Little Blue 82

[Ray Cecil]

Thanks Gary, I will check them out tonight.

Last night I did get a chance to check one wheel for Runout. zero runout. So I don't think that one is bent. I will keep checking.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Maybe the tires have taken a set from sittin' down in the hollar so long?
Tires can appear normal when up in the air spinning free.
If a tire shop around you has a dynamic load balancer (like a dyno, for tires) you might have them check it out.

[Ray Cecil]

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Maybe the tires have taken a set from sittin' down in the hollar so long?
Tires can appear normal when up in the air spinning free.
If a tire shop around you has a dynamic load balancer (like a dyno, for tires) you might have them check it out.

I think its a real possibility the tires are not perfectly round. Although, they all had 35-40 psi in them, and they had settled about 2"-3" into the mud. So they were not sitting on a flat surface. They were well cradled in the turf.

You guys think the tires would straighten out over time driving it? Or do they stay out of round once they get that way?

[Ray Cecil]

Hey yall, the grill on little blue might look okay in the pics, but its pretty beat up, missing mounting tabs and has cracks. I am going to need another grill, valance panel, and the aluminum trim piece between the grill and valance panel.

If anyone has anything let me know. I can always order new, but let me know what you have and are willing to part with. I am undecided on the 80/81 grill. I like the oval, but I think the 80/81 looks great too! I already have the 80/81 clear blinkers....

[Gary Lewis]

Not sure, but I probably have the valance panel.  And maybe some other things.  Check it out next week.

As for the tires, they may round out, but may not.  Only time will tell.

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

Not sure, but I probably have the valance panel.  And maybe some other things.  Check it out next week.

As for the tires, they may round out, but may not.  Only time will tell.

Thanks Gary! I found a guy on the H.A.M.B. who bought an old tire shaving machine!!! Man I wish I had one of those!!!

[Ray Cecil]

Drove little blue to Dollar General last night. Came back out and it was puking coolant. Only two miles to the house, so I drove it back. After inspection, looks like a water pump bolt, or the seal on the pump shaft has failed and its coming out the weep hole.

I knew I should have put a new pump on while I was in there.

Luckily, a water pump on a 300 is easy peazy!!

[Gary Lewis]

Things like this are why I go back NEW when I'm in there.  But, that makes the cost of fixing things much more EXPENSIVE.  So there's a trade off.  So I don't know the "right" way.  Just my way.

Anyway, hope the bolts come out in tact.  

[Ray Cecil]

Gary Lewis wrote

Things like this are why I go back NEW when I'm in there.  But, that makes the cost of fixing things much more EXPENSIVE.  So there's a trade off.  So I don't know the "right" way.  Just my way.

Anyway, hope the bolts come out in tact.

I had the pump out. Inspected it. Shaft felt good, bearings smooth and impeller looked good. Bolts came out just fine.

I won't get to this before I come down there to OK Gary. So, I will have something to look forward to when I get home. Water pump, cross member swap, front bumper install, possibly a different grill.

[Ray Cecil]

I've been AWOL because I went to Tulsa. Had plans to go see Gary, but the disaster I walked into at my rental property did not allow the time for me to go by Gary's place.

I arrived in OK on Monday night last week. Worked 4 hours on the house after driving 11 hours to get there. Tuesday through Saturday I put in 15 hours a day. $6,000 in rehab costs later, I finally have it listed for sale and have a realtor handling it.

I will get back to Little Blue hopefully this weekend. I want to start daily driving it!!!

[Gary Lewis]

Was the $6000 in rehab for you after working 15 hours/day???  

Anyway, sorry for your problems.  And, sorry I didn't get to see you.  Hope you get the truck on the road ASAP.

[Ray Cecil]

Half of that went to drywall repair and painters. The other half was flooring. I had to rip out ALL the flooring. Carpet and laminate floor. The house smelled of wet dog and urine.

Some people live like pigs.

[Gary Lewis]

Exactly why Janey and I wouldn't consider managing rental property.  As I child I remember all too well seeing my mother cry when we walked into our house that had been rented out.  And Janey's mother had a house that wound up being rented out.  When it was empty we went in to clean it up and almost gagged.  There were used adult diapers stacked in the corner, and many other atrocities.  We finally pulled everything out of the house, including the furniture, an burning it.  Never, ever again.  

[Ray Cecil]

This guy fooled me. He was supposedly a handyman and a preacher at a church in Owasso. Everytime we talked, he brought up "I am a really good christian man, and I am virtuous." That should have been my first sign. Good christians and virtuous non religious people dont go around proclaiming how awesome they are.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, that should have been a sign, for sure.

[1986F150Six]

Proverbs 27:2?

[Gary Lewis]

Yep.  For sure.

[Ray Cecil]

Ive been too busy lately. A little slow at work today so I thought I would spend a little time on Garys Site.

I am still dead in the water. The truck sprung a coolant leak three weeks ago at the water pump and I haven't driven it since. This weekend I hope to solve this issue.

So, I still technically dont own Little Blue. Due to it being an out of state purchase, and not having the right forms, I wasn't able to title it yet. Luckily, the previous owner is a good guy, and even though he is out at sea, he downloaded the proper form and signed everything and got it sent to me. Still waiting for it in the mail.

Update on Oklahoma house. It is listed for sale and wrapping up small jobs. I hope for it to be sold asap.

Once that house is sold, I am buying my mother in law a used Toyota from my cousin. It was her first car. 2002 Celica. Only has 116,000 miles, and a brand new engine was put in by Toyota, that engine is at 80,000 miles. My poor mother in law. She was approved for a charity to take care of her medical bills, she is being diagnosed still, but not looking good. Breast Cancer is probably what this is. She has no insurance, works minimum wage, no savings, raised four kids, her husband left her, and she is 63 still working her butt off. I support her with cash, and its time I get her a better car. She is driving a hand-me-down 94 2-door Camry with who knows how many miles. It smokes. No AC. She has to climb into the drivers seat via the passenger door. My wife's family down in OK are pretty lazy. No one has offered to help fix anything on her car. I do more for her from 700 miles away than they do from 20. Pitiful.

[Gary Lewis]

She lives in BA?  Sounds like she is having a really rough time.  Glad you are helping.  Looks like you are a good SiL.  

On the house, things are selling pretty well here, so I hope it sells quickly.  That will be a big load lifted.

You don't own Little Blue?  Yipes.  Hope you get that sorted quickly.

As for the water pump, I hope the six cylinder engines don't have the bolt-breakage problem many of the others have.  (Which reminds me, I need to get the stainless bolts for Big Blue's water pump.)

[Ray Cecil]

She lives in Tulsa now. I try to do what I can for her. Its tough being so far away.

The water pump bolts came out just fine. I had the pump off a month ago when painting and resealing everything. Either I didnt get enough blue rtv on the water jacket bolts, or the pump shaft seal started leaking. Not sure yet.

Little blue is mine, just got the out of state form from seller yesterday. Just have to get to dmv.