My truck is finally coming home.

[coW52Dodge]

I bought my 52 PH in December through a friend of mine in Idaho. Since winter in Connecticut isn't conducive to working on cars and I have another off frame project car (a VW bug) taking in most the garage, my buddy stored it for me until I was ready.

Well, I'm ready - it is being transported as we speak. I'm excited! On the off chance you see it being rolled across country, take a picture for me!

Leaving my buddy's driveway:

Being driven onto the trailer to be taken to the cross country trailer:

. Those trucks really seem to be at home on a farm, somehow, no?

[Reg Evans]

Cool !.........I'll keep my camera ready in case I spot it on it's way to you. Enjoy ! Looks like a good one.

[Allan Parkhurst]

That is a great find. Enjoyed the pictures and video. Is that a spare tire carrier on the drivers side? These trucks are great to work on, especially with the knowledge of club members.

[grey beard]

Cow52,

Looks like a fine Pilothouse, and very worthy of a cross-country triip. One trembles at the thought of the cost of all those thousands of miles of transport, what? Have a son in Montana, and we've contemplated such things, but never got up the gusto to make it happen - just parts swaps back and forth, the sort that fit into suitcases and mail cartons. Three thosand miles. Wow! Bet it'll be the only Idaho vehicle in Connecticuit!

Sorry, but I just gotta' ask. How does one do an off-frame resto on a VW bug? Been all over 'em in my lifetime and had every part off and back on many times, but never did a frame-off on a unit body.

AND, while I'm askun' questions, how'd ya get "Cow52" for a nickname? I'll bet that's a story worth telling.

Thanks

[woodscavenger]

Hey, quit taking trucks from my neck of the woods. Just cuz our weather doesn't eat a vehicle in 10 years doesn't give you the right to become a poacher!!! Grrrrrrrrr.

Have fun with it.

The rims looks great.

What part of Idaho? I'm in Boise.

[coW52Dodge]

Cow52,

Looks like a fine Pilothouse, and very worthy of a cross-country triip. One trembles at the thought of the cost of all those thousands of miles of transport, what? Have a son in Montana, and we've contemplated such things, but never got up the gusto to make it happen - just parts swaps back and forth, the sort that fit into suitcases and mail cartons. Three thosand miles. Wow! Bet it'll be the only Idaho vehicle in Connecticuit!

Sorry, but I just gotta' ask. How does one do an off-frame resto on a VW bug? Been all over 'em in my lifetime and had every part off and back on many times, but never did a frame-off on a unit body.

AND, while I'm askun' questions, how'd ya get "Cow52" for a nickname? I'll bet that's a story worth telling.

Thanks

Thanks - yeah, this is a very cool truck. Since we have a fair bit of rust in our area, one can pay lots of money for total wreck that would still require a lot of work.

A friend of mine, a fellow classic Vdubber, offered to help me out.

He'd check trucks out for me as I found them and offered to store them on his farm until I could arrange transport. I was specifically interested in trucks that didn't have lots of rust - that they required body or mechanical work does not really bother me.

This one was located just outside of Boise. I found it on craigslist. It runs and stops. I'll fix some of the mechanicals, do some preventive maintenance on it (brakes, fuel lines, etc), fix the bed, put some seatbelt in it and will roll it around to car shows. Next winter I'd like to convert it to 12V.

Not to jack this thread in a different direction, but since you asked:

A bug is actually a fairly easy car to pull off the pan, it being non-unibody. I did it by myself with the help of some fixtures built out of lumber and long threaded rods that served as lead screws.

On the body, I've thus far replaced pretty much all sheet metal along the bottom, including heater channels (=rockers), along with the front and back firewall. It still needs one section near the engine that another fellow dubber is cutting of a donor car. After that, it will be ready for paint.

The pan needed new floors, along with some de-rusting TLC.

It isn't a particularly rare bug but, before this adventure, I had never done any welding or body work so wanted to practice on something not too valuable. I've always liked aircooled VWs so it was a natural thing to try and do.

