Rebirth Update #5...

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Perfectionism can be an all consuming disease especially when afflicted upon a person known to have succumbed to many addictions in the past, a person such as Truckman...Ever since recognizing the symptoms of devoting unwarranted amounts of time and resources to a particular project or pastime, I have been on constant alert for the signs of new addictions, those which can drain time and energy away from other callings in life which may deserve equal attention...Examples which brought on my hyper-sensitivity to such events were the abuse of alcohol and tobacco early in my life which brought on terrible, irretrievable losses...To a lesser degree, the acquisition of the tools of trade for a mechanic, and even the collection of photography equipment for a new hobby showed their roots in new addictions...In recognition of those events, I now look at every new day wondering what new attractions would lure my wandering attention...

Even something as commonplace as a means of conveyance for transporting oneself from point to point meeting life's demands can become addictive in seeing changes that could be made in a car or truck that could make it more distinctive and appealing to its driver...Truckman is no stranger to that occurrence, and I have talked of it at length in other articles...In view of this, when I first spotted my current ride beckoning to me from the used car lot, I already began to list in my mind the various changes that would become necessary for satisfaction if it became mine...And knowing from past experience that perfectionism only exists in my own imagination, I also understood that some of my wants and desires go far beyond practical needs, and that a tight rein would have to be kept on my own self as changes occurred to my mind...Therefore I began to prioritize my plans even before the title changed hands...

Some of those changes deemed absolutely necessary have already been accomplished, and discussed in the previous updates in this series...Others are yet to come, and some will continue to exist only in my imagination...Items such as conversion to four wheel drive, or that ten speed manual transmission I've always lusted for will continue to reside in my dreams, while more attainable goals dealing with convenience of ownership and safety of operation find their places in a schedule governed by a retirement budget...Other thoughts, such as onboard air with train horns and air ride suspension, remain on the "maybe so, maybe no" list...Small details such as those added since our last update are less noticeable, but listed here in any event...

Some sandpaper plus a few rattle-cans of Rustoleum primer and paint added uniformity to the spare tire stop mounted on the flatbed deck...The paint will no doubt find uses in the future as small wear spots appear elsewhere on the bed...Adding stickon decals announcing the use of "diesel only" in this truck were superfluous, but found their place nevertheless...Changing all the padlocks to those requiring a common key reduced the weight carried in my pocket...The addition of one of the original Ram hubcaps to the spare tire will probably go unnoticed by the casual observer, but I like it so I did it...And bolting on my personalized 45 FMJ license plates is always a crowning moment, signifying that the truck is truly mine...

Today I had an appointment at VIP Tinters on Hwy 242 to tint my two side windows with a ceramic material, and to spray a bedliner on the flatbed with the added protection against future UV damage from the sun...Remembering how faded the bedliner on my previous truck had become, I felt this was a good value...After comparison shopping, and asking others who had previously had work done there, I decided to trust my needs here...Their prices were competitive, their reputation is good, and as I found out by asking around, most of the local businesses that advertise spray-on bedliners bring the work to VIP Tinters anyway, so the middleman lost his percentage on this one...Having a very old, very sick puppy necessitated bringing him with me to wait since I had no other ride for the day, and Jason and Allen accommodated my dilemma by putting me at the first of the line, and assigning extra hands to finish the job sooner than promised...

This is ordinarily a time consuming job, and I was grateful that they were able to shorten my stay, while still turning out quality work...My original intention was to bypass the front area of the bed where the exhaust stacks, spare tire and extra equipment now reside, but after the crew conferred on a plan, they removed the spare tire, jerry cans, Hi-Lift jack and all mounting hardware to apply the bedliner to the entire flatbed deck surface...They did this without asking knowing I would be happier with the quality of the work...And they were right...

Everything that wasn't to be sprayed was masked off, then all equipment was reinstalled after the bedliner application...This is definitely high quality work with attention to customer satisfaction...And my puppy appreciated being able to go home a little sooner than he had anticipated...I recommend these guys to anyone...

