The Moody Blues, one of my favorite songs...
I'll post an update on The Gnomes of New Hope blog.
As far as the studio goes, my concentration right now is on getting my work trucks back up and running. I was moving forward with a new engine for the Corvair Rampside, but that stalled. I have been looking for another donor FC 95 for the parade float, but now I'm also wanting to build a dump trailer to go with the Rampside. I have a Dodge Ram pick-up, which I am going to strip for parts. I've decided to use the bed on an army trailer frame I have. It dumps. So I plan on moving the bed to that. If I ever get around to it, I'd like to keep the inner bed and switch the outer panels over to Corvair truck, to match the Rampside... a matched set, truck and trailer. It will be worth more when I eventually sell it.
But more directly, I am prepping my International Loadstar CO1600 to receive a replacement transmission. That truck was last on the road twelve years ago! It must have been that long since the transmission broke. I looked all over the country for parts to repair the T98, to no avail. Finally, I bought a transmission from a yard in Idaho. Apparently, when the price of steel went up, everything got crushed, making the parts for the truck harder to get. So that trans is almost ready to go in. After that truck is running again, I need to mount the plow I got for it, then it's on to getting the crane arm working and finishing the gates for the stake sides. And after all that, I need to replace the bed again. I used white oak and it rotted, so this time I expect to use locust, if I can find it. Maybe I'll use pressure treated, but pine is too soft. If I do that, I may put diamond plate on top, but that takes my tare weight way high. Well, we'll see. I'd like to convert it it 4WD, put in an auxiliary trans and a two-speed rear axle. Finding those parts is most likely a fantasy.
I acquired the CO1600 for hauling sets and I expect to need that for The Gnomes of New Hope, at least in here in Pennsylvania. I have two semi-trailers, one of which I plan on using to package the show, but it's only 35', so I'd have to limit the size of the show. But I did get that size figuring it would be more manageable bringing the show into the city. It's a curb loader with doors on both sides. I'd hate to have to pay two trucks to move the show, but that might be necessary. I am looking for CO1600-1800 or Dodge L700 tractor to move those trailers around. Not over state lines though, too complicated with the regs and CDL at this point. I'll hire out for that.
That all for now. AG
