So what did you do with your truck today?

[FrozenMerc]

I found the limit of my truck the past few days.

The Back Story:

We rented a trailer last week to go get a 1960 Ford C-700 that I had stored on a farm in far Northwest Minnesota, before I moved to Springfield a number of years ago. The farm owner asked me to come pick it up a few months ago as he has been trying to clean the farm up. Since my sister's wedding reception was this past Saturday in St. Paul, the wife and I decided to take a few days off work and make a road trip out of the deal. I initially rented a simple 24' deck-over bumper pull, but the previous renter of that trailer decided not to return it to Sancrest Trailer (great bunch of guys by the way), and they gave me a 30' gooseneck flatbed instead, rated at 20,000 lbs. Way more trailer than I thought I needed, but it was my only option.

The 1000 mile trip up to Warren, MN from Springfield, MO, via St. Paul went really well. The truck pulled great. It would hold 70-75 mph on the interstate with no problem, pulled down between 11 and 12 mpg, and kept the temps in check, even on Friday which was in the mid 90's, with the AC cranked. All the mods I have done recently (3.73 rear gears, ZF 5spd, CDD pump) really worked well together.

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We got up to Warren on Monday morning after stopping to visit friends in Brainerd and Grand Forks. Loaded the old heap on the trailer, and took off, heading South into a stiff 30 mph headwind.

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Those of you that are familiar with the Red River Valley in Northern Minnesota and Eastern North Dakota, understand the wind and just how relentless it can be in that flat, treeless plain. The truck held it's own, but it was not a fun start to the trip. Heading into the wind was a 4th gear, flat on the floor and hope for 60 mph affair. Turning East and heading down US 2 wasn't much better until we crawled out of the valley and got back into the North Woods. We made the 250 mile journey back to my parents place in Aitkin, MN in a bit over 5 hrs (2 stops, lunch and fuel). That load maxed out everything about my F350, engine, brakes, transmission, you name it. I did not feel comfortable driving another 750 miles, through 2.5 major metropolitan areas (MSP, KC, and Des Moines), so I decided to leave the C-700 at my parents, and drove back to Springfield with the empty trailer. I will most likely hire someone to go get it and bring it back at a later date. Anyone know of a good vehicle transporter?

All in all, a good road trip, and it taught me alot about the truck, what are it's weak points and areas that still need work.

 

[rreegg]

Been couple days of handling general maintenance, oil change and coolant flush so now running proper sca Napa coolant, new rad hoses. About to overhaul rear brakes too.

Napa is having a large sale on filters and coolant until end of month in case anyone needs things - lucky me I bought all the parts a day or so before they went on sale

 

[Old Goat]

Well this is not what I did to my truck today,
Last Fri 9/20 we left for Colorado Springs in the 86,
Wanted to get out of here early, but early turned out
to be 11:20am. Fueled up in Carson, $3.44 a gallon.
Got on I-80 east at Fernley 30+ miles east of Reno.
Drove across Nevada and fueled up in Wendover, Nv.
A border town, Nevada side lights, Casino`s etc...Utah
side dark and dead.

Drove on across the Salt Flats and stopped in Tooele, Ut.
@3:15am to crash in the truck for a while.
6:45 back on the road.
Made it across Utah, Into Wyoming, and stopped in Green
River, and crashed for an hour or so.
5:40PM in Cheyenne, crashed for a while and 8:40 back on
the road.
Take 25 south to Denver and finally Colorado Springs in the
early morning hours hoping they would have a room, but
none available. Got here a day early, have reservations for
the week. Had to wait till after 11am, and crashed at a truck
stop for a few hours.
Been a fun filled week with a lot of tours etc... at the Ships
Reunion. It`s over today, but going to see Dragon Man`s
tomorrow before we leave.

Welcome | Dragonmans

Museum Tours, Firearms, Motocross, Paintball, and so much more.

dragonmans.com

First fuel stop got 18.93
next one got 16.96 mpg
Thought I should have got better, turned it down one more
flat, think it is 5 flats now, and she doesn`t smoke.
Wondering if I retard the pump a scosh would help. it`s at
10deg. Bu will d ick with it when we get home.