As usual new pictures of the progression from "as found" to "my truck"are posted at the bottom of this photo essay...

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Rebirth Update #4...

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Just another short contribution to the saga of Truckman's truck...When we left our story last time, the new exhaust stacks had just been installed, and purists were horrified at the sight of the exposed plumbing which underlies all installations of beautiful chrome stacks...Not to worry though, as plans had already been laid to surround the unveiled piping with other equipment and accessories providing at least some shelter for those eyes which may be offended by bare foundations...

The first step was in selecting and mounting some of the hardware necessary to hold the Hi-Lift jack in place, and the eyebolts which would eventually secure the newly purchased spare tire...Chrome accessories were chosen for weather protection and aesthetic appeal (matching the shiny appearance of the wheels and grille surround) even though it was known that rust would eventually rear its ugly head...After making slight adjustments on the spacing of the studs to mount the jack, it was secured to the deck...

Next the jerry can holders were bolted to the deck using chrome sheet metal fasteners, and the jerry cans themselves were locked down with padlocks...Joey Belton of Texas Auto Pro of Conroe again stepped up with the stop for the spare tire mount...A heavy chain now runs between the eyebolts securing the spare tire and the Hi-Lift jack...When the weather clears, I'll address the bare metal on the exhaust brackets and spare tire stop with some Rustoleum...More to come in the following updates...

As usual, photos of the changes have been added to the bottom of the accompanying photo essay...

EDIT: The rain cap bumpers I chose failed to last, and new, hopefully more durable ones have been ordered...The Roadlux tires now on the truck perform well on either dry or wet pavement with no noise or vibration...It is noted that the truck now exhibits a slight amount of wander which might be attributed to front end alignment...When I drop it off at Texas Auto Pro for service next time, I'll consult Joey on the matter...

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Rebirth Update #3...

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Those readers breathlessly awaiting the next installment in Truckman's truck saga may breathe a sigh of relief...I dropped off the new beast at Texas Auto Pro in Conroe where my friend Joey Belton was waiting to install a custom exhaust...Having gathered an assortment of items from Amazon including a 4" stainless steel Y-pipe, stainless 4" flexpipe (necessary when connecting body mounted exhaust to frame-mounted exhaust to prevent loosening from torque-twist), two 4" to 5" reducers, two 5" straight cut chrome stacks and two chrome rain caps, we had a conference to discuss exactly where to mount the pile of parts...I left the truck in the capable hands of Joey to  work his exhaust wizardry...

As long time readers already know, Truckman elevates the exhaust of his diesel trucks above the level of the timid souls who drive lesser vehicles such as Prius (question for self: should the plural of Prius be Prii?)...In any case, Truckman does not wish to be accused of intimidating or frightening other drivers, and it is known that the exhaust on most factory equipped diesels is at eye-level to those who are forced to convey themselves in the smaller econoboxes...Therefore as a courtesy to Prius drivers, Truckman's exhaust is directed upward instead of at the windows of those unfortunate drivers who are unblessed with more robust transportation...

My previous truck had been "stacked" by Joey when he built a custom manifold to mount in the bed, but in the interest of expediency, I bought off the shelf items this time...It was first thought that the DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) would need to be discarded and the ECM be re-programmed, but I did not want to do that after having read of the myriad problems encountered by others who chose to defeat the factory emission controls...Some like to do this to gain extra power, but I am happy with the 305 horses that it has run with since new...Joey did have to trim some of the DPF tubing and move a temperature sensor to make room, but all EPA mandated controls are still intact, and Al Gore can sleep blissfully tonight in that knowledge...