About the name, coW is a contraction of the last two letters of my first name, Remco, and the first letter of my last name. It has been my handle since before there was such a thing as the internet. "52Dodge" is a reference to my new old truck.

Thanks for all the encouragement, guys. I'll post some more pictures once I get it.

[MBF]

Cow-nice truck-is he crossing NY State on his way to you? I'll keep my camera ready and send ya pictures of it when its done (that is if GB doesn't grab it on its way through PA)! What part of CT are you in? That is a nice looking find. And if you can weld on a VW, doing patch panels on these will be cake since the metal thickness is about double. Good luck with it. and post some more pics when it gets home. Mike

[coW52Dodge]

Cow-nice truck-is he crossing NY State on his way to you? I'll keep my camera ready and send ya pictures of it when its done (that is if GB doesn't grab it on its way through PA)! What part of CT are you in? That is a nice looking find. And if you can weld on a VW, doing patch panels on these will be cake since the metal thickness is about double. Good luck with it. and post some more pics when it gets home. Mike

I'm not sure what else he has to deliver and where it has to be delivered. My truck is not the only thing, that much is sure.

I'm in SW CT along I95, about 1 hour from NYC on the Bridgeport/Fairfield line.

We can't be very far apart as I used to commute to the Hudson valley (Terrytown).

[Mario Loya B1B]

No point in me taking a photo of your truck when it rolls through my neigborhood. By the time I take the photo, download it to my computer and email it to you, it will be in your driveway. I am probably just a mile or 2 from you.

As you can attest, last weekend's weather was nice, so my truck got its first use of the season. Can't wait t see how your project comes along. My truck is always available for reference if you need it. Good Luck!

[coW52Dodge]

No point in me taking a photo of your truck when it rolls through my neigborhood. By the time I take the photo, download it to my computer and email it to you, it will be in your driveway. I am probably just a mile or 2 from you.

As you can attest, last weekend's weather was nice, so my truck got its first use of the season. Can't wait t see how your project comes along. My truck is always available for reference if you need it. Good Luck!

Thanks, Mario.

Once I get it and get it registered, we'll have to meet up someplace and grab some lunch. It'll look cool, having two PH's parked at a diner at one time.

[coW52Dodge]

The truck got home today.

The transport company's idea of "Door To Door" service meaning nothing after they have your vehicle on their truck, they dropped it in a parking lot a couple of miles away so had to arrange a local wrecker to get it home.

I'll definitely need to do the brakes before I can try to register it.

[Mario Loya B1B]

Remco, she's gonna like it here!

[coW52Dodge]

Thanks, Mario.

Yup, I think she'll love it here in CT, especially when it will be able to stop again:

The transport company delivered it to a parking lot of an abandoned dealership on King's Highway. While waiting for the local tow, I rolled it around for a while, doing large circles. I had fun driving it around this large parking lot - it really is a pleasure to drive but, when it came to stopping, the brake pedal went to the floor. It stopped but not really well, as you can imagine.

In retrospect, it was surprising that it was actually stopping at all because the system was totally dry. After bleeding it three times on Saturday, the pedal felt pretty good again - the travel is a little more than is my liking, though.

Yesterday I found a puddle under the master cylinder and some brake fluid in a drum.

Clearly, a major leak was the reason for it being dry.

Since the MC and at least one WC have to be replaced, I''m also replacing the rubber hoses, all the wheel cylinders and very likely the shoes.

I also can't pull the hand brake: it appears stuck so that will need some TLC.

It also needs new tires.

After that, I'm rolling it around - can't wait..

[Mario Loya B1B]

Glad to hear your excitement. Reminds me of my enthusiasm 3 years ago. One you get her going, you will be surprised by the amount of waves, thumbs up, request for honks etc that you get here in Fairfield County.

[coW52Dodge]

Glad to hear your excitement. Reminds me of my enthusiasm 3 years ago. One you get her going, you will be surprised by the amount of waves, thumbs up, request for honks etc that you get here in Fairfield County.

For sure - While I was waiting for the local tow truck to arrive last week, two guys independent of each other stopped by, wondering what it was.