She's gone.....

[GLindley]

She's Gone!
After 14 years, I finally let her go. I was a little more nostalgic than I thought I'd be. We've been through a lot, her and I. Hauling firewood, tree limbs, grass clippings, fall leaves, compost, mulch, dirt, and no telling how many pieces of furniture and appliances. My granddaughter (5 yrs old) told me NOT to sell her, she liked my old truck! I've been her ONLY driver in 14 years. I had mixed feelings as the guy who wanted to buy her came by to pick her up today. He is a good guy, I worked with Justin a few years back and he is a good kid. That made it a bit easier to let her go. He talked about getting historic license plates (I never looked into that when I had her, I needed her too much to drive her in any "limited" fashion). Thanks for letting me reminecse....when we bought her, the wife and I only had one vehicle. We had just purchased a bigger home (our three kids needed some more room from the two bedroom house we had lived in ever since they were born. They were 16, 15 and 14 years old. Every morning all three kids and myself would pile into that truck and I'd take them to high school. They did NOT, however, learn to drive in the truck. After they graduated and finally left home, I was still driving her. I purchased a '61 "Unibody" in '99 because I really liked the looks of the intgregal cab trucks, and wanted to make it a project. All the while I was still driving the '64. But now my devotion was divided. While I was working on the '61, the '64 was being neglected. I have done what I needed to do to keep her road worthy, but not as much as she needed to keep her from becoming badly rusted in key areas. How much time and money do I spend on *HER* when I wanted to spend time and money on my "project"?
There was a day when I toyed with the idea of getting something "newer" as my daily driver. I had seen the 97 and later F-150's and liked the body style. I did some looking around and found something I liked at a price that was too good to pass up. I listed my beloved '64 for sale on our truck website with a mention that I may have to crush her if she didn't sell. I didn't want a lot of money for her, but I kinda wanted her to go to someone who would do something with her to bring her back to her good looks (I REALLY didn't want to crush her). I feel a bit guilty knowing how much work she actually needed, and I was unwilling to spend the money and time needed.
But she is gone now. I watched as her new owner drove her off to her new home, some 30 miles away. I know she is "just" a machine, but she has seen my family through a lot of good and bad times. I just hope she can forgive me for selling her.

[slick4x4]

some people look at their vehicle as steel and rubber.
we on the hand look at it as a part of the family.
even though they let us down sometimes,
there are times that they got the job done when you didnt think they could
we look at a rusty hull, an know it could be a show piece
while others think its time to trade it off if they have a flat tire
when i have to get rid of one i convince myself " its JUST a truck"
but........its still hard to let em go.

[ICEMAN6166]

sounds like she went to a good home. perhaps you will get to see her again under better circumstances.

[ezernut9mm]

good post g. glad she went to a good home. my search will continue.

[Greg D]

I can understand all too well.

[Johnny Canuck]

There are some vehicles I have been sentimental about, but generally I sell a vehicle when I no longer want or need it.

Jinx could have been one I got sentimental over, but I know she went to a good home. The only vehicle I have owned for 14 years is my fathers first car. Not selling that puppy.

Nevertheless; I feel your pain, Gene.

[36truck]

I've owned 2 vehicles that I had for over 20 years my 1979 Bronco & my pro street 1978 Ford Fairmont. Both had served me well & it was time to go. The Bronco was harder to let go than the Fairmont even though I built the Fairmont from the bottom up.

[DV65CustomCab]

Tough thing to realize when it's time to send them on. I had one car for 20+ years, restored it myself. But when I realized it was sitting in storage 48 weekends out of the year, I knew it was time for it to move on to someone else who would be excited about it like I was when I first got it.

Too many people hold onto cars because they feel they are the only ones who deserve them. You see these kinds of cars rotting in fields all over the place. It's the wise man (or gal) who can admit they are never going to restore it, or can no longer maintain it, or (like me) just don't have the obsessive interest in it we once had.