Category Archives: Cars & Trucks

Pickup truck?

Posted on by

What makes a pickup truck… a pickup truck. What is its essence, if you will? A bed for “picking up” stuff? The Oxford Dictionary definition is: “a small truck with an enclosed cab and open back.” So, yeah, this is a pickup truck. But will it ever haul a load of cow manure or gravel or a greasy engine block? Will the owner ever climb into its luxurious cab in sweaty, dirty work clothes? Maybe.

But it just doesn’t say “pickup truck” to me. This is for towing and expensive Airstream travel trailer. I’m not a farmer or rancher or anyone that needs a pickup truck. So I have no standing for this kind of snobbery. But a truck like the one above can cost $68,000 dollars. And it seems to be more about a comfortable ride for the driver (and passengers) than getting work done. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, as Jerry Seinfeld would say.

From my friend (and car aficionado) Phil: “nearly certain that’s a 2024 GMC 3500 Denali Ultimate. If so, $101-105,000 (with massaging seats!) if it’s just a regular Denali, it’s still a $95K+ truck… $68K might get you a used 2020, but not one of those.”

Another friend reports: “2015 GMC diesel/Denali still books at 50K!”

Fancy pants Jeep

Posted on by

Didn’t meet the owner of this fancy new Jeep but took a moment to check out his ride. Deluxe interior with some kind of two-way radio affixed above the driver’s seat. CB radios are not still a thing, are they? Sorry, but just doesn’t say “Jeep” to me.

Spare engine block for Jeep

Posted on by

I took the Jeep to Cruise Night where hundreds of (mostly) old car and truck enthusiasts gather to see and be seen. My friend Paul introduced me to Bob who finds/buys/sells old Jeeps and Jeep parts. Bob and his wife were on their way home (Colorado) from a Jeep gathering in Ohio where Bob purchased an old engine block.
As fate would have it, just the engine block I’d need if the tiny crack in my block (see image below) made the Jeep un-drivable.

So I bought it for $100 and will keep it in the Annex as Cosmic Insurance against my current engine blowing up.

Spare tire of the Jeep

Posted on by

Paul is very particular about the tires he puts on vehicles. They must be the right tire and they must look great. Including the spare which he had to track down out in Colorado.

While I could have lived with this tire as a spare, Paul insisted it get a fresh coat of paint and gave me the privilege of getting all the old paint off.

This involved a few hours with sandpaper and some time in the sandblasting box. A very wax on, wax off experience. This simple chore gave me an appreciation for the time and effort that goes into restoring an old vehicle even though that was never the plan for the Jeep.

When I went to pick up the tire after mounting and balancing, the young man asked for the key so he could drive the Jeep into one of the service bays.

“Might be best if I do that since the transmission is a little… wonky,” I said. “Oh, I think I can figure it out,” he replied.

When he finally did get the Jeep in gear (first instead of reverse) he almost drove into the front of his building. I drove the Jeep into the service bay. (On the topic of shifting gears, I’ve discovered the Jeep is happiest when I double-clutch between gears.)

Fast food run in the Jeep

Posted on by

I’d love to know what the designers of the Jeep had in mind with the fold-down windscreen. Perhaps easier to carry more equipment or people?
Barb got her first ride in the Jeep today.

I’m still getting used to just how small the Jeep is.

And here’s the boy with his new toy, decked out in his anti-tick treated wood clearing outfit.

Jeep: First check-up

Posted on by

Most people who buy or restore an old vehicle don’t plan on making it their “daily driver,” for a lot of practical reasons. Reliability, comfort, financial… just to name a few. But for the last few years I’ve driven the Land Rover or the pickup every day. Leaving a cherished vintage vehicle in the garage would be like having a good dog you never played with. So when I added the Jeep to my little fleet, I knew I wanted to drive it regularly so a trip to the mechanic was high on my list. Just to make it safe-ish to drive. After an agonizing six weeks I got the Jeep back this week.

  • Lube, Oil and Filter change
  • Replace front and rear differential oil
  • Replace steering bell crank
  • Replace drag link repair kit
  • Replace headlight switch
  • Replace brake light switch
  • Replace brake master cylinder
  • Adjust radiator fan
  • Reseal right rear wheel (losing air due to rust on bead)

The parking brake doesn’t work and the oil pan is leaking bit so we’re not quite finished but it’s about as good as we can make it for now.