Ole JIM Here {WE} my Son & I operate a Heavy Duty Towing & Recovery Business We specilize in HD & pick Up Trucks I Am Semi Retired? still Tinkering! I own a 96 F-350 w/ a 7.3 Power Stroke Its a BEAST! I being older I shy Away from all this New Computerized Vehicles--as their a Pain in the BUTT but I Do better than Most? on the Older Vehicles-- I have a Reputation of Doing It RIGHT the First TIME & I have allways Painted what I Re-Pair--as I have had Customers Complain! Your Too FUSSY! well it I Do It! its going to Be My WAY or Not at ALL I really Enjoy my Semi retirement as what ever I DO? Don*t have to Be DONE by 5 PM--I have Owner Operators BIG RIGS that I Tinker ON w/ over a Million Miles on E*M & Still Going! so I must be Doing something? RIGHT! I DONO? to ME! All Vehicles are Like People YOU Take Good Care of Them & they will Take Good Care of YOU! & YES! I*M a FORD LOVER!--I have had FORDS since the Early 50s I stil have a 32 Ford Hot Rod pick Up I built back in High School--Chopped the LIMIT & Channeled w/a Zed Frame & a 3-1/2 Inch Dropped Front AXLE--I Also have a couple of BIG HD antique Wreckers My Grand Kids refer to Them as Grampys Sports Cars!--One a 71 Kenworth w/ a 750 Holmes Deluxe Wrecker Body & the BEAST--a 79 Ford 9000 a*Freind & I built yrs Ago--out of Scrap Construction Equipment--I Gotts Tell YA! Last Spring a Logger Semi Truck Got Stuck it was Loaded & Stuck in the Ditch--w/ in 6 inches of the Trailers Floor several New Hydralic HD Wreckers Tried! & Failed to Move IT One was a $350,000 Dollar Unit--& State Trooper Contacted US! can YOU? Get this Back on the Highway? I Dono? but I*LL TRY? I went & looked Over the Situation--WOW! Hes Really STUCK--I Hooked UP & the BEAST Hauled it OUT--it was a Streight PULL but It Weighed over 60 Tons--as the BEATS PUlled --SOD & Dirt went UP over the Front End up to the Windsheild--as the Customer Told ME to Keep Pulling--People at the Scene--Comments--WE Don*t Beleive IT?--Who Built That?--a couple of Ole Men that just used a lot of Ole Construction SCRAP--& Yrs of Experance of Tinkerin On Big Rigs--a Note--It Took 7 Wheeler Truck loads of Gravel & a Bull Dozer several Hours to Fill Up the Hole the Loaded Log Truck Made! & the Onwer of that New very Exspensive Big Hydralic Wrecker was Very Discouragred! as His Wouldn*t Even Budge IT --So Now YOU all know What I DO!--GOD BLESS Every Body!! --Ole JIM--

 

Welcome to the site Jim! Old timers, young folks, as well as us middle aged folks are all welcome. The only requirement is an appreciation for fords. Of course experience in other fields is GREATLY APPRECIATED! I work on big rigs myself. You will find plenty of things to learn, as well as plenty of places to help out folks too.

By the way, that's a great story. I know you give credit to your truck, and I'm sure it deserves some, but I would bet that years of experience had something to do with it too. Great Job!

John

 

John Thanks for the Compliment--{Ole Guys!} YES! I have been Playing w/ Wreckers since I was just a BOY & I have made Many Mistakes--& I must Admit now that My Freind that Built It w/ ME is Now Gone I teared Up a Bit as He never spent a Day in any School & He couldn*t even Read!--when Our BEAST started It Moving! He was w/`Me that Day I was in Heavy Duty Construction Equipment Salvage yard looking for Used Parts for a Customer--He knew I was giving Thought to Building a Big Wrecker & He noticed a Ole Excavators BOOM laying on the Ground--HEY JIM--BOY that would make a Great Boom for a Big Wrecker & He Added! I*D Like to SEE! any thing Bend That! YOU have Big Wenches? YES! I have Several--Why? JIM lets Build a Big Wrecker! You all ready Have that Big 79 Ford 9000 w/a long wheel base--Lets Build One MORE! & We DID! & the BEAST was Born--the Big Fords Powered by a 460 HP Detroit Diesel w/a 13 speed & 44,000 Rears--WE installed the BOOM & a 30,000 Lb wench --& a 60,000 Lb Drag Winch w/ a 5 speed Tranny--geared to 60 to ONE! He was the Design Nam I was the Fabracator--It took US all One Winter-- & He often Looked It Over! & He Named it--JIM We have Built a Real BEAST!--Thus! Its NAME-- He was One very SMART Man--When I Hooked On & started the BEAST Pulling! & as I hear It Creaking? & Growning? & It Started Moving!--I could Hear in My Mind--She will Pull it OUT or Appart?--& He*d Chuckel?--Now!!*thats a BEAST of a WRECKER!-- & thats when I Got Teary Eyed!--as He & I worked together for over 50 Yrs!--& NO One paid any Attention while We were Building It--but they All Do NOW!!--as Its a Tribute to a Man w/ No Education that In My Opinion Was Smarter than any One I know! as I stated HE Designed It--I just Put it All together!--w/ Him Handing Me Stuff? & telling ME I did Great Work?--Two Ole Guys Tinkering!-- w/a Bunch of SCRAP!--& I Miss Him a Lot--Ole JIM--

 

Most of the stuff I've learned came from older folks. I really enjoy talking to people that have had different experiences than me. It gives me an opportunity to learn from them. Experience beats education any day! That sounds like a Beast of a wrecker. If you get a chance to post a picture, I'd like to see it. I will confess I'm computer illiterate and I don't know how to post a picture, but others do.

As for the work I do, my brother owns the axle surgeon rights for ky and I work with him. You've probably seen some of their work over the years. Welcome again to FTE, John