Two new arrivals at Paul’s Home for Vintage Pickups this week. Not really a home since they’ll both be snapped up once Paul has given them a little love. He makes sure they run and are safe to drive but not much more (well, new tires of course). The Brown Bomber is a 1972 Ford F-150 and The Yellow Peril is a 1970 Ford F-250.
My friend Paul recently took his beloved Bronco to Colorado for some off-roading and took some beautiful photos along the way.
When I see ancient vehicles like these I am certain they will never be driven again… and there is someone, somewhere, who could make that happen.
One of the “Bandelier Bandits” showed up today driving highly customized 2001GMC C-6500. A local artisan created one very big pickup truck. I think the price tag on this is $12,500. In case you’re wondering… two-wheel drive. There is nothing practical about his truck. It’s a work of art.
The Jeep has been out of service for the last week or two so today we put it on a truck and took it to Dr. Paul’s Automotive Clinic. Took a hour or two but he figured it out.
The ignition switch failed and was feeding juice into the system even when the ignition was in the OFF position. That burned up the points and condenser in the distributor; the coil; and the tachometer. Paul replaced everything and she fired right up.
“Dodge was the U.S. Army’s main supplier of 1/2-ton trucks, and its sole supplier of both 3/4-ton trucks and 1-1/2-ton six-by-six trucks in World War II. With over a quarter million units built through August 1945, the G502 3/4-tons were the most common variants in the WC series. WC was not an abbreviation of “Weapons Carrier”, but a Dodge model code – initially W for 1941, and C for half-ton rating. However, the ‘WC’ model code was retained for both the 3/4-ton and 1-1/2-ton 6×6 Dodges – as well as for the subsequent model years”.
Paul and a friend trailered his vintage Bronco to Colorado for some off-roading. While there they spotted the truck above and Paul’s buddy couldn’t come home without it. Which meant Paul had to drive the Bronco 750 miles so the Dodge could have the trailer.
Friend Paul’s latest pickup project. 1968 Dodge 200. That, friends and neighbors, is what a pickup bed is supposed to look like. Pretty sure my Jeep would ride comfortably.
And that grill. Minimalism before there was such a thing.
Looks like a previous owner added the SEAT-RT-LEFT under the speedometer. Will have to ask Paul. And this baby has not one, not two, but three fuel tanks. One behind the seat and one on each side of the bed behind a tiny vault door.
Just to the left of the seat is a handy lever for switching from one fuel tank to another. Long way between gas stations out West.
I’ve never been one for off-roading. Feels like dressing up as a cowboy. So the Land Rover and the Jeep don’t get much four-wheel drive time. Today I loaded up the new rock sled with some big ones and used the Jeep (4WD/Low Range) to drag them up a hill and over to the trail head. Paul calls the Jeep a tractor with two seats.
And a little 4WD/low-range exercise for the pickup.
“Selling over 640,000 units in 2022 in the US, the Ford F-Series range of trucks has once again become the highest-selling truck in America – 46th time in a row.” Whenever I get behind the wheel of my ’77 F-150 I’m greeted with “thumbs up” and shouts of “Want to sell that truck?”
My friend Paul recently acquired this 1970 pickup which I believe is a fifth generation F-series although the markings (see inset below) read: FORD 100. No “F”
Looks like it had a camper shell for most of its life. Check out the bed below.
I took the Jeep to Cruise Night where hundreds of (mostly) old car and truck enthusiasts gather to see and be seen. My friend Paul introduced me to Bob who finds/buys/sells old Jeeps and Jeep parts. Bob and his wife were on their way home (Colorado) from a Jeep gathering in Ohio where Bob purchased an old engine block.
As fate would have it, just the engine block I’d need if the tiny crack in my block (see image below) made the Jeep un-drivable.
So I bought it for $100 and will keep it in the Annex as Cosmic Insurance against my current engine blowing up.