zepher11 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share #551 Posted June 11, 2014 just catching up with this thread and am amazed at how cool the rig looks now! Incredible transformation. An excellent job all the way around. thanks for sharing the long process with us and letting us "in on the action" too as it were. Terry Thanks Terry, I appreciate it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share #552 Posted June 11, 2014 I posted this on another forum and thought I would post it here as well. I don't know if the videos will work, but the links are below: The Collings Foundation came to town this week, and I couldn’t pass up a ride in the B-24 Liberator “Witchcraft” bomber. I caught the 8am flight as it was going to be too hot for any other flights during the day. No flights in the B-17 as they said the weather was too hot for it. At least the B-24 was good to go. It was still below 100 degrees and didn’t seem too hot to me in the plane, but I guess a few people succumbed to the heat. At least they held it until they were on the tarmac! The flight was fantastic. I recorded a little video of a fella that brought his dad’s ashes and dumped them out the Waist Gunner’s position. His dad was a Flight Engineer and Top Turret Gunner on a B-24. He didn’t open the baggy the ashes were in before he tossed them…I was starting to get a bit worried about that…I could just see them dispersing inside the waist area. Thankfully, he just tossed the whole baggy out. Actually, not far from my house now that I think about it. I then went back for a photo op with Little Zeph later in the day with the bombers. Since the B-17 “909” was in the 91st Bomb Group, I just thought I shouldn’t pass it up. Even though the “909” wasn’t in the 322nd Squadron. The airport and the Collings folks were kind enough to let me roll in if I promised not to bump into the bombers. The P-51 was in the hanger getting spark plugs, so I missed out on photos with that. Oh well, maybe next time. I wish I had a camera. I used my iPhone. Just not quite the same quality: Cruising around the bombers in the GPW: I helped this gentleman up to the flight deck and helped him strap in. He was a WWII B-24 Pilot in the 15th AAF out of Italy. What a treat to be able to take off with him there: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share #553 Posted June 11, 2014 Continued...: I basically sat with my feet hanging in the bomb bay. They taxied with the doors open and if they ring the bailout bell one needs to get a move on and get out toward the opposite direction of the propellers. What a great seat: Here are some in flight videos. I know…exciting when one is there, but the video just doesn’t quite do it justice. Take off: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share #554 Posted June 11, 2014 Continued...: Landing: Nose positions: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share #555 Posted June 11, 2014 Continued...: Tail Gunner’s position: Waist Gunner’s position over the Sacramento River: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted June 11, 2014 Author Share #556 Posted June 11, 2014 Continued...: Landing at the Ball Turret position: Let’s see. I now have been fortunate enough to have flown in a P-51, B-17 and now the B-24. Someday, I need to catch a ride on a B-29 and B-25. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Graffiti Posted June 28, 2014 Share #557 Posted June 28, 2014 Wow! Amazing pictures, thanks for posting, and the finished jeep looks fantastic. AG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobrahistorian Posted July 10, 2014 Share #558 Posted July 10, 2014 Great stuff Zeph, and "Iris" is lookin great! If "Race Horse" comes out half as nice as she did, I'll be doing really well! I've never flown in a -24 before, that had to be some experience, especially with veterans aboard! I crewed a B-17 for the summer of 1997 and those memories are permanently etched into my brain! J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamsSon Posted August 9, 2014 Share #559 Posted August 9, 2014 NICE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share #560 Posted August 12, 2014 Thanks everyone for the kind comments! A few weeks ago I finally figured out the stenciling on the canvas. I stressed on it for a while before attempting it as usual. The canvas isn't cheap and I didn't want to botch the job. Here George is making sure I take my time: I ironed the canvas to get it nice and smooth before applying the stencil and then taping off and painting: I was prepared for the worst, but It actually turned out a lot better than I thought it would. Gives it that authentic stationed in England look: Some bonus pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted August 12, 2014 Share #561 Posted August 12, 2014 Zeph, That looks very nice! Did you spray paint the letters or hand paint the letters? I know you taped it off but I was wondering how you painted on canvas. Looks like George did a great job as inspector! He didn't want you messing up his new ride! ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share #562 Posted August 16, 2014 Hi Kat, I used the left over rattle can spray paint that I applied on the bumper stenciling. I was worried about bleed through, but it worked pretty well. I would have liked a little more paint on the canvas, but I ran out. It really took a lot of paint and appeared that it was getting soaked up into the canvas. In any event, I was happy with the result. George is always concerned that I get it right. He hates bad words. Zeph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted August 18, 2014 Share #563 Posted August 18, 2014 Are you really selling it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share #564 Posted August 22, 2014 Are you really selling it? Unlikely...I promised I would list it for sale to help pay for my shop, but I never said at what amount it would be listed. I fulfilled my obligation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 22, 2014 Author Share #565 Posted August 22, 2014 Here are a few pictures of the start of the shop. After a 52 year wait, I am fortunate enough to pull it off…hopefully. It may take a while, but at least it will be moving forward now: Little Zeph will get a new place to hang out eventually! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Meatcan Posted August 22, 2014 Share #566 Posted August 22, 2014 judging from your impressive vehicle restoration work, when you do something you do it up right. So I bet this is going to be one fantastic shop! Good luck with this endeavor. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
everforward Posted August 22, 2014 Share #567 Posted August 22, 2014 Looking good....and I LOVE your GPW, just a fantastic effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted August 23, 2014 Share #568 Posted August 23, 2014 Zeph, Looks great! It looks like you will have 3 doors. Correct? I just love how your dogs are always "inspecting" your work. ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etienne Posted August 23, 2014 Share #569 Posted August 23, 2014 Hello Zepher11, it seems that your skills are going beyond mechanical work ... I'm looking forward to seeing the stages of the construction, as I had the pleasure to do with your jeep Regards, E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 23, 2014 Author Share #570 Posted August 23, 2014 Thank you everyone. My wallet is performing the bulk of the work on this project. I am working on a few things here and there...with permission from the dogs of course! I am fortunate that my neighbors are concrete contractors, so they just have to come across the street for the job. That helps considerably. In addition, the husband of a woman that works for me has a large framing company, so I'm getting a bit of a deal there as well. Kat, there will be four garage doors. Three in the front and a small one in the back. It's still around a 100 degrees here everyday, so I hope that will allow a breeze to pass through when out there working as well as having additional access. I will also be installing a radiant barrier between the trusses and roof sheeting to see if that will keep the heat down as well. I had the shop engineered so that I didn't have to install a couple of sheer walls inside. Therefore, I can have free span wood trusses. My framing friend's exact words were those are some "big a%&" trusses with their 6 and 12 pitch. We are in a sever drought here...third year now, so I'm hoping to get the roof on soon. If I don't, I'm afraid I will be the single cause for the ending of the statewide drought! I received my anchor pots yesterday and put them together last night in preparation for installation into the pad during the pour. Here all the rebar is tied in now ready for the pad: Zeph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 24, 2014 Author Share #571 Posted August 24, 2014 I assembled the anchor pots and made them ready for setting into the pad: A couple of tired GI's looking for a roof over their head: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjef Posted August 24, 2014 Share #572 Posted August 24, 2014 Fantastic final result on the Jeep, zeph!! The painting on the canvas, and the double stencils on the bonnet really add to it's character. Good to see there is another building project going on! Keep us posted!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zepher11 Posted August 26, 2014 Author Share #573 Posted August 26, 2014 Fantastic final result on the Jeep, zeph!! The painting on the canvas, and the double stencils on the bonnet really add to it's character. Good to see there is another building project going on! Keep us posted!! Thank you Sjef. Here is an update from today as I had an early morning delivery today! Very excited: Let's just say that I'm glad that at this age I sit on my arse all day at work. Gotta hand it to these guys: Then when I came home from work...it was like magic. Back in another life when I used to pour and finish concrete, I would use water on the concrete all day on a day like today when pushing near a 100 degrees. Nowadays, they use some type of sealant on top and it just looks like water: Framing next... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cutiger83 Posted August 26, 2014 Share #574 Posted August 26, 2014 Zeph, It is going in quickly! Did you write your name in the concrete? ...Kat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etienne Posted August 26, 2014 Share #575 Posted August 26, 2014 Hello, it seems so easy when described ... they did a pretty good job. Thanks for this new episode E Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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