too much of a cop magnet for a 17y/o. Couldn't have been that it was usually carrying a group of teens. Rattling windows all over town. Had to of been the orange plaid curtains.

My old Ram is a 94 I bought used in 94 with 20k on it. If it wasn't for the brine I would have kept on fixing it but the frame is rotting up front where the water sits. Cab corners and rockers are rotting away. Still runs and shifts great. It needs the ac charged every year or two otherwise almost everything is original and still works. My poor Durango runs great at 200k but is falling to pieces just sitting there. Every time I open a door more rust falls off the rockers. Both were driven in the snow and salt back when I was working and the kids were still at home. I love driving in the snow but once they started using brine the cars just rot away in no time.

This truck will only see salt if it has to. I am keeping the durango for snow until something major breaks. This truck will get fluid film or similar setup this spring and rust proof it yearly. It's a '14 with 100k on it. I was leery of the rotary shifter but after a few days it's acceptable. The 8 speed is always in the right gear so far. It's quick. Holds you back in the seat up to 80 which is where i lifted off the gas.

The build sheet under options says anti-spin rear diff. Is it another case of misleading terms? I will have to get her on loose ground and see what it actually does. It has the auto 4wd transfer case. I was spoiled with the durangos awd and wanted that ability. I have accidentally spun my old truck around a few times in the rain. It only had 235hp. After buying this I have been reading up and apparently it's not awd but engages front axle only after detecting rear wheel slipage. Then disconnects again. Even does that in 4wheel lock so the rear diff being open wouldn't surprise me. Probably means abs controlled imitation anti spin diff. lol

I wanted the long bed, parking sensors and awd-ish xfer case. Not white or black. Black sucks to keep clean and my son has a '12 that is white. This is the only one near me that met those criteria. It just happens to be optioned almost exactly as I would have ordered it. If I could afford to order a new one that is. I love the sport nose and hood but none were available. If my wife ever drives it she will need the sensors. I love her dearly but she has crashed every vehicle of mine that wasn't a small car.

I thought that as well but the build sheet says Maximum Steel Metalic. It looks blue in direct sun, black at night and grey in most lighting. I did not get the factory sticker with it but pulled up a build sheet via the vin. So it may be wrong

I love my old dodges. They just kept on running for me. If it wasn't for rust I would never entertain a newer truck. I towed the durango once over a bad coil. Otherwise they have never let me down in almost 30 years. 320K miles between the two of them. I have done repairs but nothing major. Rear pinion bearing. Radiator, ball joints. Did the timing covers which always leak. water pump. Otherwise just routine maintenance and Only using Chrysler fluid in the transmission.

It will never happen but my son and I talk about dropping a II body on the Durango chassis. The orange t top car is rotten underneath. Subframe is gone in one spot and rough all over. Body isn't great but for a project like this..... Stretch the front fenders like evolution. Lower the durango chassis. Put sporty wheel and tires vs the 4x4 wheels and tires. Make it a widebody. Maybe shorten the frame. The proportions wouldn't be too bad.

Be awesome showing up to a car show with a stock Mach I. A modified T Top built to what I think ford should have offered as the King Cobra. Then have a supercharged 360 powered awd II with t tops! That can tow 7,500lbs! The True Blue Ford guys would really hate me.

These two were taken at the same time. Drivers side looks dark blue. Passenger side is clearly grey.