Goat

 

[Rdnck84_03]

lucky me I bought all the parts a day or so before they went on sale

That is definitely my kind of luck!

James

 

[Clb]

Paying the rent on time, 60 k and 31 years of inactivity.
Pic #2
Something like 44k I checked the Schrader valve.
Today I screwed the dry cap off.
And was greeted by this..
Pic 3
Seems like the " clock the i.p. to tdc"
And pull out the top stud for ease of removal, was lost in Mel's tech 101.

 

[12pilgrim]

Well this is not what I did to my truck today,
Last Fri 9/20 we left for Colorado Springs in the 86,
Wanted to get out of here early, but early turned out
to be 11:20am. Fueled up in Carson, $3.44 a gallon.
Got on I-80 east at Fernley 30+ miles east of Reno.
Drove across Nevada and fueled up in Wendover, Nv.
A border town, Nevada side lights, Casino`s etc...Utah
side dark and dead.

Drove on across the Salt Flats and stopped in Tooele, Ut.
@3:15am to crash in the truck for a while.
6:45 back on the road.
Made it across Utah, Into Wyoming, and stopped in Green
River, and crashed for an hour or so.
5:40PM in Cheyenne, crashed for a while and 8:40 back on
the road.
Take 25 south to Denver and finally Colorado Springs in the
early morning hours hoping they would have a room, but
none available. Got here a day early, have reservations for
the week. Had to wait till after 11am, and crashed at a truck
stop for a few hours.
Been a fun filled week with a lot of tours etc... at the Ships
Reunion. It`s over today, but going to see Dragon Man`s
tomorrow before we leave.

Welcome | Dragonmans

Museum Tours, Firearms, Motocross, Paintball, and so much more.

dragonmans.com

First fuel stop got 18.93
next one got 16.96 mpg
Thought I should have got better, turned it down one more
flat, think it is 5 flats now, and she doesn`t smoke.
Wondering if I retard the pump a scosh would help. it`s at
10deg. Bu will d ick with it when we get home.


Goat

Dragonmans museum is something I'd love to see..

 

[Clb]

Yea History of the shop not withstanding

 

[KansasIDI]

@Old Goat

I was in Wyoming last weekend as well. From your trip timeline I would have just got into Laramie as you would have gone through it.

Funny how small the world is.

 

[Old Goat]

Would have been great to have met you.
Wonder how many forum members we pass ea day
through our travels.


Thinking after we see Dragon Man, take 25 south and
catch Hwy 40 west through NM and Arizona, and through
Las Vegas, and get to 95 up through Nevada to home.
Gotta be careful on 95, goes through all these little wide
spots/town with a Cop ready to write ya up.


Goat

 

[chillman88]

Long story short, I had a coworker hook me up with a car his mother in law was getting rid of. I picked it up last week and today I took it to the carwash.

I may not get much love with a GM in here but holy cow this thing is CLEAN

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1987 Caprice Classic. 74k miles one owner and NO ROT just some mild surface rust. Poured some gas in the carb and it fired up after sitting for 19 YEARS! Needs brake lines and tires!!!

Short story longer...

She had two cars she needed gone. Her husband's Dodge and her Dad's car. Picked up the Dodge last Friday and hauled it to scrap Saturday. They paid $300 for that thing

You must be registered for see images attach

I have to get a replacement title from Wisconsin, and then deal with getting it transferred in NY but if that all works out I'll be a very happy camper!

 

[IDIBRONCO]

holy cow this thing is CLEAN

It sure looks like it.

1987 Caprice Classic. 74k miles one owner and NO ROT just some mild surface rust. Poured some gas in the carb and it fired up after sitting for 19 YEARS!

I think they changed the body styles not too long after 1987. It's amazing how it fired up.

Needs brake lines and tires!!!

That's to be expected.

