Just wondering what y'all do besides hang out in this community?

[nunya001]

I'm 39 - professionally I own and operate a small marketing and advertising design shop. It is interesting, but my natural proclivity is leading me towards something more tangible and engineering oriented. I didn't grow up wrenching at all . . . but I got into sports car racing and that pointed me in the direction of HD trucks - surprised me when I found out I liked them - got the 7.3L b/c it was described as the best candidate for WVO use. When I'm not working I find myself skiing in CO, kite surfing where I can find wind. I rebuilt a 1969 Airstream and spend about 2 months out of the year cruising around the country with my dog. I read a bit off of FTW everyday - keeps me learning. Thanks folks.

[flatbeder]

I'm a 31 year old...who drives a truck over the road. i have always wanted a PSD for as long as i can remember! i'm divorced with a steady girlfriend and maybe getting married agian soon? i grew up helping my uncle work on his 1966 ford fairlane witha 302 and a 4 speed. i own a 2000 PSD extnd cab with a shortbed 2wd XLT. my other truck is a 1986 F-250 with a 460 bb and a C6 getting ready for a TCI rebuild, i bought this truck from the orginal owner and he had every reciept for everything he did to it...including the orginal sales reciept with contract. i love my PSD b/c its a durable, comfy and a great nonsense work horse of a truck!!!

[Quick444]

Great thread idea. Lots of variety in our group!

I am Alex, I am 24 years old and a graduate of Georgia Southern University with a degree in Business Management. I have 1 child, a 4 year old Jack Russell Terrier. He eats bugs, barks at overpasses when in the car, and has the ego of a Pitbull. Wonderful child and he doesn't ask me for much.

Didn't grow up wrenching, no one in my family does or ever did. I learned things by tearing them apart and trying to put them back together. Mom would claim I have killed many of her vacuums. I love fixing things and get them running. My family doesn't get it but they are proud.

When I graduated in 08, I was a nice little management job lined up with WalGreen's. In a last minute decision, I gave that up to road trip from Kentucky to Alaska eating Ramen noodles and living in a tent. Came up here broke, jobless with no car, cell phone or computer. Spent the summer working my ass off to pay my friend back for the trip. Went home to Atlanta, ga in October to be with my mom as she recovered from a serious operation.

After being unable to find work in Atlanta, my mother (a damn good one) encouraged me to buy a truck and move all my crap up to Alaska since I so happy up here.

Bought my truck in April 09, got rear ended on my 06 Gixxer two days later and then left Atlanta without looking back. Drove 10,000 miles over 30 days just going where I wanted. Got to Alaska in early May and proceeded to work two jobs while also blowing up my truck in some river water. However, through all of this I met a pretty cool gal.

Spent the summer saving up and then rebuilding it outside and as of a week ago I now have a reliable vehicle again. It still needs work but its a damn fine thing to have back in my life.

Some days I wish I was working on a real career and making decent wages but I think the thrill of my life is the struggle. I now work construction in the great Alaskan outdoors (just in time for winter), and 3 days a week I work in a bakery e.i. "warmth". Two very differing jobs which all of my friends find entertaining. I am working 7 days a week indefinitely in order to get my life back in order and stay busy this winter.

I have no idea what I want out of life and so I am just a day to day worker.

[HH60FE]

48 years old. 3 kids, two g-kids. Retired Air Force, 21 years. Crewed -135 Tankers then crossed trained into helicopters. Retired as an HH60 Flight Engineer (combat search and rescue, that's the green feet thing avatar). Currently working as a functional check flight contractor for the training squadron out here in Albuquerque. Love my job!
Had an old 84 GMC ½ ton FWD. Wanted to upgrade and knew that a travel trailer was in the future. Love the look, the room and dependability of the Ford, so got lucky with an 03 long bed crew cab. Still waiting for the travel trailer, though. When I was in England I had a 59 Series II Landrover. Awsome rig! Wish I would have brought it back with me. 77 blazer too. Good wheeler.

[bdrummonds]

39 yrs old, married (15 years), 2 kids, and a dog.......

I am district sales rep for a medium size foodservice company, I have sold groceries to some of the finest chefs in the country. Before that I was in the marine industry and sold boats, big and small, fast and slow. I grew up in boats, and learned alot of my wrenching skills from keeping mine running. I also had a "bitchin' Camaro" back in the 80's that I blew up one night at the track. Learned A Lot from that episode.

