What Did Santa Bring You For Our Hobby:

[Rob]

How did everybody make out for Christmas in support of the hobbies?

I got a wheeled shop charger/booster, (wife) a 3X5 nylon Mack bulldog flag, (son/daughter in law) and a really nice set of stainless hubcaps for aluminum wheels, (daughter).

Also got a nice new set of booster cables for my truck: 2 guage, 20 ft. length, with 500 amp clamps, (daughter). Been needing a new set for several years.

Only got a single item of clothing this year, a REALLY nice "Levi" brand thermal shirt, (son).

Didn't get any socks and such as I have enough already!

If this didn't just surprise me: My wife got me a Fuller transmission from her uncle, (RTO-12513). It is a takeout from when he went to a 18 speed and is still a good unit. I guess I could always use a spare.

Rob

[Speed]

Sounds like you made out like a bandit,Rob;I actually didn't get any truck related stuff for Christmas this year,since I've been acquiring trucks and truck parts all year long. My favorite gift is a big Harley coffee mug from a friend I went to Reno with,to drive a Chevy one ton truck she bought back to Elko. While there,Dutch gave me an 80 gallon shop compressor that needs a new motor;it's still in the back of the truck. (That'll be COOL when it's done!) It snowed most of the way,and the DOT hadn't yet sanded or plowed any of the westbound. There was only 3-4 inches on the road,but it was pretty slick.We got over Immigrant Summit about 5 minutes before they started requiring chains. The state cops were just getting set up when we rolled by. Lucky for me-there were no chains in the truck,and none available in my size at any of the shops I stopped at to look. Never slipped a wheel though. Didn't have enough power to break traction-454 with one dead cylinder and,I think,a plugged jet. Made it home with no problems though. The more I think about it,the more I think the fact that I made it home at all was a pretty good present...

Speed

[other dog]

Sounds like you made out like a bandit,Rob;I actually didn't get any truck related stuff for Christmas this year,since I've been acquiring trucks and truck parts all year long. My favorite gift is a big Harley coffee mug from a friend I went to Reno with,to drive a Chevy one ton truck she bought back to Elko. While there,Dutch gave me an 80 gallon shop compressor that needs a new motor;it's still in the back of the truck. (That'll be COOL when it's done!) It snowed most of the way,and the DOT hadn't yet sanded or plowed any of the westbound. There was only 3-4 inches on the road,but it was pretty slick.We got over Immigrant Summit about 5 minutes before they started requiring chains. The state cops were just getting set up when we rolled by. Lucky for me-there were no chains in the truck,and none available in my size at any of the shops I stopped at to look. Never slipped a wheel though. Didn't have enough power to break traction-454 with one dead cylinder and,I think,a plugged jet. Made it home with no problems though. The more I think about it,the more I think the fact that I made it home at all was a pretty good present...

Speed

sounds like a great adventure! reminds me of when I was at Sierra Sid's truckstop in Reno in 1979. I hadn't been driving long and it was in April or May, warm enough that I was wearing a T-shirt. A driver parked next to me and we were talking and he told me you couldn't cross Donner Pass without chains. I was like ''what the heck are you talking about? what's Donner Pass? wtf are chains?''. I knew what chains were of course, but around here any snow is long gone by that late in the year, and it was so warm there in Reno it made no sense to me. That was my first experience with the high elevation.

[Speed]

Yeah,as a very young driver I noticed it seemed like all the trucks and four wheel drives had chains hangin' off the frame or stacked in the truckbed. I never really developed that habit,of course I pretty much stayed close to town for highway driving,and as for offroading I just cultivated other means of getting un-stuck that didn't require chaining up,the best of which was being more aware of what I was getting into while there was still room for a re-think. On the highway there isn't that option,it becomes either you use the chains or park it and wait for the road to clear.

My uncle used to be an O/O back in the '70's;he told me of running from Ga. to the coast once,crossing Nv. at about 85 mph,no problem,and getting to Donner,where it got very ugly very quick. He stopped to chain up and while waiting for his turn in line was BS'ing with the driver behind him. He leaned on the front corner of his trailer and his truck slid over about 5 feet on the ice. It blew him away that just minutes before he'd been rolling along at road speed on road that was damp but decent traction,and it had turned that slick in that short a time. (This is what he told me,nowdays I think he "beefed up" the truth a little,but the principle is true;It doesn't take much altitude change to bring about a big change in the road conditions.)

Speed

[mackcl96]

How did everybody make out for Christmas in support of the hobbies?

Another long eared dog for the blue cl

And the Crown Royal of course

[de37champ]

You gots made out, All santa brought me was a John Deere D, a Little toy one thu, It is a Collecter one that will go with my 1st gear Mack Trucks, i have 2 D,s a 37 and a 41 real size ones