Joey is also an excellent welder and fabricator, and had no problem manufacturing the brackets needed to mount the new exhaust...It's rattle-free and sounded great on the way home...I was unable to locate silenced rain caps to prevent rainwater from entering the open tops of the exhaust, but I found some nylon clips to install under the caps to prevent the "ting-ting" noise when they open and close at idle...No other new equipment has been installed, and other than applying a little wax as weather permits, the only other update is a report on fuel mileage...All driving so far has been in town, and the first tank produced 14.06 MPG calculated by hand...The overhead display showed slightly higher, but those have been known to lie...Also the new tires and wheels ride very well, with no noise and no vibration even from the unbalanced outer duals...

Truckman has been assured that with his new stacks, he can have his redneck card punched in confidence anywhere rednecks gather...New photographs have been added to the bottom of Truckman's photoblog essay...In addition an attractive member of the local paparazzi had staked out Texas Auto Pro hoping to catch a glimpse of Truckman for his adoring fans...I complied with her wishes and that photo is included also...

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Rebirth Update #2...

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In this update, we will examine the newest (and possibly most expensive) add-on to date for Truckman's new ride: wheels and tires...As long time observers know, Truckman's previous Dodge was upgraded to 19.5" wheels and commercial tires at an early date in its life...I wanted the same thing for this new truck, but went into sticker shock at discovering the current prices for the Rickson wheels and Michelin tires worn by the 2003 until its dying day...I also checked the latest opinions from reviewers of the aftermarket wheel sources, and found that Rickson's reputation for service and delivery speed had slipped considerably from its previous highly rated status when I made my original purchase...Therefore new research was called for...

My staff did a diligent study of current sources for commercial wheels and tires before recommending American Force forged aluminum wheels...They are made in America (Florida) and enjoy a good reputation for quality...The tire search was even more extensive since price is a big sticking point in the Truckman budget, but quality is still a major concern as well...Michelin has priced itself out of the market for the more frugal buyers such as myself, and as soon as I saw the market seemed to be flooded with lower priced tires from China, Korea and Indonesia, my "buyer beware" light began flashing...I have always prided myself on buying American, but the present economy (especially for retirees) has forced my thinking to move globally...

A fair amount of research, including talking to local truck owners, tire shop owners and managers, plus the usual internet sources led me to take a chance on a previously unheard of Chinese brand, Roadlux...I wanted tires in the same size as my previous truck, 245/70R19.5...The previous Michelins had been 12 ply rated (Load Range F), and the tires I selected from the Roadlux catalog in that size are 16 ply rated (Load Range H)...Ordinarily a tire built that heavy, and inflated to its minimum pressure of 100 PSI will ride rough, but with slightly over a half inch of tread depth I decided to take a chance that the ride would be acceptable...I ordered six of the model R216, which is a closed shoulder, straight ribbed highway tread, suitable for my mostly town and some highway use...The tires were date coded for the 28th week of 2018 on arrival...These tires have been on the market for about five years, and reviews are mostly favorable with some criticism from recognizable suspect sources who never seem to be pleased...The majority of respondents liked the tires...

The American Force wheels I selected, in a high-polished aluminum finish, were ordered from WS Trading as a package, including four aluminum and two steel wheels, chrome lug nuts and polished center caps...Size is 19.5X6.75...On arrival it was noted that the lug nuts were metric threaded instead of the SAE size needed for my truck...WS Trading quickly sent the correct size, and today I went to Double R Tire Shop in Conroe where I had left the wheels and tires to be mounted and balanced...This is an older tire shop where I had been getting the required state inspection for many years, but had never had tire work performed...Their reputation for quality service is a good one, and it was upheld superbly by the work they did for me...I was told that the aluminum wheels were relatively simple to mount the tires, but the steel wheels (for the inside duals) had to be mounted by hand without power equipment due to the positioning of the wheel's drop center...Having been in the tire business many years ago, I knew what a pain that was, but the Double R crew did the job correctly, and without complaint...

