Is it me...or is there like an open season on guys who have old trucks? Ever since I got my '72 F-100 I have experienced outright hostility and criticism and been called everything from white trash hick to other names I don't care to list. I park my truck in my own drive at my house, don't work on it too early or too late, and yes I realize the outside has still to be painted (the interior is finished, and the mechanics are almost done), but the neighbors seem to obsess on how the things looks and how "old and ugly it is" in "thier neighborhood" Funny, when I restored my '65 Corvette conv. I never got this from them...so it must be the truck. Then another neighbor across the street (who is friendly towards me) got a '65 Camper Special 3 months ago. He got the same treatment about the "white trash ruining the neighborhood with thier ugly old trucks......and how we are hurting the enviroment and all that ....well let's just say nonsense.

Has anyone of you out there had reactions like that from neighbors? I'm wondering just how to deal with it. I live in California, where I grew up, and it never used to be like that out here; it seems to have gotten bad in the last 10 years or so. If any of you have dealt with this kind of thing, I'd like to hear how you handeled it!
Mike

 

If anyone ever said anything about my truck like that,my reply would be
"I guess you won't be asking me to haul anything for you then?"

 

People like that i just ignore!

 

Along with Mil1ion's reply (a good one too, and keep your word on it) you could tell the pesky neighbor that you prefer the thick body metal and tough, durable drivelines that in your opinion are only found on older rigs. If they play the environmental terrorist card, ask them why they don't ride a bike or walk to work. Also, if they need a favor from you down the road, you might just find that you have no time that day to help. I'd be kinda careful with that one myself.

I've also noticed over the years that how clean you keep the work area as well as making progress goes along ways in what people say behind your back. I have a guy about a block from me that's always working on trucks. He keeps his place clean and free of old body parts and the like. His yard is well kept. Yeah, they are sorta ugly while in work, but the point is that he makes progress and finishes the work in a reasonable amount of time. They look nice when he is done. It really doesn't bother me at all. On the other had, I've got another neighbor a couple houses away that has been stripping paint off a Chevelle for two years now. The rust makes better progress than the stripping effort. Myself and a couple neighbors wished this tank would go hide in a garage or find a home in a junkyard.

Unless you have a covenant restricting working on cars, having primer on it (yes, that one's out there), or some odd local law concerning inoperable vehicles (could only bit ya if you're doing a motor or tranny and would be more of a hassle is all) then there is nothing they can do. Just move forward and ignore them.

 

Thats why I love the country..No rude neighbors...
Your not breaking any law and your minding your own business..Those people just jealous and wish they had a truck instead of their little Honda cars they drive to work and back..
If it gets to bad move down to Mississippi...I see old 60's to 80's trucks that can hardly run all over the town....
No shame in owning a truck that needs alittle work.....
Just keep your head high and forget those little folks....

 

I would paint it primer gray - or rust, put headers on it, and drive it around at 3:00 in the morning. But that would only be after hostilities commenced.

I respect people who restore their vehicles, it shows mechanical knowledge and motivation. I am sorry that you have neighbors that don't share that opinion.

 

We all have bad neighbors. We never got along with any of ours lol (and they have an F-350, and an excursion lol) Bad neighbors are everywhere, trust me, it's not just you

As for yours, I'd just ignore them, and they'll leave you alone. If not, you have to install a gun rack on the back of your truck

 

if they make a fuss avout the truck, go and find some really annoying thing in their yard and complain about that (like the ugly smelly dog.)

 

kill them with kindness...

 

I have lived one place with bad neighbors - they got the council on to me, for having my truck parked on a partially graveled area, next to my driveway. to get the council off my back took $1000. I will never live in another town. Covenants are a pain.

The next place I buy will be in one of the ' no planning zone' counties of the northern states - where building a house is no one's business but mine, and neighbors are too far away to care.

Theo

 

Sen us a digital pic of what your neighbors are complaining about. Snap a pic from their view of your driveway/house. Let us see for ourselves. Personally, I can't stand noise. If my neighbors are always doing something that I can hear inside of my house I get mad. If they have pile of junk here and there it isn't upsetting to me, although if I was trying to sell my house I would have to ask them to clean up. A messy neighbor does influence what your property value is. If you don't have a digital camera, maybe you could borrow one or scan a real photo and send it to FTE.

 

...sounds to me like they're already winning...
I guess my question would be why do you care what they say or think...?
Sounds like your minding your own business and trying to be respectful of the nieghborhood...
Personally, I'd ask them why they dont mind their own "Damn" business...
I really tweaked a couple of snobby neighbors by joining one of the HOA committees...

 

why dont you just invite all the members from FTE to your place and have a big ole cook out. that way we all can annoy your neighbors....

 

naw if my trucks parked out front people drive by and give me offers on it. But I won't sell, no sir she's my baby.

 

Now this is what I'd do, and probably won't work in all situations.
I'd just get a car cover for it in order to make an attempt to help them out...It's thier neighborhood too.
If that's not enough to shut e'm up then take the cover off and leave it off.
(You can only do so much to make people happy....Besides, your restoring it and It's YOUR HOUSE!)