Thinking about grandpa

[kingsolver72]

Grandpa had a 1969 C-20, 4 speed with the compound/granny 1st gear. He was a dairy farmer near Tonganoxie Ks. When I was about 10 years old or so I remember taking some hogs to the auction barn with him. He had stock racks for those ocassions. I was wearing mucking boots that day and I remember how terrible the hog crap smelled on my boots in side the cab, it was a typical hot summer day in Kansas. He was a short stocky man with a barrel chest and forearms a big as Steve Garveys. His hands were large and when he grabbed you to tickle you or pop your toes, you knew there was no escaping his clutch. He was as honest as the day was long. His word/ handshake was his bond. I remember when he would come in from the fields for lunch he would listen to Paul Harvey on the radio. He had a am radio out in the the milk barn too. Eventually I bought that truck from him on payments. Unfortunately I didn’t keep the payments current and he took the truck back. I learned a very valuable lesson that day. I didn’t earn the truck and I’m glad that he was that kind of man.
I remember he always took care of his vehicles and farm equipment. He was diligent about changing the oil, greasing and belts. General tune ups, those kinds of things. I recall he’d always used 10-40 Pennzoil in that truck.
Fast forward to current events.
I purchased a super clean rust free 1972 c-10 from a fella from Mclouth Ks, that’s near Tonganoxie, a while back. I got to thinking I needed a more modern truck for my place so I thought I’d sell the 72. Well, I placed an ad on c.l. Some time went by and I forgot about the ad. A guy called me up and said he wanted to take a look at the truck. I’d changed my mind about selling the truck by then but told him I’d sale him the truck if he wanted it. He and his wife came down from Nebraska and looked it over real good. He tells me “let’s do the the dance”. He offered me $1000 less then what I listed it at. I told him I don’t dance. Told him Bottom line up front. That my price in the ad was to low for this truck, but that I’d honor that price today only and if he didn’t buy it I was pulling the ad as soon as he left. He had an envelope full of cash that he flashed at me, he had the full amount. Fortunately I think his wife didn’t want him to buy the truck. I still have this truck, it’s in my avatar.
So a couple weeks ago it was time to change the oil in it again and grease the the tie rod ends and all the other zerks when I started thinking about grandpa. It didn’t matter if it was summer or winter, he always used 10w40 oil. When I bought the truck I noticed it had a rear main seal leak. I didn’t want to pull the engine to try to fix the seal since it a two piece rope style. The last oil change I did I use 10-30 oil and it would leak out of that seal pretty bad.
Now I’m thinking was grandpa on to something here. I started to think maybe that the rear seal dried out from not being driven much and a heavier oil would make it plyable. Well I bought a gallon of Walmart 10w40 oil and a quart of Lucas oil and to my surprise I’m not throwing oil any more. I may be losing some but it isn’t noticeable yet. All that just to say that I’m thinking about you grandpa, Thanks!

[flashed]

Very cool story , thanks for sharing .

[65truckowner]

It seems men like that are a dying breed. Enjoyed the story very much

[mongocanfly]

I remember my grandpaw had a sweet green 72 k10 lwb....bought it new and kept it until mid 80s....went by one day and truck was gone....asked where it was ....he said some guy down the street asked if it was for sale...pawpaw made a price and guy paid him on the spot....I always had a hankering for that truck but I was still in school and had no money and also had no idea he would sell....pawpaw died shortly after that.....I've been sick about it ever since....never did find out who bought it...

[Coley]

Its interesting that, because you didnt' keep up the payments....he took the truck back from you.
This apparently taught the valued lesson of integrity and living (or possibly failing...temporarily or otherwise) by your commitment.
Just imagine the average father, parent or grandfather today attempting that.....lol, not likely and certainly not many likely to admit the deal and the result.
Probably a bouncy castle reward for 'trying', lol.
Good on you, very good on you... for keeping your lessons correctly in place, absolutely great story.

Coley

[special-K]

Your grandfather had the rock solid qualities I found in the older men who had an influence on me. Words that stuck, like "My word is my bond", appealed to me and it was a man of such character that I wanted to become.

The part about him taking the truck back reminds me of a couple instances. First is when I bought the '70 CST Custom Camper/30 157" cab & chassis back in '88. It was for sale by Paul Hefner, a big burly farmer-type man who didn't beat around the bush with his words. I asked if I could give a deposit and have 30 days to pay it off. He said he'd do that, but I'd be forfeiting my deposit and payments if I didn't come through in 30 days. The other instance was with my brother-in-law who is an old friend of mine from before they met. My niece wanted a Jeep, so Eric financed it for her on the same terms... keep payments up or lose it. He told all her cash payment and stashed them in a shoe box until it was paid off. His full intentions from day 1 were to return all the money to her once paid off. I think that was great. Disn't just go out and buy it for her, made her earn it, and learn financial responsibility. In the real world you don't get your money handed back to you, but for a first time major purchase I feel her dad rewarding her at the end is appropriate. By then she had become financially responsible.