The argument for a more practical truck.... don't worry....

[Getfit Tommy]

For all those drivers who simply look at their rigs and the industry as a job, for all the drivers who look for economy, practicality, fuel economy, maneuverablity...

I have to stand back and let you rip on me for a while longer, with a picture to help prove your point. She looks good, right? But was there anything else "right" here today?

My skin has thickened, I promise. I don't know how many of you have driven a rig like this or are currently driving one like this, nor do I know the ration of "red oval" lovers to red oval haters....(thank you @mndriver for that, it actually took me a while to catch on)

Let's say you don't have to 'hate' anything, but anyone who wants to tell me what kind of day this was.... I think I can stand back and laugh at myself for the costly sacrifices I make from time to time just to have my "hood"

How many things do you brothers (and sisters) of the big road think occurred here just from looking at this picture?

Or better yet, things that happened to the Red Oval that wouldn't have happened to yours?

This is all in fun. No hate or discontent, not from me.... I promise.

 

[mndriver]

Do you put just as much effort into the Driveline as you do the appearance?

 

[Duck]

Put a DEF tank and e-log sticker on it and it might impress a few of today's steering wheel holders.

 

[Injun]

The long frames have never impressed me and I don't understand their purpose. But I don't have to drive it and since I rarely see them at customers and truck stops, I don't have to maneuver around them.

I've always wondered how they can rack up the required 75,000 yearly miles to be included in the "working" truck shows when I never see them working, though.

 

[Keendriver]

Prolly saves wear and tear on the steers.





Although might make up for it repairing the bottom step.

 

[mndriver]

I'm curious
@Getfit Tommy ,

I'm more into the tinkering to make my truck reliable. Considering the "task" I ask of it, which is to work up to 7-9,000 miles per month and do so without a hitch for the 16-18 days that I leave the house.

That''s quite the task.

And to do so for 5 solid years since I bought it.

To me, chrome has never put food on the table. But reliability has.

I watch my second truck go into places. Simple 265" wheel base. And then I watch me do the same yard with a 229" wheel base and I am so thankful for that short wheel base. It just makes my job that much easier.

I have never been one to understand the appeal of mustangs, camero's, HOG's, jacked up pickups, Peterbilt etc, other than the marketing efforts put into those vehicles.

If that is what turns your crank than do it. I like to go out and tinker on my equipment. I just can't afford to send my stuff to the shop to have 75" of frame installed at $1,000 per inch.

I still struggle with WHY you'd want 310" on a working truck. It's just not practical. Same with paying $3,000 to put exhaust stacks on when you have a weed burner exhaust system as well.

Old school is needle nose pete's. Or COE trucks. Long before Pete's and KWhoppers were the rage.

It all comes back to individual choices really.

My "defensiveness" comes from constantly being bashed for driving a Century and a detroit for as much effort as I put into maintaining it.

Same as you have for getting hammered for driving your hood. It's apparent we don't grasp the others passion

 

[GAnthony]

For all those drivers who simply look at their rigs and the industry as a job, for all the drivers who look for economy, practicality, fuel economy, maneuverablity...

I have to stand back and let you rip on me for a while longer, with a picture to help prove your point. She looks good, right? But was there anything else "right" here today?

My skin has thickened, I promise. I don't know how many of you have driven a rig like this or are currently driving one like this, nor do I know the ration of "red oval" lovers to red oval haters....(thank you @mndriver for that, it actually took me a while to catch on)

Let's say you don't have to 'hate' anything, but anyone who wants to tell me what kind of day this was.... I think I can stand back and laugh at myself for the costly sacrifices I make from time to time just to have my "hood"

How many things do you brothers (and sisters) of the big road think occurred here just from looking at this picture?

Or better yet, things that happened to the Red Oval that wouldn't have happened to yours?

This is all in fun. No hate or discontent, not from me.... I promise.

View attachment 41556

personally i do NOT HATE any truck maker.

and for the record, that long wheel base is (to me) stupit.

about as stupit as one of those ULTRA LONG tractors with a sleeper bigger than a house....

plain, simple trucks for me.

that get the job done.

i never had any need for all that glitters or shines, as i need NOT WASTE my time keeping it up for appearances sake.

my off duty hours are for ME, not the truck, (as a company driver).

i'll let all the o/o's work on thier trucks on thier time off.

