Redneck Hoopty Revisited: The Hillbilly Express is now restored (8 pics)

Restored by redneck standards anyway. The first 4 pics are the before pics and the next four the after. I had to replace the hood and the tailgate. Both were damaged beyond what I consider repairable for the use I had intended for the truck. The hood is off of an '89 model and was originally yellow. The tailgate is off of a '90 model and was originally silver and black with the red reflector stripe. The rest of the truck is an '88. The grey paint job is primer and was done in a buddy's back yard along with the rust repair. The interior is still the same. Here she is:

Out with the old.










In with the new.








In it's native habitat. I'm currently using the truck to help my folks replace their deck.

It's cool you could do the work yourself. I hope she lasts you a while.

It did have some mechanical issues when I bought it and I had to have that work done at a shop, which is where it was in the first set of pics. The only thing left that it needs is new front brake pads and I can do that myself. My folks are going to buy them for me for helping with their deck.

My tailgate had the same red letters until the factory recall paint job turned them all silver. My 300 cubic inch six has over 278,000 miles and just passed stringent California smog control standards. She only hauls grapes in the fall, light work around town, and occasional runs to the dump these days, but she was a workhorse in her day.

You did good! :thumbsup:

Here's the old gal posing for Google Maps®

Believe it or not, my truck only has about 75,000 original miles on it. It has the 300 c.i. straight 6, too, along with a manual 5 speed transmission. It's just a very basic truck, though. No extras besides an AM radio. :)

I bought mine mainly to haul a boat, but it's quickly turning into the favor-mobile.

Now you need some flags! :P

:hi:

I won't be flying the Confederate flag, but I suppose I could throw some stars and bars on there, a rifle in a back window rack, and a "My kid beat up your honor student" bumper sticker. NASCAR and Jegs decals in the back window, too.

I remember in the 1970's, my dad (the Original RedneckTM) found two totaled Opels in the junkyard. One was smashed in the front and the other in the rear. Other than that, they were perfectly okay. He took a torch to both vehicles and welded the two frames together.

It was great except for the frame shudder that hit at 60mph. Consequently you drove 55 or 70 with little in between.