The Thank You Series, Part 2 of 7

Today we continue the lead-up to Spring 2015, the season when I will finally realize the 34 year dream of driving this truck. There are several key people who have helped this project along the way, without whom the dream would still be just that. I wanted to show my heartfelt appreciation, and came up with the seven part "Thank You Series" - Every Sunday and Thursday for three weeks, and the seventh post on March 20th, the day Spring arrives.

Part 2 of 7: Jim!
A radio comrade going back almost three decades, always there with a big smile and a rock solid handshake whenever you see him. Just an all around great guy, and one of those that can pretty much fix anything you throw at him. He also loves working on old rides, and jumped at the chance to help this project. Jim was not only here the day we finally got the truck running again for the first time in 27 years, but is actually the one who made it happen.

A shot of Jim in action on July 9th, 2011, when the old truck finally fired up again. Thank you, my friend! You da man! Can't wait until I can take a drive up to your place and take you out for a ride.


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The Thank You Series, Part 1 of 7

I've always believed that no matter how far you go or how much you accomplish in life, whether you're a wealthy international superstar or some schmuck about to realize the lifelong dream of driving an old truck, never forget where you came from and never forget those who helped you get where you are. With that in mind, I'll be doing a series of posts recognizing those whose help and friendship have been a critical part of making this dream happen. I'll be doing two per week for the next three weeks (on Sunday and Thursday), and the seventh on March 20th, the first day of Spring.

First up, my lifelong friend Brian.
We've known each other since junior high (when he first became friends with my brother Chris), ran on the high school track team together, and were always talking cars and fiddling with something under the hood. Brian was riding shotgun the day I did what I thought was a tuneup on my first car (a straight six powered '68 Camaro), and laughed hysterically when I couldn't make the thing do a burnout. I guess in all of my teenage genius I tuned it down instead of up.

Not long after that day, this is what the Camaro looked like after I hit a tree with it. I was an incredibly lucky kid, having been knocked out cold for a while but otherwise unhurt. Brian was the first of my friends to see the car as it sat in the yard after being towed home, as he happened to be driving by.




Thirty-some years later, this lifelong friend rebuilt the carburetor on the truck and helped tremendously with the first start attempt. Thanks for being there all through the years, Brian! So glad you're such a big part of this story.

Part 2 Thursday: Thanks to Jim


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2015: Year of the Truck

Anyone who has ever undertaken a total amateur project like this knows things never go as planned. When we first got it running three and a half years ago, I figured I'd be cruisin' soon after. But then I realized that the rear end was leaking on both sides, two of the brake drums were so warped they couldn't be turned, I needed a new front panel and stake pockets for the bed, and in my wallet was little more than some lint and a bunch of old business cards. I was unemployed at the time and the money wasn't there, so all that stuff would just have to wait. For a while.

The job situation has finally stabilized somewhat, but it's still not what it needs to be to maintain the every day bills and this project. I'm currently working on expanding my commercial driver's license with the hope of opening up new (and better paying) opportunities. In the meantime, I've thankfully been able to free up a few bucks here and there and we've been inching toward that monumental first drive, which WILL happen this spring.

Here's what's left on the to do list:
1 – Mount new dual feed master cylinder, run brake lines, finish brake job
2 – New battery
3 – Registration and insurance
4 – Drive

If the price is right there might be a new rear end in the mix to give us five lugs all the way around (5 lug front disc kit is already installed), but that does not need to happen before we take the first drive.

And that's pretty much where we're at. I have to say how much I appreciate the interest people are showing in our little adventure here, especially the sudden explosive growth of our Facebook fan base. One week ago we had just under 450 fans. This morning as I type that number is over 1100, and I did not pay a dime to get them. It only happened because some very cool people who manage a few pages with much larger audiences decided to share the John's Old Truck page. So once again, a big time thanks to those new friends and everyone who has hopped on board with us.

Stay tuned and we'll see ya down the road!

John


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