Piecing together a full vert! (This Blows)

[Rugby_7]

Keep in mind that the speedometer in that truck lies to you by 10% or so. And the engine is spinning faster than I prefer when going those speeds. But my K10, with 3.08 gearing, is still happy at 75MPH and above. Happier than I am, that's for sure! I get a little bit of culture shock every time I leave the woods. Up here we're surrounded by fairly empty 2-lane roads with 55MPH speed limits. So traveling down to the inhabited regions requires a whole different style of driving.

Do you live near Mercer WI?
I grew up in the country in Minnesota. Mostly all gravel roads and Tractor traffic. The lower speed limits are nice not so much hustle.
The northwoods area is always beautiful!

 

[campfire]

Do you live near Mercer WI?
I grew up in the country in Minnesota. Mostly all gravel roads and Tractor traffic. The lower speed limits are nice not so much hustle.
The northwoods area is always beautiful!

Nope, not near Mercer (kindof a random small town to pick ), though I've driven through there, and we did live near Rhinelander for a while. I'll probably get through that area next summer, as we enjoy camping all over the Northwoods, and we didn't get there this year.

We currently live in the NE corner of the state. I spend a lot of time in a corridor running from Marinette up to Escanaba (MI). I grew up in a similar gravel road & tractor traffic area down in Eastern Iowa. We head down there a few times a year, and that is what brings us past your area. Big Blue's adventure thread has just a couple pictures of the bluffs in La Crosse (read through the 2012 Lake Superior trip report at the beginning of the thread). I have pictures of the Mercer area from our 2013 trips, but they aren't posted up yet.


The Northwoods area sure is pretty. We've spent this summer's weekends taking numerous day & overnight camping trips across the region. Mostly Yooperland this year, though last weekend was visiting Rhinelander friends. It never gets old. Especially Lake Superior. This week the leaves are turning, and the storms are rolling in over the lakes. So pretty to watch the wind doing its thing!

 

[Rugby_7]

Nope, not near Mercer (kindof a random small town to pick ), though I've driven through there, and we did live near Rhinelander for a while. I'll probably get through that area next summer, as we enjoy camping all over the Northwoods, and we didn't get there this year.

We currently live in the NE corner of the state. I spend a lot of time in a corridor running from Marinette up to Escanaba (MI). I grew up in a similar gravel road & tractor traffic area down in Eastern Iowa. We head down there a few times a year, and that is what brings us past your area. Big Blue's adventure thread has just a couple pictures of the bluffs in La Crosse (read through the 2012 Lake Superior trip report at the beginning of the thread). I have pictures of the Mercer area from our 2013 trips, but they aren't posted up yet.


The Northwoods area sure is pretty. We've spent this summer's weekends taking numerous day & overnight camping trips across the region. Mostly Yooperland this year, though last weekend was visiting Rhinelander friends. It never gets old. Especially Lake Superior. This week the leaves are turning, and the storms are rolling in over the lakes. So pretty to watch the wind doing its thing!

My Fiancee lived in Mercer for a little while so was curious. There is a great movie about Escanaba I'm sure everyone up there has seen it.
I recognize those bluffs, if you go through there again and have some time you should check out Grand dads bluff. It's a drive to the top of the bluff but you can see for miles up there.

 

[Rugby_7]

Got the rest of the front clip disassembled and cleaned up to be stored. Looks like I'm going to be on the look out for a core support and hood.

Core support

• Rugby_7
• Oct 9, 2015

Fenders

• Rugby_7
• Oct 9, 2015

Rust

• Rugby_7
• Oct 9, 2015

 

[Greg72]

If you are new to welding, that core support might be a good approachable repair to try.

Obviously you want to sandblast it completely to see how bad it is, but if it's like most of them it's just the lower tray area that's wasted.

Even a mediocre weld job will be fine and it's in an area that you'll never see anyway... Might be worth doing just for the practice?

-G

 

[kennyw]

I always loved the "rust free" ads from living in the mid-west. Out there it just means the bottom is rotted out, not the sides and top.

 

[Greg72]

I always loved the "rust free" ads from living in the mid-west. Out there it just means the bottom is rotted out, not the sides and top.

I always interpreted "rust free" to mean that they were only charging for the solid parts of the truck. The rusty parts are no charge!!!

-G

 

[campfire]

I always loved the "rust free" ads from living in the mid-west. Out there it just means the bottom is rotted out, not the sides and top.

I DD a Saturn (S-series, with the plastic body panels), and I just can't get over how many people advertise "rust free" or "almost no rust" when they're selling these cars. I'd be pretty concerned if you did find a rusty Saturn.

And, of course, there may be massive amounts of rust on the underbody, and it will still qualify as "rust free."

I always interpreted "rust free" to mean that they were only charging for the solid parts of the truck. The rusty parts are no charge!!!

 

[campfire]

My Fiancee lived in Mercer for a little while so was curious. There is a great movie about Escanaba I'm sure everyone up there has seen it.
I recognize those bluffs, if you go through there again and have some time you should check out Grand dads bluff. It's a drive to the top of the bluff but you can see for miles up there.

Ok. We lived in Rhinelander for a bit, so we're familiar with that area, but we've only been through Mercer en route to other destinations. I guess that's the fate of most towns in the Northwoods. People visiting are just passing through, never staying.