Picked up the Dodge last Friday and hauled it to scrap Saturday. They paid $300 for that thing

Congratulations. That's more than I'd pay for it.

 

[chillman88]

I think they changed the body styles not too long after 1987

They changed in 91. I had a 90 while I was in high school and it was the same style. 91 started the "bubble" years. Unfortunately this year has the computer controlled carb. My 90 had EFI. Not that it's a problem, but that old GM TBI was pretty solid.

Congratulations. That's more than I'd pay for it.

You're not kidding, especially since it was extremely rotten and quite possibly the engine locked up.

I was expecting them to give about $170. She was extremely happy (I wasn't going to keep the money especially since I'm getting the car). I did pull the converter off and I'll scrap that at some point.

This car would even be considered clean in your area. I'm pretty surprised, it must have been garage kept the whole time the old man had it. Definitely looks like it's never seen salt and I intend to keep it that way.

A friend of mine was drooling over it today so I decided to rub it in. I hooked the battery up and fired it up. It idles a little high but runs like a brand new car, smooth and pretty quiet too.

It had lots of condensation in the oil pan I had to clean out but the only thing I've done to the fuel system is spray some carb cleaner on/in the carb and put 4gal of premium gas with sta-bil and some fuel cleaner additive. I'm assuming right now that it has a couple cracked vacuum lines causing the high idle. It's not really high but sounds like it's maybe 1500rpm or so.

 

[divemaster5734]

Would have been great to have met you.
Wonder how many forum members we pass ea day
through our travels.


Thinking after we see Dragon Man, take 25 south and
catch Hwy 40 west through NM and Arizona, and through
Las Vegas, and get to 95 up through Nevada to home.
Gotta be careful on 95, goes through all these little wide
spots/town with a Cop ready to write ya up.


Goat

Lived in N. Idaho and 95 was only N/S route. Spent a summer "working vacation" at the Coeur 'd Alene tribal HQ. Wired up a shopping center, new HQ, and Fish and Game office. My wholesaler dropped off my parts on the side of 95, behind a mile marker whenever they had runs from Boise.
Bought a cabover camper. Evening and weekends were some of the best fishing I've ever had on tribal access only to the lake.
Mostly just the GF and me, then hired day labor to help with large wire pulls.
The GF didn't just rope, she baited her own hooks, cleaned her catches, and field dressed her own buck.
Probably one of the best summers ever.
Once your out of town some of those farmers will pull a combine dead in front of you without even looking, then do 5 mph for a mile or two. Those things are around 20' wide, can't go around on the two lane 95.
That was the worst part of working on the res. That and the dang tourists.

 

[KansasIDI]

I welded a receiver hitch to my service truck today.

Gotta get me some Grade 8 or Class 10.9 bolts tomorrow… been a long time comin. To hell with screw on trailer balls, this is the superior system. Receiver hitch FTW.

And now I can pull a pintle hitch trailer. Which is good, because I am hoping to get one bought before the end of the year. Lookin for a dually pintle hitch trailer with electrically actuated brakes. Hell depending on what I come across I might even try to get more than one of them.

 

[Cant Write]

1987 Caprice Classic. 74k miles one owner and NO ROT just some mild surface rust. Poured some gas in the carb and it fired up after sitting for 19 YEARS! Needs brake lines and tires!!!

I’ll give some GM love. I drove that exact car (‘87) in high school and college. (6 years). Albeit pea soup green with tan vinyl. Purchased for $300

305 with the electronically controlled 2-barrel carb, 200r4. Not a rip in the seat. Cruise, freezing AC, routinely returned 19-21 mpg. Manual locks/windows. Factory in every way except the tinted windows.

Could fit 6 comfortably, 3-cases of beer on ice, beach chairs, fishing gear and food for a camp out.

I miss that car often!! Nice find, it will make a great driver!!

I grew up in a 5.7 DX block IDI wagon. Burgundy with burgundy interior. Dad said the best he ever got was 41 mpg. Mom’s memory of the car, “it’d go forever on a tank of fuel” she loved it too. It was her daily.