Fire

Hey Norm,
Thanks for getting back to me. I'm open to whatever seems like it will work for me. I have not yet heard back from the jeep person and will get photos later today, probably, from the 71 Chevy truck guy. I've been told by more than one person that the shift linkage is a kind of can of worms on those as it is inside the steering column. I was thinking that a three speed floor shift would be a way around that, but off hand don't know if that is expensive, difficult to install (probably not), hard to come by or what. Usable tires wouldn't be hard to find and going over the brakes is never a bad idea on an older vehicle anyway, so it is still possible. if the photos show it to be in pretty nice shape it is something to go look at, especially if nothing else more immediately road worthy presents itself. I do have a good mechanic nearby, so that's a plus. And it is just $500.00 so if I can do everything for a thousand it may happen. Thanks again.
SB

Thank you guys. For right now nothing is panning out with a used truck, but I'll keep looking. Today is the fishing opener back home and it feels a little weird not being there to probably not catch anything, but there's always the chance of a few walleyes for dinner. There are some goldfish in the little pond here, but it ain't the same.
I thought of something in the middle of the night which might work. Something like thirty years ago I drove a car from Baltimore to Indianapolis, I think it was to deliver a car. The driver doesn't get paid, but just pays gas prices along the way in return for delivering the car. I don't know if such services exist today, but if I could get to say Minneapolis I could either rent a car from there (just 250 miles from home or maybe even connect with someone I know with a cabin up my way who I could catch a ride with. Just a thought. Does anyone know of such a service and what it is called? I looked with Google and am probably not entering the right search. There must be something like that. A hot tip would be a cool thing. Thanks,
SB

rkorson4209,
I'm so sorry to hear about your fire. I was watching the morning news and saw where a home burned to the ground last night somewhere in southern PA with pictures of people standing there looking at the fire fighters and aftermath, images we have all seen a hundred times before. But this morning was different as I could smell it and feel it all through me. One of those onlookers was the owner and was numb with the impact of what was happening. It is different now since such scenes have full meaning I can understand. So I feel for you.

Bikeguyjoe,
Thanks so much and I'll go now for a look. I wanted to thank you first. This could be the way!

Dan,
You're a good friend even if we have never set eyes on each other. I lift my coffee cup, send you a smile and a here's to you, bud!

Was feeling on he glum side when I woke up... all sorry for myself like a little kid who got left behind when everybody else went fishing. (Today's the opener in Minnesota, a place with over 12,500 lakes, so it is a very big deal there... sniff) But you guys once again help lift me up. Thanks. I'll let you know if I find something. And Moosh and I will have our own fishing opener when we get home. She likes everything about it but big northern pikes thrashing around on the bottom of the boat. Does not believe in Northerns and Muskies with razor teeth. Bluegills are good. What a woos. Ha!
SB

I did some googling of driveaway services and have requested an application from one which will come by mail. You pay a deposit of $350.00 when you pick up a vehicle to be delivered and get it back when you arrive at your destination, paying for your won gas along the way. So you wait for a vehicle needing delivery to where you want to go or somewhere along the way and hope you are the driver they pick, kind of a hurry up and wait. So there's that and I will investigate to see if there is another such outfit in the Baltimore Washington area.
I am not done investigating a truck however since in the end I need a truck no matter how I get home and there are not going to be a bunch more funds available once I get there. So, I have been arm wrestling myself over that 1971 Chevy pickup since it was the only one in my budget range I had heard back from. I have photos now and a better idea of what is right and what is wrong with it. The seller seems to be a pretty upfront guy and is a fireman with some empathy for what I've just been through. He had bought the truck from a farmer with the intention of restoring it, the economy fell into the basement and the truck did not get restored. I'm not real familiar with chevys, but I like it and can see myself looking dashing as all get out behind the wheel and Aaniimoosh grinning out the shotgun window. It is even a good turquoise Indian color and with a nice Indian saddle blanket on the seat could be the ultimate reservation cruiser even down to the rust and decorative cracked windshield. I could fit in on any reservation in America and that's a fact! However, it is an obvious money pit and a project just getting it on the road, then spending my summer trying to make it whole. If I have a project I want it to be one with two wheels I don't have to lie under to work on. I have spent enough time through the years lying on by back under a truck getting rust and old grease in my eyes. If I have to I will, but I don't think I have to.
After I started this post earlier today I got an email from the Jeep Cherokee guy who says I was the first to respond to the listing and he was intrigued I think with the Cherokee prayer and Indian connection or maybe just wants to see this old guy Silverbear whose truck burned up. I had told him in my email I thought this was my truck and why it wanted me to buy it. Yes, it is strange and not your usual way of doing things, but he has put other people off until I see it as he knows I'm in a bind, so that is nice of him. I've made arrangements to borrow a car tomorrow for the thirty mile trip to look it over and perhaps make a deposit. So wish me luck and good judgment tomorrow at high noon when the jeep and I look into each other's headlights for the first time to see if there is indeed a love connection. I will ask the dog her opinion as well. She isn't much for mechanics, but will know if the seat smells funny or if there is a tootsie roll in the glove box. All things considered... G'night... (below are two photos of the 71 turquoise reservation cruiser and two of the red 87 Cherokee)
SB

Make that one of the jeep and now I suppose the ford wants to be looked at. Where'd that come from? Spooky it is... and the bear is tired.
SB

Richard,
You are kind, sir, and it is me thanking you not only for your good words but also for your good deed.
Corgi1,
Wrong truck. No wonder you got mixed up, I did too. It was the Chevy with the worn shifting linkage inside the column. A different can of worms. The trouble I ran into on a1980's Ford F 150 column was the key locking mechanism on the column locks one last time and then there is no unlocking it... something had to be drilled out by a mechanic to function again which also drilled a large hole in my pocket where the money fell out. I understand it was a fairly common occurrence as they got old and tired. I'm getting old and tired, too, fully expecting to lock up at some point myself, so I guess the Fords have a right.
Rockhopper,
You tryin' ta git rid'a me?
Today an important decision is coming, so I'm back to arm wrestling myself with buoyant optimism in one hand and high alert caution in the other...FTW as Barely says in young person cryptic talk. That's 'for the win' in old fart speak. Later.
SB