What was your most challenging build

Jack Klarich

18000+ Posts
Oct 11, 2016
18,302
16,399
Jax, Fla USA
I am curious to see from the members here

My most challenging build was a 1969 Chevy truck

We started out with a 69 Suburban 4 WD, we transferred it to the 69 chevy fleetside pickup chassis after we fully customised the body including cab lights

That was the real challenge, running the wires( this truck never had cab lights from the factory

When it was all done the 69 had a new engine, power steering, power brakes, and a fancy paint job with Nuthin Fancy painted on the tailgate

It was a labor of love for sure, all done gratis for my kid brother before he had a license to drive

I wish I saved pictures back then, I did get to drive it once, it would have looked like this with custom dual exhaust

IMG_6492-scaled.jpg
 
In 1978 I got bit by the chopper craze and took my 4 year old CB 750 Honda and stripped it. Buying a Jammer hardtail frame along with a Paucho tank and rear fender I started my build. We had a local springer builder so I bought one of his 10 over springers. I built it complete minus paint then rode it around the block, took it back home and stripped it down and took it to the painter. We rode the wheels off of it for the next 8 years. It ended up sitting for years until I finally sold it.
 
Back in 89 I purchase a 1951 Dodge Coronet (100.00) that me and my buddy started working on. We were dropping a 318 into it. We didn't have an engine hoist. Just 4x4 and chains. I think that was the beginning of my back problems.:laugh: Never got it finished. I went overseas and never made it back to NC. Ended up selling it to his brother for a couple grand. That I ultimately gave the cash to my buddy.
 
Most difficult build

The year.....1958. A couple older guys in the neighborhood had go-carts. Illegal as hell but we cruised the streets and never seemed to get caught. I wanted one but had to build it myself. Talked my dad into buying me a used power lawn mower promising to pay him back from mowing neighbors yards. Needed the lawn mower motor for my build. Got half of my 1st yard mowed and took the engine off the mower. Impatience!! (I used dad's push mower the rest of the summer for my lawn mowing business).

There was an auto repair shop a block away that did welding. I schlepped the parts to the welder as I went along with my build. I remember him saying that he wouldn't even light his torch for less than a dollar. Good incentive to keep those lawns mowed! Sourced some parts, like steering knuckles, from an old used, broken cart frame that was free as long as it was removed from my pals yard. Seemed like forever but after several weeks I had a running go-cart.

For its maiden run, dad took me to the local 1/4 midget track. It was closed but we snuck in. After only a couple laps we got kicked out by the security guard.

Kept that cart 4 or 5 years and never got caught by the police. Seems we all had a sixth sense and knew when to pull into the garage and close the door. A few minutes after doing so police would often cruise by. Guess there were some neighbors who weren't amused by our criminal activity. We never did know who the neighborhood rats were.....
 

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