Eulogy to a DEAD BA$TARD

[texasred777]

I don't remember where I lived at the time, but I had a neighbor who had a 60s something model Ford 4-door stationwagon. He started just behind the back of the front seats and cut the top off. Then he cut the sides down to just above the door handles. He cut them all the way to the rear. He then had a 'pickup' with side openings and even a 'tail gate'. He enclosed the rear of the passenger compartment with aluminum sheeting. I don't remember how he made the 'tail gate' work, but it did.
I had an old 77 GMC 'heavy half' PU. Bought it used, fixed the brakes, the passenger side door, installed a radio and speakers, replaced the timing chain, water pump, belts, and hoses. I drove that as my work truck for almost 10 years with one tranny change! After I stopped working for myself and didn't need the truck for work, I decided to restore it. Alas, about the time I thought I would have the money to have the truck painted and re-upholstered, a new Ford PU ran a red light and totaled the truck. That old GMC had almost 500K on the engine with only a timing chain and the rod and main inserts changed. Really loved that old truck.

 

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[BuckleBoy]

I don't remember where I lived at the time, but I had a neighbor who had a 60s something model Ford 4-door stationwagon. He started just behind the back of the front seats and cut the top off. Then he cut the sides down to just above the door handles. He cut them all the way to the rear. He then had a 'pickup' with side openings and even a 'tail gate'. He enclosed the rear of the passenger compartment with aluminum sheeting. I don't remember how he made the 'tail gate' work, but it did.
I had an old 77 GMC 'heavy half' PU. Bought it used, fixed the brakes, the passenger side door, installed a radio and speakers, replaced the timing chain, water pump, belts, and hoses. I drove that as my work truck for almost 10 years with one tranny change! After I stopped working for myself and didn't need the truck for work, I decided to restore it. Alas, about the time I thought I would have the money to have the truck painted and re-upholstered, a new Ford PU ran a red light and totaled the truck. That old GMC had almost 500K on the engine with only a timing chain and the rod and main inserts changed. Really loved that old truck.

Such a shame about that 77 GMC!!

 

[texasred777]

BuckleBoy, I really loved that old truck. It just a piece of metal almost ready for the scrapyard when I got it. At the time I just needed something to get back and forth to work. The man I worked for had the truck sitting in the back of the lot at the business. I asked him if it was for sale and if it in driving condition. He said he thought it was running. I bought it, got my wife to take me to pick it up, and started home with it. It was about 12 miles from where I lived. I noticed the brakes were non-existent, but the parking/emergency brake worked. I drove on the shoulder so I could creep along. Someone pulled up beside me and told me that the rear lights were out. Oh, boy! But, I made it home. Replaced the master cylinder, rewired the rear lights, repaired the hinges on the passenger door, etc. After I started working for myself, I used it for my work truck. It had over 200K on it when I bought it. I knew I was leaking some oil, but kept putting off finding the problem. One day I stopped and added a quart of oil. I noticed the oil was running out between the valve cover and the head; and the oil caught fire when it hit the exhaust manifold! I got it out without burning up the wiring. I replaced the gasket later that day.
After about 2 months, I left the house, stopped at the corner, stepped on the gas, and the engine revved but the truck didn't move! Yep, had to replace the tranny. Then about 2 months after that I started hearing a knock when I started the engine. The rear main bearing was badly worn, but the crankshaft was ok. I replaced the main and rod bearings and the timing chain. That's all I ever did to the inside of that old engine, a 454 cid. I had a 76 Chevy PU at the about a year later with a 350. The 454 got better gas mileage than the 350!
Ok, 'nough, but as you can see I really loved that old truck to have done so much to keep it going.