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Adventures with Big Blue

$45 for two years?!

Farm truck. At regular 6000-pound commuter truck rate it would be $86 annually instead of $22.50. I thought about registering it for commuting use this time, but I again decided that I wouldn't use it enough to make it worthwhile. So we'll stick with the farm plates for a while.

Farm trucks only have 2 weight categories, though. So everything under 12,000 pounds is registered as 12,000 pounds. Kinda silly, given this truck's suspension. ;)
 
Got stalled on other projects, so I finally got around to changing the hood release cable today. After several years of dealing with a broken sheath. Pretty sure the truck came to me like that. Long ago someone installed aftermarket air conditioning and bent the cable around one of the A/C lines. So I'm not surprised it cracked. Also installed battery disconnects today, with proper bolts and jam nuts.


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Some people use 'barn find' to refer to any rig that has been sitting for a while. In my case, this truck was found in an actual barn owned by a deceased truck farmer. And I was reminded of that as I pulled the cable out of this wire loop used to stabilize the broken sheath. It's not baling wire, it's not a zip tie. It's electric fence netting. :eek1: :haha:

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History. This thing has so much history. If only it could talk...
 
I took Big Blue for the annual spring test drive today. The tranny fluid is low again, but I expected that. I'm going to try again to tighten the pan bolts. I guess the moral of the story is never attempt to change your tranny fluid. :haha: :rotfl:

Anyway, I got some smiles and a few miles out of it today. :thumb:


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I also replaced my (missing) door striker bushings with pieces of 1/2" PEX pipe. It didn't fit quite as well as the almighty interwebz had predicted. But it is an improvement over bare metal strikers.



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I sold this truck today. The buyer was a young guy, about the same age I was when I hauled Big Blue out of my buddy's barn. He seems to have big plans for it. As soon as it was gone, I suddenly felt my stress level drop. I no longer care if it's losing ball joints or glow plugs or anything. I never realized it was weighing on me, but I guess it was.

All that remains are a few bits and pieces and my set of number plates. R.I.P. FarmTruck.

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On to better things!

:popcorn:
 
Sorry you had to let it go, but it makes time for other projects.

David
 
Sorry you had to let it go, but it makes time for other projects.

David

I didn't need to let it go, I wanted to let it go. I'm tired of watching it rot in the barn. I more or less finished all the projects I wanted to do back in 2012. After that it wasn't the right platform for my new ideas. So it sat. Car seats were the last nail, but the coffin had been coming together for quite a while. I'd much rather sell it before the mice move in.

I learned a whole lot and am eager to buckle down on getting the 'Burb finished. And then I have a new batch of ideas to try out, several of which are already in progress. In a few weeks camping season will be over and the Blazer will probably also be on the chopping block. I've finished almost everything I want to do to it.
 
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