...continued
So, after getting the trees cleaned up, I started looking through boxes of parts and pieces I had previously bought for this project...and I started getting some excitement back again. I began diligently searching for a 1981 - 1993 Dodge with a manual transmission. I was mainly after a good, clean, straight, rust free body.
I found a great candidate only about 3 hours away. I called the guy on Wednesday, and told him I'd be there Saturday to pick it up. It's a good think I called before leaving, because it turns out he sold the truck out from under me!
I finally located another one...even better than the first. It was a shiny black 1986 W150 with a 4 speed manual in immaculate condition! The only problem was it was advertised 6 months prior to me finding it. I finally made contact with the owner, just to learn it had been sold just the week before...
Well, another month of searching, and I found a 1992 model in Pittsburgh, PA. It was a two tone blue with a manual trans. I drove up to get it with cash in hand. Unfortunately when I got there, it was no where near the truck that had been described to me! The pictures they sent me must have been from years before. The truck had significant dents all over, had a major oil leak and antifreeze leak, and had golf ball size rust holes through the bed. The floor pan was completely rusted, and a significant portion of the interior was missing. I offered the guy $500, instead of the $2,500 he was asking. He turned it down, so I made the long trip back home to Knoxville.
Needless to say, at this point, I was pretty disappointed. The next month brought about several ups and downs with people who wouldn't call back, trucks that had just been sold, or were way out of my price range.
Finally, around May 15 of this year, I ran across the ONE. A very nice gentleman from Warren, Rhode Island had restored a 1987 W150 Dodge about 4 - 5 years ago, and just had never driven it very much. Finances forced him to sell. I spent hours on the phone with him, and he sent a plethora of pictures. He had done alot of work to the truck, and had put alot of money in it as well. I quickly fell in love with it, and decided to make the drive to Rhode Island!
Here was love at first sight! ...well, almost!
I wasn't quite sure about the color until I saw it in person. He had it professionally painted "legend lime", or "lime gold", the color of the old mustangs that was reintroduced briefly in 2005 and 2006. In reality, it is much less "lime" than the pictures I had seen, and I quickly grew to like the color!
We got it loaded on the trailer, along with an extra set of wheels and tires, and 2 truck beds full of extra parts!
The truck had a rebuilt 1969 318, 727 trans, 208 xfer case, and a dana 44/9.25 axle set. The body was beautifully done, but was starting to show just a few minor spots. It came with an air system, air horns, dual red top optimas, heavy bumpers, Superwinch Epi9.0 winch, Hella lights, new 32" super swampers, and extra set of 33" BFG A/Ts, and many more parts!
I made it home, tired after 53 hours on the road, but with a good solid truck. Pulling in the driveway, my mom, dad, and sister were standing outside to welcome me home with the new find! They all dressed for the big occasion!
to be continued...
--Eric
