A few days after my last post here I was laid off from work. Reduction in force, as they like to call it. Not great timing but is there ever a time when it is? I got a good severance and honestly the time off has been a huge benefit to me. I've been working my ass off on house projects both here at the farm place and my old place in town getting it ready to sell. I've had a full plate getting this place ready for winter and I'm still not done.
For a couple days there was a bit of a panic but things settled down. I had just bought the 5.3 for this truck and I asked them about the possibility of returning it. I could have but I chose to wait it out.
With the job gone, so went my main mode of transportation, my company car. The weather has been decent so for a month or so I used my 71 as a DD. Prospects for a new job were great as long as I was willing to move. I'm not. But I did get a gig as an independent contractor doing boiler inspections. It pays time and miles but no benefits. And no company car.
Which means I needed to find another option as a DD. I didn't want to buy a car that I wouldn't have a use for once I get another company car (hopefully not a long wait). The crewcabs are not good options. So I bought a 2003 yukon XL denali, because it gets great gas mileage.
Actually I got it because I liked the one I had before, it has a 6.0, AWD and 4 wheel disc breaks. It rides great and can haul or tow. And once I'm done using it as a DD it will make a great chassis for the 47 oldsmobile I have.
The pay for mileage from the job will more than cover the fuel costs and maintenance, etc. And I got it for just $3000, about half the going rate. This was mainly due to the several fault codes it had. But it ran and drove well.
So far I replaced an O2 sensor (cleared the engine check light) a flasher (fixed a blinker issue) both impact sensors (cleared the air bag light). Next is the compressor for the rear suspension to clear that code. After that I need to get the abs checked out and it should be good to go. My miles should pay off my purchase in a couple months.
Next priority was to find a snow plow. A snow blower and shovels wasn't gonna cut it with a 1/4 mile long driveway. I found that it was about the same price to buy a truck with a plow as just buying a plow. My neighbor offered to sell me his old plow truck for $2000. Its a 1956 FWD with a big ass gas engine and side wing. It's a fkn beast. A bit more than I need.
Turns out the guy buying the girlfriends place was leaving a farm place and had one to sell, so I got that. A 76 chevy K10 that runs and drives good but is rusty. The prototypical plow truck.
So lets review, I had the 71 C-10, the 79 2wd crewcab and the 82 4wd crewcab...
Plus my jimmy and then the denali...
And I bought the plow truck. I have 6 trucks.
Oh and I had just ordered new wheels for the 4wd crewcab so I could finally mount up the 35s on it. That's getting done today. Then I think I'll be putting it up for sale.