So I bought a truck…
I bought a truck today. Originally, I was saving my spare cash for a ’65 MGB. But it was starting to look like it might really be a while before I snagged one, so I moved on to Plan B.
Plan B is a 1978 Chevrolet Silverado Fleetside. It is currently painted-ish black-ish. The paint was not professionally done, so it is more of a “faux-finish”. Mostly bumpy. Think “rustoleum over sandpaper”.
But the engine is nice. By which it sounds nice (very guteral and manly) and also I have been assured by my truck expert friend that it is a solid engine. The engine is a rebuild, and is only about 3 years old. 19k or so miles on it. It has a lot of torque I’ve been told – but I normally drive a Corolla, so I’m not personally a good judge. I will say that it drives nice!
I’m very glad I bought it. I think I will enjoy this much more than the MGB in fact.
I bought it on a Saturday (7/25/2009), so the county clerk was closed. I’ll take it in on Wednesday for registration and to pay my taxes on it (which should be about $50).
I did get a chance to get new tires. The ones on it were dry rotted. So I got 4 new 31″ Firestone Destinations. They look good on it!
I’m going to make a list here for my own reference of all the things left to do on it. This list will probably span several years, and honestly, most of it I may never do. But I’d like to. this is pretty much in the order in which it would need to be done.
– Front end work (tie rod and bushings) Probably be around $700, but it needs to be done.
– New windshield
– Weld work on rot under drivers side cab
– Weld work/ Replacement of doors (they have some rot)
– Strip and paint (that will cost an arm and a leg)
– New Dash and instrument cluster
A lot to do. And the list will no doubt grow. But this truck reminds me of growing up for some reason. No one in my family ever had one, but I sure remember seeing them around. It was made the same year I was born, which is part of the reason I like it. I like the idea of “bringing it back” from the brink as it were.
Plus, it is big. And it sounds cool.
And it’s black.
And has shiny bits.