Old Trucks Leaving the Country

[1project2many]

Dan, I just don't think you live in the same world I do. I suppose you're making enough money that you just buy whatever you need whenever you need it. Good for you. There's plenty of us who have to rely on low buck stuff and lots of hard work to make things happen.

I built my first road worthy vehicle with parts from trucks that I found in backyards and behind shops while delivering papers on my bicycle. I'd save up money, wheel and deal on a truck, get the local farmer to drag it home for cheap, and strip parts off it. My folks never had the money to buy me a car so I made it happen the only way I could.

Now, if you want to sell your vehicle off, all painted and finished, go ahead. Chances are no one's going to use it as a starting point for another project and you might be one of the few that makes money on a restoration. But please don't complain when people are upset at the old iron that's going away. I cringe when stuff goes to the crusher. I hate to see it get wrecked. And I'm saddened to see it sent out of the country and out of the reach of someone who might like to start small. Ironically, a young man delivering my new "made somewhere else" Frigidaire today (with a "made somewhere else" truck using "made somewhere else" equipment) saw my '57 and said "I'd love to find one of those trucks to build up." Good luck kid. Nothing like that around here. Try Nebraska.

You think we should focus on profit? I don't believe I agree. For one thing it's very difficult to buy quality replacement parts to install in my fleet vehicles and customer's cars anymore. I've been a tech for 27 years and I can't remember it being like this at any other time. I think there are about three brands I still trust but I'm always waiting for the change. Even OE stuff is questionable these days. I get headlights that are dead in the box. Ball joints that come with grade zero fasteners. New tires that are so out of round balancing won't remove the shakes. Oil filters with no threads. Spark plugs that won't fire. Plug wires that won't conduct spark. And the list goes on. There are few if any mom and pop parts stores around here. The regional and national chains all make agreements to sell the same parts so if I have trouble with brand X, I frequently can't even get another brand to try. But at least we're able to make a profit, right? Even if the guy getting the part is inconvenienced or even put in danger?

But at least you did some good by selling one of those damned foreign made Porshes to make room for a couple of new "assembled in America" Asian cars. So it's all good, right?

Too bad no one I work with can actually afford a new car.