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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Abington, Massachusetts
Posts: 11
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My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Hey everyone,
Scooped up a new project that I think everyone will dig. It is a 1968 Chevy C50 wrecker! I bought from a guy in NY, basically unseen, and drove it 500 miles home...at 6mpg! The truck has a 292/4-speed combo in it now, but I plan on putting a big block in it, for fun. The whole wrecker unit works, the truck runs like a top and I think it is pretty neat. You just don't see the old working trucks around anymore. The seller was going to crush this one and I couldn't bear to see it meet that fate. If you like a good road trip story, hit the link! There is also a photo gallery of the truck to go along with the story. http://www.bangshift.com/blog/Grunt-...0-Wrecker.html Brian BangShift.com |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Argyle tx
Posts: 36
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Sweet truck. Great find.
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: San Jose, California
Posts: 784
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Wow. That's a great story, and great pics, and... MAN, WHAT A COOL TRUCK! It's like the ultimate Tonka Toy.
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#4 |
1969 Custom 30 wrecker
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Pottsville, Pa
Posts: 2,611
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Very nice! Good looking truck.
I don't envy you on that MPG though. Just think, when that truck was new, gas was about .25 to .29 cents a gallon. ![]() I just thought of something, MPG hasn't changed much on big trucks. A few years ago, I rented a large box truck to haul my 4 post lift home and it only got 7 MPG! It was fairly new, maybe a 2006 or so? Yours is much nicer to look at. lol
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Bob 63 Impala 283/PG/3.36 (under restoration) 66 Impala 327/PG/3.36 66 Chevelle SS 409/M22/3.55 69 Chevelle 307/PG/3.08 (future restoration) 69 C10 short stepside 454/TH350/3.73 69 Custom 30 tow truck 350/4 spd/4.10 (resto done, CRUISIN TIME!) 71 Cheyenne 20 fleetside 350/4 spd/4.10 71 Chevelle 6/PG/3.08 72 Chevelle 454/M21/4.10 |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Mooresville NC/Gainesville GA
Posts: 499
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Great story!
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Eric Evans Queen City Shop Truck http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...34#post6139834 66 GMC http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=543110 |
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#6 |
///Relaxed Atmosphere
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Houston,Tx
Posts: 1,266
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
cool truck.
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__________________
71-Cheyenne Super (E.C.E Static Drop 4.5/7". Intro Rally's 20X8.5 5" B.S 255/35/20 (F) 20X10 5.25 B.S 275/35/20 (R) 87-Silverado Static Drop 5/7" Raceline Explosion 5 22X8.5 (F) 22X10 (R) hector _________________________________ 1971 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super 1987 Chevrolet Silverado 2006 Ford Mustang GT 2012 Toyota 4-Runner 2014 Dodge Ram 1500 Sport Crew Cab |
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#7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Brookings, SD
Posts: 10,497
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Sweet truck and even better story!
I found a small typo for you about 3/4 of the way through it, I think you want uneventful here: Other than some close calls with the overheating situation, which actually pegged the gauge all the way over on the Mass Pike at one point, the rest of the ride to home was uneventful. It was expensive and slow, but eventful. I drove straight over to my mom and dad in law's to scoop up my two missing intrepid companions. They were super stoked to see the truck and their expression in this photo, pretty well sums it up.
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Some people are like slinkies, they aren't good for anything, but you can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs. |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Abington, Massachusetts
Posts: 11
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Thanks for the good words guys!
