My first build, age 15/16 and a funny story

[Willowbilly3]

I just ran across this old picture. I built this out on the farm when I was a kid, no help from adults if I remember right. Anyway it is about a 50 Chevy pickup frame with a 371 Olds plunked in the middle and an early 50s Ford truck 4 speed. Later it got a J2 and Hydromatic. The year was 1969 or 70. Last time I was at the old farm (2001) the car was still there.

A funny story about this "car" (we called them dunebuggys?) With the stickshift, it had spun the ring gear and I couldn't keep it on the flywheel so I had to bump start it. I had a towbar on it so everyday when I got home from school I would hook it behind Dad's 66 Chevy shortbed. I would put the buggy in 3rd and as soon as it fired up I would jump out of the pickup and run back to pop it into neutral. Well one day it was flooded a little so I tied the gas pedal part way down, yeah, you know where this is going. Just as I swung out onto the county gravel road it fired off. Now keep in mind the towbar runs at a pretty good angle up to the pickup so everytime I try to brake it lifts the back end of the truck up and pushes me all over the place. Now I am starting to think of the road ahead and some of those sharp 90s, then ending at the river 40 miles ahead. Fortunately the ride was short ( about a mile) as it died. So that's when I decided to get an automatic.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Well, the uploader seems to be not working right now, I'll put the picture up later.

 

[harleyboy]

Please do. We would love to see it.

 

[grouchy]

I'd like to see a picture, great story....grouchy

 

[35Mastr]

Me too.Thats one crazy story.

 

[donsrods]

Yep, post some pictures as soon as you can. I loved your story about bump starting it. We've all done some crazy stuff like that to get one going.

I had one car that reverse went out on. No problem, I would just make sure I didn't park it where I ever had to back out of. But EVERY SO OFTEN I would forget, and pull into a 7-11 and park at the curb...........Oh ****!!! I'd have to get out, push it backwards and into a position where I could pull out forward.

Don

 

[Willowbilly3]

Let's try it again, not sure why it wouldn't download here. This isn't really much to look at and the picture was old and ratty when I scanned it.

 

[Gastrick]

That's a good story WB3. I like to hear these kinds of adventures. Here's your photo.