Requiem for a '67 SWB

[palallin]

This thread is the electronic memorial to my first pick up, a '67 SWB Fleetside named King Cynewulf X.

When I "inhereted" the truck, he had late-model bucket seats in the cab, a 327/Powerglide under the hood, a 3.73 12-bolt in back, power brakes (NO power steering), present but non-functional a/c, and a later-year bed. All but the 327 and the bed were factory. I added PS, a decent paint job, tool boxes, a camper shell, and a trailer hitch. I replaced the PG with a 3-speed and then a Saginaw 4-speed. When the rear end trashed the diff carrier bearings, I swapped in another 12-bolt but with 3.07 gears. After I had the engine freshened up, that truck would SCOOT around town and got d@mn good mileage on the highway.

I wooed my wife in that truck and moved us to Kansas in it after our wedding. I detailed, up-graded, and, sometimes, played with him. I even surprised the heck out of a Mazda RX-7 driver who wanted to pass me at the wrong time on a curvey-windy (surprised me, too!).

During the summer of '93, I worked for UPS in Lenexa, KS, and I sustained a fairly extensive back injury when some yard ape pulled the trailer I was loading out from under me. I spent the rest of the summer and fall in PT, but I had to drive to KC for it.

I left home one day for therapy and was approaching KS Highway 10 from a side road. The road went down a hill to the highway. There was no entrance ramp: just an intersection without lights. Cresting the hill, I put on the brakes, but there weren't any: the pedal went to the floor, and frantic pumping did not recover them. I had never fixed the e-brake cables, so I tried to downshift. That helped, but I was still rolling. I tried to hit reverse and missed. The nose of the truck crept slowly into the lane of traffic. . .

And bounced of the rear tires of the tractor of a semi passing in front of me. Between the time the tractor tires passed and the rear trailer tires arrived, the nose went under the trailer. The rear tires smacked into and over the front end, spinning my truck around and bouncing it off the front end of a brand new SUV driven by a County Cop

I was bounced around pretty bad. My left arm dented the inside of the driver's door shell, and my overhead speaker broke from its mounting and put a gash in my head.

The truck was towed the half mile home and stored in a storage lot (the landlord of the mobile home court wouldn't let me keep in in the driveway). My brother and father drove up a couple of weeks later and helped me cut him up into a trailer.

Although I truly love my current ride, I really miss that old '67 and wish I still had him, too.

Up until Yesterday, I still had the trailer. Now--and Jim will post his side of the story soon--I have traded that trailer for one made out of a LWB Stepside, the bed of which will go on my "new" truck. The passenger side door, the dash bezel, and the rear bumper and trailer hitch are on my '69, and the 327 is in it. The "new" trailer has a short piece of the frame rails from the '67. And the driver's side door shell is propped against the back of one of my sheds. Otherwise, all I have of Cynewulf are these pics and a lot of great memories.

The bed, rear frame, and shell are about to be reborn as part of Jim Albright's "new' '69 SWB Fleetside.

Wes thu hal, Cynewulf!

[palallin]

Ouch!

[frost89434]

I hope you gave it a propper buriel right?

[palallin]

Ouch!

[palallin]

The 327 was OK, though I lost both cast valve covers.

[palallin]

This is a poor pic, but it serves to show how far the frame was bent out of true.

[Longhorn Man]

Here's my story on the old Longhorn...
It was a bad day, and it got worse as it went on. On the 29th of September, 2000, at about 10:00 P.M., I was involved in an accident that killed my truck.
I don't believe in getting a cool vehicle, just to put it away, and not drive it. Of course, I took it to the opposite extreme, and put about 100 to 300 miles a night delivering pizzas for a small local store. The money was great, and I enjoy driving so much, that it was even fun.
Well, I was on my way to a delivery, and was stopped to make a left hand turn off of the 'main drag' onto a side street. I was distracted by some activity on the road I was about to pull onto, and scanned the road for oncomeing traffic. Well, I saw the car coming, and it was a 1/2 block away, so I proceeded with the turn. I did see the car, but failed to notice the speed in which it was traveling. In the blink of an eye, this Mada Protege was slamming into my truck.(at an unproven high speed) No one was injured more than scratches and small bruises, but both vehicles were totaled. The police, and my insurance company, were not interested in hearing my theory that she was speeding, so I was at fault for not yielding to oncoming traffic. If you were to look at my truck,(which I had weighd in at just over 7,000 pounds) and consider that this Mazda would be lucky to weigh more than 2500 pounds, I think that you'll agree that she couldn't have been doing the claimed 30M.P.H.

[too many]

OOOHHHHHhh Mannnn.....,

That hurts!!!!! You pretty much covered most of it, but, I just need to know,, WHAT happened to the cab? Im looking for a 67 w / AC . THANKS , Steve

[ThreeQuarter]

WOW! Glad you're alright.

I thought I was the only one with a longstep bed trailer. Anxious to hear about your longstep project...

[palallin]

The trailer.

[palallin]

Sorry guy: the cab went to the junk yard: my landlord wouldn't give me any more time. Shoulda found a way: that cab was 'way better than the one I've got now.

[too many]

Seeing pics of that cab and knowing its "demise", well, I think im gonna get siccccccck. .............arrrrphhhh! .......

[palallin]

Jim will be posting pics of the cutting. As soon as I make progress on the swap, I'll post some and give the details. Come next spring, the '69--King Cynehelm X--will be seeing a body/paint man. then, I'll do more pics.

Originally posted by gmcblu
Anxious to hear about your longstep project...

[PICKMUP]

Ford Tore-asses do this to our trucks. This one had a 6" lift and that little Ford still did this much damage...frame too.