Now my coworkers understand why I drive a '71

[Bears63]

My '71 Cheyenne is my daily driver and I have gotten a lot of crap for it since I got it. It doesn't look like much, but it sure runs great. Well, when I got to work this morning I parked it and the fuel pump decided to give up the ghost. Unhooked the gas line and capped it so it would stop dumping gas on the ground and went into work. Lunch break came, I went out and pulled the pump, ran to the parts store and put the new pump on and I'm good to go. Got a few comments on how fast I got it done. How I love the simplicity and ease of working on these ol' gals

[big_al_71]

Extremely easy sometimes but a real pain in the butt other times....

[71swb4x4]

A couple of your coworkers understand, the majority think it broke because it's an old truck.

[Bears63]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

A couple of your coworkers understand, the majority think it broke because it's an old truck.

Yep, but I did get to rub in two facts today to those trying to insist I should get something much newer. 1) My truck is paid for, no lien against it, no payments of any sort. 2) It cost $22 to fix it. You can't get any cheaper than that.

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by Bears63

Yep, but I did get to rub in two facts today to those trying to insist I should get something much newer. 1) My truck is paid for, no lien against it, no payments of any sort. 2) It cost $22 to fix it. You can't get any cheaper than that.

And you didn't have to drop the tank!

[72-c20]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

And you didn't have to drop the tank!

[Jacfourteen]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

And you didn't have to drop the tank!

Yeah tell me about it my 2001 tahoe's pump went out last week so I had to have it towed home 50 miles then drop the tank, the worst part is that I just filled up so there was 26 gallons in the tank so I had to drain all the gas to drop it. Then the pump cost $250. I wish it was my 68 that broke down that day!

[cam.man67]

Don't you just love that, how easy these babies are to work on? I read a story of a guy who had two old cars in the '70s, a '69 Benz and a '59 Plymouth. The Benz blew a head gasket, went to the shop to be replaced, then blew another head gasket because they had put the head bolts in the wrong order. I mean, come on!

At the same his Plymouth's fan cut the radiator hose, ran all the antifreeze out on the road. Engine seized, he pushed the car to the nearest house, taped up the hose, filled it with a garden hose, and the car started right up. Ran for another 100k miles. When all my friends tell me eurotrash vehicles are better, I just smile.

BTW, my VW Golf did the same thing as the Plymouth, 'cept it cost me $700 to fix.

[7dguy]

Originally Posted by cam.man67

Don't you just love that, how easy these babies are to work on? I read a story of a guy who had two old cars in the '70s, a '69 Benz and a '59 Plymouth. The Benz blew a head gasket, went to the shop to be replaced, then blew another head gasket because they had put the head bolts in the wrong order. I mean, come on!

At the same his Plymouth's fan cut the radiator hose, ran all the antifreeze out on the road. Engine seized, he pushed the car to the nearest house, taped up the hose, filled it with a garden hose, and the car started right up. Ran for another 100k miles. When all my friends tell me eurotrash vehicles are better, I just smile.

BTW, my VW Golf did the same thing as the Plymouth, 'cept it cost me $700 to fix.

I had a radiator leak in my 69 Dart (slant 6). Ran it til it dieseled and then drove it 10 more miles that way (slowly of course). Got it home and had no way to shut it off (automatic and it was too hot to shove a rag in the carb). Rammed a fence post in the fan to finally kill it. I felt like a modern day matador of sorts. I called the salvage yard the next day to come get it and when they arrived I decided to try starting it. Fired right up with no noises so I had the guy drive me back to the yard to find a radiator. The radiator cost me more than the car but I fixed it anyway and kept driving it on principal.

[jcis4me]

Aloha
I agree especially when there is only 3 vacume lines on the motor, and the best part no ELECTRONICS!!! No GPS on star to track you! no big brother!
I like my privacy!
Aloha
Marty

[Dieselwrencher]

Yeah, I feel your pain, I know it sucks. The newer dodges have them in the tank and it sucks really bad to have to drop a tank with 38-40 gal in it.

[red71cheyenne]

You guys are making me love my external fuel pump!

[Hubscrub]

Originally Posted by 71swb4x4

A couple of your coworkers understand, the majority think it broke because it's an old truck.

yea i get that all the time, everytime something is wrong with mine

Originally Posted by Jacfourteen

Yeah tell me about it my 2001 tahoe's pump went out last week so I had to have it towed home 50 miles then drop the tank, the worst part is that I just filled up so there was 26 gallons in the tank so I had to drain all the gas to drop it. Then the pump cost $250. I wish it was my 68 that broke down that day!

seems they always go out when its full more than not

[hayhauler71]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Yeah, I feel your pain, I know it sucks. The newer dodges have them in the tank and it sucks really bad to have to drop a tank with 38-40 gal in it.

When i have to do a pump [tank mounted] i set on hoist, unbolt box, install 4 pole jacks under box and lower the hoist

[Hubscrub]

on a truck bed off is easier to me

[Dieselwrencher]

It seems they never break until you fill them up. I think they all go that way.

[Bears63]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It seems they never break until you fill them up. I think they all go that way.

It's inevitable

[oldblue1968chevy]

i got t boned with full tank lol

well, im tinkering on mine because:

1-I get in a big hurry and cobble it (try not to)
2-gf gives me crap because batt. cables are always loose and dont ALWAYS get good connection (she did today lol)
3-I dont ALWAYS understand how it works and best way to fix, i do it to the best of my abiliites, but hey an 18 yo could be spending his $ on worse things

[DT1]

I also have a 71 Cheyenne and I can honestly say that there's nothing complicated at all with it. As a matter of fact, the only vehicles I drive are classics. Three of the best reasons I can think of for driving classics are: No.1 Never need smog. No.2 Here on the left coast the tax, registration and insurance for newer vehicles is among (If not) the highest in the nation! No.3 Every time I drive one anywhere, someone always has something nice to say about it. Quite honestly, I wouldn't trade my Cheyenne for any brand new truck on the planet. No kidding!!

[treveiger]

I love how these old trucks are easy to work on. I grew up ridding in a 71 and my grandpa had a 72 so it was just a matter of time before i bought one . I love these old trucks, my DD is a 2000 olds intruige and when that thing breaks i just take it in usually unless the fix is simple(as in a like a days worth of work into it ),then i just pull it in our shop and work on it off an on for a few days as to my truck when the water pump went out i just fixed it in my parking spot at my apartment an was good to go. I never went to school or had somebody teach me about motors i learned by doing it and reading books and the most ive learned is from this forum of course. I will never buy a newer vehical because how complex an annoying they are.
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[splehigh]

Amen! Thats why I drive a 71 too.

[cpetersen]

People are slow to understand, these trucks are 40 years old. They were built to last, unlike my 2006 Silverado. That thing will be in a scrap yard in 20 years. We live a throw away society, just look at our kids. They really don't know any better. Thats one thing that most of us have in common. That we love our old trucks.