The Rescue Mission. WARNING> Long.

Well, grab a cup of coffee, a beer, a soda, go to the bathroom, and come back, this will be a long one. I'll wait.

:popcorn:

This whole story starts about a year ago, when I was surfing craigslist. I found a '92 MJ, 4.0L HO, AX15, 231, ND D30, and D35... Black shortbed with 80,000 original miles, with factory plow for $950. :brows: Yep, thinking what I was thinking? It was over one hundred miles away, but I left before calling him, and called him on the way. I got ahold of him on the way there, and asked some questions. I was told it had no rust, he was the second owner, but had a lot of dents. Also, the slave was out, and the clutch was inop. No big deal, so I continued on. Told the GF that I was buying it as long as the cab was ok, all other things can be fixed. When I got there, I was met by a shifty looking guy and saw the truck. Beat to crap, and dents everywhere... Not a straight panel on it, and not little dents either. He was still kinda driving it around, except he would start it in gear, and powershift it the whole time. :ack: So we went for a ride, it ran like a top. Felt good. Got back took a look at the plow, and the factory window sticker! :eek: And I took one final look around... There was a big dent over the passenger side, I inquired, and I got "Tried to get under a fence, and didn't make it." Basically, I was getting the idea of how well it was taken care of. Not well. :( He thrashed this thing in a very short time. Then I noticed the doors didn't quite shut right, and saw a big bondo bubble over the cab on the drives side, the vent pushed in, and the d/s fender crushed. I asked, and this time got "Oh, It was tipped on its side." :headpop: He wouldn't budge on price for anything, and was getting kinda shifty acting. At that point, I didn't foresee a need for a truck with a bad unibody cab, so I just licked my wounds, and passed on the truck. I wrote it off as a loss, and pictured it going to the junkyard.

Enter a couple weeks ago. Pat (jeepcomj) came over to my place to pick up my 2 door, and drop off LoTGod's harness. His little bro was tagging along, and noticed the factory plow I had gotten off my '88. After trying to buy it from me, I told him I would keep my eye out, and let him know... Gave it a few days, and found a cherokee / comanche plow for sale, $500. I told Pats bro, and he went up to look at it. Steve(pats bro) went to the place, saw the plow, and said he would take it. The guy told him sure, and to go ahead and start taking it off, and he would lend a hand when he got to the truck. Hour passes by, steve almost has the plow off(did I mention the plow stuff was in 6 inch deep mud?), and the guy shows up. Gets over to Steve, and says, "I just had a guy paypal me $750, I am not selling it to you." Steve got pissed, and left understandably.

When Pat told me about his experience I asked him what the plow was on. He told me a '92 MJ, black short bed, with no rust but a crap ton of dents... :idea: "Was it in Iron Ridge?", yep. Same truck. Same doosh. So I asked Steve what the guy had planned for the truck, and he said the guy had planned on junking it. He also recently blew the rear u-joint, pulled the rear shaft, and drove it around on the front axle, leaking out the t-case of lifeblood, and smoking the t-case. :fs1: Now needing all the stuff for a HO swap into my '90 I called the guy, and talked to him. We agreed on $300 for the truck, and I would come up to get it. Then he called back the next day... "My buddy really wants the engine because I owe him money..." Ok, I could use it, but how much for the truck minus engine? I offered $50, but he countered with $225. Yeah right. :rotf: I got him down to $175, and he would give me a bunch of extra parts... I figured it would have the correct HO harness, cooling system... etc. So I could go the extra mile to just spend the $175, because I could easily top that piecing things together... Then I waited a bit getting the ZJ going, and called him this past monday. "Yeah dude, still have the truck, My buddy doesn't want the engine anymore because he wants an RV I have, so I'll sell it whole for $500..." Whoa, what happened to $300? :hmm: "I really need the money, and I will throw all the extra part in. I need you to get it by Wed..."

Enter my next saga. Still fighting with the axles on the ZJ, I couldn't tow anything. So I needed a tow rig and trailer... I got a hold of the GF's older brother, I could use his truck, which required meeting him at a truck stop, grabbing his keys, and going to get the truck. I borrowed the GF's car, to get her brothers keys, and got everything lined up. Then I got a hold of Pat, and got things going to use his car dolly. I conveniently had the rest of the week off, so I planned on heading out this morning... I got a call last night, from the guy, stating that he was taking off the wheels from the truck, because they belonged to a buddy who wanted them back. :roll: After discussing with Steve, he told me the guy was trying to sell the wheels off of the truck to him... And were definitely his. So I called up Pat, and had him throw a set of spare wheels on the order to pick up with the dolly wed morn. I was looking for company, so I put out an APB, and ended up with Jake and Wade from the group. (Jakeman17, and 89Eliminator) :cheers:

Jake showed up early this morning and after a systems check we were off. Got to Pat's, met with Steve, and picked up Wade, the dolly, the tires, and a gear set for Jpdocdave. We were off.

