My story on how I got involved in these trucks

[firedog]

I am typing this due to the one that got me going with the trucks has suffered a stroke and has lost all movement on his left side. A healthy 60 year old man enjoying his retirement from the military on his measly military pension.

I didnt get a lot of time with my father growing up. He was a career Army Helicopter mechanic. The one summer we attempted to spend together was inturrepted by training for Desert Storm. Thru all these times there was the one constant a Blue and White 1969 Chevy Long Bed. That truck seen many miles between Fort Campbell Kentucky and Missouri and then later between Fort Hood Texas and Missouri. Fort Hood Texas almost ended the life of that old truck when it was broadsided in an intersection. Pushing the bed side in and pushing the rear end almost to where the tire was rubbing the frame. At the same time that this occured my father was retiring from the Army and headed to Korea to work a civilian job. Prior to him leaving the truck was fixed up and fresh paint put on it. The truck set in the garage for 10 years after that.

I graduated high school, entered the real world of work, kids, divorce, and all those adult things you do. But all our conversations always evolved around his truck or the truck that I had bought.



When my father decided to return to the states he purchased a small lot and built a big garage. The next year i started the process of tearing down my truck for my first attempt at a restore and my dad purchased a 71 gmc and 2 pickup truck loads of parts. So that fall and winter we built not 1 truck but we built 2 trucks in the same garage at the same time. Picking thru the stache of parts. Both trucks were completed along with my grandfather building a 1970 4x4 out of our left overs as well during the same time period.


We have had many trips to meet many people on the board, we were at the National Board Meet in Norwood, MO when my engine blew, we went to Kirksville, MO to a midwest meet when I lost my tranny, we have taken 2 trips to the Midwest All Truck Nationals in Kansas City, and the awesome trip to Paris TN for another National Board Meet where it rained most of the way. We have met great people along the way at swap meets and just thru the board. Which led to the most recent project a 1967 Chevy Short bed we bought from Tycoon4u. This truck is awaiting the engine install and a tranny along with interior.

So this is my story of how I got involved into these trucks. Everyone, remember the moments you spend with your loved ones, even if you are on your back laying in a puddle of tranny fluid. You never know when you might have that oppurtunity taken away from you.

[yuccales]

Well done!

[don t. - 72gmc]

Please thank your father for his service to our country.

My dad was all thumbs when it came to mechanics.
No money and a decent FIL got me involved in shade tree repairs, to keep my DD on the road.
Christmas day, 1980 was cold and windy. FIL and I worked on my 65 Dodge van distributor. Ended up dropping one of them little mucking screws down the dizzy hole, buttoned her up, and you can guess at the rest of the story.
A warm summer day, middle son (8yo) and I working on my 70 Chevy station wagon front end. Kid had grease up to his elbows, and one of the biggest smiles I can ever recall. His ma was none to happy.

Thanks for the memories....don t. ...

[specialtyretail]

Tell your Dad we said hey and to get better soon, we have swap meets to go to. Keep us posted on how he is doing. Fred.

[LockDoc]

-
The wife and I have met and talked to Firedog and Sammy two or three times at the All Truck Nationals in Riverside, Missouri. Great people that love these trucks. You tell your dad that all of his buddy's here on the truck board wish him well and are hoping for a full recovery.

LockDoc

[srvivor71]

Thanks for sharing that great story! I wish your father well and hope he has a speedy recovery.

[BRL]

Originally Posted by srvivor71

Thanks for sharing that great story! I wish your father well and hope he has a speedy recovery.

Ditto!

[WarMonger]

sounds like your dad did some time with the 101 screaming eagles

[Dustmaker65]

I, too have great memories with my Dad doing the same...Thanks for sharing, and hope he gets better.

[cooperhw]

Originally Posted by Dustmaker65

I, too have great memories with my Dad doing the same...Thanks for sharing, and hope he gets better.

X3

Me too. best memories of my dad centered around cars/trucks. I used to be stumped and "wanted him to fix it". He would look at it and tell me to start at the beginning (again) and walk through it and that I'll get it". Try this,,,,

Cherish every minute you have left. Tell him "even guys who don't know him are sending out a shout out to get well soon and get ur butt back in that truck where it belongs" and quit harassing them ugly nurses.

[Bladeboy1998]

Awesome! I wish I had a fond memory of my dad, he was just a not nice person. I'm sorry to hear he is ill, best of luck and hope he gets better.

[firedog]

Thanks everyone for all the well wishes and prayers, he was moved today about 45mins closer to home for in hospitial rehabilitation.

His biggest complaint recently is about the thickening agent they have to put into his drinks to make them the consistentcey of syrup. He says coffee is not suppose to be that thick. He also says the nurses are ugly.

