UPDATE: November 4, 2014
Jackson emailed me regarding an original post from two years ago and commented below. He bought this rig soon after I wrote about it as his first “car” at only 15 year old. He’s put 15,000 or so miles on it after doing a restoration. Congrats Jackson, it looks great!
ORIGINAL POST: January, 17, 2012
“Selling my 68 Travelall Custom 3/4 ton 2wd. All original down to the hubcaps. 345 V8 with a 5 speed transmission. Factory AC. Power brakes. Body is in very good shape except for a few hail dents. Some glass neds replaced on right side. Always stored inside since hail damage. Sorry for the bad pictures.”
I’m still looking out west for something that my friend can tow home in his empty trailer. I found this on Craigslist Amarillo, Texas and decided to call. After about five minutes, I mentioned my friend with the trailer heading his way. “Yeah, I think I talked to that guy yesterday.” What? Really? Yes, my friend Roy had called on the same truck the day before me and we never connected on it. Funny we were in sync with what type of “find” we would wrangle in Texas, apparently big-rust-free-tonnage.Today, Roy made it over take a look. The guy seemed a little off but Roy plugged along in the usual manner of cutting straight to the lowest price. The hail damage beat up the windshield, passenger window and cracked the huge wrap around side glass. Not cheap fixes but the price accounted for this thought the owner.
However, upon filling one of two tanks with fresh gas, fuel leaked to the ground. Ironic since it’s Texas. The second tank held and after three years, three squirts of ether and three minutes of cranking, the motor fired. Roy took a couple laps around the building. Brakes were frozen yet cracked free then hardly worked, steering was loose, things were funky… “How ’bout $600 bucks.” The guy still wanted $900. Leaking gas and all the issues? Ah, that’s a pass.
If it were 4×4 it might be on the trailer. But 2WD doesn’t bring the call of the wild passed the dry flats of Texas tumbleweed. On to Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma.
Jackson
I really enjoyed reading this! I Bought this a few days after this happened and a lot has changed since. I bought it at the age of 15 and restored it for my first car and daily driver. Enjoy looking at the pictures of what it looked like before i got it.
Groosh
Thanks for writing in Jackson. That’s terrific. I’m glad you found the original post and would love to see pictures of the restored rig. My email is paulgrusche “at” gmail.com