My Grandfather's pick-up

nice truck... you are a very lucky man to get the truck with a history like that

 

Just kind of catching up. Gosh Orth, you are one very lucky man. That is a great looking truck.

We blasted right past Yakima on our way home from down south. It was late in the day but there was still enough sunshine to make it further toward home (Ellensburg), so the next morning we could make the final run and after 97 days away. We did see a few trucks of similar vintage to yours on the roads but nothing in the condition of yours - except a couple of years back on another trip home - at the casino when you come down the long long hill from or to Pendelton there was an old couple, 80's at least, with a similar year truck, cream in color, with an Avion truck camper (looks like an Airstream) on it. Gorgeous. They had a nail in one of the tires and it was not leaking but the wife was very concerned. These were the original tires and the old dude was wanting to continue down the road. He told us his brother bought it new and he had inherited it and was not going to change a thing. A Les Schwabb store manager happened to be stopped there also gassing up and he pulled the nail out and no leak. I would say from seeing the pics of yours that the two trucks are very similar in condition.

We'll be back down your way this summer hopefully to a TCT event and if so we'll give you some notice and maybe we can grab a visit.

 

Thanks Saf. I know I am fortunate to have the opportunity to get this truck. I honestly can't hardly believe I now have both my Grandfather's wagon and his pick-up. They will both be taken care of and passed on when the time comes. I am thinking someday the wagon will go to my oldest son and the truck to the younger one. They are both very young, so that will be in the future, but I am actually looking forward to the day when I am able to do so.

It would bee great to meet you in person this summer. I am actually hoping to make it to the vintage trailer meet in Roslyn this summer with the truck and the 69 Aristocrat Lo-Liner (that I also purchased from Grandpa.) It will be the exact truck/trailer Combo my Grandparents camped in all of the years of my youth.

 

Thank you sir. I know I am lucky. I certainly am not taking it for granted.

I mentioned earlier that I was looking for a set of chrome dog dish hubcaps for the truck. I found some on line and bought them. They are second hand but in good "driver" quality condition. They came in the mail yesterday.

Here is the whole lot of them, 8 in total:




They range from fair to very good condition.

I think these are the best four of the bunch:



I plan to shine them up and stick them on and cruise the truck. It's perfect the way it's been it's whole life. No need to change anything else.

 

Well, it has been a while, but here is an update on my Grandfather's truck.

I went over to Grandpa and Grandma's tonight with the boys and Tucker to get it and bring it home. The plan has been to take the camper off of it and have it be a fort for the boys to play in. I finally got the base for the fort built with the help of my Dad and now it is time to take off the old camper.

Got to Grandpa and Grandma's house, loaded the boys into the truck and went to take off. It started spinning and spitting gravel everywhere, and I thought the "E" brake was stuck. Turns out the front brakes were stuck and after a moment, they let loose.

The tires were soft, so I let it idle and I dug out my Dad's air compressor and filled all of the tires.

Once that was done we were set, and off we went.

Three wide and a dog in Great Grandpa's truck:



Of course, the fuel level was low and almost as soon as we pulled out of the driveway it sputtered and coughed. Out of gas. I couldn't believe it. I thought to myself how silly I had been to let it run while I filled the tires (more silly however to not look at that little gauge the FORD engineers installed in the dash that indicates the fuel level) Fortunately my Uncle and Aunt are staying with Grandpa and Grandma this weekend, so a phone call back to their house brought the cavalry with a Jerry can. Once we had enough fuel to make it the mile or so back to my place were were off again. My Uncle and Grandfather decided to follow us, just in case.

Got home just as the sun was setting and decided to snap a few pics.

Sunset:



At home at last:



The plan is to take the camper off tomorrow and then get to work on shinning it up and putting on the chrome hub caps.

On a side note, My Grandfather is starting to forget things. We have all been expecting it (he's 93) but it is still hard for us to comprehend sometimes. I've had the FURY wagon for 18 years now and drive it constantly when the weather is good. He seems to have forgotten that though. When my son Nathaniel opened the garage door and he saw it sitting in there he said "You still have the Plymouth!" he was like a kid at Christmas! It was so awesome to experience it. We talked for a half an hour about it, all of the memories. I told him it meant so much more to me than mere transportation. He smiled and said "And now you have the truck too"

I almost cried, you know, the good kind. It was an hour into our adventure at that point and my Uncle decided to get him home. It was a wonderful evening. I'm actually glad we ran out of gas.

 

you are very lucky.. you have great treasures.. both in vehicles and family

 

Whiskey runner said it best.

 

Thanks you guys. I am fortunate.

I got the platform all assembled in the side yard this morning and then my best buddy (The guy with the 65 Impala) came over and helped me lug the camper over the fence. It turns out it is stought, not a tin can by any means. The whole thing about wiped us out.

We got it on the platform and my boys immediately started filling it with toy trucks and the like. It was like Christmas.

Truck with the rear door section removed for easier handling:



Camper on the platform, now the boys Fort:



Truck without the camper:





I like the way it looks without the camper. It needs a good bath and polish, but removing the camper made a huge aesthetic improvement. I'm happy and my sons are thrilled.

Funny little side note, I found out today the gas that my Grandfather and Uncle brought me was mixed gas for the boat! Good thing I only put a few ounces in. I bought some 92 octane and put it in and let it run for a while. I think it will be fine.

 

Thanks for the update. I was wondering just the other day what was going on with your truck.

 

We had a '69 F350 crew cab Camper Special (yes, it did exist; as an 8-year-old, I took note of all of its attributes) with a Deluxe Kit camper. Dad told me it had a tri-power 390 and only a 19-gallon tank, no second tank. It got 4 MPG...cruising at 70 MPH, 4 MPG...climbing uphill, 4 MPG...rolling downhill with the wind at our backs, 4 MPG....

 

That explains why there's so many gas stations in the US prairies!!!

 

Sounds like a rad truck. I'm on the oldfordcrewcabs.com forum, so I totaly dig that kind of thing.

 

And the Canadian prairies don't?:16suspect1:

 

I really like that truck. I'd forgotten all about my 1977 Ford camper special with the side box. At least it got 9 MPG.....driving in the city, on the highway, in the Smokey Mountains, pulling the 30' 5th wheel, and while parked!
That fort sure brings back memories of my last post n the other thread. My topper was red and white. Those old things are heavy!

 

Well I finally got around cleaning up the truck a bit. It's in such good shape it's amazing, it's just dirty. The truck hadn't been washed in a long, long time so I gave it a good bath. It looks better already. Once I buff it out it should shine like the day it rolled off the line. I also got to painting the wheels and replacing the painted hub caps.
Eventually I plan to powder coat the wheels, but for the time being a fresh coat of paint will suffice. It's amazing how just freshening up the rolling stock can affect the overall appearance of a vehicle.

After it's bath:



Painted wheels and new Chrome dog-dish hubcaps: