Well, it happened in my 1972 Custom/10 LWB on Tuesday September 4, 2018 at 7:30 a.m. PST. Heading North on the 101 freeway just south of Camarillo Ca. On my way to work.
I believe this is either the 4th or even 5th time it has happened. This is the first time I've ever witnessed it though. This happening was less than 20 miles from where the dealership used to be that the truck was custom ordered and purchased from back in 1971. Hal Watkins Chevrolet of Oxnard.
The truck was built in Fremont CA. for a gentleman and his wife to travel these United States with their 5th wheel in tow. It was the beginning of his retirement. It then turned over hands to my ex-girlfriends father, whom I bought the truck from while I was a senior in high school in 2004. I paid $1000 for the truck with $500 as down payment that my dad had given me as a "graduation present". In 2005 I wrecked it. Dont drink and drive. It was towed home and dropped in the spot it would remain in for the next 8 years. Finally I got fed up enough having to walk past it each and every day twice a day for those 8 years that I decided to get it back on the road. Over the next year of weekends I went through the entire fuel system to get all of the old crap out, Had the carb overhauled(tarps got expensive so the front end sat without a hood or cover for about 5 years.) Replaced the front end sheet metal(my ex-girlfriend, her mom, and my dad all pitched in to get me a cowl induction hood for Christmas back in 2005, the year I wrecked the truck.)
The engine fired up and ran. So I decided to pull the motor regasket it, swap in an hei, and paint it. The timing chain had about 3/4" of slack in it. So it got replaced with a true double roller set. And back in the truck it all went. I got about 3,000 miles out of it when I blew a head gasket. 20 year old gaskets sitting for 8 years with tap water in the block and not bring ran wasnt meant to be.
Another year goes by including a full tear down and rebuild of the sbc350. Bored it 0.040, installed a Comp Cam XE-250h cam kit, rollertip rockers, reman 882 heads, and performer intake. All built from the bare block up by myself in my garage with nothing more than my tools, YouTube, Google, my manuals, and of course this website. I also rewired the truck wirh an American Autowire kit that I installed myself. I set the valvelash, initial timing, primed the oil pump and got in the truck and turned the key. The damn thing started on the second turn of the key. I proceeded to have a successful cam break in and have enjoyed the 25,000 miles that I've put on it these last 5 years. I've come along way over these past 5 years. It has humbled me, tested my patience, motivated, rewarded, and taught me more than I ever thought possible. I am thankful for it and am a better person because of it. I've met so many people that are a part of my life because of it. Without it I dont know what, where, or who I'd be.
It is MY truck.
There are many like it, but this one is mine.
It was built in the United States by hardworking Americans. And it is still on the road 47 years later. I look forward to witnessing again when my odometer rolls over. I wonder how old I'll be and where I will be when it happens...