Hey, good morning to all of the folks who keep dropping by from Off-Road.Com's message board! My off-road experience is limited to the time my '72 Monte Carlo slammed into a ditch coming around Roberta Road, leaving a nice long crease down the passenger side door and rear quarter panel from the great honking huge rock sticking out of the side of the hill beside the ditch. That was my first car, by the way, and had been repainted with a beautiful hand-rubbed black lacquer. It didn't look so good afterwards.

I do have a truck, the famous-in-his-own-right Franklin, an '82 F-100 carrying 255,000 miles on him. He's still on the same straight-6 engine and 3+OD transmission, and only the second clutch. (Surely a testament more to his former owner than me. Franklin's been in our family for a bit over three years, and I've probably only put about 2500 miles on him.) In that time, he's had his front suspension rebuilt. And carburetor rebuilt. And his A/C converted to R-134a. And a $15 radio installed. And a K-Mart seat cover. His off-road time is limited to driving around the dirt roads where they are extending the subdivision. He hauls rocks and dirt and grubby children equally well.
posted by Terry at 8:30:00 AM