trying to help a mopar friend

[nvrbdn]

I am attempting to do a deed for a friend. Steve has lou Gehrig's desease. he can get around, but it is pretty hard for him. his mind is great, but has a hard time communicating his words. takes him quite a while to get the words out. when we go to a car show he will start to mention an item and I usually finish his sentences. hes a great car guy. well, steve has a car. a 37 Plymouth 2 door. it has been his dream cruiser for several years. he has in the past been able to do most of the work him self with some help. his car has a mustang 2 front suspension. a 318 with a 727 already installed. shaved handles. body done. well, it has gotten to the point where he said he was ready to give up. he just cant do the work. I want to get his car on the road so he can get to a car show. he has never taken a car to a show and would love to. mainly this car needs interior completed, some of the wiring done, brakes bled and the master cylinder rebuilt. door poppers installed. a few other things done.

  now for the reason I am writing. I am looking for a possible place to do this, and maybe a few guys to help. I tried to get garage squad since they are working in the Chicago area, but no response yet. I have tried to contact a few people that may have a place, but those buildings are taken at the time.
   is there anyone with knowledge or contacts/friends of any of these shows etc... that do this stuff and could maybe have an inside shot at getting steves car on the road?  also have a local mustang club that may be able to pitch in and help if we find a place to move it to. anyway, right now I am just fishing to see if there is anything biting. thanks.

[nvrbdn]

couple more with steve in the second pic in the chair.

[Dino]

My wife used to run the ALS clinic here so this is something we would like to help with, but I'm not sure how.  I'm several hours away, don't have any space and I have very little time as is.  Still, if we can help we will.  If there's something you think we can help with please let me know.

Does your friend have a speech device by the way?  These days tablets can do that job.  My wife would get those for her patients all the time.  Is there anything else he needs?  I'm still in health care so I can try to pull some strings if he needs something like assistive devices.

[nvrbdn]

I will check with him and maybe put him in touch with you. that would be awesome. thank you for the offer

[Dino]

My pleasure, we'll do our best to get him what he needs.

[Cooter]

Wish you were closer..

[nvrbdn]

thanks for the thoughts cooter.

[41husk]

any word on space yet?

[nvrbdn]

i think i may have an idea. i can put all my garage storage stuff on top of my lift and raise it, then park the charger under the lift. that would open up half of my garage to do the work. plus i wont have to drive far to work on it.

[moparnation74]

I wish you guys were closer to me as well, I would love to help.

[nvrbdn]

appreciate the offer. I actually think it wont be too bad. the main thing is we might have to check with 41husk's guy that does upholstery to do the door panels. steve said he will pay for whatever we need to have done.

[RallyeMike]

Good for you. Sending support from 2000 miles away!

[djcarguy]

 

[nvrbdn]

41husk is aiding me in attempting to line up some local talent to help with this job. one way or another I can say we will get this car done. as it progresses I will try to post pics.  thanks everyone for your concern.

[67tbird]

I work 10p-6a sat-thurs when do you need the help of a nonskilled laborer? Working at Downtown airport/Cahokia 

[nvrbdn]

we are moving forward right now with trying to line everything up. 41husk is finding out if the local high school would like to pitch in for their class time. if we get lucky they will be able to do wiring, door poppers, electric windows and maybe brakes. he has the new complete wiring harness that needs to be finished.

if not on the poppers and windows, my kid can do those.

   when we get the news on that, then we can make plans from there. Steve is willing to pay for whatever we need to purchase to complete the build.

  thanks for the offer, and I will jump at the chance to have labor help with the sound deadening and carpet, brakes, TEST DRIVES etc.....

[nvrbdn]

ok guys, we have a big update.

  first of all 41husk has talked to the local high school (where he works) and the vocational teacher has agreed to do the work with his classes. 


   and for the second bit of info, NAPA is going to set up to sell us any parts we need at a largely reduced rate so we can save some cash. then deliver the parts to the high school. there should not be too many items that we will need to purchase since steve had most everything needed, but you never know.

  so now it looks like we will need to focus on the interior. really pleased with the progress going on. 

[Dino]

That is awesome news!  Good job guys.   

[nvrbdn]

update is cold..........  weather that is........... school is closed today due to the weather, so we cant set up the day and time the car will be delivered to the shop.

     hopefully they will be back tomorrow, and the car will be delivered Friday.  fingers crossed that it comes off this way.

[skip68]

This is so awesome what you're doing nvrbdn and others.      
I wish I was closer.   Well done and let's keep this going.   

[tsmithae]

How far Southern IL is this?  I can help if it's not too far away from Urbana.  Great thing you are doing here!

[nvrbdn]

we are right across the river from St. Louis Mo. it would be a 2 1/2 hour drive from Urbana. but if we get the car back and still have interior etc... to do, maybe we can have a weekend and have a few people drive in to help. I  can BBQ. we will just have to see how far the school will go. then we can re-assess the situation. I heard from steve today and he is soooo excited. I will take a camera and post some pic's of us dropping the car off.

[jaak]

Kudos nvrbdn and husk41, it's great to see these types of posts. I too, like everyone else wish I was closer so I could help you guys out.

This is what's great about the car hobby, good deeds like this. With so many crooks and douche bags in the hobby now, it nice to see guys like you helping a fellow out!

Good luck and keep us posted,
Jason

[nvrbdn]

thank you guys for the kind words. we are just helping out a true mopar guy that has gotten to the point that he can't do it himself now. I just don't want him to give up and sell when he has gotten so far. and steve is truly an awesome guy. I will be keeping updates as we progress right through to steve sitting with his car at a show.

   

   

[tsmithae]

we are right across the river from St. Louis Mo. it would be a 2 1/2 hour drive from Urbana. but if we get the car back and still have interior etc... to do, maybe we can have a weekend and have a few people drive in to help. I  can BBQ. we will just have to see how far the school will go. then we can re-assess the situation. I heard from steve today and he is soooo excited. I will take a camera and post some pic's of us dropping the car off.

I do have experience in reupholstering seats, although I will not call myself an expert.  Anything else is a walk in the park and I am more than happy to offer my help!  Keep us updated and let us know what needs to happen.