Its not a Chinese infant, but we'll take it. I am talking of course, about my new baby- The Mean Green Machine. Behold the 1975 Ford F250. Three-quarter ton, four wheel drive, 360 cubic inchV8, four speed with "granny low" gear. This beautiful specimen belonged to only one owner for its first 31 years- a farmer who who used it for various chores around his property. When hauling hay, he would "drop her down" into low gear and hop out while the truck puttered along by itself in the hayfield. He would walk along side of it and throw bales in the back and then jump back in to take them to the barn. How cool is that!? In all of its 31 years, the beast racked up only 77,000 actual miles (and a few dents and rust spots for character.) Everything but the Philco AM radio still works. And somewhere along the way the tailgate disappeared, but you don't need a tailgate to have a tailgate party.
Bring on the next 16 inch snowfall or home football game- the Naughton family's chariot has arrived.
1 comment:
My good friends John Briscoe and Doug Hurt (of Hannibal and CMSU fame) both owned 1970's era Fords back in the good old days. The trucks were named "The Ol' Truck From Hell" and "#13.# Here is what their proud former owners wrote:
"Truly a beautiful machine. As you guys know "ole # 13" was a 79' F150 4 speed with a granny low. I'm pretty sure we used the granny low for hauling hay as well. I always just used it when I was too drunk to drive, I would just put it in first then point it in the right direction and fall asleep while 13 took me home safely. Bonus features that 13 had that your truck may soon feature were the vice grips permantly hooked to the windshield wiper switch, the automatic cooling system, via the 4" diameter hole in the floor board, and the mushrooms and blue stem prairie grass that started growing in the bed, due to the fact that the plywood dad put in there to protect the bed had evolved into a wood like soil/mulch that was particularly well suited for native prairie grasses. Anyway yours is truly a remarkable truck, the fact that it is 4WD and 3/4 ton is a definite upgrade. Plus the green/rust color is very attractive and with the retro fashion these days I don't see how the ladies won't love this." -Doug
"I can only hope that you have as many stories & fond memories with your new Green Machine as Doug had w/13 & I had with the old brown Ford we had (which was a 76, also with a lamentably tired 360). I remember Travis, Rick & I jumping terraces in the Ol Truck-from-Hell & snapping the tail gate off. I recall Utterback taking a $hit off the side of 13, hoping I'd step in it. I especially enjoyed Lewton shooting my truck & when I'd run into Tory's old Rambler with it. Good times. Aside from the F-250 it sounds remarkably like a truck my grandpa rolled, down on Rte. O, drunk, one night when I was a kid in about 77 or 78. Great old truck. I'm getting misty now. Screw the tailgate. Put some big knobby tires on that bad boy & let's head for the bottoms!" -John
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