So many of you know of our adventures here in Alaska with our 1966 Avion C-10 and our trusty 2002 F350.
Friday we depart to pick up from Western Washington a 1976 F100 with a canopy and deliver it to our son and daughter-in-law in Twenty-nine Palms, CA.
This 41 year-old truck was recently inspected by an old Navy buddy of mine to see if it would be a solid pickup for my 21 yo tank-mechanic in the Marine-Corps. Back track to this past fall when his wife got a good job working for the news paper as a reporter, but now with a reporter and a tank mechanic with hours the exceed most logic, a single car was going to prove challenging at best. So he called me and asked if I would start looking for truck that was old enough that he could repair and maintain, one that got relatively decent mileage, has A/C and all that for around $3000.
So as I searched CL up and down the west coast from Seattle to San Diego, I found there was a large diversity in prices. In the desert country east of LA/SD there was a nice 1976 F100 302 V-8 three-speed with no A/C but fresh paint and 20" rims and rubber-band tires for $12,700. We found this one family owned truck with the son of the original owner had been garaged all its life, 302 V-8, 3 on the tree, with PS and A/C. The truck was very clean and was original down to the original hub-caps and beauty rings. The Carb was messed up, and barely running and had a few other drive-ability issues, so we settled on $2,200 and he would deliver to my buddy's house.
This is what it looked like when it arrived.
Absolutely no-rust. Have had to machine the fly-wheel and replace the clutch and pressure plate, replace the starter and battery and fix the wiring the son of the Original Owner messed up. Rebuilt the Carb, tuned up the truck, installed a canopy (I know its not a TC, but it's only an F100! ๐ ) Chased down several electrical gremlins and got all the lights, heater twin tanks etc all working. Planning on a set of tires when we arrive in Washington Saturday.
So hopefully my Navy buddy has found all the gremlins and the trip will be just great, but figured I'd post with our TC family from RV.Net to see who may be along the way...
Headed Sunday from the Olympic Peninsula to Ellensburg then down through Yakima to Grandview to stay with friends. Then Monday head across the river through Hermiston, OR, across the Blue's on 84 to Nampa for lunch with old friends then on to Twin Falls for the night. From Twin we head south through Jackpot into Nevada and all the way down to Las Vegas. Get a room and then up on Wednesday to the final leg over to Twenty Nine Palms, CA.
Hopefully all will go nice and smooth, but if you happen to live on the route, and see a grey haired old guy in a tan Ford with a black canopy broke down, you'll know it's probably me...
Thanks again!
Garry (normally in Kodiak, Alaska)
Friday we depart to pick up from Western Washington a 1976 F100 with a canopy and deliver it to our son and daughter-in-law in Twenty-nine Palms, CA.
This 41 year-old truck was recently inspected by an old Navy buddy of mine to see if it would be a solid pickup for my 21 yo tank-mechanic in the Marine-Corps. Back track to this past fall when his wife got a good job working for the news paper as a reporter, but now with a reporter and a tank mechanic with hours the exceed most logic, a single car was going to prove challenging at best. So he called me and asked if I would start looking for truck that was old enough that he could repair and maintain, one that got relatively decent mileage, has A/C and all that for around $3000.
So as I searched CL up and down the west coast from Seattle to San Diego, I found there was a large diversity in prices. In the desert country east of LA/SD there was a nice 1976 F100 302 V-8 three-speed with no A/C but fresh paint and 20" rims and rubber-band tires for $12,700. We found this one family owned truck with the son of the original owner had been garaged all its life, 302 V-8, 3 on the tree, with PS and A/C. The truck was very clean and was original down to the original hub-caps and beauty rings. The Carb was messed up, and barely running and had a few other drive-ability issues, so we settled on $2,200 and he would deliver to my buddy's house.
This is what it looked like when it arrived.
Absolutely no-rust. Have had to machine the fly-wheel and replace the clutch and pressure plate, replace the starter and battery and fix the wiring the son of the Original Owner messed up. Rebuilt the Carb, tuned up the truck, installed a canopy (I know its not a TC, but it's only an F100! ๐ ) Chased down several electrical gremlins and got all the lights, heater twin tanks etc all working. Planning on a set of tires when we arrive in Washington Saturday.
So hopefully my Navy buddy has found all the gremlins and the trip will be just great, but figured I'd post with our TC family from RV.Net to see who may be along the way...
Headed Sunday from the Olympic Peninsula to Ellensburg then down through Yakima to Grandview to stay with friends. Then Monday head across the river through Hermiston, OR, across the Blue's on 84 to Nampa for lunch with old friends then on to Twin Falls for the night. From Twin we head south through Jackpot into Nevada and all the way down to Las Vegas. Get a room and then up on Wednesday to the final leg over to Twenty Nine Palms, CA.
Hopefully all will go nice and smooth, but if you happen to live on the route, and see a grey haired old guy in a tan Ford with a black canopy broke down, you'll know it's probably me...
Thanks again!
Garry (normally in Kodiak, Alaska)
Have a nice trip.
Good chance to establish fuelly record.
I did own few 1960-70's vehicles and even cars had mpg in single-digit.
Good chance to establish fuelly record.
I did own few 1960-70's vehicles and even cars had mpg in single-digit.