My first vehicle was a 1973 F100 Custom with a 390 big block that was used to pull my ski boat back and forth to the lake. Loved that truck, but rust took its tole, and the "cool" kids did not drive pea green trucks to school.

I bought my 7.3 simply because at the time (99/early2000) it was the only truck that had a full size back seat, 4 true doors, and the engine was a proven design. I looked at a couple of dmaxes, but it was the first year for the motor and I didnt have time to be running back and forth to a dealership for service. At that time Dodge only offered an extended cab version of their truck, which is what I had previously (albeit a v-10) and I needed more room.

My truck has been with me almost 10yrs now, and almost 300K miles, it has yet to let me down in any way.

[jackstraw]

I am a tree planting contractor. Last year I put in about 175,000 trees, but that was small potatoes in my industry. (Seedlings). Someday you'll see a link to my blog in my .sig

[triskit16]

I'm a 25 year old graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University with a degree in real estate and urban land development. I have yet to actually put that degree into action due to this great economy. Been doing odd jobs and trying to keep my business afloat. I deal mainly with property preservation of abandoned/foreclosed houses, but have a contract with an investor to get his 39 town homes up to speed to be rented.

I am not married and definitely don't see myself with kids when I am just as immature as they would be.

I'm not a hardcore wrencher, but can just about do anything I need to do on my truck. It's been part of the family since September/October of 1999 and I certainly am proud of it. My first vehicle was a 1992 Ford Econoline. I loved that thing. Had many great memories in it, but the trans didn't like me.

[7.3 Rocket]

I'm a 17 year old Junior at a tiny Christian school. My entire highschool is less than 40 people. No I didn't forget a zero. 40. Looking forward to graduating although I'm not entirely sure what I want to do with my life yet.

Picked my 7.3 for a lot of reasons.
1: Dad's company had 4 7.3s two were OBS two were SuperDuties.
2: My brother's first truck was a late 99 7.3.
3: For a while I was planning on starting my own landscaping company. I was low bidder on a contract to mow some cemeteries. Was worth a hair under 19,000$ for the year. Well at least that's what I bid it at. Next lowest bidder was in the high 19s. Like 19.8 or 19.9 and they awarded the bid to the next highest bidder because he'd had the contract year before. Bought my truck in anticipation of using it to pull a trailer with a 52" stander and a 48" walk behind + handhelds, etc. That didn't happen but I'm never getting rid of my truck.
Just seemed natural to get a 7.3 and I'm not disappointed. Trying to learn as much as I can about these trucks.

Currently I'm working at an orchard in the little retail store they've got. During summers I usually work for the family business running equipment and doing whatever else needs to be done.

[Texas Outlaw]

In my spare time (weekends) I like to go to concerts (we go all over Texas and Louisiana to shows), jet ski on Lake Conroe, go out to fancy sushi restaraunts and generally just look for fun stuff to do with my significant other, Susan.

By trade, I am a machinist/toolmaker. I have worked for the same company, R&M Energy Systems, for 25 years. I started at the bottom and am now the Stator Production Manager, supervising 120 welders, CNC operators, machinists, chrome platers and fabricators. We build everything you need to locate, drill for and bring to the surface, oil.

I bought my 7.3 not because I needed it per say, but instead because I always wanted one. It's literally a dream come true and I will never sell her. She's my mistress and that's why I call her Jezebel.

Cool thread.

[jt371]

I work at a family owned farm/construction machinery dealership. Been there almost 11 yrs, Started when I was 17 in high school, at the bottom changing tires (just a step up from sweeping floors). I've turned wrenches, delivered equpiment, worked in parts, answered phones.......Last fall a job opened up "up front" and my boss asked me if I would mind working on a computer, keeping track of inventory, advertising, submitting warranties (yeah just a little change of pace, also I was the only one that really knew how to operate a computer). I don't mind I still go on service calls sometime. It is the only job I have had that the gov't knew about. I also keep moms farm machinery going on her horse farm and bale the hay. Most my friends and family turn to me for mechanic advice/help.
When the work is done I spend time with the gf. I also snowmobile ('02 800 xc, lowered and chiseled for ice racing, '01 edge chassied XCR 800 for the trails) and am a very active member of the local snowmobile club (sign and groom trails)

I bought my truck because I wanted a bigger truck, I had a 99 F-150 reg cab short box. Wanted the ex cab, always wanted a diesel but never could afford one. Also wanted to option to be able to get more power economically. The mpg is about the same as my 1/2 ton but over twice the truck. Everyone I talked to and looking on here said go with the 7.3. So that is what I did.