The balancing of the tire/wheel assembly was a different story as the front tires balanced with no trouble using stick-on weights toward the inside where they won't show...The rear inner steel wheels also balanced with no problem using standard clamp-on weights...However the rear aluminum outer wheels could not be balanced without the stick-on weights showing on the wheel...The decision was made to install those two without balance to see how they ride...The drive home was smooth although full highway speeds were never reached...However no wobble occurred, and no symptoms of out of roundness was exhibited...If necessary in the future, balance beads can always be installed inside the tires, but at this point seem unnecessary...Considering the amount of work needed to have this tire work done (speaking from experience from years past), I can highly recommend the fine crew of professionals at Double R Tire Shop for what they accomplished at a very fair price...

The biggest chance I took seems to have been in guessing that the tires, being an inch and a half larger in diameter, wouldn't rub the fender wells in a turn...So far, no problems in that regard as plenty of clearance was noted after installation...Since the last update, a locking fuel tank cap was added, along with new rubber floor mats (Dodge branded of course) and Truckman's version of a center console - a .50 caliber military ammo can velcroed to the floor...This update will be appended after a suitable highway test...Pictures are available in Truckman's photo blog added to the bottom...

EDIT: I examined the sidewall markings on the takeoff tires as I unloaded them into my garage...The four rear tires were marked as "Made in Indonesia"...During the month I drove on them, they rode smooth, no vibration and I saw no signs of defects or unusual wear...These tires had approximately 2/3 of their usable tread depth remaining...That alleviates some of the concerns I had about Asian tires...

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Rebirth Update #1...

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Truckman's adventure with his new ride continues with this first update...The admittedly shabby looking finish on the flatbed was noted in the accompanying pictures on my photo blog...After deciding the show quality finish offered at my favorite paint and body shop was not what was needed on this truck, I went by TER Texas in Conroe (Truck and Equipment Repair), a manufacturer of new flatbeds of all description and other service bodies for trucks...A discussion of my needs with Richard Lyons of TER led me to leave the truck with them to refinish my flatbed...

There were many new trucks there already awaiting installation of new bodies and equipment, yet they worked my truck into the schedule just as if I was as important as their biggest customer...The flatbed was removed along with both Rawson/Koenig  sideboxes, and all the exterior surfaces including boxes and headboard were cleaned, sanded and repainted with an industrial grade finish...In addition a new trapdoor over the gooseneck ball was fabricated and welded in place with new hinges...New LED sidemarker lights were installed and the reflective DOT tape on sides and rear were replaced...The bed was reinstalled and the truck test driven to insure there were no rattles or unwanted noise...New photos for comparison here...

Edit: In my original discussion with Richard Lyons of TER, new mudflaps were to be installed...However they were inadvertently left off the work order when the truck was dropped off, and I never noticed the absence until I got home and started taking new pictures...A quick phone call to him got me scheduled for a while-you-wait appointment for the following business day to get them installed...As usual when two veterans get together, we swapped war stories over coffee while his crew installed the new mudflaps...The work was quickly done, and Truckman was again on the road...Kudos again to TER and their policy of seeing to it a customer is satisfied...Pics of the enhanced look can be found on the photo link in the preceding paragraph...

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Truckman Reborn...

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Those who have followed the saga of Truckman and his trucks through the withering debacle bringing the loss of his beloved Dodge/Cummins know of the heartache that was left as he was compelled to say goodbye to his 15 year relationship with what was much more than just a means of conveyance...Regardless that he was not motionless as he still retained his Dodge Challenger, there remained a profound sense of loss that only those who truly love their trucks can feel when fate snatches away the one which was expected to last as long as its driver...Even though the Challenger was a satisfactory ride for Truckman, and carried him from point "A" to point "B" in style, and with power to spare, something was still missing...History shows that Truckman is always happiest and most productive when a soul-satisfying truck awaits his touch in his driveway, especially if it is powered by a Cummins diesel...

