I would rather not have all of my electronics in the burb every single day. I like the idea of not having to roll the windows up to go into the gas station to get a can of pepsi, then come out and roll them back down. All it would take is one crackhead and me not within shooting sight of the truck and there goes my electronics.
Thank you for the kind words of encouragement of the purchase of the truck, I am now at the computer at home so I don't have to type on the blackberry. I am not new to working on old toys, have be doing it since I got out of the service.
The story behind Vic.
My brother lives 5 miles away from me in the middle of nowhere, in hancock county. When I go out to work on the charger, I drive by a field that had Vic right in the middle of it. I stopped a few times and left a note on it 'if for sale call me' left my number, but never got a call. I have been driving by this field for the last 3 years with Vic sitting in it. A couple of weeks ago I was running out to get the numbers off of the rear end and I saw a tractor pulling a disc turning into the field, well I thought here's my chance. I greeted him, commented on the weather, and the huge amount of rain we have had lately. We talked about nothing for a good 30 minutes. Then I changed the subject to Vic, he replied that he was tired of driving around the damn thing I wish that person that keeps leaving notes on the truck would just write it on the windshield, by the time I get out here, the rain makes the phone number illegible. I told him that I was leaving the note and he said that if I can get it out of here by Saturday (It was Thursday when we talked) then I could have it for $25.00. I thought well here's your chance dumbass get the money out. I got the money out alright, ripped the pocket trying to get my wallet out! He left and came back about 20 minutes later and reminded me that he wanted it out of here by Saturday. If its here when he comes out here he's gonna call the sheriff on me. I said no problem and headed out to get the numbers of of the rear end off of the General Lee. Friday I left work and went to the license branch then went home and packed up my field gear in the ramcharger to get Vic out of there then waited for my wife to get home. She finally showed up and we went out to work on Vic, and of course she was bitching all the way (thank god it was a short ride). Pulled out in the field and backed up in front of Vic, then I thought ok genius, you got a $25.00 truck are you getting tools or a chain out. See Murphy has alway had it out for me so I thought what the hell, she going to bitch anyways, so I'll just stoke the fire even more. I pulled the tools. Started by opening all of the doors and the hood, pulled off the air cleaner which was on upside down. Shot water up the tail pipe to clear any obstructions ( mice nest or snakes), put the spare battery in and bolted it down, grabbed the mac hot box and hooked it to the battery. Checked the fluids, then got the keys and saw what would light up. Checked all of the lights, and hit the key. Four cranks later and it was running on it's own! put the plate on it and drove to the gas station to fill it up. 28 gallons and $75 later I drove it home, then drove it to work the next day. NO ****! Cleaned it out all of the big **** at the dumpster, replaced the condenser in front of the radiator, charged the ac, replaced the air filter, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fixed the vacuum leaks from the intake to the vacuum ball and the cruise control, cleaned up the rims, and shot black magic on the tires.
It does have little **** that needs repaired, I'm sure that the fuel pump is going, after 3 years sitting, but also you can feel it surge at idle. You know what I mean, sitting in traffic a mile deep and everybody in front of you is flooring it to get to the red light! That's when you can feel it, it's not major, but for it sitting for so long then being drivin every day, I'm positive that the orings and seals are dried out and brittle
The ac does have a leak, shot a quarter oz of dye in and didn't see anything under the hood, in the cab, lines running back or under the covers in the back. I think I'll just recharge it again and add a couple ozs of dye this time. I should find it, but damn that means I got to get 9 more cans of freon again.
Had the oil changed to 15w40, it's got a knock when it starts, not back or for long, and blue smoke at start, but not bad, got a can of seafoam and dumped that in the oil, and tbi cleaner in the tank. I think I want a big ass motor, lord knows there's more then enough room for it under the hood!
It has a slight transmission leak, let it sit over a weekend and drove other trucks, went out monday morning, started it up and pulled it up, just enough on the ground to see a leak, not a puddle. Probably the output seal got dry (like the fuel pump) and brittle
The power door locks work on all but the drivers door, and the key doesn't unlock the driver's door either. The barn doors, when left unlock, want to not open but loosen to the point of bouncing around. Unplugged the power lock module and locked the doors by key. Might just take the power lock module out of the barn door and put it in the driver's door, then take the bad module and get 5 replacements.
Don't know if the 4x4 works and it should, I have shifted it to low, hit the gas and ripped the rear tires loose. I thought great that's why it was so cheap, the front axle is torn up. Then I got out and looked, manual hubs. dumbass! Haven't taken it to the tree farm yet, just to damn hot to be in the middle of the woods, and I don't think I have to worry about any snow for the next month or so. I will play the next time I go to the cabin, got 100 acres of trees in Brown county.
Power windows yea there all junk. Took me 3 hours of screwing around trying to get the bolts out before I said the hell with it and got the die grinder out. Did replace the front two motors, think I need to do the regulator on the passenger side.
Cigarette lighter blows a fuse any time the ashtray is put in, so I pulled the wire off of the back and ran a hot wire to the front sunglasses holder thingy overhead and set up the radar detector on the driver's visor. Still need to put an auxillary port on the floor of the front center section for electronics and another behind the center console for the kids electronics.
I definately need to find a FSM (factory service manual) for Vic. Would like to beable to look at blown up pictures to get a better idea of the lay of the land.
I think it's got a 1" body lift on it, but the fenders have not been cut. 33" fit, which suprised the hell out of me. Still needs a 38 or 40 but I think I'll keep the beadlocks if I can find a spare rim. Need to fabricate a bumper mount spare tire carrier, made one for the ramcharger, damn I hate lifting a 33, there no way I lifting a 38 or 40, I think I have a little dc winch at work. Look out I've got a project!
First things first I need to get the speedo correct. At 60mph it reads 50. Figure I'm getting 15mpg, I'm going to and from work for 10 days on one tank of fuel, 19.5 miles one way.
I am going to look into the codes from the glove box door and see what turns up
