The Bonehead Truck Build

The second show was local. So I had the chance to bring both my Mustangs, and the Bonehead truck. A friend parked his Chevy truck on my left, and a really nice Orange RS Camaro parked on the other side of him. He was a friend of the guy with the Chevy truck. As the show went on the RS guy started griping about how people were swarming around my truck, and not even looking at his Camaro. He started bad mouthing my truck more and more. Calling it a piece of junk and etc.
The really great thing was the guy across the street had a great looking 56 T-Bird that looked like it was built for fun... not factory looking at all, with big back tires stuffed in, and an air cleaner sticking through the hood. The owner walked over and was looking my truck over. Then he comes over to me and tells me, " I have got something you need". Turns out he had a dual quad set up for a 312 Y block. I was very interested and end up going 250 bucks over my $3000 build in the next few minutes.

It is not a big show by any means, but there was 300 cars maybe. They don't give out catagory awards, they give out "Top 20" awards, voted on by the car owners only. I came away with one. I was honored that car guys would give a rat rod a trophy. There was a black hot rod there, but I was the only rat.
Remember the RS guy? So I got a trophy, and he didn't. Man he was really POed! He got on a big rant about how he has $75,000. tied up in his car, and how people were to stupid to see it. This rant is loud enough to be heard by everyone, but it is not directed at any one. So he slams the door on his 75,000. dollar car and chirps the tires, and leaves.

THE 3RD SHOW: We loaded up and went to the Bo Huff show and party.
At that show there were a lot of magazine guys and gals, taking loads of pictures of the truck. Three different major photographers took lots of pictures of my truck. One says to me, "I think it is a feature truck." "I just don't know what magazine". He goes on to tell me it really doesnt fit any of the catagories too well. He said it is not a rat, and not a show car, I have a Ford motor in a Chevy truck, it is not a drag car, not a pro street, and he really didn't see a "fit".
I ended up with a picture of my grill making it in OSR. Several Photographers took my info, and told me sometimes it take years to finally get used in a magazine.
It was a great show of mostly rats, and sled customs. I got to meet alot of great people. I also got to cruise, and did my first bounce wheelie with the truck. On and off the gas, then punch it at the right time, and one wheel came off the ground. Pretty cool for a 2bbl carb. I had some issues with axle wrap but it seemed okay at the time, not too serious. (ha!)

This was the show where I introduced "Bonehead Customz". I was already doing cool hot rod stuff in the shop, from time to time, but thought I would like to step it up a little. With T shirts printed, and samples made, I was in business, and that part went better than expected.

I eventually sold this design out, but I started small. I had built a monster truck back in the 80s and went on the road as part of the crew. I found out then, that if you made any money doing shows, it was the tee shirts that made the difference. Just like OCC knows it now with the major income from their shop being apperal. It is also how JJ made some of his millions too.

okay back to the truck..........

I was not sure if I was going to make it to the next area car show. Work gets in the way as much when you are self employed, as when you are working for the man. So I took on the manifold swap the night before the show. I figured it would be easy. Little did I know the deck was stacked against me. At about 8 pm I twisted off the first bolt I tried. By 10 PM I found the old Valley pan would not work, and I would have to build one from scratch. Asleep by midnightish, and back in the shop by 6am, I fired it off by about 8:30 am, and got to the show by 10:30.

My son cleaning up before the show.

So me and Mrs.Bonehead, (She drives my chase vehicle), hanging out at the Row5, (group W bench) at the car show with the new carbs on. That is the the thing at normal car shows, they had a hard time trying to catagorize my truck. They finally decided to put me in the "under construction" catagory. I told him as was as done as most of the cars there. But, I ended up being compared to a guy who had slaved away for years, only to show a spotless engine compartment on a primered, no interior, Cuda. He won, I am sure, I left a little early, and they didn't mail me a trophy.

Hey lets build some new seats!

I started out to build a bomber style seat for my truck. Pulled out a sheet of aluminium, and started laying out the cuts. I was looking at the alminium, and an idea hit me. I work mostly with steel, what was I doing? Why follow, when you can lead? Okay, maybe not lead, but at least do something wildly different.

I like the seats, are they comfy?

"Mrs Bonehead". That cracked me up.