Consumer project 2013

While she takes a 120 year old house and refreshes it, I'm doing the same with a 51-year old 4x4 truck. My project has no practical purpose and I can't justify doing it for sentimental reasons alone. The cost outweighs the usefulness that the finished project is likely to have for me, but, I proceed regardless. I am excited for the finished project and it will be one-of-a-kind and a real good-looking truck.

The plan is to use the engine, axles, power steering and power brakes, transmission, radiator, etc. from the 1978 Scout II that's all rusted out like a motherfucker, with doors that barely stay shut and that backfires like a bitch, and carefully graft them to the 1962 Scout 80. The '78 gets up and goes; I had no problem getting her up to 70mph on the highway and she wanted to wail. The '62 drives like a tractor, which would be fine in a corn field but is less than ideal on the streets.

On top of this significant overhaul, the plan is to make the '62 an ultimate camping rig. It will cruise up the freeway out of town, stop to refuel and pick up bratwurst, then we can drive up any road we want in search of camping spots. When little Dawson is 3 or 4 or 5 I plan to take him into the woods and build a fire with him and watch the stars spin over our heads.