[Okotok]

Ha! Funny video. When I was a young fella back in the early 80's, I bought a 72 Dodge 3/4 ton for $500. It had seen better days. Not much bounce left in the torsion bar suspension but that 318 4 speed was hot off the line up to a max of about 90 mph.

Maiden trip from Peace River to Edmonton in 45 below. Tranny seized up on the highway outside of Westlock and snapped the driveshaft. Felt like I flew 3' in the air. Towed it into Westlock and they patched it up for $400.

A week later the throwout bearing went. I drove it around Edmonton for a couple of weeks without being able to disengage the clutch. Just pull the gearshift back to grind 2nd a bit and then jam it into first. Throttle control for shifting and then pull into neutral when stopping. Just made sure not to stop on an uphill. Finally replaced the bearing and all was good for a while.

Made it to summer. Me and a buddy were coming home from work out at the old Texaco Bonny Glen plant and were idling down Stoney Plain road in rush hour traffic. We were crossing the tracks near where the Sidetrack Cafe used to be. Both of us looked right and saw a slow moving train about 10 feet away and coming. Floored it and the train caught the rear quarter on the box and peeled it back some and sent us for a half spin. There were no crossing guards at that time and no lights that we saw. One of the train guys said that even if the initial lights weren't working that they came on when the train hit sensors 8 feet from the road. I waited for the cops to show up thinking I was in the right. They gave me a $25 ticket for failing to stop at a railway crossing. About a month later I got a letter in the mail saying that they had lost the ticket so were dropping charges but they could resurrect them in the future. Huh. How did they know my address then? In hindsight, it was pretty fishy.

Brazed the ripped box back together and happily drove it for another 5 months or so into the winter. I was heading down Capilano freeway on a cold evening when all of a sudden, I was free wheeling. Something in the drivetrain. Pulled over on the Capilano bridge and hoofed it over to a buddies place. We jumped in his truck and headed back to see a EPS car with lights on and a tow truck picking up my truck. I paid the driver a $10 drop charge and the cop offered to escort us up the hill as my buddy rope towed me to his place.

All of a sudden the cop car is pulling up beside me and screaming out his window at me. I pull over again and jump out. Passenger side rear axle and wheel are sticking out about two feet. The tow truck driver came pulling up again and hooked it up. I grabbed everything out of the truck and said, see you later. Never did go to pick it up and figured they could keep it for the cost of towing it.

Fun times, ha! Still liked the truck when it was working.