Thursday, March 30, 2023

Now I own two trucks

 

Before he died, Lou “sold” me his pickup and the camper he built. “Keep it, or sell it and use the money toward a new van or a new engine for the old van. “


Well, I just got back from the New Mexico Motor Vehicles Division. Title transfer, new registration. In the eyes of the law the truck is now officially mine. But it still feels like I’m only borrowing it, or looking after it until Lou returns. 


I felt guilty cleaning out some stuff from the glovebox, the console, and the back of the cab. Lou had reasons for that stuff being there — reasons that no longer matter. Except it feels like they still do.


On the way to town and back I worried how Lou might critique my driving and how I handled the truck. His truck.


It would be less trouble for me to sell the truck and camper as a package. Have it all gone at once. It takes four to six strong people to lift the camper. I know because I was one of those who helped get it onto the truck.


There’s a young guy thinking about buying just the truck. “I haven’t filed my taxes yet, so I don’t know if I’ll have the money right away. How long could you wait?” 


I’d rather get the rig in the hands of an aspiring nomad. The camper has a solar power system, heater and stove. It’s, um, “compact,” but roomier than a minivan. The pickup has 190,000 miles on it, but that’s only middle age for trucks. And a truck is better for going into the boondocks.


I almost got myself in the position of owning three trucks. Until I finally decided for the last time I was going to have an engine transplant done on the Rolling Steel Tent, I had been shopping for a replacement. I even had my brother-in-law in Salt Lake City go check out a very promising van near him. But besides the logistical hassles of getting myself to Utah somehow (begging a ride to Deming > taking a bus to Phoenix > catching a shuttle flight to SLC) to make the purchase and driving the new van back, I’d need to build it out, then divest myself of the other two trucks. Nah. As much as I’d like power locks/windows/mirrors and cruise control, the smarter thing would be to freshen the Rolling Steel Tent. (Is it smarter because it’s easier, or is it easier because it’s smarter?)


So Tuesday the final final FINAL decision will be made after having the Rolling Steel Tent accessed by a mechanic. Scan it, do a compression test and leak-down test, check other systems like the water pump… Then have them work up the estimate.


Stay tuned.

5 comments:

  1. I have read, and I do believe, that the body may die, but the soul and spirit live on.... I have always wondered if the ones that have died can sense or know what is happening in the lives of friends and family after they leave the body..... food for thought. It is so hard to lose a best friend. I lost one of mine 5 years ago, and still miss her......

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  2. After I got a rough estimate on fixing my last truck and it was much higher than a newer used truck I was thinking about, the choice was easy. But I did not have a build like your van has to consider. It is seldom an easy choice to make with Rv living vehicles. Best of luck to you.

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  3. What were you thinking of getting?

    Would you stay in Lou's truck while the van's new engine's being installed?

    Loss is rough. I think it was Kübler-Ross who said it never goes away, but lessens a bit w time; not much consolation.

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    1. I'm staying in Lou's house. The rig in SLC was a slightly older Express, extended passenger version, with low miles, some build out, a diesel heater, and some other stuff.

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  4. Sell it as a unit! It's just right.

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