my shipwrecked '63

[grump]

April, I don't understand why you would make less on this assignment. Isn't the pay rate based on your rank and time in rank? Things have definitely changed since I was in evidently.

[shipwrecked]

Ive always made incentive pay for the extra work I have had.

Here- I have more hours- but no incentive pay.

[grump]

That sucks. That sounds like manufacturing jobs in civilian life. Learned something new. We only had jump pay and combat pay. Thanks for the explanation.

[shipwrecked]

Same thing. Like I had sea duty pay for almost half my career. By the time I finished my last ship, I was making 600$ extra a month. When I was stationed in isolated duty in the Arctic, it was an extra $100 a month and 30 extra days of leave.
While I was overseas, I got imminent danger pay, cola etc. tax free etc.
While I was doing the drill instructor thing, I was making an extra $350 a month.
Here, I work the same hours if not more than I did at all those other billets, and I don’t have any extra pay for it. Just more duty.

[grump]

April, does all your incentive pay effect you retirement pay? It sure seems like it should. All the overtime I worked didn't make any difference in my retirement but sure made a difference in my 401k.

[shipwrecked]

No difference in my retirement pay. I contributed a lot of that extra to my Thrift Savings Plan IRA. i can not contribute any money to that currently as I am paying off my bills. Live life a little tighter right now so when i am retired- I am not hurting.

Anyway- I have plans to get into the garage and finish organizing the stuff and getting into that electrical stuff to finish that off.

So looking forward to taking a cruise in my truck!
#pupsandtruckslife that's all I need.

[grump]

You're going to be fine, April. Everyone has seen what you can do when you put your mind to it. Mechanical or financially you're going to get it done. That doesn't mean it doesn't suck when things get turned upside down for a while.

[shipwrecked]

Spent some time working on wiring again. I am slowly getting thru it. Hooked up the fuse block wires to the 22pin plug. Mounted the fuse block to under dash. Started running wires for turn signal switch.

Not sure if I got it right, but I am using a 70’s f100 7 wire set up. No horn since I’m missing that round circle plastic piece that seems to be impossible to find.

Anyway.

So on another note, if you saw my frustration on the FB.
I did a once over of the body and paint looking at what I need to do.
Found a crack in the roof paint. so frustrating. The body filler under the paint probably shrank and cracked the paint, or the paint shrunk and cracked.

Not sure honestly. Maybe one of those rotten tree limbs or pine cones nailed it just right at the old house.
Just more stuff I would need to fix.

I have had the urge to light this on fire and shove it down the road in a blaze of glory.

If you know me at all, you’d know I’m very afraid of snakes. Any snake... on tv, in photos, in person.

Was messing around in the cab with the shifter and got out and saw a big object. I saw it out of my damaged eye and thought it was a coiled up snake. I jumped and my heart stopped.

Turns out it was a ninja turtle.

We had a stare down for a little bit while I decided what to do with him.

I decided to crate him, and take him out to the park near by.
He was not happy with me putting him in his cage. Kicked the shit out of me.


So ninja turtle was released in to the woods near Ft Eustis. I’m sure he ran off to find the other TMNT to tell them of his April encounter.

Today, kinked neck and laziness may overcome my day. Not sure what else I’m going to work on.

[oldsmiley]

Hi Miss April:
Just saw the post about your Ninja Turtle. I've been right where you were several times. We've always had turtles come up in our yard, gravel driveway, or other places on our property each spring (for 38 years) to lay their eggs.
About 5 1/2 years ago when I closed my shop in town, downsized, and moved home, that first spring I had 3 different turtles come into my shop through the opened roll up door.

Like you, the first one surprised me, but I just pick them up, turn them around, and the head right back out. After my 3rd year at home, It's getting to be too many surprises, so I asked a local game warden about what to do. He said theirs's nothing you can do.
I have a small pond about 800 feet behind my shop in the woods, and it's natural instinct for the turtles to keep returning to their same breeding ground every year to do this. So now, I just let them do what they want to do.

The sad part is, all the effort they go through to lay eggs and get back to the pond. Then the next morning I can go out and see where the racoon's have dug up the eggs and ate them.

Makes me wonder if any of them ever survive....? BUT.........

A few weeks ago I was working, and out of the corner of my eye I saw a black snake coming in the same door. I jumped at him and he turned and went back out. I ran, got my BB gun and went out to shoot him. That's when I saw him going in through the small walk-in door. But with me, now being behind him, he hurried on in and I lost him somewhere in the shop. I didn't know where he went.
But for the next 2 weeks (knowing that black snakes aren't potentially dangerous), it was kind of hard to work for 10 seconds, then do a 360 to make sure he wasn't coming up on me, then 10 seconds and another 360, day after day. It's kind of hard to get anything done like that....not to mention how dizzy you get...........

[shipwrecked]

Really have t spent time at all in my garage on my truck. You all who see on FB, I’ve been busy with school and Pt to get back in better shape.



