When it comes to TRUCKS…what has been the dumbest thing you have ever done??

[69TowRig]

I bought my Blazer from a guy down in Corpus Christi, TX back when I lived in Houston. In December '04 a buddy of mine and I drove the 3 hours down to Corpus to drive the truck back; PO told me it would drive fine to get it back to Houston. He said all it needed was a battery.

So I bring a brand-new battery with me, try to crank it and it won't go. At that point I knew absolutely NOTHING about these trucks and saw that the gas gauge was pegged out full. So I do some checking and figure out that the fuel pump is not pumping. I go to the parts store and come back with a pump and new filter, changing them out and dumping a gallon or so of gas in the tank (and it starts spitting back at me). She starts up with a little fuel down the carb and I'm set. Take it for a drive around the block, it pulls sharply to the right when the brakes are applied. No biggie I think, it be all highway back to Houston anyway.

I get on the road and barely get outside of the downtown area and the thing sputters and dies on the side of the road. Mind you the gas gauge is still pegged out. I start checking for fuel issues (since the ignition was apparently working fine), end up dropping the tank and find that it is empty. Well I don't have a gas can with me, drive around for 30 minutes trying to find one in an unfamiliar place. Put 4 gallons in it and drove it back to the POs place with a promise to get it the following weekend. I came back with a truck and trailer that time.

I later figure out that the gas gauge is broken, only the left front brake worked, the water neck was corroded through, the heater core was just about to spring a BIG leak, the radiator was partially corroded inside, and the tank vent line was plugged. And I was going to drive it 3 hours back to Houston!