North Rockies Design

New Arrival!

// February 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // Fun Stuff

We’d like to welcome to the world our new baby, Eliza Anne.
She was born at 4:33 pm after a nicely paced labor. Mom and baby are doing well.
This is her first picture. Right after she was born she was crying, of course, but as soon as she heard my voice, she turned and looked and calmed right down.

Her first family visitors were Emma, Joshua, and Austin. This is a picture of Emma holding Eliza. Austin held her for a second, but, being the teenage boy he is, he said he didn’t want to break her, and went out to the lobby to watch the “A-Team”.

Here’s a picture of Joshua and Emma holding Eliza. They are both so excited about their new baby sister.

Next to arrive was Meagan. She has been ready for this baby for months! You’d almost think she were becoming the new mother. Unfortunately, she came down with bronchitis this last week and had to wear a mask for the visit.

Finally, Eliza got to primp and get all cleaned up. Here’s her first picture after her bath.

Help us build a playground!

// November 6th, 2009 // No Comments » // Fun Stuff

What happens when you take two young entrepreneurs with markers, a website to sell their original artwork, and plans for a playground?

You get MyRefrigeratorArt.com!

The premise is this, my kids want a playground and they came up with an idea to make some money to build or buy one. Want to help them? Just go to their site, make a donation of at least $9.95, and you’ll get one original piece of artwork per week for 52 weeks. It’s that easy. You get some artwork to put on your refrigerator, they get a playground.

Project Hummer

// October 14th, 2009 // No Comments » // Fun Stuff

Make something fun!

Check it out. In my spare time, I’m building a Hummer. Well, not an AM General H1 Hummer, but a replica.

I got the idea last year when I was looking around the internet and found two other people who had done it. Here: Built on a F150 Chassis, and here: http://www.tremormuv.com.

I thought, “hey, if they can do it, why can’t I?” So, I bought a 1984 Suburban for $50, ripped off the body panels, and began the transformation.

As for the details, I haven’t decided what the details will be yet. I still have some time. From the side it will look like a Hummer. The front and rear views will give away the solid axel 4wd Suburban chassis. Otherwise, my goal is for it to look authentic, just as any other replica should.

The frame and body panels will be steel—none of that fiberglass kit stuff—mounted on a Suburban chassis. I may end up doing the plans build from TremorMUV, or I might just strike out on my own and build it all from scratch. Not quite sure yet. I have my two hands, some hard working helpers, a welder, and a shop that my wife doesn’t mind if I keep cluttered up with a project truck.

Some things I definitely need to do are the following. The engine needs to be relocated back a few inches and the front and rear of the frame rails will be cut to match the H1’s length. Actually I bought it without an engine simply because it would make tear-down easier and I haven’t decided on gasoline or diesel. I still have the THM400 that was sitting in the trunk. I need to fab up the entire body to sit on the frame. The body mounts need moving and then I’ll be looking for some surplus parts—hood, doors, etc., whatever I don’t build. The wheels will need replacing.

I’ll try to post updates regularly, but as this is a project based on extra funds, it may be slow going and far between.

Want to help me along?