How to turn a derelict truck into a money maker.

Some may have seen this old truck as a heap of scrap metal, but to me; I saw endless potential.
Vehicles are like people; if you do not take care of yourself and maintain a certain amount of upkeep, you will be found with one foot in the grave, just like this truck. It was rotting away in a field, taken off the road by M.O.T. But, unlike people, when a truck dies you can bring it back to life!

First things first, you have to make it run.

There are many systems in a vehicle that allow it to function properly. Engine. Clutch. Drivetrain. Brakes. Fuel system. Electrical. Suspension. Tires. Even the windshield washer will save your life in certain conditions. The most important aspect in restoring an old truck is to make sure all these components work.

Here is a picture of the new transmission we had to install in the truck. It also had a power take off (PTO) hydraulic pump, which bolts onto the tranny via the inspection plate. The seals were gone in it, mixing hydraulic fluid with transmission fluid, so we had to take it into a shop to have it rebuilt. After a long list of repairs in the engine bay, it was time to address a screaming issue: the body.

As they say, the only way to build her up, is to first break her down. The grille, inner and outer fenders, and hood were toast. We tore off and replaced all of these components, giving her a full facelift!


Since we decided not to replace the entire cab, it was time to patch the rust holes in the driver's side floor. We hammered sheet metal into place and tediously tack welded the entire custom floor pan and rockers. Since sheet metal is so thin, you cannot lay a continuous bead weld down the junction, as it warps and burns through. Once the entire seam was stitched, we ground it down, making it a shiny and congruous union.

This whole process took us many months, as the details on every part replaced are not very interesting to list here. Many late nights were spent!

Finally, it was time to dress her up and take her out. We broke out the bondo, some fibreglass and a whole lot of elbow grease with a sander. Next, we had to cover up those god-awful polka-dots! This truck was meant for work, not show, so instead of using countless spray-bombs, or endless rolls of tape and air gun, we used a foam roller, brushes, and gallons oil-based paint to give a thick coat.

Now that is a skookum flatdeck, but we were wanting to haul more! So we purchased some steel stock from our local metal yard and thick plywood and built 4 foot sides. Now we are ready to haul some serious cargo.

The next step was to establish our brand as a junk removal company. We spent many hours pondering over a name that would explain just who we are and what we do. Not only did we want to remove items, but bring them back to life in a creative form. "Funk n Junk" was born out of our love for art and originality in dealing with what other people may consider to be trash. In our home-built style, we hand-painted our logos and info all over the truck, instead of buying uniformly printed decals.
Looks a little bit different now, huh? This truck is "living" proof that you can make something out of nothing and if you work hard enough, it will pay off in the long run. To this date, it owes us nothing and we will be maintaining her for years to come. Look for us cruising the streets of the beautiful Okanagan and remember...we haul all your...funk n junk!