We bought it new in 1977, and it moved us away from home to a new life in the Tri-Cities. We never would have managed landscaping our bare lot without the truck. It took us camping and fishing, hauled railroad ties (and got stuck in the mud), and took us on our first trip to Montrose, Colorado, to visit Dave's uncle Dee. The dents and dings have stories, like the one on the top of the tailgate, put there when Mike Budden dumped a log there before flipping it into the bed. We even still have the original license plates... although it has graduated to collector plates now, and we'll never pay another license fee.
Dave and his uncle rebuilt the engine two years ago. They thought it was a timing chain issue; turned out two of the cams had rounded off. It took four days to locate the problem and many trips to the parts store, but they figured it out. It's still parked in the barn, covered in dust, but it runs great.
Dee is visiting this week, and before the guys took it out for a spin, I got out my paint cleaner and did a few test spots on the paint. I think it's going to clean up really well. The test spots are bright and shiny, and not that much oxidation came off on the rag. This week it will get a bath and I'll start detailing. It needs work inside, too... new mats and seat coverings, new seat belts and door panels. Minor stuff that will make a big difference in looks.
These old trucks are really in demand these days. People love them because they can work on just about anything in the engine. No computer-controlled anything to get in the way. But I suspect we won't sell it... too much history.
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