Saga of the Truck - Chapter 4

 

So, I've been carrying on about 'build the truck, build the truck' but I haven't really said how that gets done.  I can say with conviction, it's a process.  There are a lot of hands involved, beginning with acquiring the truck, something usually done by the upfitter as part of their custom build service.  But this time the upfitter I am working with, Classy Chassis, was caught up in all the shortages just like everybody else.  The finding and purchase of the chassis cab were left up to Cyndee and me.

We chose Classy Chassis based on our previous experience with them when we built our first truck in 2006.  After sixteen years the business was still in good standing and appeared to be thriving.  The same principal people were still doing their thing and with the exception of all the shortages brought on by the pandemic they seemed to be in top form.  We all went to work on spec'ing out what had to be done and got busy.

There is an order to doing things and nothing gets started until it is confirmed there is a truck in hand.  I detailed that happening in the last post and once that was confirmed I sent the first check to begin the ordering of parts and systems.  The next order of business was getting the truck to Valparaiso, IN.

 Valparaiso is a large small town with a population of roughly 34,000.  It lies very near the foot of Lake Michigan with wicked cold winters and sweltering summers.  Lots of farm land south and east, Chicago-land to the northeast.  And a top-notch truck conversion shop smack in the middle of town.

It will be a 650 mile drive from our location in GA, taking 11-ish hours with stops.  The plan is for Cyndee to lead the way in Pepe (her Hyundai Santa Fe) and I will try to keep up in the truck (Cyndee has a heavy foot 😉).

We set out on a Sunday so that we could drop the truck first thing Monday morning and be back to our campsite in time for bed that same day.  It was the first week of March and the weather was warming and early bloomers were beginning to show in north Georgia.  Not so much in north Indiana.  Our arrival at the hotel in Valparaiso Sunday evening was accompanied by blustery, cold winds.

Dropping Quasimodo in Valparaiso, IN
March 7, 2022

Stepping out of the hotel the next morning was a bit of surprise as we were greeted by a heavy fall of big puffy snowflakes.  And the ground was cold enough that it was beginning to stick.

But no problem, this was just another day at the office for the folks around where we were.  We showed up at the truck conversion shop and they were waiting for us.  I handed over the keys and we "toured" a Dodge truck getting the same build as ours.  It was nearly finished and looking at it got me really wound up about getting our truck finished.  But that was tamped down when I was reminded it would be August, 6 months, before I would be behind the wheel again.

After a couple hours of touring and reviewing the specifications of the build for our truck we were back on the road again and as planned, back to our volunteer post campsite before bedtime.

The next step in the order of things to be done is to replace the rear suspension system.  I had sent a check a week before our departure for Valparaiso to begin the acquisition of  this system but it would be another nine weeks before it would arrive and installation begin.

The folks at Classy Chassis discourage the urge to call them and ask how the build is going all the time.  But they have an alternative to keep customers updated, Facebook postings.  Almost every day they post photographs, and sometimes videos of the work done that day.  If you don't see your vehicle in the post then it wasn't worked on that day.

So for several weeks I didn't see any activity on my truck.  But then again I wasn't supposed to, all parts were on backorder, but I looked anyway.  Occasionally I would catch a glimpse of my truck when it appeared in frame of something else being photographed.

There were many shots of the truck sitting 
on the front row of the lot, waiting for parts.

Then one day in late April there was finally a picture of the truck somewhere besides parked next to the street.  It had been moved inside and there was a box of hardware for installing the air ride system sitting on the floor next to it.

And then a few days later there were shots of real work commencing.

Those as some big air bags for a non-18 wheeler.

The linkages system is a brute.

Under the hood and in the cab to hook up power
and install controls

Then on April 29 a video showed up and it was a demonstration of how the air ride system works and they were using my just finished installation to do the demo.  

Link to Classy Chassis video

With the completion of the suspension system install the work could now begin on building the tow body.  The truck is to be moved to Elkhart, IN where the fabrication and paint shop is.  It will be several weeks before the truck is seen again.

Patience, I keep telling myself.