When I sold my 60 F100 back in the summer of 2015, I didn't realize the hole it would leave in my heart. I've owned and sold a bunch of old cars and trucks in my life, some with some serious sentimental value. However, the only vehicle I've seriously regretted selling was that truck. It wasn't anything special, just a stock long bed, a little worn out, but fun as well. From the moment it was strapped down on the trailer, I knew I'd make a mistake... Since then, I've had it in the back of mind that I'd own another. I've kept an eye out, but time, money, and space usually conspired against me. This year, I got really serious about owning another, and started chasing down leads, and looking at options. My gal and I even did a 16 hour road trip to look at one that was not at all as described. So when I saw these pictures on a Kijiji ad, I tried not to get too excited... I started communicating back and forth with the seller, and over the span of 6 weeks, I got enough pictures and information to be comfortable with making him an offer. At this point, we were 1,686 km (1,047 miles), and almost four provinces apart. I left last Thursday at 4pm, and headed East. A few hours in a 'fancy' hotel in Quebec, and I was ready to keep on trucking... I always forget how vast the province of Quebec is, and there's a lot of rugged beauty to be seen. I was thankful for catching a window between snow fronts, and had clear and bare roads for my trip out. By Friday at 4:30 I was at his house. After a careful check over the truck, and a test drive, I was loaded up and strapped down for the trip home. By 5:30, I was back on the road, but not before checking out his vintage Dodge Travco, and a Model T touring that I found down the street... I covered another 480 km (298 miles) that evening, driving on pitch black roads through moose country, before an empty gas tank and exhaustion dictated that I call it quits for the night. With the truck in the hotel lot, I was ready for some sleep...
Nerves of steel driving and towing in that weather. I really like the front seat design. The old motorhome looks to be in good shape too.
After a good nights sleep, I was ready to get back on the road. However, my daily driver and I weren't on the same page... The hotel parking lot was sloped both forward, and to the left. I'd parked along the hill, with my tires turned in, so that if she rolled, she'd roll into the hill and not away. That morning, I fired up the truck, but she immediately shut off on me. Fired up again, and immediately shut off. "Low Oil" flashed on the display. After getting out and having a look under the truck, I confirmed there were no oil spots or drips. Knowing that I'd had an oil change just before I left, I figured I'd try one more time. This time, the starter turned over, but the engine didn't catch at all... Great. Deciding to use gravity to my advantage, I put it in neutral and released the brakes. It was a little fun navigating the parked cars as I rolled down the hill with no power steering, no power brakes, and a fully loaded trailer, but I got myself onto flat ground. Turns out, being parked on the hill, the oil was all in the front of my pan, away from the oil sensor. The (minimal) gas in my tank was all in the front as well, away from the line pickup. Thankfully level ground put everything back where it should have been, and after letting the engine warm, I was back on my way! Saturday turned out to be a beautiful drive through Quebec, with blue skies, sunshine, and most importantly, bare roads! As I hit the Ontario boarder, and dusk started to descend, the rain started. The final 6 (ish) hours of my drive were in pouring rain at the freezing point... fun! However, after 3,492.5 km (2,170 miles) roundtrip, and 35 hours and 26 minutes behind the wheel, I was home. I left the truck on the trailer, and crashed out for the night. Sunday morning was like Christmas, as I got to unload the truck and take her for a shakedown. Warm weather and no rain certainly helped my enthusiasm. I've tracked down a previous owner, who verified that the truck was brought out east after living most of its life in Alberta. Also, in a twist that confirms this truck was meant to be, I'm distantly related to the owner who brought it out east (the owner before the owner I bought it from). Now that it's home, first up will be a wheel and tire swap, along with adjustments to the brakes and carburetor. Once I get it dialled in, I'll have some fun before tackling any bigger projects next summer. Stay tuned!