[DieselBeast01]

I'm a 22 year old college student at Clemson University majoring in Electrical Engineering. Right now I am working at place called Schneider Electric(formerly Square D) in a supervising position. Luckily I don't have to deal with too many people, there are only 8 others who are in my department. I have always been around diesels. My entire family drives nothing but fords and the majority of them are diesels. My dad has had quite a few older muscle cars('70 challenger, '67 mustang fasback, '79 Corvette), but I never was too much into the car scene. I have always like big badass trucks and have had a couple of Toyotas, and a Ford F-150, but when I was looking for a diesel truck, I kind of wanted a Cummins but my Grandfather, who has owned Fords his entire life would have none of that. I guess you could say he might disown me if I bought a Dodge. I found my 7.3 for a steal of a deal from a guy who just had to get rid of it. I felt kind of bad cause I had done research to see what it was worth and he was letting me have it for around 4000 off of the blue book price. When I bought it, my plan was to use it around our farm mostly but about a year and a half after I got it we decided to get rid of all of our livestock. I use it for anything and everything I feel like, but now it is mostly my toy and I like it that way. It has come such a long way since I got it that I will probably never get rid of it. Even if I get a new truck on down the road it will be a Ford diesel, but the old tried and true beat up 7.3 farm truck will be sitting right beside it in my driveway making it look bad. LOL.

[Billyclub]

I'm a 46 year old Critical Care RN. Been nursing for 14 years and was a marine towing and salvage captain before that. Spent 10 years in the Coast guard before that as a Search and Rescue captain. Been married for 20 years and have one- boy 8. I live for bow hunting whitetail deer and fishing.
I bought my 7.3 SD down in Miami just before I decided to move back to Maine. I needed to tow my 23' Parker (boat) from Ft lauderdale to Maine and figured the 7.3 would be the ticket. Well, almost 10 years later it still runs as good as the day I bought it. I love tinkering with it and having this forum for backup and the knowledge base it has is very reassuring. I would love to have a newer truck as the body is starting to need some work but I just can't part with my baby. the longer I have it the more I get attached to it. Not gonna get rid of it any time soon. Last week I bought a new 8' bed for it and have a date with the autobody shop in Dec. for the rust spots in the corner of the cab.
This forum is GREAT! What a gathering of great people.

[Firefighter 1406]

I am 26 yrs old been married for 5 years, have a 2 y/o boy that spends a lot of time with me out in the garage, he is very good at carrying off my tools when I am under the truck. I am a Firefighter/EMT for Mishawaka Fire Rescue in Northern Indiana. Wrenched all through high school and this is the first truck I have owned that I don't have to work on every weekend. Work Construction on the side and push a 8.5 ft. Meyer w/wings in the winter. The kid has slowed down the mods for now, but I don't have a problem with that. I want my kid to have everything and every chance I never had.

Bought my truck when my f-150 was rear ended and totaled. Loved my dad's Superduty and had just bought a 16' cargo trailer for the side business so I bought the Early 99 7.3. Have 219,000 miles on it and runs great. No looking back except I wish I would have bought a crew cab.

[dvani]

36, married 2 years last week. We have 3 +1 on the way....it's how I convinced her to let me get our truck. I am in south western Idaho and work for a commercial glass shop.
When I get to play, love to hunt, camp, and roadtrip... to the tune of 8000 miles in the first 3 months we owned it. Love it when family is hours away.

[rjmay]

I am 54, a former coal mining engineer, now an enginneer in a small environmental consulting firm helping clients out of problems in the regulatory world. Married, one son, now married.

I used to be a foreman and was cross trained as a maintenance supervisor, with underground coal mining equipment. My dad was a machinist in a toothpaste tube factory but disliked working on cars, since he worked on machinery all day. I am a decent parts changer and troubleshooter, but do not have a garage to tinker like I really would like too since the weather controls my truck fixing schedule.

My son inherited an Airstream from my wife's uncle because he spent 10 weeks in it in 1990 (maiden voyage) seeing Western USA and the Canadian Rockies. I had a 1987 Mazda B2000 pickup that needed replaced. I knew the diesel was the way to go to haul the Airstream back from Southern WV.

I bought my truck off a used truck lot and then had buyers remorse- crew cab, 8 foot bed, dually.

FTE convinced me I had a keeper:
"You can never have too much truck. Many times you may not have enough truck but you can never have too much truck."