Bob -- seems that even the best engineers in the business have not figured out how to beat the laws of physics yet. ![]() It will be interesting to see what the mileage is when I get the 427 into the truck this winter/spring. It literally can't get worse than 6mpg...can it? HA! At one point the bank called me to make sure no one had stolen my card because so many purchases were being made at gas stations with such frequency. I passed exactly one vehicle in 500 miles of driving and it was a Prius. I laughed on the way by. ![]() |
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#9 | |
1969 Custom 30 wrecker
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Pottsville, Pa
Posts: 2,611
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__________________
Bob 63 Impala 283/PG/3.36 (under restoration) 66 Impala 327/PG/3.36 66 Chevelle SS 409/M22/3.55 69 Chevelle 307/PG/3.08 (future restoration) 69 C10 short stepside 454/TH350/3.73 69 Custom 30 tow truck 350/4 spd/4.10 (resto done, CRUISIN TIME!) 71 Cheyenne 20 fleetside 350/4 spd/4.10 71 Chevelle 6/PG/3.08 72 Chevelle 454/M21/4.10 |
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#10 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: weatherford,texas
Posts: 1,003
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
brian, love the truck and bangshift.com. long time subscriber, keep up the good work...
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#11 |
Cruzin
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: on the road
Posts: 2,835
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
that is so freaking cool i loved reading the story too. I'm a wrecker freak
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Lime Wife's 67https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...wZEMODaS2d94u8 Back to the Fifties 59 https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...NAeStpydfrcj_U Proverbs 3:5,6 "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything."Charles Kuralt In memory of our first baby daughter, daddy and mommy love you. Danica Grace 6/26/14
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: a t w a t e r cali 95301
Posts: 10,713
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
thats awesome!
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Bayville NJ
Posts: 385
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Sweet find! best of luck with it and keep us appraised of it's progress
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Check out my 70 GMC tow truck project here.......http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=440431 Member of the 1-Ton Club! http://www.eastcoastcarandtruck.org |
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#14 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: New Madison, Ohio
Posts: 21,365
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
That is just way
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A husband can be right...or...A husband can be happy. ![]() 67-72 Chevy and GMC Trucks...The Classic Truck for the Classic Folk. ![]() 1970 CST Two tone green, 402BB, 400 Automatic, Tach, Buckets, AC, AM-FM, Tilt, GM CB, GM 8 Tract, LWB, etc ![]() ![]() JOHN 17:3...The better side of "LIFE" Remember: Everyday is a good day...Some are just gooder! |
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#15 |
VA72C10
![]() Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Midlothian, VA
Posts: 25,269
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Very cool truck and great story!!!
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Looking for a 67-72 swb or blazer project in or around VA. ![]() |
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#16 |
Special Order
![]() ![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Mt Airy, MD
Posts: 85,859
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
I saw that truck for sale. I'm glad you ended buying it and bringing us a colorful story. There's something very special about "the ride home" with that newly purchased ride.
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"BUILDING A BETTER WAY TO SERVE THE USA"......67/72......"The New Breed" GMC '67 C1500 Wideside Super Custom SWB: 327/M22/3.42 posi.........."The '67" (project) GMC '72 K2500 Wideside Sierra Custom Camper: 350/TH350/4.10 Power-Lok..."The '72" (rolling) Tim "Don't call me a redneck. I'm a rough cut country gentleman" R.I.P. ~ East Side Low Life ~ El Jay ~ 72BLUZ ~ Fasteddie69 ~ Ron586 ~ 67ChevyRedneck ~ Grumpy Old Man ~ |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 2,151
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
What kind of wrecker is that? It looks like a Holmes.
20+ years ago, my dad bought a 64 GMC big dump truck (I don't remember the model) from my uncle. I think it was about a 12' bed. It had a 351 V6 and 2-speed rear. My uncle also had a bit bigger Chevrolet dump that had a 327 crate motor and 2-speed rear. The GMC had an electric 2-speed while the Chevy had a vacuum 2-sp. My uncle said the electric was better. After a short lesson on driving 2-sp rears, we loaded the truck with rock for a chimney (the purpose of buying the truck) and I was sent on my way home 350 miles. He warned me that the brakes were good loaded for only a few stops, so not to overheat them. I made it home just fine, and it got around 5 mpg loaded or empty. I made another round trip to get more rock, and it did fine on that one too. After the project was over, he sold the truck to a local contractor and I saw him about 6 months ago. He told me the truck was burned when his house caught on fire. He sold it to someone who wanted the dump bed. My uncle bought it from GA Power in the early 70s with no bed on it. He found an old 50's truck with the dump and swapped the bed onto this one. So the bed the latest guy got will have been on at least 3 trucks. Funny how that all works out.