It’s been so dang hot this summer I think it destroyed this can of carb parts cleaner. It sprung a leak! It blew all over the shelf and wall.



A huge mess in the garage accumulated that I need to sift through.




Anyway, here is a cool shot. It looks cool but doesn’t run.


Sure hope I can get it running soon.

[ThinLizzy13]

Truck is looking sharp!

[shipwrecked]

I went and took the chubby puppies out for an early morning walk then took myself on a jog afterwards.
Went to garage to grab so,etching and the pups followed me out there. Since they have been with me, neither has ever been inside the truck.

One by one I just set them in the cab for a photo.




Hilda was more enthusiastic than Diesel.


Been messing around in the garage after mowing the lawn and got the stuff cleaned off the floor. Did a little looking around the truck at what I need to get done,
The list is still very long.

I’m on duty tomorrow so no work to get done. But Wednesday when I get home in the morning I plan on getting some mapping of the wires finished and see where I’m at on those. Need to get this done.
I want to pull the engine oil pan as well just to check and make sure nothing made a nest inside over the past year.

[shipwrecked]

SAT down this morning after my jog and dog walk to write down a to do list.





I bought a rear sway bar kit from National Parts Depot.


The instructions got jokes!


Took a little rattle can to the brackets.

Had a nice chit chat with Uncle Skip on the phone this morning. He’s given me some assistance in figuring out what I can do for a front sway bar.










In the middle of this installation, a thunderstorm rolled in and hit real close.




Finished the installation.

[slick4x4]

That list looks similar to the kind I make ...

Marking out the 'lines to do' sure help the ego out !

[shipwrecked]

Got working on the electrical system again. Started reworking where I was and where I’m going with this


Worked on figuring out what the pins in the light switch (1967 type on Tom’s recommendations) and where all the wires need to go and what works in what position.



Spent time working the new ignition key switch.



I’ll do a better drawing when I finish, but I think I’ve got that figured out too.

Got a power source (small lawn tractor 12v battery) to test out the lights in my dash- they all work correctly as far as wiring and bulbs.


Got the fuse panel worked out too. Was struggling to get the power in diagram down. Figured it out and grouped all wires as needed.




As a side note, I found some photos of my old trucks.
In 2001 I traded my 99 ford ranger for a F150 v8.


I sold this truck in 2007 when I bought my all time favorite truck, a 2007 Ford Explorer sport trac in Orange Frost, I have a photo of that truck somewhere but I don’t have time to look.

Here is my first vehicle ever... a 1999 Ford Ranger XLT. With manual transmission.
I do love a flareside.
I bought this new in October 1999.



I got the OOD on base Saturday. Puppies are staying with my supervisor tonight and Saturday. They have a 5 yo daughter who just fell in love with the pups.

[shipwrecked]

Been doing odd jobs around the house and garage in regards to the truck. But, today mostly all about me. I’ve been working on losing some weight I’ve gained since moving here last summer. I gained about 25 pounds quickly and trust me it was not budging. I have been working hard on losing it and am down 13#of fat, up 1#of muscle in 13weeks.


Messy workbench! A sign of genius is having a messy desk.. good luck finding anything on my desk or my workbench. Though I know where everything is.


Messing with a few ideas regarding the emergency flasher and switch.

I have the hole in the dash, but I’d have to cut part of the behind dash base to fit the switch fully.


I know how to wire it, just deciding if I wanna pit it in right there.

[ohmthis]

April, I’m glad to see you back on the truck and doing well. I come and go, but always stop by to see your progress. What is it about the EZ wiring harness that you don’t like (I read in another thread you didn’t think it was too easy)? Wiring can be very daunting, but be patient and it will work out. Also a tip about temp power sources (the lawn battery), if you have a battery drill use the battery and some alligator clips (I’ve already seen you have some). To keep from reversing polarity, use your meter (in DC voltage) to find the positive and negative terminals. Place one lead on each terminal. If the meter reads negative voltage then the Polarity is reversed per color of your leads. Reverse them and read again. This should read as a positive voltage and you can mark the terminals on the battery. This works great when you are at a salvage yard and need to see if an item will work too. Hope this helps and sorry if I’m preaching to the choir on how to use the meter.

[foodstick]

I had forgotten just how clean your truck was after all the work.... very sharp.

And good for you on the weight loss.. heaven knows it gets tougher as we get older...

[shipwrecked]

Thank you!


Been doing a little work on her today. I first dove over to Gloucester for a car show, but there was zero place to park unless I parked on someone’s property which I’m not a fan. I went home instead and got working.

Remember this from 2012?




Here is it today.





The rubber trim gasket is in the way.




Wasn’t someone looking for these?

[shipwrecked]

What do you do when you start getting the crud? I want simple jobs.





Couple days ago I also pulled these lights off my self I’ve had on there forever.

Finally installed the,.







And some of you saw on FB my post asking how this is even legal.

It’s not... so I will need to do a modification to where I hang the rear tag.