hooked to this thread, will be checking up on this for sure. Totally worth it, might as well get it!

 

It's still on, still planning for the middle of August.

It should be out of the shop soon, replacement gas tank, bed, and rear bumper.

Bed liner getting sprayed this week.

The owner is going to make another couple runs with it, then I can finalize the trip out to bring it home.

 

I got a free truck from my uncle, a Nevada truck, blown motor. $2500 later I don't regret it, diesel motors would be quite a bit more but I'd have done that too if given the opportunity. He also had a '77 3500 with a 454 that hadn't ran in 10+ years. If I had the time and a place to keep that one I would have got them both.

 

Good Luck, not so many miles, 1,000,000 is alot of miles!!!

 

I've traveled long distance to view/buy several vehicles including my truck (1200 miles one way) and my previous Camry wagon (1475 miles one way). I flew out and drove vehicles home. Both were dealer sales and both swore they were in perfect working order. (not entirely true). However, both made it home without major incident. I've also shown up, rejected the vehicle (dealer lied about condition) and was stranded 1500 miles from home. It all worked out too as an unscheduled vacation adventure.

I'm a bit of a moderate risk taking adventurer so personally, I'd do it. Make sure your licensing and insurance are in order though. In my opinion, so much depends on how confident your family friend is of the truck's ability to make and survive the journey. The SD's generally and 7.3's specifically are tough so just take it easy, prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

First, see if you can rent, or buy a trailer.
Uhaul won't rent a car hauler trailer for that big a vehicle.
Check their website, or others.

 

I'm hanging near home until the eclipse, don't want to miss it this time. Missed the last two. And I don't think I'll be around for the next one here in 350 years.

Awaiting confirmation of the date, but looking at flying out on the 22nd to get the truck. Got someone I trust to watch my dog, and flying out is a judgement call. I won't have a spare vehicle if I break down, and bailing on the gift will cost double compared to driving. But I'll save a couple days by flying and I kind of need to be near home. I also need a vacation...

 

excited to hear about the journey

 

I checked around, the lowest price I got for transport was $2,500. That was the starting price. And I did not trust the quote (they called it an "initial estimate"). Even with a moderate lift, lifted trucks are expensive to have transported. And no dice finding a truck and trailer to rent.

I'll either bail for $1,000 and two days time, or chance driving it home for about the same cost and three more days (if I don't break down).

 

And now I have to delay the trip.

My mom is in the hospital, and will be coming home next week. So I have to be here.

So this thread will have to fade for a while, I'll wake it up when the trip is back on.

 

Sorry to hear she's in the hospital, and glad to hear she should be coming home.

 

Family first ... All-ways! Hope everything works out fine.

 

It's back on!

I just booked airline tickets to fly to Texas on the 28th.

I'll post pics from the road. Wish me luck!

 

Good luck and have fun! Hope it makes it back home for you without breaking down but at least if it doesn't update this thread. Might be an FTE member near by that can lend a hand. My guess is you'll be fine as long as the truck was taken care of.

 

I plan to post daily along the road, maybe at interesting stops, just for the fun of it.

While there is a more direct route home, I'm thinking about heading to Amarillo the first day. There is a shop there that supposedly is a great resource for Cowboy Action Shooting.

But since this is a Ford Truck forum, I'll post a picture of my truck out in front of it.

There are a few other points of interest along the way home, so there will be more pictures of the truck in front of places.

Hopefully none of the pictures will be of the truck in front of a mechanic's shop LOL. The current owner just hauled a trailer around Texas taking care of his last few needs for it. He had no problems.