Not much of a problem, unless it's during work hours. I like the 65-66's a lot, so I'd be careful too. I pulled the bed off my '48 (15 yrs ago)by myself, it was a flatbed though.

 

That is not a bad looking truck, I just wish I could generate some affection for them. Sometimes I wish I could buy a new truck and be done with it, but I know I would wind up not liking it after a few weeks.

I had an Areostar Van that worked very well for me - yet I dumped it at the first hint of trouble. I just didn't want to work on it. The same would be true of the modern trucks, too many rules and restrictions to work around.

No, I will stick to the 72 and older trucks - no plastic parts, metal dashboards, no rules as to what you can and can't do, and steel fenders you can work.

The discouraging part is that I remember my granddad saying that, and my dad said the same thing in his time. I wonder if it is just part of growing old and wanting to stay with what is familiar?

 

Jon,

Check your PM's.

TigerDan,

Looks like you had to go much deeper than I

 

Well I don't know...I'd rather get into the engine than the tranny, I think! If it hadn't been for the cracked block, we could have done an in-frame rebuild and not even had to split the tractor.

Fortunately, the tranny was replaced not too long before we got the thing so I haven't been to worried about it. Heck, it's about the only component on the machinf that's not worn out. She's a sloppy old hoe...!

 

Yeah, mines a bit sloppy too, as I rebuild the rams, I'll rebush them as well. There's a place in Escalon (forget the name right now) that is kinda like an old Army Surplus store for Farm Equipment, the guy gets odds and ends of everything, last time I was there he had a bunch of bushing stock of several different diameters and he sells it for just a bit more than scrap price. Pretty much just cut and bore to fit. For the cost of a few bushings, I can buy 5 times what I need.

Hopefully my pins will be okay, some I can build up and turn down on my small lathe, but some I think are too big for me to rework. I've a big Hendy lathe that would handle it, but it has a huge 4-jaw chuck...about 21inches in diameter on it, with very worn jaws, unless something is 6inches in diameter or better, I can't get it centered in the chuck. Thinking about buying a import 10 or 12 inch chuck and just centering it in the big 4-jaw.

 

I haven't even gotten into re-bushing it yet. You can buy kits to do it, but they're about $150+ per set...one set per pivot joint.

http://www.collins-services.com/catalog.html (Scroll down a little)

I think I'll make my own. I have a lathe too.

 

Yeah, just way to much money for me...I mean if I was using it to make money with, then I'd go that route just tio get it done quickly. The worst ones I have are the swing arms...they're my main concern too, next are the hoe's bucket ones, everything else I can live with for the rest of the summer.

 

Just about every one on ours is sloppy. Makes it a little...challenging...to put it right where you want it. A local equipment mechanic was telling me last week about one he rebuilt for a guy after he slammed it into the eaves of a customer's house while working up close to it. It just didn't stop swinging when he wanted it too. He said the damage to the guy's house was a bit costly!

But even old and sloppy, you gotta admit it's one useful piece of equipment. Does yours have a 4-way bucket on the loader?

 

Yeah, that's the main reason I have to do the swing arms on mine...when I stop and the bucket is extended, seems it goes another 2 feet....probably not that far, but definitely not predictable...I don't feel like buying the neighbors a new fence.

No, I don't have a 4-in-1 bucket, really wish I did.

I'd been BH shopping for like ever it seems, came across this one and sorta just said WTF, buy it, have it, and move on.

About 3 weeks ago, there was Ford Deisel, 4 in 1 bucket, 4 x4 mid-80's vintage with 1200 hours on it in the local paper for less than what I'll have into mine. What the heck.

Oh, to add some spice on top of the Ford, it had an extendable hoe too.

Well, back to the shop, in the process of building up a X-member and mount for my Dad's Motorhome, to hold his leveling jacks.

Least it's fun work, plasma cutting and welding. Grunt-grunt, I get to weld 1/4 material...no tedious sheetmetal tacking today!!!

Now if my dad would quit coming up with projects for me to do for him, I might get some of my own stuff done. He was a hell of a metal worker in his day, but now he has a pacemaker and can't weld or be within 6-8 feet of the plasma cutter when it's turned on.

Some times when he get's a little to pushy, I just whip out my pocket magnet and wave it in front of his chest...sorta puts him to sleep for awhile

 

I just stopped doing all my dad's projects. At 73 he's still capable of doing them himself, he just doesn't want to. Now he's learned to be a little more self-reliant. Good thing, because with all the projects I have lined up, both mine and other's, I don't really have time to take on any more. His stuff is mostly home improvement/repair/remodeling anyway. And landscaping. I don't wanna touch that, any living plant life I even go near seems to be doomed! I have a brown thumb...(or maybe it's black with grease!)

You'd love a 4-in-one. Makes the old hoe so much more versatile. I use it to pick up logs, steel beams, etc. Sometimes it's easier to grab something with the clam than to get right up to and under it with the forklift. I've used it to grab whole trees and yank them out of the ground, and it's great for clearing brush. And of course, road work is really easy with it.

Sounds like the Ford would've been a good one. I'm not as familiar with them as I am with the Case but if it's a ford product, it must be good!

Well, gotta get back to work on the Ranger. It's not gonna put itself together!

 

I'm done for the day, gonna go out and get our firework and then fire up the BBQ.

You find yourself working harder on days off than when someone is paying you as well?

I somethime get that way with pops, but dang, he did so much for me as a kid, I used to break rearends, blow trannies and such during the week, and never recall not making a Friday or Saturday night cruise up town.

Mine will be 70 at the end of the month, problem is he can't do much these days phsically...he still has great vision...problem is I seem to be the conduit to make it happen.

I still learn from him though, so it's not all a pain. He did finally back off today on my X-member build for him and just said "fine, do it your way", and ambled off.

 

Guys I just have to say this.

I used to be my fathers handy man and fishing partner. I used to wine about doing all those odds and ends, until he passed about 3.5 years ago. Boy how I wish I could her his voice on the phone asking for my help, I would drop everything for that call.

Enjoy them while they are still around, I did..

Jon

 

Hey Jon, I know exactly what you mean. My Dad had been on the edge several times the past two years...it's an emotional rollercoater.

You ought see us some time, ever watch American Chopper? And how the dad and kid go at it? We do the same thing on occaision...well, at least he des, I don't fire back like the kid does, but I know I'll miss it when it's gone.

Damned facts of life, huh?

Too bad Rod Sterling and his Twilight Zone shows weren't the real deal, or I'd be dragging pops out to play Kick the Can tonight