The Challenger was not only stylish, with the potential of travelling just as fast as Truckman desired, it drew attention wherever it was parked, and even returned admirable fuel mileage under an admittedly light foot...But something was missing...One can become accustomed to climbing up to the driver's seat instead of sitting down in it, and the feeling of command from the higher position is undeniable...Being able to look to either side and have a panoramic view of the world behind through large, upright truck mirrors instead of the smaller more aerodynamic side mirrors furnished on the Challenger lends to a sense of security in knowing all that is behind and around the driver of a truck...And as thrilling as it was to hear the roar of power from the Dodge Hemi engine through the Magnaflow dual exhaust, nothing could quite erase the satisfying rumble of a Cummins diesel engine...

As it finally dawned on Truckman that his soul could not rest without another truck, he began the quest to find a replacement for his lost love...It soon became apparent that the 2003 Dodge was truly unique in its equipment and low, well-maintained mileage as absolutely nothing was available to match it anywhere at any price...Truckman decided to broaden the scope of his search into other manufacturers, and other engine/transmission choices, but nothing seemed really right...At the same time his thoughts drifted back to another long lost truck which served its purpose so well, the 1973 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup employed as his gunshow truck when he was an independent firearms dealer...The "History" link above can provide a description...It was strictly utilitarian in purpose and appearance, but was also one of the most reliable trucks ever with never even a hint of trouble...It took me wherever I needed to go, and hauled anything I asked it to...

Therefore I began to look at Dodge diesels in a more practical way...Not really needing all the latest in electronic gadgetry, and not being the flamboyant type with the need for the Laramie or Texas Edition Bighorn trucks with the accompanying high price tags, I began to look at the lower priced (and lesser equipped) ST and SLT packages...There are plenty out there to choose from, some with over a half million miles on them and still running, but obviously tired...Finally, after searching repeatedly in a 500 mile radius, I located one less than a mile from home at Weisner Buick/GMC where I had bought many vehicles in the past, and also introduced several new customers for their auto needs...This was a 2009 Dodge Ram 3500 ST originally built as a Cab & Chassis for upfitting with a custom bed...Carfax confirmed that it had only two owners since its original sale at Tomball Dodge (then also a Weisner dealership)...It was a corporate truck fitted with a flatbed and used for local deliveries in San Antonio/Austin...From there it was sold to an individual in 2016 who drove it to Montana for work, and returned to Conroe to trade it in on another at Weisner in 2018...It was obviously well cared for with no signs of neglect nor abuse...

It is a single cab with seats for two and a middle jumpseat/armrest...It was originally specced with few options or creature comforts, but in addition to the standard power steering, power brakes and air conditioning, it does have AM/FM/CD radio and cruise control...A 52 gallon fuel tank means fewer stops to feed the mighty 6.7 liter Cummins diesel...This newer engine features a variable vane turbocharger with built in exhaust brake...A test drive confirmed it has all the power needed to keep up with traffic anywhere...One concession I made to my practical side was to accept the six-speed Aisin automatic transmission in place of my former manual shift...I'm already becoming accustomed to it although I still have a tendency to reach for that non-existent clutch pedal and shift lever...This is also a two wheel drive model, but in all fairness, I only needed the 4WD of my former truck twice in 15 years...Being specced as a cab & chassis, it was built with a super-strong solid tube axle in front in place of independent suspension, and industry-standard straight frame rails to accommodate upfitters...

I took delivery yesterday after negotiating a fair price with my salesman, Vince Taylor, who as always was willing to jump through hoops to please a customer with no rush, and no pressure...The Challenger was also taken as a trade at a fair price...Due to the previously talked of visibility issues between it and my trucks, it had received a scrape in a minor fender bender, for which I took the penalty in the negotiated trade...My next stop was CC Plus to get my XM radio installed (already tuned to my customary Radio Classics channel 148), and then to top off the fuel tank with fresh diesel...Today I drove it to Kustomwerk Paint & Body to schedule getting the paint refreshed on the flatbed...Other improvements are already beginning to take shape in my mind as I prepare for what I hope to be another long love affair with a truck...I look at this one as a combination of my beloved 2003 Dodge Laramie and my ever-dependable 1973 Chevy...The roll-up windows, manually adjusted towing mirrors and hand-operated  door locks remind me of the old Chevy, and the power and sound of the Cummins diesel bring a smile to my weathered face as I drive off into a new adventure in motoring...