[Bladeboy1998]

Originally Posted by firedog

Thanks everyone for all the well wishes and prayers, he was moved today about 45mins closer to home for in hospitial rehabilitation.

His biggest complaint recently is about the thickening agent they have to put into his drinks to make them the consistentcey of syrup. He says coffee is not suppose to be that thick. He also says the nurses are ugly.

Sounds like a stubborn one! Lol

[Sklptrljay]

Originally Posted by firedog

Thanks everyone for all the well wishes and prayers, he was moved today about 45mins closer to home for in hospitial rehabilitation.

His biggest complaint recently is about the thickening agent they have to put into his drinks to make them the consistentcey of syrup. He says coffee is not suppose to be that thick. He also says the nurses are ugly.

See next post

[Sklptrljay]

Originally Posted by firedog

Thanks everyone for all the well wishes and prayers, he was moved today about 45mins closer to home for in hospitial rehabilitation.

His biggest complaint recently is about the thickening agent they have to put into his drinks to make them the consistentcey of syrup. He says coffee is not suppose to be that thick. He also says the nurses are ugly.

Hope this helps.

[J & E Speed Center]

Thsts an awesome story. I was born in 1963 and my first truck memory was around 1968 when my Dad had a 1964 C20 longbed. We had an 8 1/2 foot camper for it and spent many many trips to the Colorado River and the beach with that truck. My dad had big over sized Goodyear tires on it. I remember he would take those little paint jars you buy for painting model cars with and he would fill in the Goodyear logo with gold paint. I also remember the truck had a lever under the dash that he would pull out to put it in overdrive going across the desert. Very fond memories of Needles (river), Lake Elsinore and Doheny beach. When I turned 15 I learned to drive in a 1969 C20 Longhorn, it had the big 10" US Mags with I think 16.5 big tires on it it was real cool looking, light green with a white top. I've had so many chevy trucks I can't even list them all. Now I'm building memories with my son we are building a 64 c10 big back window fleet side layed out on air and we have a 69 c10 LWB as a driver till the 64 is done. Once the 64 is done we are cutting the 69 down to a shortbed. Can't wait to get that one started.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Firedog I hope your dad gets better soon! I almost lost my dad about 5 years ago when he was cutting up a junk car and the fuel tank exploded. He's made a full recovery, but was in the hospital for a few weeks and had to have skin grafts on his hands. Thank God he decided to start practicing safety. He was wearing a full face shield and gun mufflers so he didn't burn his lungs or lose his hearing. It was hard being 700 miles away. I was on my way home just a couple hours after it happened.

J & E Speed Center, Please use a respirator when painting. A dust mask does absolutely nothing to stop the organic chemicals like isocyanates that can cause cancer and other serious lung problems that can shorten or make your life difficult in your later years. At a minimum at least use cheap 3M organic vapor masks from lowes, etc. They're good for one or two spray jobs then you can just buy new canisters.

[firedog]

Keep the thoughts and prayers coming he is getting frustrated at being in a hospital

[68shortwide]

Originally Posted by firedog

Keep the thoughts and prayers coming he is getting frustrated at being in a hospital

Sounds like my grandpa when he had a mild stroke back in September lol he tried to check himself out more than a few times over a 3week span. Give em hell Sammy!

[firedog]

We were planning a midwest get together on May 30th, it looks like we are going to still push thru and have this, if Sammy has to ride on his back to get there we are going forward with it still.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by firedog

We were planning a midwest get together on May 30th, it looks like we are going to still push thru and have this, if Sammy has to ride on his back to get there we are going forward with it still.

Sounds good Mike. I have it back on the calendar.

LockDoc

[firedog]

Today brings a sad end, my dad Sammy, passed away. I Will not be giving up on the trucks, just won't have him to help with them.

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by firedog

Today brings a sad end, my dad Sammy, passed away. I Will not be giving up on the trucks, just won't have him to help with them.

So sorry to hear that Mike. He was a good guy and I always enjoyed visiting with him. Best wishes to you and all of the family.

LockDoc

[special-K]

I offer my condolences for your loss. I've never met you all but I got a good feel for the kind of people he was, and you, from reading through this thread. Yesterday marked the 20th year since my dad passed away. He was a WW2 veteran

[Dashman]

Sorry to hear about your father. It seems a lot of years went by that he may have been suffering through. That must have been rough on both of you. My father passed away at 99 and 10 months in April of '22, and now I take care of my Mom who just turned 99 in November. It's a life sacrifice unlike having growing children because it's a regression that only gets harder. I do it for all that they did for me while I was growing up. It sounds like you did too.