Killed the K20, maimed the Super in 1 day!!!

[JQ-72]

AHHH!! What a day. A friend of mine told me he found a 72 Deluxe in a junkyard with a 3.08 posi and more parts. It's time for a yard run anyway, so I left out this morning after work. I drove the K20 with trailer in case I might buy the whole truck. I got 30 miles from home and she started chattering and missing badly. I checked the oil pressure gauge and nothing! I coasted into a gas station, popped the hood and smoke went everywhere. It smelled like a house fire or something, not like antifreeze. I checked the oil and it was full?? I figured the oil pump went out, so I called my lovely wife to come get me. I returned with my SWB Super and planned on swapping the trailer and towing the K20 home. But first, I had to go to the j-yard to check out the deals. I found the truck, but someone had swapped out the rear to a one-wheeler. Oh well, I found a few other good parts. As I was driving out of the yard I spotted a 66 truck with power brakes (pretty rare). I pulled the Super between a few cars and walked down to the 66 and yanked the booster out. I went back to my truck to find it GONE!!! My heart sank - factory swb Super with BB and almost every available option and I imagined some crack head driving it away!!! I asked a forklift driver if he saw it and he said he saw someone driving it out of the yard. I sprinted to the front and found it in the parking lot. I was relieved UNTIL I saw my perfect tailgate caved in!!! Aparently, one of the lift drivers backed into it and then drove it out of the way. No one would admit to it and plus they have the "not responsible for damage..." sign so there is nothing I could do anyway. I then had to go and swap the trailer around and load up the K20. The 1/2 ton pulled it OK, but with a bumper mounted ball and no trailer brake hook up, I was a little nervous!! It turns out the lower radiator hose busted and badly overheated it. I got it running, but it blew a head gasket. I've now been up 27 hours. I'm going to bed and think of a happy place. I've had enough of this day!!!!!!!!!
Joshua

[jayharrell]

That sucks. I would raise hell at the juck yard. Or at least get un to give you some junk in trade. Just wrong.

[LONGHAIR]

"The sign" is most likely not legally binding. Just because they put it on a sign don't make it so....I would check into that. The fact that one of the yard guys drove your truck is totally inexcusable. You are the customer, you are not in their way.

You leaving the keys in it.......I will let slide, You've already had a bad enough day.

[lowriden58]

that sucks! but why would ya leave the keys in such a nice truck ??

[sameyrasmea72]

That does suck. At least it was not a bed side or something.

Is your SWB original or has it been restored at some point, And where can I see more pics of it?

I would think that the forklift driver that saw " someone" drive it out of the yard was the one who backed in to it.

[WorkinLonghorn]

You've got 2 pretty nice looking trucks,a trailer,a "lovely" wife who came and got you,and two cute kids sitting on the trailer.
Buddy,I would guess that your "bad" days are better than a regular day for a few of us around here.
But I do feel for you though. I would definately take this up with the owner.

[GREASEMONKEY72]

i would surely raise hell there and also the fact that "they" drove "your" truck without you knowing just adds to it, and yea i would look into that sign because just because its there doesnt mean that it makes it ok that they hit your truck with a forklift and then just moved it out of the way

[Cyclone44]

Man you had a bad day!!! They would have had the police called on ME if that would have happened to my truck..Thats just all wrong

[72cheyennesuper20]

Both trucks messed up that is terrible, Good news is by your signature it looks like you still have some nice Chevy's to roll, None the less that still sucks.

[uncle]

I'd be sleeping in jail if that happened to me.

[67_C-30]

Originally Posted by uncle

I'd be sleeping in jail if that happened to me.

EXACTLY!

[whitesswj]

cool finds, nice trucks

About the sign. that means that they aren't responsible for your stupidity, however, that doesn't cover their ignorance.

Push it they'll come up with a few hundred to cover.

[special-K]

Uh Uh,no way.Those "Not Responsible" signs are about them not responsible for what "you" do to "your" property or what happens to it while you operate it around all that crap.No sign gives anyone the right to be careless and irresponsible.It`s unlawful use of a motor vehicle to get in it and drive without you knowing,also.I`d get the cops involved if the owner denies responsibility.

