The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Crash!

Well it happened! My wife drove my 61 panel for the first time last night and parked it in the driveway. She didnt quite get it into park and it rolled down the driveway, across the street and kissed a tree directly in the center of the rear bumper. No one was hurt except an ego or two that got severley bruised! Now what to do. It's my daily driver but maybe I need to sell and step up to a more modern truck for my daily transporter!

Had to vent thanks for reading!

Mac

No!! Oh, that's awful.

Oh, but don't sell it. MHO. A '61 panel ... for something like everyone else has.

Surely, it can be fixed ?? I bet it even looks great with the dent. A Bolt with a dent always looks better than something new. Look how many in the Gallery fit that description!

Don't do anything rash, now. Wait three days, then decide. Don't even think about it in the meantime. (That's our "rule of three" around here!)

Peggy

Too bad, but like PegM says,don't sell it. I bet you can straighten the bumber enough or just leave it for "character". And then buy a cheeepy for work. I'm trying to convince my bride I need a truck while I'm fixing up my other truck.

Fix it. It's a classic. You'll be long gone before a new vehicle is a real classic.

I agree with all above, you will regret selling it if you do.

Ed

Well now, I think you should sell it real quickly. PLEASE contact me for my bargin offer. :p

Ditto on the don't sell it. Just train the drivers on how to put it in park and set the parking brake.

Oh yea ... want a STOVEBOLT UP bumper sticker to hide the "character" ... we'll send you one FREE. You've suffered enough. Plus, I still have a pile of them here (they're going to Kansas City).

Peg

Mac, use this as an opportunity to show your wife how much you love her! Tell her the dent reminds you of that fact every time that you see it. Just tell her that you only need one dent to accomplish that.

Thanks for the kind words. I'll hold off making a decision for the moment. I also have a low mileage 70 1/2 ton so if I part with it I still have the other. My problem with having two older trucks for drivers is the reliability factor. Its fun to tinker with them but when I need to go for longer distances it gets old not having amenities.

I'll keep ya posted!

Mac

Don't sell it. Once its gone you can't say you own a 61 Panel anymore! Spend just a little of what a new one would cost you and that 61 will be your pride and joy for a lot less money. As for the amenities all I miss is the A/C. The other amenities I can do without. Just man and machine....the way its suppose to be.

You can put an A/C in that panel a lot cheaper than payments on a new truck. And as for long distance I drive my 53 on every trip I make without a problem. Denver, Kansas City, Austin, San Antonio any where. Just a few up dates and you'll have a real prize. ANY BODY CAN DRIVE A NEW ONE. Not every one has a classic.

Ok I found a guy who has three old panels rotting on his property. He is willing to let me go pick through them for parts. I'm hoping he has the rear bumber and brackets I'll need. TMine is severly out o' shape! So if it works out and I can get the parts I may put it aside for a while and drive my 70. i'm still kicking myself for selling my 54 deluxe a few years ago!!!!

Mac

Peggy;
Are there enough of those Stovebolt bumper stickers to parlay out to the Winchester ATHS show? You could send them to me or any of the others for "passing out".

i think it could be just as reliable as any. the newest vehicle i have is a '64. if you take the time to go thru everything and do periodic mant. then you will have so surrises waiting for you. and when you do get a surprise you will be able to deal with it a lot easier and cheaper than your new rig. on my '64 everything works and it never fails to start or run since i redid it. it is just like a new on except better. hr

Dont sell it, keep that sucker. It probably would of totalled a new one. Thats good old American iron, its a keeper. That character and the lack of little comforts, just makes the trip more memorable, or atleast thats what I keep telling myself :-)

get a wheel chock a light one have her keep it under the front drivers tire that will make her feel more secure with the ride and fix the parking brake

Dont SELL IT!!

Geezer,

I thought I had posted this (not to hijack this thread)... but yup. I'll bring some to Winchester. I'm gonna take all I have to KC. If I need to, I'll just order more for Winchester. It doesn't take long for that stuff to ship. PLUS, we'll have Paul Schmehl's lap top there. So, if the stickers are all gone right away, we can order right away.

Every time John goes out, I usually toss the stickers in his pile of stuff. (Then we forget 'em!)

Peg

Don't sell it just get a new driver

All kidding aside. I am glad no one was hurt. My neighborhood has about 30 kids who love to play in the street, mostly in front of my house. I can't image if my truck rolled out into the street that some one would not have been seriously hurt.

Fix the truck. After an ego bruiser like this you are not likely to make the same mistake. I bounced my boat right off the trailer once because I forgot to raise the engine when pulling it up the boat ramp. :o Not only did I never forget to raise the engine again but I never hesitated to take the extra time to secure everything no matter how busy the ramp was or who was waiting.

the key is NEVER let a woman drive a MAN's truck. :punch: :punch: