other dog

At last- I now have 8 brand new used tires and wheels on that cement mixer truck! Finally got the last 3 wheels from Litchford's Garage at 8 this morning, then it was a mad scramble to get them on the truck. First I finished painting the wheels, putting the white strip on them, then I greased the truck while the wheels were drying, then... then the truck wouldn't start. It would start and run a few seconds and cut off. I took the filter off and it wasn't half full of fuel, so I poured it out, refilled it and put it back on. Starts up, runs a few seconds, then cuts of. Took the line off from the tank to the filter and it looked dry. Tom came out of the shop, he mounted all the tires on the wheels for me, and said "there's the problem,you're leaking fuel". So I jumped down and looked and the old braided line that comes out of the tank was leaking where it makes a bend and goes up under the cab. It wasn't leaking at first because i'd been all up under it greasing it just minutes before and there was no leak. I think the hose was so old it was probably sucking together on the inside. So I took the line off and went to Lynchburg to Ferebee-Johnson to get a new fuel line. The man said "what'd this come off of?". I said "a '65 Mack". He said "looks like it's been on there since '65". I said "probably has". Came back and put it on, got it started with some ether, backed up to the shop door, and went to jacking up, taking off, putting on, and sweating my ass off. Finished about 4:30, then I washed at it some, I was dog tired...still am. This would-should-have been done Wednesday, but the delay getting the wheels put me in a bind. Got 8 good looking 11R-22.5 Bridgestones on it now though. They're about 2 inches shorter than the 11:00-20's I took off. One of them was a Sears by the way. Don't remember ever seeing a Sears truck tire before-might be a '65 model too. Was gonna drive it down the road to check them out, but there was no way I was gonna try to get in 460 that time of day, especially on Friday.

whew!..glad you've got a good sense of humor and didn't send a posse after me...you didn't, did you?

you haven't seen scary yet-

managed to get 5 today, painted 4 of them. I went ahead and paid for all 8 since they said they'd have the other 3 this evening. Went back twice this evening and there was no one to be seen, and no wheels either. Jimmy's already picked out some nice looking Bridgestone tires for me.

of all the things they could have turned over for the wrecker demonscration, why'd they have to pick a mixer?

Thanks David, i've got a few leads to call this morning. If I don't come up with anything today i'll do that. Raleigh's not that far from here, probably easier than having Rob import them from Chicago. Struck out on all my leads. Called Bebo back last and he said he'd have them ready by mid day today-but i've heard that one before!

Ain't been in a Peterbilt all week. Don't smoke any dope anyway. Tried it in the '70's, like everybody else, but I never inhaled. I'm going crazy on vacation over the wheel deal. Where've you been so long Paul?..we've missed you

I'm just sayin'...

no need to worry...trust me.

thought you weren't allowed to buy anything!! anyway,I might be interested if something doesn't come through by tomorrow. Waiting on a guy to call back now that might have some used ones. I'll drive it down there on the old tires if I have to. It's about a 20 mile trip each way.

do NOT be afraid to post all the pictures you want!..trust me.

I wish...man, she is smokin' hot!

Excellent job!..i'd have done the same thing...i'm so proud of you!

Looks great guys...i'm so pissed off now i'd pay twice as much for wheels if I could find them somewhere else. I'm gonna call Fleetpride in the morning and see what new ones cost. I called Litchford's (Bebo) a month or more ago and told him I wanted the wheels-no rush. He said "fine, whenever you want them,i've got plenty of them-$40 apiece." Called early Monday and he said the wheels were already off,ready to go. I had other things to do Monday anyway, so I went back yesterday and they said the wheels were not off,and they had to take the tires off of them-no good,rotten ass, recapped tires at that-"come back tomorrow- after lunch- and we'll have them ready". Went back today-after lunch-same story as yesterday. You shouldn't tell somebody you're gonna do something and then not do it...i'm just pissed off to the highest level of pissedofftivity right now. That was my main objective while i'm on vacation-Lincolnton truck show last weekend,the Toga annual benefit this coming weekend-to finally get those tires on the mixer. I was a paycheck from being broke last winter-literally-but i've been running my ass off lately and decided I was gonna do it and get the wheels and tires on it this week so I can drive it again and take it to the car show at Toga. Never missed one yet, and don't plan to miss this one. The second annual benefit was for my wife, who died of cancer in 2005. Here's some info on this year's benefit- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139497816068403

hi

...dammit!..went back today, and there was no progress on the wheels...everybody was gone except the woman who answers the phone. Stopped on the way and bought a quart of red and a quart of white paint, paint brushes, a can of blue spray paint, black spray paint, a wire brush, 2 tubes of grease-and still no wheels! Jo even had her tools and was going to help me! Need to get the 4 outside ones painted and the tires mounted and on the truck by Friday! The annual Toga benefit is Saturday...dammit...i'm gonna go crazy!.. gotta keep your sense of humor,eh?

you buy 'em,i'll put 'em on there!

I was liking the white with red trim, but then they don't match the front wheels!..i'll figure it out.

I do too, but I was kinda keeping with the red,white,and blue. Now you gave me another ideer-blue wheels,white trim,red spider..I dunno. nah- don't like it.

Called Bebo Monday morning about getting 8 used Dayton wheels from him for the mixer. He said he had wheels already off and ready to go. So I went to get them today and they were off but still had tires mounted on them...gotta go back tomorrow. Anyway, since i'm changing wheels and going tubeless I thought about painting them different- gotta paint them anyway. What do y'all think-red and white trim, or white with red trim? I just changed this picture to try to get an idea what they'd look like.

fixed the steering wheel for ya anyway.

We had a '59 (I think, might be a year off either way) GMC 860 wrecker where I worked years ago that had a 5 spd. Clark overdrive transmission. 4th. and 5th. gear was backwards-5th. up towards the dash-and you shifted the 2 speed different too. Instead of the usual 4th. lo-4th. hi,5th. low,5th. hi you went from 4th. lo to 5th. lo, then back to 4th. hi to 5th. hi. Is your 2 speed electric or vacuum shift? 'Course with your 5 speed,the brownie,which has under-direct-over,and a 2 speed rear...I know nothing

I'm about the same way. Drove for years without a/c, but couldn't do it now. Used to haul wood chips to Covington,Va. in a '74 Transtar IH with no a/c and would get off of I-64 and get on rt. 60 and pull off at a big wide spot and get in the Cowpasture river to cool off. I just figured i've gotten old and soft. Told Jeff once if the a/c quits the motor might as well be "blowed up sir", because I cain't drive it.

got lots of tractors too, these are from a show in Concord,Va. a few years ago.

So, I take it you didn't go in there and dig for the gold?