Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

Arborist Forum

Help Support Arborist Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
SVK's rusted out pickup is nothing extreme--I'm sure the new owner is pleased to get it. Had a '62 Chevy 3/4 ton, 235 straight six, 4spd, when it was 12--16 yrs old. Talk about a rust bucket--you could hear it rattle coming down the road. it was step-side, and one of the rear fenders fell off and was dragging on the road as my wife returned from work one time. She tied it back in place with baler twine, enough to get home, and I had a neighbor weld angle iron to secure both fenders.

Later, we began to smell gas and wondered why. The mounts holding the cab to the frame had rusted away and the cab sagged, until a bolt or something punctured the gas tank as it settled. (Gas tank behind the seat back then.) Replaced the gas tank, jacked up the cab body, and kept it suspended with some blocks of 2 x 4 between cab and frame. Got a few more years out of it before I rebuilt the engine and transplanted it into a less rusted body & frame.
DAMN that’s impressive! lol. You definitely got your money’s worth out of that truck. Can’t believe the engine was still healthy enough to power another truck. Wish I could of seen it with the 2x4s. Now that’s some serious ingenuity.
 
Sucks that Federal cartridge did mass layoffs at the beginning of the Trump presidency due to what they said was lack of demand. According to them, they produced more rounds than ever last year and most stores have zero stock.

Secret tip to all of you gun folks....gas stations off the beaten path that sell sporting goods usually have ammo and often it is still priced at old prices. Fleet supply store in the largest town near me has ZERO centerfire rifle or pistol cartridges. Little gas station on the north end of the small town 6 miles away has enough ammo to fill a short box pickup.
Can I get the address, just in case :innocent:.
 
Is that a Dixon?? My grandmother bought one of those from a guy who had a booth at the Saginaw County fair around 1980 and everyone thought she'd lost her mind. It actually proved itself to be one hell of a good mower.
It is. Traded it for some cash and my old Honda accord wagon, it was on its last leg. I kept it around because it ran like a top and the ac worked awesome, froze me out and I like it cold.
Everyone I know that owned a 5.4L dealt with broken exhaust manifold studs.
Got those on my v-10.
 
Nate, that looks like my place, up next to the drive. Every year in late winter I remove more pines (2 large, 3 small to middling this year) and pile the slash for later removal. The slash pile is like ice cream to a herd of 8 (this year) does and young stock. I like putting it out for them, as March is the "starvation month" when their natural feed is pretty much used up.
Put up some pictures if you get a chance. Yeah they sure like the moss on the limbs. Sure enjoy having them around.

We had a 98 and a 04 expedition with 5.4’s both had over 200,000 miles, probably most trouble free vehicle/motor we’ve owned.
My buddy had a Ford F-250 at his work with the 6.2 gas, they pulled 14,000 lb trailer with it, he thought it pulled great and good mpg.
Of the gas motors I’ve owned Ford 460 and dodge v10 were probably my favorite other than mpg.
 
I must say my 5.4l has given me very little trouble over the years, nor has my fathers. Mine is a 2 valve his is a 3 valve. Our biggest complaint is the poor fuel economy, second is the need to hold them flat to the floor wile merging on the highway or pulling hills loaded. Since I've gotten my 460 I doubt I'll be towing much with my 5.4l. No need for flat to the floor high rpm power she just goes up the hill, kinda like the diesel powers all there down low. I did manage 10.9 mpg last tank, normally about 8 mpg towing or hauling. Wouldnt mind a v10, my cousin and older brother both have one and really like how they perform.
I'm up to 8 MPG on my excursion currently lol. I just got it out on the rd again and its idled a lot as the battery is toast.
What's funny is its the same tank of fuel from last fall, so I can say a tank of fuel last me all winter :laugh:.
I have a trailer hooked up over half the time, so driving a v10 isn't the worse thing, oil changes and fuel filters are cheaper/less frequent, fuel is cheaper, and they cost a lot less up front. For heavy towing, can't beat a diesel.
 
Holy hell look at all the rust! I'm surprised you weren't soaked every time you drove over a puddle lol.

I found my future firewood/mulch hauler. I know I didn't want a pretty truck but looks like the previous owner(s) took really good care of this thing. It's in great shape with a few mods to it, don't think anything crazy though.

View attachment 899960
Congrats, looks nice.
 
Finally said goodbye to my old friend yesterday and delivered him to his new owner. Good thing it’s out of the driveway as I’ve got a new to me enclosed trailer coming soon.
View attachment 899924

Finally said goodbye to my old friend yesterday and delivered him to his new owner. Good thing it’s out of the driveway as I’ve got a new to me enclosed trailer coming soon.
View attachment 899924

Finally said goodbye to my old friend yesterday and delivered him to his new owner. Good thing it’s out of the driveway as I’ve got a new to me enclosed trailer coming soon.
View attachment 899924
Finally said goodbye to my old friend yesterday and delivered him to his new owner. Good thing it’s out of the driveway as I’ve got a new to me enclosed trailer coming soon.
View attachment 899924
you gonna miss that lift gate ?
 
DAMN that’s impressive! lol. You definitely got your money’s worth out of that truck. Can’t believe the engine was still healthy enough to power another truck. Wish I could of seen it with the 2x4s. Now that’s some serious ingenuity.
Very rarely did older vehicles up here wear out before they rusted out. You have to figure a well made engine will last for 200k plus miles but if you drive an older vehicle 15k miles a year it will be rusted out in ten or so years.

Most modern vehicles take longer to rust so now you are seeing vehicles with more miles. My 2007 Yukon has 327k and only has rust on fenders, by gas door, and rear door jamb.
 
I'll catch up on the truck talk later. :laugh: 2 tanks of fuel and 3 1/2 hours later. Ash and cherry. Not bad for an old fart.
View attachment 899656View attachment 899657
You need to do the short tailgate conversion to you trailer. I bought mine with the short gate from Wengers, then drove over to the factory and bought a 5' drive on ramp. I put the drive on ramp on the trailer, then didn't know what to do with the short tailgate. Since I had to put the longer mounting brackets on for the longer ramp, I took the shorter ones and put them in the front standard pockets, and turned it into a head board. It folds down as a work bench, folds up as a head board, or folds way up to stick long stuff under it or to use the winch to load logs.
ZjCRBjx.jpg

0eXmvbh.jpg
 
You need to do the short tailgate conversion to you trailer. I bought mine with the short gate from Wengers, then drove over to the factory and bought a 5' drive on ramp. I put the drive on ramp on the trailer, then didn't know what to do with the short tailgate. Since I had to put the longer mounting brackets on for the longer ramp, I took the shorter ones and put them in the front standard pockets, and turned it into a head board. It folds down as a work bench, folds up as a head board, or folds way up to stick long stuff under it or to use the winch to load logs.
ZjCRBjx.jpg

0eXmvbh.jpg
I have the swinging barn doors on mine Joe. That's a cool idea you did.
 
I ordered a new trailer from a GMC dealer by me, then he told me the factory would be 6-8 weeks before they started on it, so I cancelled. It would have had the 5 foot ramp, and the price was $8500. I found mine at Wengers with the short gate for $5800, paid $900 for the drive on ramp, and now have both gates. The new tandems at the GMC dealer had 4 way tail gates on them. They would hinge up to spread gravel, hinge down to dump, or break apart in the middle as barn doors. Cool gates, but they looked heavy!
 
More or less the end of the firewood making season for me here. So, I replaced the snow blade with the grapple on my tractor, and will spend a couple days pulling my chipper from brush pile to brush pile cleaning up and consolidating. Probably isn't necessary, but it kind of weans me off the sawing/splitting/stacking for a couple months.

IMG_9193.jpg
 
You need to do the short tailgate conversion to you trailer. I bought mine with the short gate from Wengers, then drove over to the factory and bought a 5' drive on ramp. I put the drive on ramp on the trailer, then didn't know what to do with the short tailgate. Since I had to put the longer mounting brackets on for the longer ramp, I took the shorter ones and put them in the front standard pockets, and turned it into a head board. It folds down as a work bench, folds up as a head board, or folds way up to stick long stuff under it or to use the winch to load logs.
ZjCRBjx.jpg

0eXmvbh.jpg
You could mount a stump vise at one end of that. Looks about the right height for filing a chain.
 
Very rarely did older vehicles up here wear out before they rusted out. You have to figure a well made engine will last for 200k plus miles but if you drive an older vehicle 15k miles a year it will be rusted out in ten or so years.

Most modern vehicles take longer to rust so now you are seeing vehicles with more miles. My 2007 Yukon has 327k and only has rust on fenders, by gas door, and rear door jamb.
Damn you keep vehicles for a long time too. How does the engine run? I don't think I've had a vehicle with over 150k miles as of yet. This truck should last a long time as I'll very rarely drive it. I'm hoping I can use it for a few years then I'll hopefully sell it at a decent price and buy an electric truck. Can't wait for more electric vehicles to come out. I'm getting a solar panel system installed on my roof soon, would be awesome to basically have almost $0 in energy bills.
 
Damn you keep vehicles for a long time too. How does the engine run? I don't think I've had a vehicle with over 150k miles as of yet. This truck should last a long time as I'll very rarely drive it. I'm hoping I can use it for a few years then I'll hopefully sell it at a decent price and buy an electric truck. Can't wait for more electric vehicles to come out. I'm getting a solar panel system installed on my roof soon, would be awesome to basically have almost $0 in energy bills.
The 327k vehicle has some issues but runs and drives. Second transmission has more miles than the original did.

I think we are on the fourth set of front wheel bearings. Ball joints, shocks, and tie rods replaced. Other than that just tires and brakes as needed.
 
Back
Top