[Bishops Trucks]

Originally Posted by special-K

Uh Uh,no way.Those "Not Responsible" signs are about them not responsible for what "you" do to "your" property or what happens to it while you operate it around all that crap.No sign gives anyone the right to be careless and irresponsible.It`s unlawful use of a motor vehicle to get in it and drive without you knowing,also.I`d get the cops involved if the owner denies responsibility.

1000%. Go back and get those guys.

[orange72c10]

JQ-72, I think that you have the right attitude about not getting to crazy, there is nothing that you can do about it now. I feel bad about your truck, you might look around there yard and see if they have a tailgate they might be able to give ya.


On the othere hand maybe kicking someones but wouldnt be a bad idea also haha

[Number98]

Glad that wasnt me...... I would have went nuts!

Especially knowing how hard its getting to find a nice tailgate these days!

[BB72CHEVKT]

Originally Posted by Bishops Trucks

1000%. Go back and get those guys.

I agree. I used to work in the same shopping center as an Office Max and would park my 98 as far as possible from the stores. The truck did not have one door ding. Well I came out from work one day and a shopping cart was next to the truck along with a dent in the third door. I went inside and spoke to the manager who said they were not responsible. I told her I would put my truck in neutral and let it roll thru the front of the store and I am sure their lawyers would find me responsible. I insisted on the corporate contact for this sort of thing and followed up. It was no easy task but they more than paid for the damage to my truck.

[Husker]

That would suck bigtime, I hope ya have better luck when you get up.
Ron

[JQ-72]

This place is actaully a scrap iron dealer that does not immediatly crush cars. They have about 40 acres full of cars/trucks. I guess it's my fault - I parked close to where they were unloading cars, scrap off people's trailers. I thought I was out of the way!?! Since no one seemed to know anything about, I figured if I pushed the issue they would just say another customer did it. A customer may have done it - I don't know for sure. Plus I don't want to make a scene and loose out of future deals when I can't prove they actually did it. This yard has yielded tilts, am/fm's, sheetmetal and just yesterday I got a 68-9 3.08 rear, ps pump, sb a/c brackets, swb driveshaft, 66 p/b unit, nice a/c controller and diverter box - all for $125!!! About the keys in the igintion - it's a rural southern thing! You can do that down here, but I'll think twice about it next time!
I guess in the big picture of life a truck is just a piece of metal. There are more important things in life - God, family, etc... I am lucky to have a beautiful, understanding wife and 2 wonderful kids and a decent job. I just had to vent!!! Thanks.
JQ

[special-K]

I see where you`re coming from.I`ve been going to the same scrapyard forever,like two generations.There are benefits to being loyal.
But,I`d at least let them know in no uncertain terms that this happened,you know they are responsible,you know it would be hard to prove,you know they should own up and be responsible,they should never move a vehicle again in that way,that this could be a mess if you were someone else,they`re lucky you aren`t,and you just want to keep things civil between you so you can continue to do business together.
No one has the right to bully where you can`t speak your mind w/o being penalized.I know it happens and if these folks think like my neighbors,you`re the bad guy just for suggesting they`ve done something wrong.I`ve put up with crap for 20 years only to have a whole family hate me for finally putting my foot down about them wanting to start an illegal (zoning) business next to me.Now I`m in zoning appeals court defending my property.I wouldn`t change a thing,though.There are some times where you just need to put your foot down.
It`s up to you.I`d let them know in some way that you know,yet chose to let it slide.

[whatnow123]

I'm not sure how I'd feel, you went from thinking it was totally gone to just a bashed in tailgate. If I had to pick between the two, I'd take the tailgate needing work and be happy the truck wasn't gone.

However, this is a tough one.

[BigSky71]

Another way to look at it, its just a tailgate. Having a dent that big in the bedside would be much more time consuming to fix...

Great looking trucks JQ!

[Downtown]

JQ-72

Any chance we can see a picture of the SPID on the 72 SWB Big Block? That looks to be a great truck.

[steelhorse]

[JQ-72]

Here's a picture of the SPID. I got Jeff (Chipflyer) to make me a new one adding tilt and buckets and will install it when I restore the truck.
JQ