Fun day trip in the jailbar jalopy

[GB SISSON]

Yesterday I finished up a job in my shop building 13 sliding barn type doors for a home's interior. They were all over 4' wide and 9 1/2' tall. I worked 14 days without a day off, and by myself since I no longer choose to have employees. Today's weather was sunny and warm and I had some vehicle license paperwork and other stuff to do at the county seat which is on another island. I decided to grab a few things and spend the day over there. I texted some friends I wanted to look up as the ferry schedule dictated I stay about six hours. Perfect, nothing to do but goof off. The ferry holds seven lanes of vehicles and I was at the front of a line so I had a windshield view. I took care of my paperwork and went to visit a young friend I had corresponded with about jailbar trucks. In May there was a car show over there and I got to meet him in person. First thing I noticed about this 26 year old guy was his hat brim flipped up like a B17 mechanic. He had a really nice shop behind his dad's place outside of town. His jailbar was there along with his '59 f100 and a chevy squarebody that I guess was old to him. After a nice visit we hopped in the foyota and sped off to another shop where he introduced me to his two friends that are my age. One has a jailbar pickup and a very nice 36 ford pickup. We all visited for an hour or so. The 26 year old has been doing a lot of work on the guy's '36. Cab corners made from parts of a cadillac hood on his homemade english wheel and some kind of roller contraption. Looked factory.
Afterwards I stopped at the auto parts store as ours doesn't carry the berrymans carb dip I needed. Then a restaurant where I had a huge late lunch then onto the waiting line for the ferry. Lots of tourists in that town and a family came up to me all excited because their daughter, maybe 12 or so had seen the truck and loved it. She asked If it was ok to take a picture of it and of course I said yes. When they asked about the truck I said, "Well, it's half Japanese and half American and the kid's smile brightened even more as she exclaimed "Just like ME!" While this was not worthy of an Ol' Henry trip, it was fun because it was spur of the moment and everywhere I went the jalopy drew people in.

[petehoovie]

[Scotty's 52 F3]

I always enjoy your stories and pictures. What a fun day indeed.

[corvette8n]

You made some cool memories Gary.

[deuce_roadster]

Indeed a GREAT day!! I have a similar picture in the first spot (but no story) of my 33 on the Bremerton ferry from Seattle in my album of 33 pictures.

[34fordy]

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[QUOTE=GB SI "Well, it's half Japanese and half American

Tell us about this Gary.

[GB SISSON]

[QUOTE=34fordy;2235519][QUOTE=GB SI "Well, it's half Japanese and half American

Tell us about this Gary.[/QUOTE]

First of all to those who haven't been following my build on the 'roadster pickup', The entire chassis/drivetrain is a 1979 4 door 4wd toyota landcruiser wagon that was our family car. The body rusted away so I fabbed up mounts and attached an assortment of ford sheetmetal and lots of other parts and dubbed it the 'foyota'. As for yesterday's story, I had stopped to let this couple and their child cross the road near the ferry parking lot. After I had parked, the mom and daughter approached me about the girl's excitement about the truck. I made an educated guess that the mom was Japanese, and I could tell the dad was not. The daughter looked like both of them. When they asked what this amazing thing they were looking at was, I couldn't help but look at the girl and reply that it was half Japanese and half American. The delighted response from the young girl was priceless. "Just like Me!" I really wanted to get a picture of her in the sitting behind the wheel, but seemed awkward in this day and age for a 'stranger' to want a picture of a kid. They were passengers on the same ferry so I got to visit with them a bit more.

[cas3]

Good story GB, enjoy the summer !

[51504bat]

Great story, as always.

[RKS.PA]

Gary, great story about a great outing!! In your first picture, is that a hang glider off there in the distance...assuming not something on your windshield!!

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by RKS.PA

Gary, great story about a great outing!! In your first picture, is that a hang glider off there in the distance...assuming not something on your windshield!!

I had to go back and figure it out... It's an accidental swipe of blue paint off my brush, as I had pulled my windshield to do some alterations and while it was off I brush painted the top of the cowl and added some camper tape under it. I guess I should go scrape it off.

[T Scott]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

I had to go back and figure it out... It's an accidental swipe of blue paint off my brush, as I had pulled my windshield to do some alterations and while it was off I brush painted the top of the cowl and added some camper tape under it. I guess I should go scrape it off.

"Hang Glider" Good one! I couldn't drive with anything like that on my windshield. I have so many floaters as it is that sometimes I swat at 'em like they're bugs.

Good to see you at the show Gary. I'm back in Maine now. Maybe catch up for coffee and swap lies when I'm back in December.

[ford38v8]

Gary, I love the story about the girl! Not often these days are we able to celebrate such a sensitive subject as ethnicity! A thing I enjoyed years ago, not acceptable these days, was to observe and guess ethnicities and familial relationships of fellow patrons of restaurants and such. Unfortunately, these days one must pretend to be blind.

[RalphG]

Its great when young people show interest in our old iron. Every time I see a "jailbar" truck I'm reminded of my first vehicle.

[flatford8]

Great story Gary......I also make plenty of time when a younger person shows an interest in my old iron!.......Mark

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Cool story GB and the truck looks good a bit like something the Long Range Desert Group used in WWII.....now if you only had a Bren gun to mount.

Graeme

[GB SISSON]

Originally Posted by Graeme / New Zealand

Cool story GB and the truck looks good a bit like something the Long Range Desert Group used in WWII.....now if you only had a Bren gun to mount.

Graeme

Here's a toyota landcruiser 4 door station wagon thats about 2 years newer than the one I converted. As you know, other countries have converted civilian vehicles for military use when the need arises. I kinda miss all the driving I did with goggles before I added my windshield, but it's pretty obvious why these guys don't have one....

[petehoovie]

Originally Posted by GB SISSON

Here's a toyota landcruiser 4 door station wagon thats about 2 years newer than the one I converted. As you know, other countries have converted civilian vehicles for military use when the need arises. I kinda miss all the driving I did with goggles before I added my windshield, but it's pretty obvious why these guys don't have one....