Yes, folks up here are quite proud of their movie. Evidently my coworker's family camp was used for filming it. But I had never heard about it until we moved up here, and I still haven't gotten around to watching it. I grew up in Eastern Iowa, near the filming location for "Field of Dreams." I've even been to the site. But I have yet to see the movie. I really should get better at enjoying the local culture around me. Yooperland is definitely a culture change for me. But I'm enjoying it. The area is pretty, and the culture quirks are fine by me. So all is good. It is interesting living on the border and spending regular time on each side. Even in the border town, where folks cross state lines multiple times each day, you can see differences.

Don't know when we'd be back on the Western side of the state. It's no longer on my route to anywhere. But we'll keep that in mind. We'll probably get over there when we run out of things to see in da U.P.

 

[beags86]

Ok. We lived in Rhinelander for a bit, so we're familiar with that area, but we've only been through Mercer en route to other destinations. I guess that's the fate of most towns in the Northwoods. People visiting are just passing through, never staying.

Yes, folks up here are quite proud of their movie. Evidently my coworker's family camp was used for filming it. But I had never heard about it until we moved up here, and I still haven't gotten around to watching it. I grew up in Eastern Iowa, near the filming location for "Field of Dreams." I've even been to the site. But I have yet to see the movie. I really should get better at enjoying the local culture around me. Yooperland is definitely a culture change for me. But I'm enjoying it. The area is pretty, and the culture quirks are fine by me. So all is good. It is interesting living on the border and spending regular time on each side. Even in the border town, where folks cross state lines multiple times each day, you can see differences.

Don't know when we'd be back on the Western side of the state. It's no longer on my route to anywhere. But we'll keep that in mind. We'll probably get over there when we run out of things to see in da U.P.

Name of town your from in Iowa?

 

[campfire]

Name of town your from in Iowa?

Always lived outside town, but the closest big city was Cedar Rapids. We were a little bit West of there. Also spent a few years in the Dubuque area. The movie site is up by Dyersville (West of Dubuque).

You have some connection to Iowa?

 

[beags86]

Always lived outside town, but the closest big city was Cedar Rapids. We were a little bit West of there. Also spent a few years in the Dubuque area. The movie site is up by Dyersville (West of Dubuque).

You have some connection to Iowa?

What, other then being from northern il? One of my really good friends is from Williamsburg's Iowa. I have been to and played baseball at/on the field of dreams.

 

[Rugby_7]

If you are new to welding, that core support might be a good approachable repair to try.

Obviously you want to sandblast it completely to see how bad it is, but if it's like most of them it's just the lower tray area that's wasted.

Even a mediocre weld job will be fine and it's in an area that you'll never see anyway... Might be worth doing just for the practice?

-G

I guess it is worth a try, if it comes out too bad I am still in the same boat. Can always keep an eye out for another one. The side where the fender bolts up is pretty rough though.

Side

• Rugby_7
• Oct 10, 2015

Bottom

• Rugby_7
• Oct 10, 2015

 

[Rugby_7]

I always loved the "rust free" ads from living in the mid-west. Out there it just means the bottom is rotted out, not the sides and top.

I always interpreted "rust free" to mean that they were only charging for the solid parts of the truck. The rusty parts are no charge!!!

-G

I DD a Saturn (S-series, with the plastic body panels), and I just can't get over how many people advertise "rust free" or "almost no rust" when they're selling these cars. I'd be pretty concerned if you did find a rusty Saturn.

And, of course, there may be massive amounts of rust on the underbody, and it will still qualify as "rust free."

"Rust Free" must mean not as much rust as others or no visual rust

 

[beags86]

Are you looking for a new core support? I think I have one stashed in northern il. Oregon wis is less then an hour away from the barn that it's in.

 

[campfire]

What, other then being from northern il? One of my really good friends is from Williamsburg's Iowa.

Didn't realize you had history with this region. Though IL is the wrong side of the river.

Williamsburg isn't too far. My sister-in-law works near there. I have family scattered throughout that region.

I have been to and played baseball at/on the field of dreams.

Did random people come out of the cornfield and freak you out?

 

[Rugby_7]

Are you looking for a new core support? I think I have one stashed in northern il. Oregon wis is less then an hour away from the barn that it's in.

I might be interested in that, Ill send you a PM
Thanks!

 

[beags86]

Didn't realize you had history with this region. Though IL is the wrong side of the river.

Williamsburg isn't too far. My sister-in-law works near there. I have family scattered throughout that region.




Did random people come out of the cornfield and freak you out?

Yes they did, I met Micky Mantle, Babe Ruth, and shoeless Joe Jackson. The white Sox were playing the Yankees.

I might be interested in that, Ill send you a PM
Thanks!

pm sent.

 

[Rugby_7]

Picked up some more parts for the blazer. Got the Diy4X Shackle frame eye hanger front along with greasable bolts. Then I got a craigslist score, a Dana 44, 8 lug, 4:10 gears, blue torch fab cover, weld in brace C's, Reid racing knuckles, high steer, chromoly axles with full clip spicer u joints, all rebuilt. It isn't a Dana 60 but it will be great for what I am doing. So now I sold the old tires and rims. The old axles need to leave next. I also got a new frame that is going to be brought to me this weekend. The one I currently have was a little bent up front. I tried to make it work but came across this new one for a good deal so decided to switch. Nothing like going back a few steps

Diy4x Shackle frame eye hanger front

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

D44

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

Welded C's

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

High Steer

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

BTF cover

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

Old tires

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

12 bolt

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

6 lug dana 44

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

passenger side knuckle

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

driver side knuckle

• Rugby_7
• Nov 16, 2015

 

[Rugby_7]

The axle was painted with herculiner, I took out the wire wheel, cleaned it down, prime & paint. For a long time I have been thinking of putting a 5.3 in here, but now I have been toying with the idea of a 6.0.