Formally Introducing... Red Fred the Rusty ol Flatbed

nitroguy

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Thanks for bringing it back up. Fred has been an awesome truck! To the point that I've sold all my other vehicles, Daily Driven Fred for a year, and now bought another IDI (Smokey Pete) to let Fred live out his days as a farm truck.

The journey has been a good one.

After I left off, the 38gal tank did indeed solve all my fueling issues. But then I went in for an alignment after seeing crazy uneven tire wear, and they declined to do it because my front end was too sloppy. After getting a quote of almost $2k for ball joints and tie rod ends ( :eek::eek::eek::eek: ) I bought the parts and did it myself (and found a new shop).

But because I'm a glutton for punishment, "ball joints" turned into ball joints, tie rod ends, shocks, brakes, new brake fluid, new transmission fluid, new TRANSMISSION (found a used one that came out of a wrecked truck, and my old one would pop out of first and third on deceleration), new clutch, new seat, wheel bearings, new heater core and I think a few other things I'm missing. Talk about scope creep. But I learned a ton about my truck. It was also soooo nice to have my shop to work in! Hooray for barrel stoves.

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From there he got put to work. When I wasn't commuting with Fred, he got loaded up.

Lots of loads of firewood.

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Some dirt bike excursions when things would slow down a bit.

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And dump runs every other Thursday (but no, I didn't throw the seat. Found a buyer for $50)

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After all that work, a bath was needed. A cleaner wax, a finish wax, and some new tires and he cleaned up waaaaay better than I expected.

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Although, I should say, it's a 10ft truck. Looks great from 10ft, but closer and you definitely see the defects.

Next up on the list is:
-mount up a used plow I picked up and all hoses and hydraulics
-new vacuum pump, my brakes are SKEEEETCHY. So firm they're scary.
-new steering box. Steering is all over the road.

All in all, I'm loving it!!!!
 

u2slow

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But then I went in for an alignment after seeing crazy uneven tire wear, and they declined to do it because my front end was too sloppy. After getting a quote of almost $2k for ball joints and tie rod ends ( :eek::eek::eek::eek: ) I bought the parts and did it myself (and found a new shop).

From there he got put to work. When I wasn't commuting with Fred, he got loaded up.

Lots of loads of firewood.

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$2k to rebuild TTB is quite standard, sadly. Most shops use similar book-time software, and they quote with premium parts because the margin is fatter when the % is applied. DIY is the way to go - beat the system.

I love the looks of a truck with a good load of firewood onboard :Thumbs Up
 

nitroguy

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I'll bet that you don't have a lack of riding areas either.

Oh yeah!!! Here's the last ride I did of the year. Pretty unbelievable stuff.

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Purdy after the wax job!

Thanks! Cleaned up way better than I expected.
 

nitroguy

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$2k to rebuild TTB is quite standard, sadly. Most shops use similar book-time software, and they quote with premium parts because the margin is fatter when the % is applied. DIY is the way to go - beat the system.

I love the looks of a truck with a good load of firewood onboard :Thumbs Up

Wow, I had no idea that was average. Yikes! Makes me glad I dove into it and figured out how to do it myself for a few hundred bucks!
 

Stu Bailey

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Fred is looking clean after that wax! Even the tires got a nice shine on them with the country back drop.
 

nitroguy

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Parts on the way...
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That’s a sharp bull, same color as mine!
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Niiiiice! Snazzy bull you got there too! Yours is definitely straighter and cleaner than mine!!

Seeing that pump headed my way....I might have to change course. I'm building a 91 for a customer, and the pump WAS going into his. But man that looks nice. Might have to pick up a second and stuff that one in my truck. Maybe even Smokey Pete. Man, decisions decisions.

Too many trucks....
 

IDIBRONCO

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Oh yeah!!! Here's the last ride I did of the year. Pretty unbelievable stuff.
It looks like a GREAT time! Maybe I'll actually take mine out to Colorado this summer. It's harder to ride with ATVs, but I also don't like to "ride like you're racing" either.
Too many trucks....
Nope. Not true. Only not enough time.:Thumbs Up
 

Thewespaul

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Niiiiice! Snazzy bull you got there too! Yours is definitely straighter and cleaner than mine!!

Seeing that pump headed my way....I might have to change course. I'm building a 91 for a customer, and the pump WAS going into his. But man that looks nice. Might have to pick up a second and stuff that one in my truck. Maybe even Smokey Pete. Man, decisions decisions.

Too many trucks....
Yours runs so it’s wayyy cooler haha
 
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