The purpose of this section is to log the progress of the restoration of vehicle number USA
2089727
To start I must say that I don't claim to be a mechanic in any way shape or form, but I do love to mess around. Those of you who are mechanics will undoubtedly be scratching your heads wondering why I did this or that the way I did. The answer is simple enough, it's the only way I knew how or the way someone explained the process to me. Where available or necessary, I've picked up the relevant Tech Manuals. For those of you who are not mechanics, don't treat anything I do as gospel, it works for me but not necessarily anyone else.

And lastly to all, the following is rather lengthy as I tend to ramble on. With that read on at your own discretion.
The images in this section are expandable, click on them for the big picture.
I didn't start a daily log of the restoration work until the later part of November. The following is a summary of the work contracted before I picked up my Carryall in June 2000, as well as my own efforts from June through October .
March, 2000

After purchasing the truck, I decided that since I have no storage at my place in Los Angeles, it might be better to have the engine rebuilt there in Fort Collins (In retrospect, because of problems with my parts supplier, I probably wouldn't do it that way again). I asked John Ferrie if he knew of a good rebuilder there in town, he said he'd check around for me. I also asked Larry Watts (John's body man) if he'd be interested in doing the body work for me, which of course he was. I'm no body man, so I wanted someone who knew what he was doing to work it over. So the restoration continued under my guidance.
April

Doug's Machine shop in Fort Collins was contracted to do the machine work on the block. According to John, Larry is doing a nice job on the tailgate. It's hard to be so far removed from all of the "fun"!
May

Larry has finished the body work and asks if I want him to paint it. I tell him to go ahead and give it a coat. I decide to buy a new daily driver so I can bring the Carryall to LA myself. Messing around on the internet, I find a truck that seems to be built for me, problem is it's in South Dakota! I bite the bullet and decide to purchase this one, a '95 Dodge RAM 2500 4x4. I ask John to keep an eye out for any used trailers that might be for sale.

The machine work has begun on the block and John asks me to look for a rebuild kit on the internet, to see if I can find a better price. I find what I think is the best price and order it. Then the problems begin. The supplier decides to ship the parts through the Post Office and of course one of the boxes never shows up. The head gasket is shipped in it's own box, the one you would get it in at the parts house, so of course it arrives bent and useless! I get on the phone and do some serious chewing! Replacements are said to be on the way.

I reserve a flight to South Dakota for the third week in May. Unfortunately, problems getting the parts to Doug delays the assembly and thus my departure. The reservation is changed.
June

Doug finally gets all of the parts and the machine work is done on the block. I leave for South Dakota. While I'm enroute to Fort Collins, Doug hands the block over to John ????? for final assembly. He finishes it up the day after I arrive. The day after that he helps me put it in the Carryall for the trip home.

When I get to LA, the Carryall goes into storage.
July

Began accessing the truck, where to start, what to prioritize. First order of business, get the engine running and get the windows in to keep the weather out. Did some initial cleanup inside.

August

Continued with the clean up. Pulled the floor plates up front. Dug out a lot dirt, nails and fence staples from the center frame cross member.
September

Disassembled the brake pedal assembly and took it back to the shop. Dug out the clutch pedal assembly from amongst the parts that John gave me. Cleaned up both assemblies and repainted them. Out at the truck, I cleaned up the frame section from the rear motor mounts back to the center cross member that runs under the drivers seat. Primed and painted the area.

From VPW, I ordered a rebuild kit for my Zenith carburetor, the correct air cleaner, a thermostat, thermostat housing, water pump, radiator hoses, rear motor mount springs and pads, and a new fuel pump.
October

Finished up the clutch and brake pedal assemblies and reinstalled them. Pulled the rear seats for better access to the rear interior as well as the window boxes. Ordered new window and door weather stripping from Vintage Power Wagons. Found a jump seat on the internet, Brent Hougen of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory had one available that was rust free. Unfortunately the back frame member was bent a little, I'll need to straighten it out.