With 145,200 miles on the odometer as I took delivery, the Cummins is fully broken in and champing at the bit for the highway...As with each of my 16 previous purchases at Weisner dealerships, this being the third one negotiated with my friend Vince Taylor, I look forward to crossing several more odometer thresholds in my new ride...

Photos may be seen here...

Addendum: In a move that has become commonplace with Traveler's Insurance Co. they again made an error in insuring my new ride...While reviewing my new policy and insurance card, my eagle-eyed staff noticed that the truck was listed as a 1998 year model instead of the correct 2009...A call was made and the mistake was corrected to reflect the change...Although this was clearly a blunder on the part of Traveler's since the year model should have been taken from the supplied VIN, and since Truckman told them the correct year in the first place, the Traveler's representative put the blame on the manufacturer because they had changed their name from Dodge to Ram in 2009, apparently confusing the folks at Traveler's who have only had the ensuing nine years to update their database...Their apology came in the form of an increase in price for my policy since the truck is now newer than they had thought...Arguing the point seemed fruitless, and Truckman decided his time would be more productively spent in locating a more competent insurer...

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A Tale of Two Ships...

Much has been written in this blog, and in the author's books of USS APc-48, and its service in the South Pacific during WWII, but little can be found of its postwar civilian career as a fishing vessel other than its transfer of ownership from one master to the next...Recently a connection was noticed between this old warrior and a sister ship...Just like those odd meetings sometimes told of those who have served their country in war, and somehow meet in later years as civilians, APc-48, in its peacetime identity as MV Allen Cody, is now known to have been docked together for a number of years with the MV Dennis Gayle, formerly serving the US Navy as USS APc-5...Built on opposite ends of the nation in Rhode Island and California, both saw honorable service in the South Pacific until the war's end, then transferred to MARAD for sale as demilled commercial vessels...In 2007 both ships were acquired by Stanwood Murphy with the intention of using one as a historic maritime exhibit, and the other as a private yacht...

Alas, good intentions are sometimes ensnared by circumstances...As has been told in the "APc-48" series of books, Allen Cody sank at its moorings in 2008, and was subsequently raised and salvaged, its current fate unknown...It has now been learned that the former APc-5, Dennis Gayle, also sank at the same dock as reported by the North Coast Journal, a periodical of Humboldt County, California...A small amount of investigation by "Gray Gang" member, Earl the Pearl, revealed the connection between the two, and the fact that both ships had been acquired by Stanwood Murphy...NavSource recorded that after purchase by Stanwood Murphy, Jr., the Dennis Gayle was then bought by Matthew Maurice of San Diego in 2009, then resold to Woody Murphy (believed by this writer to be either the same person, or of the same family as Stanwood Murphy)...The ship went to the bottom of Humboldt Bay on 2/28/2016 at the same dock where Allen Cody (APc-48) sank and was subsequently salvaged eight years earlier...The North Coast Journal article does reveal that the Allen Cody was dragged from the bay onto dry land where it was reported as resting at the time of that article...Efforts to speak with someone in the Murphy family through addresses found online have been fruitless...

A detailed search of the available War Diaries of APc-48 in NARA reveal no mention of steaming in convoy nor being moored with APc-5 during the war...But since both ships earned the same campaign ribbons (American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and WWII Victory Medal), it is still likely they occupied the same waters at one time or another...It is certain that both ships made their retirement home at the same dock...The YouTube video below has further details...

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