Well on the 59...you can see some of the hick engineering by following my link in my signature. It started life as a Dallas Power and Light truck and in 66 went to previous owner. He used it as a tool truck for earth moving and it got some very rough use before it retired (IRWIPI) in around 75-76. Let's say he (or his goons) were 'practical'.
1. Distributor timing was set with a piece of wire (see the link in my sig).
2. It had a seat from some piece of construction equipment nailed in with 16 penny nails. (NICE)
3. You couldn't hardly move the steering wheel because on the last set of king pins, they spun the bushing and didn't even check it. I would have looked through the zerk hole, and then just drilled a new one and forgot about it. It took a 30 ton shop press and an alang-india size torch to get the king pin out.
4. No air cleaner or oil cap on an engine that had been bored .060 and crank .020. Engine was locked solid - and donated.
5. Since the truck had been pushed about by big cats, every box mount was bustificated, so 2 1/4 by 2" struts welded the box to the welded on rear bumper (which was beat to poo). When I cut those struts, the box almost fell off!
That's what comes to mind right off.
The jeep I got from him had a huge hole under the spare tire carrier filled with a 1x4 and bondo :p . It also had a number of holes punched in the frame from various tow hooks. And a bazillion holes drilled into it for all kinds of stuff. Most of the body was welded back together with big stick welds. Tow bar was also very 'practical'. But made out of like 1/4 " steel so you could pull a duece and a half with it.
My 72 truck had no motor, an unsealed TH350, drier hose half did for the A/C heat system, and all the AC bits removed other than an evaporator which is probably poo now that its been in the weather for years. Cab corners had a big pile of bondo in them (I have reduced the bondo quite a bit there and welded up a number of holes in cab). Previous restorer said he pulled out 6 layers of carpet! :p :p :p Truck is 3 different colors as well. That's what I am foolin with now.
Oh well, can't complain, every vehicle ended up being free. I was given the 59 and the heep, and the 72 truck came with enough parts sold on ebay that it was actually -17.50!
And as for names - Big Red, the heep, and the 72.
