On the Road: When a pandemic gives you lemons, you work on classic cars

With time on their hands, and projects in their shops, these talented builders tinkered through self-isolation

Greg Williams

Jan 02, 2021 • April 21, 2021 • 4 minute read • Join the conversation

Richard Nyberg has put his VW truck to the side to focus on the restoration of this 1973 Porsche 914, a project he started in October. Photo by Richard Nyberg

Without question, 2020 was a year like no other. But, with COVID came unexpected opportunities. Essentially, isolation protocols allowed those with access to a workspace and a project more time to focus on the build.

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In March, I wrote a column about how I was tinkering through self-isolation, working on a Triumph motorcycle made up of many different years and models spanning the late 1930s to the early 1950s. That led to several readers reaching out with news about their projects, and, with the New Year upon us, I thought it would be interesting to catch up with a few of them and report on their progress.

Your humble scribe with a 1939 Triumph Speed Twin on the lift. Photo by Brendan Stephens
And, the progress, or lack thereof, on the current Triumph build after correcting a crooked girder fork. Photo by Greg Williams

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I’ll start with my Triumph. By the end of June, the wheels were built and fresh new tires mounted on the rims. With the wheels in place, however, it became apparent something was not straight. Figuring the neck was tweaked on the frame, everything came apart, including the fork. Time was spent measuring and assessing, but it wasn’t the frame that was bent. The problem was in the girder fork. More time spent measuring, and much time machining and repairing the lower steering stem. That’s brought everything back into line. During the summer, the engine came together up to the point of being able to put the head and rocker boxes in place – that’s something that will happen after the engine is in the frame to continue the mock-up process.

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Enough about my project, let’s catch up with other builders profiled in 2020.

Trevor Wannop of Calgary was working on an ambitious build based on a 1940 Ford Express pickup truck. At the time of writing that story in April, he’d finished installing the 5.0-litre Ford Performance Coyote crate engine and was working on the installation of a large 80L fuel tank and putting in a new driveshaft. He hoped he would be cutting apart the cab and doors in order to add extra metal, effectively stretching the cab. However, as some restrictions were loosened in June, Wannop found himself golfing, fishing and gardening while also doing boat, tractor and cottage maintenance, “I’m all done with that and have started on the body work today,” Wannop told me in mid-December. “It will be my winter priority.”

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As seen earlier this year, Bill Murray with his 1930 Ford Model A pickup hot rod. He spent time this year drywalling the ceiling in his garage and finessing the doors on the Model A for proper fitment, but didn’t get the engine swapped out as he’d hoped. Photo by Bill Murray

In June we heard from Bill Murray of Ladner, B.C., who said the COVID-19 pandemic had allowed him to push the reset button. He was taking time to continue working on his project of 14 years, a 1930 Ford Model A pickup hot rod. He’d hoped to have his son, Jason, an award-winning GM mechanic, help him install a 5.0L V8 from a GM truck – replacing the 1979 Oldsmobile 6.6L engine he currently has in the Model A. So far, that hasn’t happened, but Murray spent a good part of his summer finally installing a drywall ceiling in his garage. That meant moving the project and parts back and forth. But he did have time to further modify the doors on his Model A, finessing the door ends with a curve so they could open without binding. And from a pair of Honda Civic doors, he plans to harvest all of the rods, clips and power window components to adapt into his doors. He also fabricated wood blocks to help transition the interior down to allow upholstery to run under the top rear cab trim. “Still lots to do, but I enjoy it,” Murray said.

Edmonton builder Patrick McCready was allowed to use sheet metal equipment at NAIT, where he formed a new passenger floor pan and rocker panels for his custom 1976 Datsun 620 King Cab pickup project. Photo by Patrick McCready
Patrick McCready has finished the engine rebuild and installed it in the freshly prepared 1986 Nissan 720 chassis. Now, he needs to finish repairing the ’76 Datsun cab and box before marrying the two together. Photo by Patrick McCready

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Next, I checked in with Patrick McCready of Edmonton, who was putting the cab and box of a 1976 Datsun 620 King Cab truck onto the chassis and running gear of a later 1986 Datsun/Nissan 720. He’s finished rebuilding the engine, and it’s now installed in the frame together with the transmission. The rolling chassis is ready to go. However, not happy with the replacement passenger floor pan he’d made earlier, McCready fabricated one of heavier-gauge metal and welded it in place. He was graciously allowed access to sheet metal equipment at NAIT where he formed the floor pan and a pair of rocker panels. These have been welded in place. But now, McCready says, “My build is progressing very slowly at this stage as I really don’t like doing bodywork.” He assured me, though, that he will get it done.

Retired Calgary police officer Richard Nyberg has his 1963 Volkswagen pickup ready for engine install, but has put this project to the side for the moment.

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Finally, I wrote about Calgarian Richard Nyberg in early September. The retired police officer was working on a 1963 Volkswagen Type 2 single cab pickup. During the first phase of COVID lockdown, Nyberg managed to completely cut out and replace the cargo floor and driver’s floor together with several other patch panels. It had been painted by late April, and it’s now on wheels while the engine is ready to be installed. “I stalled off work on the VW,” Nyberg said last week. “It will be done for the spring, but I’ve moved on to a 1973 Porsche 914.

These cars are like stray dogs. They just follow you home.

“I negotiated buying the Porsche from the owner of the shop who painted the VW, and the same day the truck came home with new paint, the Porsche went into storage. These cars are like stray dogs. They just follow you home.” Nyberg brought the Porsche out of storage in October, mounted the body in his rotisserie and began the messy process of removing the factory-applied undercoating. Now past that point, he’s cutting out rusted metal and welding in fresh patch panels. Always busy, Nyberg said, “Some days it feels like Groundhog Day around here.”

As we move into 2021, I’d be interested in hearing how others are spending their workshop time. Feel free to drop me a line at the email address below – and Happy New Year.

Greg Williams is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC). Have a column tip? Contact him at 403-287-1067 or gregwilliams@shaw.ca