Actually making money in the resto business!

detmatt · Mar 19, 2017

I finally figured out how, as a carpenter, to make money restoring a car or in this case a truck.
I've been waiting to post anything on this until I was sure I clinched the whole job. It looks as though my work in phase 1 has done just that. I thought some of you would find this interesting.
For starters about the truck. It is a 1934 REO Speed Wagon that has been sitting in the weeds in a backlot locally since the mid '70s at least.

More to come.

max1196 · Mar 19, 2017

I like it! The paint is even still in good shape.

1978 NYB · Mar 19, 2017

Very cool Matt!

Keep us informed on the progress.

commando1 · Mar 19, 2017

Oak, Ash, or Maple?

78Brougham · Mar 19, 2017

Walnut?

70bigblockdodge · Mar 19, 2017

Balsa wood, keep it light.
Nobody needs to sit back there anyway let them all ride in someone else's 4 door pick up.

MarPar · Mar 19, 2017

LatPeahy · Mar 19, 2017

Matt is that your new work truck? You could fit the whole crew and some 4x8 sheets of plywood in that thing!

GJS · Mar 19, 2017

Nice, man! As another carpenter/custom fabricator, I'm all ears on this one.

Carmine · Mar 19, 2017

It's nice that the owners decided to keep on lovin' that truck, rather than deciding it was time for them to fly and abandon the the project.

1st in!

340Dave · Mar 19, 2017

That is cool, was it a work truck, or some sort of sightseeing or troop unit?

detmatt · Mar 19, 2017

commando1 said:
Oak, Ash, or Maple?

Maple for phase 1 which I will explain shortly.

detmatt · Mar 19, 2017

LatPeahy said:
Matt is that your new work truck? You could fit the whole crew and some 4x8 sheets of plywood in that thing!

Not mine, didn't you see where I said I will actually be making money on a restoration???

detmatt · Mar 19, 2017

340Dave said:
That is cool, was it a work truck, or some sort of sightseeing or troop unit?

Pretty sure it started out as a work truck but towards the end of its previous useful life I think it served lighter duties. It's staying in the family and will likely be used as a marketing tool for the business and see parade use, shows etc.. it likely isn't geared for anything not local.

polara71 · Mar 19, 2017

Carmine said:
It's nice that the owners decided to keep on lovin' that truck, rather than deciding it was time for them to fly and abandon the the project.

1st in!

Im surprised it took that long

Carmine · Mar 19, 2017

polara71 said:
Im surprised it tool that long

If I see that truck at a show, I'm going to tell the owner "Wow, you must be really into Speedwagon! I thought only KISS fans did stuff like this."

Then he'll tell me about Ransom E. Olds, Billy Durant, etc. and I'll just tilt my head like this...

65Fury440 · Mar 19, 2017

That will be interesting to restore!
Do you do auto carpentry work often?
A carpenter who is also a gearhead, sounds like they picked the right guy for the job.
Oh, if you get discouraged....

Zymurgy · Mar 19, 2017

Very cool Matt sounds like the perfect job for your skills. Very happy for you.

I make my living painting, but love it when I get to restore or conserve a classic building or the decorative work with in that building.

Looking forward to seeing your progress with the project.

detmatt · Mar 19, 2017

Thanks guys!
Phase 1 is replacing all of the badly rotted wood framing that the metal body panels are attached to with nails originally. I was given what was left of the wood and the metal skin which had already undergone restoration. Here's what I started with. It seems sometime in the distant past that a couple of pieces of the wood were replaced with a standard dimensional pine 2 x 4 but the rest appears to be the original maple. There aren't many pieces involved in this phase but most of them are very complicated with a profile that changes from one end to the other.