Thanks Frank. The 34 has been on the back burner for a few years now. I've been working on my 29 phaeton with an Olds 303. Hope to have that on the road by next fall. No build thread for that yet, I'll post one when I get a little further along.
My nerves were a little frayed by the end! The motorhome was in great shape. Still had the original kitchen in it, but I forgot to get a picture
That's what I call commitment and worth the trip. What a nice truck, 4WD and a big back window, red and white certainly suit it. A worthy substitute for the old girl you sold! Definitely a keeper and in good hands.
Beautiful truck, congrats! My first car (well, truck) was a '57 big back window short box I drove in high school. A little later in life I owned a '60 F-250 4x4 ex fire (brush) truck. Man, that thing was a beast!
I had to endure this a couple of weeks ago... Blizzard Bruce it was called. I am glad that you made it back safely. Nice truck! Definitely a awesome adventure. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Awesome, SC! Truth is, I'm not a big fan of that era Ford truck. But this one... Really...REALLY nice truck. Happy for you. Looks like Canada's mascot.
Wow what a beauty!! I have a truck fetish. And yours gave me big warm spot. Original FWD to boot. Great buy. Good for you.
Now this what I miss sometimes on the HAMB. A good road trip story! Thankyou for sharing your travels with us and enjoy your ride. I too have sold a car to realise the mistake shortly afterwards but at the time some other family project reigns supreme. Sent from my SM-J600G using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Nice truck and a great story. Man, that was a Bear of a road trip. Payback for selling off the other truck. Well worth it though.
The factory 4x4 and big back window were the things that really sold me. I'm pretty pleased! No, but I have to sing the anthem before she'll start... In a perfect world, this would be a short box, but beggars can't be choosers. I imagine that F250 4x4 would have been quite the brute. Cool truck I bet though, with the fire history. Will do! I'm really glad that I slipped between weather windows. On the Tuesday before I left, the weather was saying that two storm fronts were moving up the east coast and would drop 15-20cm on Wednesday and Thursday. I was a little concerned when I left Thursday afternoon, but the truck gods were smiling on me! Glad I wasn't towing a trailer home in that mess! haha thanks! I find these truck styles are love em or hate em. Something about them just jives with me. I wish I had time to stop and take more pictures, but I was keeping myself on a pretty tight schedule. And no way was I taking my hand and eyes off the road to snap pictures while towing a trailer! I plan to put some miles on this thing, so there'll be lots more pictures and road trip stories in the future. It's true! Not sure. I just know it was out there before being brought to Nova Scotia. Then from Nova Scotia to New Brunswick, then I bought it and brought it back to Ontario. I was hurting a bit on Sunday after getting home. But I agree, well worth it.
So the truck is registered and plated in my name. New black and white plates on it. Was supposed to have it appraised for insurance and safetied today, but she started to fight me last night. I'd been having issues with a weak battery, so last night I replaced it, along with the positive cable which was corroded and rusted. The new battery I bought last night was dead, so I lost an hour giving it a good charge. Once warmed up, I figured I'd head down the street to gas up before this morning. At the gas station, I found out there's a nice new pinhole leak in the top tank of the radiator. Coolant pissing out all over the radiator and front of the truck. No good. (You can see it spraying across the ziptie) So no appraisal and safety today, as I didn't want to drive it the 40km as is. I'll yank the radiator tonight, hopefully get it patched up later this week, and take another shot at getting it appraised and safetied next week.
We always have to work out the bugs... Nothing is ever perfect. Especially if I buy it!!! LOL Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
20 minutes in the freezing rain and the radiator is out. Thankfully it's pretty easy in these old trucks... four bolts and two hose clamps. You can see in the second picture where it was previously 'repaired'. Hopefully the rad shop can get it patched up this week.
Looks like it's been fixed before. Grab a torch, some acid core solder, and a wire brush and get with it man. You can do this.... Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Yep. Parts are already on the way. I knew there'd be some stuff to fix, just didn't plan on the radiator being one of them.
The Jalopy Journal
