[Zoomad75]

As they say, Elvis- Er The K5 has left the driveway. For the last time. Larry and Bill swung by this morning to pick it up with the trailer. No pics. Last time it was on the same trailer when Larry brought it from Bill's place to his over a decade ago.

As usual, nothing went smooth. In my dismantling of stuff, I some how have incapacitated the starting circuit. Battery is charged, but no crank with the key. Got power to the junction block on the firewall, but no switched power in crank. Been trying for the last 3 frigging days. Larry was supposed to get it while I was at work, but that meant the truck needed to drive on the trailer under it's own power. Nope! So the night before last I cranked it up by turning the key on and reaching down to the starter solenoid with a big screwdriver. Yes, quite the hack technique, but it would work. I got tired for two nights chasing circuits while getting eaten alive by mosquitos. All the rain we've had has us living in a bumper crop of those winged little vampires! So came out this morning early and got it fired up in time that the carb would be happy and warm and not stall out as soon as I tried to crawl on the trailer.

Keep in mind my neighbors must love seeing this. I'm standing on the gate of the S10, leaned all the way into the engine compartment while I kick the starter with my left hand and work the throttle with my right. Who says guys can't multi-task? I'm sure from the street it probably looked like the K5 was trying to eat me whole as it coughed to life for the last time.

I thought I would feel more sad, but I wasn't. I don't let cars go all that often, but today I really thought the 75 had served it's purpose. I got more than $500 out of it in value for everything I did with it. The body is beyond rotten by our dry standards out here in the west. I'm sure you folks back in the rust belt wouldn't think so, but financially it's beyond worth putting money into. So it's soul will live on in another couple of K5's and that makes me feel good.

I'm excited to move onto the next chapter. Get into the build, shakedown and new wheeling adventures. Plus another buddy of mine that I'm helping sell a '56 Chevy for picked up a kick ass TJ Wrangler that is built up nice for another guy to run with on are adventures. Plus he knows the Leadville area like the back of his hand so we can hit up some new ground too!