 

[mndriver]

my off duty hours are for ME, not the truck, (as a company driver).

i'll let all the o/o's work on thier trucks on thier time off

I agree. Got a couple buddies that run race cars. They spend some silly amount on engines and transmission parts. One has been divorced twice because of racing. And both women knew of his propensity for racing.

Instead of spending money on a race car, I spend it on maintenance on my truck. Some I get done on the road, some I do the week I plan at home.

Wife is at work, I can focus on the truck. When she comes home though, it's focus on her.

So long as those boundaries are kept, life is good.

 

[quillcom]

They spend some silly amount on engines and transmission parts.

x57

How dare you say its silly. Wish I had the moolah to trick out my autos.

 

[mndriver]

When a small block Chevy costs almost as much as my series 60, that's some silly amounts.

 

[Getfit Tommy]

@mndriver

It's not practical.

I had to put dunnage under my front tires to get out and I still scraped my tanks, fenders and (obviously) my DPF box... and the driveline is ALWAYS an issue, as are the lowpro tires in Arizona heat...

the list goes on and on.

That was my point. In one way, I'm trying to make ammends for my preferences and statements thereof, and also admit that "3 point turns" with my split axles and extended frame rails don't quite do the trick. As you can see, no spot mirrors either.

Drivers come up to me all the time to compliment me on the rig, ask questions, etc...

But the one thing we do have in common is that I'm am just as worn out (possibly more) than the next guy... and yeah, my profits are cut into bigtime because underneath that hood is a very, very big motor.

My chrome.. yeah, it gets me home, but it also makes me feel obligated to live out on the road.

Over here, in the Pacific Northwest, these rigs are everywhere. If you're just running straight highways for long periods of time, the ride is very smooth. Lots of honks and thumbs up from four-wheeles, videos being shot... but those things don't pay me cash, they just get attention.

I do it for myself. I look back at my truck when I get out of it... and usually grab a pic. I stop at every detailing facility that will do a good job and get everything up to a high luster.

Practicality... financially... isn't there, neither is maneuverability. I have to turn down loads if I know they are going into areas that will damage the rig or that I just absolutely cannot get into... and i still end up with problems.


So, why do we do it?


I don't know. There is something in our heads that has disconnected our rational thinking?

 

[mndriver]

I am guessing you would flip a gasket if your truck look like this.




I spent two days with this pump and a garden hose cleaning the truck up afterwards

 

[Getfit Tommy]

@mndriver

Yes, most certainly, I would have.... a damn muddy gasket at that.

 

[Brian Junior]

For all those drivers who simply look at their rigs and the industry as a job, for all the drivers who look for economy, practicality, fuel economy, maneuverablity...

I have to stand back and let you rip on me for a while longer, with a picture to help prove your point. She looks good, right? But was there anything else "right" here today?

My skin has thickened, I promise. I don't know how many of you have driven a rig like this or are currently driving one like this, nor do I know the ration of "red oval" lovers to red oval haters....(thank you @mndriver for that, it actually took me a while to catch on)

Let's say you don't have to 'hate' anything, but anyone who wants to tell me what kind of day this was.... I think I can stand back and laugh at myself for the costly sacrifices I make from time to time just to have my "hood"

How many things do you brothers (and sisters) of the big road think occurred here just from looking at this picture?

Or better yet, things that happened to the Red Oval that wouldn't have happened to yours?

This is all in fun. No hate or discontent, not from me.... I promise.

View attachment 41556

Do not see much sense in lowering her that much. Still she looks gorgeous.

 

[Getfit Tommy]

Do not see much sense in lowering her that much. Still she looks gorgeous.

How about this much?

 

[Getfit Tommy]

 

[Getfit Tommy]

I know a lotta guys are gonna think I chopped those, but I didn't... I just took the pics before I drove her around town.... which really was NOT that much fun.....

 

[Brian Junior]

View attachment 41631
View attachment 41632

Where did the owner of this monster find the roads to move on?

 

[Getfit Tommy]

They run the Pacific Northwest to Northern Cali....

No Bay Area

No L.A

Basically no city driving. Can't do it.

 

[Ranger_375]

So it's a barely useful truck, with it's future based in obsolescence as urban sprawl expands. Good job on the owners!