In mid-July, 2010, I got an answer to a Kijiji ad I posted earlier, seeking an inexpensive, large-capacity truck I wanted to buy for a one-way trip to Ontario. Actually, I received several answers, but finally one that had a truck that had the required cubic volume space. When I moved out here, we towed a U-Haul trailer, the biggest one they had for my van: 5' x 12' x 5' high. That was just large enough....
This truck has internal dimensions of 6' x 12' x 5'10" high... a little extra space. Although my intent is to go back with just the stuff that I came out here with, there's always a few souvenirs and extra paperwork to carry back.
Considering a rental truck was going to cost over $4,500 for the one way trip, this truck seemed a bargain, as it was going for $800, plus $50 for a certification.
I was under no delusions that it was going to need some fixing up to the tune of a few more bucks, but at least I would still have the vehicle after the trip. I could use it for a workshop as I complete reconstruction of the cottage on WilderHaven once I'm back there.
I drove out to Al's place, just outside Camrose, to see the truck. It's a 1973 Ford Econoline 300, like a big van with a box on the back instead of your usual van shape. The seller needed a couple weeks to get it into certifiable shape, and so I left a deposit and came back home.
Over the next couple weeks, I got updates on the work getting done.... more, apparently, than the seller had planned on. He said the engine had some seals leaking, and gas had gotten into the oil. After replacing the oil, there was some internal damage, so he just replaced the engine. The rear tires needed replacing; he had some better ones he replaced them with. The exhaust system had damaged piping and ended only half way along the length of the vehicle... he said he'd add some pipe to that. He also said they'd add a hitch onto the steel platform extending out the back so I could tow my car behind.
Finally, the day came when they felt it was finished. Fortunately, even after all the extra work Al did for the truck, he held to the original $800 price, plus a $50 fee for certification to another mechanic.
On Thursday, August 5, Catherine, a friend of mine, drove me out to Al's to pick up the vehicle. Once there, I got the sales receipt and we drove into Camrose to get a plate for the truck. First snag... the VIN was not recognized by their system... whether due to the extreme age of the vehicle or the fact their system only goes back a maximum of twenty years, they couldn't find a VIN for it. Two options were now open:
1) get an out-of-province inspection done (about $130) and be prepared to spend about $3,500 in additional repairs, or
2) get a $24.55 "in-transit" sticker for the windshield which gave me three days' driving time to take it wherever it needed to go.
I went for the sticker. We drove back, closed up the deal, and I got into the truck with Catherine following behind for the trip back.
Now, I knew the truck ran a bit noisy during a couple test drives 'round the yard at Al's, but I did NOT realize how bad it was until I was on the highway. There was a banging explosion out the right side of the engine with every revolution; like a constant backfiring. I got into Camrose, put gas in it, and continued home. The smell of exhaust filled the van; I attributed part of that to the open vents in the back of the truck box that were probably pulling some of the exhaust back in. The racket I endured for the hour it took to get back. Almost $30 of gas was used just on the one hour drive. I think my face was partially numb, and my speech was a bit slurred, from lack of oxygen (carbon monoxide poisoning) endured during the hour-long drive home.
No doubt about it, the truck still had issues....
Friday, August 6, I took the truck into Economy Muffler & Brake Shop here in Edmonton. I was fortunate in that they had a guy who understood old-time carburetion engines. But first, that muffler system still needed replacing. Although Al had extended the pipe, it wasn't in very good shape, and the muffler itself had damage.
Thinking back to the last time I had a muffler system replaced (for about $175), I asked the Economy people what it would cost to replace with new from the Y-pipe all the way to the back.
When he said "over $500", I was mildly shocked. Not entirely, but mildly... after all, this is Oil Country, where some people are making three times as much money, so the retail businesses charge everybody three times as much for everything.
Anyway, with a few tweaks, they got the price down to just under $500, and then they started on the engine.
Among several issues there, they discovered (while replacing the plugs, points, wires, etc.... all of which were old and decrepit) that the distributor cap was turned about 30 degrees off of where it should have been!
That the engine ran at all is some sort of testament to the toughness of that particular truck. Additionally, at least one, and possibly a second, spark plug was not even firing. Hence the bad smell and lousy gas mileage. I continue to be amazed the truck made it from Camrose to Edmonton in that condition.
Anyway, after a major work-over of the engine, a minor check-up on the brakes, and a couple other small things being checked over and touched up, the final bill came to just over $1,500. Yee-owtch.
But!... the engine now purred much more quietly, and a whole lot more smoothly. Brakes felt better. No exhaust filled the truck.
It was now a few minutes after 5pm when I paid them, and the truck was out in their yard, idling peacefully, waiting for me to drive home. As I approached it, the engine stopped. Figuring the idle speed was still a shade low, I went to start it again. It turned and turned, but wouldn't catch. The technician finally figured out it had run out of gas, from the on-again, off-again running during the course of the day.
It was quarter after five, the shop was closed, and the employees wanted to go home. One, however, offered to drive me a couple blocks to a local Hughes gas station to get some gas in a large jerry can the owner had brought out. We zipped down there, I filled the can, brought it back, poured it into the truck, and went to start it again. It would start, but slowly idle down to zero and die.
The symptoms were exactly like a fuel filter that's getting clogged and letting gas go too slowly to the engine. However, the workers were all gone now, and I was sitting in the truck, in the yard, somewhat outta luck.
Fortunately, a friend from work, Barry, was available on the cellphone when I called. Barry has an aptitude for things mechanical, and had an hour and a half to come over and help before he had to drive his daughter to work. After he arrived, he dug right in and discovered not one, but two fuel filters on either side of the fuel pump. Both were partially clogged, one badly. So, he loaned me his car to drive a couple blocks down to PartSource, where I was able to buy replacements. Got them back, and we reassembled everything, and the engine ran beautifully! Paid him for his time and drove the truck home... cautiously. I find I'm driving it like I'm expecting something else to break or let go, but it got home without any further problems.
So far.
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