Rather unique build Longhorn
 

well i got this home today it was set up to pull a large camper. It spent a lot of its life in Arkansas.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

More pics

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

And

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

some more

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

And the always wanted spid

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Looks good Jim. Hope your trip was uneventful as far as problems.

LockDoc

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Man that is one cool truck!
It's hard to tell but does that hydraulic valve raise and lower the tag axle? I am assuming that the alternator has been relocated so a hydraulic pump can be driven off the crankshaft.
I love the compass and the rest dash goodies.
Is that an 8 track mounted on the front of the seat?
The wiring looks a little sketchy to me but that can be taken care of with some elbow grease.
Congratulations! It certainly looks like you got a good deal.
6 wheel braking?

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

You stole that thing! Looks amazing. What are your plans for it?

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Nice! Looks clean.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

;) Plan is to get ruing and check it out

Trip went well and plan a 3rd more to get

yes hydraulic vale to raise and lower tag excel is run off the power steering
guessing 2nd alt is for more power for camper
8 track and cassette deck interchange
yes 6 wheel braking

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Man, if trucks could talk(!)

Even the hand fabricated rear bumper is great, obviously has some specific purposes.

That truck shows some serious love in its condition and modifications.......

If you have a 30 or 40 foot vintage airstream you are set!

I dare you, just one time, put this truck back on the road for its intended purpose and document it for us!

I know a lot of people would fall into the camp of blasphemy and butchery for opinion. That guy put some serious time and thought AND labor to make his vision happen. There are some good stories behind the miles in that truck! I’m holding my glass up here at the breakfast table to him, “ cheers buddy, I hope it was a good life, and you left something behind to smile about......

Enjoy your new rig :)

Steve weim55 Colorado

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Tell us about the OD unit, is it a worm drive setup mounted on back of the trans?
I have one on my 87 BBC Suburban, and it really works great, Makes the 4:10 into about a 3:30 ratio.
Greg

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

That is set up to haul some serious weight.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Interesting truck. If it’s from Arkansas, other Larry may have built and used that in his excavation business

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

I sure hope you leave it as was built by the original owner.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

I would be willing to bet there's a connection with the early 1970s Born Free truck campers made in Humboldt, Iowa, not far from where you bought the truck. The company was founded by John Dodgen, and the campers featured a tag axle referred to as the Dodgen tag axle. Perhaps your truck was a prototype for another idea he had.
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/f...print/true.cfm

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

About all I've got to say...is WOW!!!

I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, that rear most tire looked like you leaned up against the fender to play games with us!!!.......Not!!!

I grew up n Iowa. I have only remembered seeing those Ziebart decals when I lived in Iowa....

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

El Camino with a tag

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Very tough looking Work-Horse.

I like the back bumper the most.

And the extra rear axle and the 8 track and the whole truck ;)

Attachment 2007956














.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Got ruining drove it around some drives nice but still have a fuel starving problem. going to pull the line out of the tank tomorrow.
Engine has been rebuilt and and a journal on the 1st cupped years

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Was bought in Iowa and moved to Arkansas thin back to Iowa

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Some info on the over drive

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

With that many miles it's obviously a well engineered system
From some of the photos it appears that he rolled the edges of the rear wheel cutouts. In the original Craigslist ad they looked unrolled.
I remember those stereo slide mounts from back in the day. One of the first anti theft devices. Pretty clever way to till be able to play both.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Man, I'm kicking myself for not going to check it out. Looks like it was well worth it.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Nice score! Looks like the original owner spent some time and money getting that truck exactly the way he wanted it. Not to mention by the looks of things, a well-maintained work truck.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Scranton, AR I see. Right near Lake Dardanelle. North to the Ozark mountains, south to the Ouachita mountains. Good home base for a rig like that.

The previous owner obviously has some adventures in that rig. As we all should.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

I hurts my eyes. With a flatbed and the tag on the ground I could look at that. But this is too much.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Man that is a real time capsule, and I bet the gentleman that went to all that trouble with the modifications loved it. FirstOwner is right... you stole it! Its amazingly clean as far as the body goes, rockers look near perfect as well as the steering wheel. I'm curious what the round thing on the high hump is... It kind of looks like a light fixture. Is there a reason as to why the bed appears to be sitting higher than the cab?

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

bullseye bubble level, I noticed that too ;)

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Yes it is a level. Reason for the box setting off is for clearance for the tag axle stuff

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Back in the day, I would have traded this pickup in on a 1 ton with duals, today, I would get it back to 2 axle with standard bed configuration.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

i just seen a stepside gmc on facebook setup alot like this.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Had it do some work today

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Good Lordy, that's an amazing rig. All you need is a set of side mirror CB antennas (and perhaps a CB) :)

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Yeah! X2

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Now that's a head Turner! :metal::metal:

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

Definitely a look were not use to. I would add, the amount of GMC 3/4 ton's with original white painted hubcaps on this site, I could count with one hand.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

[QUOTE=weim55

That truck shows some serious love in its condition and modifications.......

If you have a 30 or 40 foot vintage airstream you are set!

I dare you, just one time, put this truck back on the road for its intended purpose and document it for us!

I know a lot of people would fall into the camp of blasphemy and butchery for opinion. That guy put some serious time and thought AND labor to make his vision happen. There are some good stories behind the miles in that truck! I’m holding my glass up here at the breakfast table to him, “ cheers buddy, I hope it was a good life, and you left something behind to smile about......

Enjoy your new rig :)

Steve weim55 Colorado[/QUOTE]

Fantastic!, made my Sunday morning again! Feel like I just lost a large bet and OU something !! :)

Now....... put a hitch on the back of that travel trailer and then your ‘63 nova drag car and trailer behind that! There couldn’t possibly be a cooler rig to roll into a dragstrip anywhere ............ :)

Steve weim55 Colorado

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

I take it that the rear-most set of wheels is for load capacity and brakes, right? I can't imagine it having a drive shaft to it.

Re: Rather unique build Longhorn
 

What a crazy rig. That original owner must have been a very knowledgeable mechanic of some kind. Or a farm mechanic, haha. Funny it has a Mopar alternator on it instead of relocating a Delco unit.