The Green Wrecker

[special-K]

I want to tell this story about a truck. My friend's dad opened up a repair shop when he got back from Vietnam. He bought a new C/30 tow truck and used it for years. At some point he replaced that truck with a newer Chevy tow truck. He sold it to a local body shop. So they still got to see it there. But one day it was gone.

In the last few years, my friend responded to a Craigslist ad for some S10 parts he needed. When he got to the seller's location it was at an old junk yard. The owner had passed away, the son had no interest, and he was dragging a few vehicles out at a time and parting them out, such as this S10.

My friend was scanning across the sea of vehicles and he spots a dirty 67-72 tow truck that he thought could be the same color the truck had been painted. The guy let him climb his way back to it and there it was, his dad's old wrecker!! He told the guy he had to have that truck when he got to where it could be removed. That day came, he dragged it home, then let his dad know about it and here it sits waiting it's turn

[70cst]

Great story

[yuccales]

I really like the stories of cars or trucks having a family connection. Makes them all the more special. Tim, when you get a chance how about a better pic of that hood ornament.

[Palf70Step]

Nice!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by yuccales

I really like the stories of cars or trucks having a family connection. Makes them all the more special. Tim, when you get a chance how about a better pic of that hood ornament.

Ok. first I'll have to figure out where I found that picture on the internet before I decided to make this story up

No! This is my good friend I visited last evening and next time I get over there I'll get that picture and some others. I think it's a Cadillac ornament. Jason is a great guy to care that much and follow through to buying it. He might even be more excited than his dad about it.

[68Gold/white]

That front bumper is *****'n!!!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

That front bumper is *****'n!!!

No fear of overriding a car bumper with that one, ey?

[Already Gone]

Thanks for the story Tim. I always love the stories about vehicles and that is a big part of the hobby, the people you meet and connections you make which turn into finding treasures.

[toms68cst]

That ol' girl looks like she's itching to go back to work! Great story.

[jumpsoffrock]

There's no feeling like seeing an old friend.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by special-K

No fear of overriding a car bumper with that one, ey?

Used to be, if your rig had a bad starter and a manual transmission, it could be pop-started by being pushed up to speed, the push car would back off on a hand signal, and the driver would let the clutch slip with the tranny in 3rd or 4th, and engine compression would take over.
I doubt if that's even done anymore, except by us old timers.

[KQQL IT]

Always makes me smile to read these.

Hope they're as excited as I was to get "Old blue" back.

What's their plans with it?

[special-K]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Used to be, if your rig had a bad starter and a manual transmission, it could be pop-started by being pushed up to speed, the push car would back off on a hand signal, and the driver would let the clutch slip with the tranny in 3rd or 4th, and engine compression would take over.
I doubt if that's even done anymore, except by us old timers.

I remember that. And that's why the bumper drops down so low. His dad had it set up right. Notice he cut rings from schedule 40 pipe and welded to wrecker body to protect the tail lights, made a step hoop for each side, and the rear tag also has a protective lip welded around it. It had the coffin handle bed rails, too.

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Always makes me smile to read these.

Hope they're as excited as I was to get "Old blue" back.

What's their plans with it?

Your Old Blue story is about the best one, yet. What's cool about this one is how it survived it's time in the junk yard all intact, all the way till the owner died and the yard shut down. This truck is a true survivor.

Jason is going to restore it back to it's former glory. I hope to be involved in some way. he's a many irons in many fires kind of guy, but he keeps those fires stoked

[Steeveedee]

What a great thing to have happen! There are a few cars I wouldn't mind having back.

[KQQL IT]

Green tow trucks have a special meaning around here to.
And white bed liners too.

[Getter-Done]

Great story

[Rickysnickers]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

Used to be, if your rig had a bad starter and a manual transmission, it could be pop-started by being pushed up to speed, the push car would back off on a hand signal, and the driver would let the clutch slip with the tranny in 3rd or 4th, and engine compression would take over.
I doubt if that's even done anymore, except by us old timers.

Because most people these days couldn't drive a stick shift car to save their own life....

[special-K]

And I have a crazy push start story of my own. I couldn't tell it without starting the day before and finishing the day after, though. life was meant to be an adventure, right?

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Green tow trucks have a special meaning around here to.
And white bed liners too.

Very cool. You've got deep truck history. I wish I could have kept the Wred Wrecker

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by KQQL IT

Green tow trucks have a special meaning around here to.
And white bed liners too.

Heh, that girl is too funny! She's enjoying her time in that photo...

[KQQL IT]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Heh, that girl is too funny! She's enjoying her time in that photo...

Baby sister a long time ago.
These old trucks have been interwoven into all of us.

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

Because most people these days couldn't drive a stick shift car to save their own life....

True, I'm sure, but I've also pop-started cars with automatics. Pop-starting an automatic takes a lot more speed ~40-45. Key ON -- Shifter in Neutral -- put it in Drive as soon as you get up to speed. May or may not work, then. That's when you need a 3/4 or 1 ton truck as the push car. And if it fails, then there's the HOOK.

Much easier with a manual, though. You only need 15 - 25 MPH. I used to park uphill, with the nose pointed downhill, so gravity would help me pop-start the car. This was when I was in college and broke all the time. For some reason, the California coastal climate was rough on ignition components. Hell, 2 or 3 Rugby buddies could get my '61 Mercedes 190 up to speed on level streets.

[Steeveedee]

The last GM vehicle that could be push-started was around '68, and had a PowerGlide transmission. After '68, they no longer had a rear pump. THM 350 and 400 also don't have a rear pump, thus can't be push-started. Now, I may have the year wrong.

[special-K]

If it's just a starter problem, a manual will pop-start in second before the speedometer reads. I have pushed my own vehicle on flat ground to pop-start. Has to be in tune, of course.

The only time I pop-started a vehicle in a higher gear is a story in itself. The one I mentioned previously. That crazy S.O.B. was pushing me so fast I was afraid to pop the clutch in 4th!

Back to the green wrecker. Remember that? I need to get up to this friend's neighbor's house to measure and take notes on this summer kitchen I need to save and was hoping to get by for pictures of the tow truck (including hood ornament) today. But my day ran long, so my plan now is tomorrow

['68OrangeSunshine]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

The last GM vehicle that could be push-started was around '68, and had a PowerGlide transmission. After '68, they no longer had a rear pump. THM 350 and 400 also don't have a rear pump, thus can't be push-started. Now, I may have the year wrong.

The auto transmission vehicles I've pop-started were a '60 Ford Country Sedan station wagon. I think it had a 389, don't recall what model trans. The other was a '58 Jaguar Mk VIII. It had the Jag 6 and a Powerglide copy tranny.
I had a TH350 behind a 454 on my '67 K/10 Suburban. I don't remember pop-starting that beast.
But thanks for the update, Steve. I won't try pop-starting any TH 350 or 400 vehicles.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by '68OrangeSunshine

The auto transmission vehicles I've pop-started were a '60 Ford Country Sedan station wagon. I think it had a 389, don't recall what model trans. The other was a '58 Jaguar Mk VIII. It had the Jag 6 and a Powerglide copy tranny.
I had a TH350 behind a 454 on my '67 K/10 Suburban. I don't remember pop-starting that beast.
But thanks for the update, Steve. I won't try pop-starting and TH 350 or 400 vehicles.

Yeah, not trying to bust chops, just trying to provide information that I know about. Right after I got out of the Navy in '76, the catering truck driver who came to our shop was complaining about getting pushed for miles and his truck not starting. It had a THM400. Not going to push start it. Those older cars, it was a common thing to push start an automatic.