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'83 K20-TPI '73 C10 '79 C10-ex-diesel(SOLD) '07 Tahoe(Son driving) '14 Suburban-DD '71 C10-current project |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Sandersville, GA
Posts: 298
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Wow, what a truck! And an even better story. Thanks for taking the camera and recording everything. Can't wait for the report on your 1000 mile trip.
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How 'Bout them Dawgs! ![]() '10 Traverse LTZ 03 Silverado Z71 ext cab 99 Yamaha Grizzly 600 72 C10 350/350 sportside bed. 68 C30 flatbed. 350 4-speed. "I've got a good memory, it's just short!" |
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#19 |
Resident of Here
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL, USA
Posts: 7,716
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Very cool! Congrats on making me jealous!
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~Bradley~ 2004 Black GTO LS2/T56 too much to list ![]() Miss having a truck ![]() |
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#20 | |
Hittin E-Z Street on Mud Tires
![]() Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Greenville, SC
Posts: 23,090
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Wow, SIX MPG... Makes me so glad I have a half ton with a 700R
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![]() That thing is beyond cool.
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Jesse James 1967 C10 SWB Stepside: 350/700R4/3.73 1965 Ford Mustang: 289/T5-5spd/3.25 Trac-Loc 1968 Pontiac Firebird: Project Fire Chicken! 2015 Silverado Double Cab 5.3L Z71 2001 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4.0L 5spd 2020 Chevrolet Equinox Premium 2.0L Turbo 2011 Mustang V6 ~ Wife's ride ![]() American Born, Country by the Grace of God ![]() 1967 CST Shop Truck Rebuild! My 1967 C-10 Build Thread My Vintage Air A/C Install Project "On a Dime" Trying my hand at Home Renovation! 1965 Mustang Modifications! |
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Ocean Springs, MS
Posts: 1,746
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Awesome truck and great photos!
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Gary 1971 Chevrolet C/10 1951 GMC 100 1977 GMC C15 1955 Chevrolet 3100 |
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#22 |
dazed and confused
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: marion nc
Posts: 1,649
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Cool. Just plain cool.
Posted via Mobile Device
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members met: redbaron69, billsbowtie,nc67 |
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#23 |
Old Skool Club
![]() Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas"
Posts: 10,880
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Twin booms....that allows for some "special" recovery work. Nice. I love wreckers...always have.
When I was a kid, dad subscribed to Popular Mechanics, Popular Science and Mechanics Illustrated. I think it was a PM magazine that had an article about a Mercer Raceabout that had belonged to Buster Keaton (Keystone Kops), and when found it had been used as a wrecker. I enjoyed the article and always remembered it as being proof that you can restore just about anything. So, while it made a neat wrecker, it was too valuable to be left that way.
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Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was. |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Abington, Massachusetts
Posts: 11
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Thanks everyone!
Mark, the wrecker is a Weld-Built unit, with twin 15-ton winches. I am working with Weld Built to get all the info as they have record of building this wrecker setup back in 1968. It was a custom order with the two big winches. I am going to give an old stump "the big tug" this weekend and see how the truck does. I'll tie it off to a tree with one of the winches and pull with the other, putting the booms out 90-degrees to each side. Should be interesting! Brian |
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#25 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Posts: 2,151
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Re: My 1968 C50 Wrecker Recovery Road Trip
Quote:
Enjoyed your road trip story. It brought back memories.
__________________
'83 K20-TPI '73 C10 '79 C10-ex-diesel(SOLD) '07 Tahoe(Son driving) '14 Suburban-DD '71 C10-current project |
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