We got to the place, and were met by the same shister of a dude. Truck was even more bashed up, rear bumper was toast, and the thing was even rougher than I recalled. Tail lights were broken out, rear quarter bashed, just a mess. Tailgate was hanging by a thread. The guy insisted on taking off the rims, so I said ok. But I told him I wasn't paying $500 for a junk truck with no wheels. :nuts: . So he asked what I thought, and I told him straight out, $300 as is. He said no, and that he needed the wheels for his "friend" and needed the $500. Knowing the truth about the wheels, I told him $400 with the wheels, and parts. He said no. So I told him I wanted to hear the truck run at least, before buying it. But, in anticipation of junking it, he pulled the tank. So I said that I wanted to at least hear it kick and sputter. He insisted that it wouldn't run or try to run without a fuel pump, but I was banking on some residual stuff in the fuel rail to make it choke/cough. He took a bat out of one of his other "projects" and we tried kicking it over, but were met with this atrocious squealing metal on metal dry sound. I immediately stopped, and said that the engine could have been junk. Now I told him only $300, because of the engine. It sounded almost like the rear 2 cyls were dry, and scoring up the walls. Not even a sputter. He swore it ran great and kept telling us to run to the gas station and fill up the tank, so we could hook it up, and fire the truck up. Not going to happen. I explained that if it was bad cylinders, I wasn't going to fire it up and make things worse. After going back and fourth about the engine for god knows how long, I told Jake to try to crank it again, and I would peek underneath... Sounded more like a dry clutch plate and bearings... (which could happen, afterall it hasn't had a working slave in a year. ) Wade figured as much too, and saw my "junk engine" angle... ;) . After more going back and fourth, I said $400, the parts, and it would be gone. He said $500, he said to meet him at $450, and I told him make it worth $450, and I would do it... So he proceeded to try and add on every junk piece of crap in his barn, to satisfy me. I asked for a tool cart, no. I asked for a soda machine, not without more money. He tried pawning used tires in, mopeds, doors for a chevy, old junk rims, a used "set" of 31's (only 2) Then I saw this nice engine stand. He said that it was worth a lot, and he would need $475. I told him not a DIME over $450. After more arguing, and us threatening to leave, he caved. Ended up giving me a hood, extra tailgate, grilles, a used starter :dunno: , and some other stuff. One nice kicker was that the tank out of the truck is like brand new.

As we were loading the truck up, we got the history. Bought brand new by one of his buddies grandfather, and he used it to plow a small driveway. The ol' guy started to need a hand with the day to day, and the guys parents gave him the truck for taking care of granddad. Within a week of getting the THEN MINT STILL MJ, was running from the police, slid on ice and snagged a dry patch. Tipped it on its drivers side (tah-da!) and got away on the run. Then this guy got it and used it as a farm truck, and beat the living crap out of it. He marveled at how the paint was "untouched" when he got it. He also had to take pictures of the rear bumper where he hooked up some monstrosity of a farm trailer to the factory bumper :grrrr: and tried towing it. Turned the bumper into a pretzel, and smashed the rear quarter. He commented the whole time on how the inside of the bed was in mint shape, because the cow mat he had in it saved it. Too bad he couldn't have taken care of the rest of the truck. But, according to him, it has new brakes, ball joints, axle u-joints, and some fresh stuff in there!

Also, he had still not sold the plow. He had the $750 in his account, but the guy buying it got sent to jail. So, look for a plow for sale soon. :roll:

So long story short, I got my donor. $450, and an engine stand. With the "buddies" ( :rotfl2: ) rims and tires. Got it home, and its cuddled right up in the driveway anticipating a teardown of all usable parts (which isn't much), and I even got the window sticker. ;)

It was a nice truck, that died a slow horrible death. Its past the point of saving, but it will live on in my '90 in form of all HO stuff, engine, and drivetrain (after rebuilding). The pics don't do thee damage justice. It is a heap in person, with doors that don't line up, a crushed cab, and bad body panels everywhere. Poor little fella. It was too late for him, but good thing he signed his donor card. :D

Rob L.

It was a great adventure

I see me in the pictures

you missed some of his awesome quotes

Fill in my gaps, and didn't you snap some pics too? Throw 'em up!

Rob L.

nice.

dibs on the tank and burgundy interior.

lol ok

ill work on uploading and adding some quotes

I don't remember where these fit into story but here are some quotes

The inside of bed is mint.(bc it had a cow mat in it)

I have a starter.(extra part and used)

I have a new after market radiator.(used and corroded not for H.O.)

What do you want out of here?(his barn filled with lots and lots and lots of crap Offered Rob everything in the barn i think)

so are you just wasting my time or what? Rob said " it goes both ways"

Thats all i can remember

Pictures i took

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Not to be rude or anything… but I’m glad you added the photos for the summation, as I just don’t have the attention span for all that text. :smart:

thanks for letting me tag along in that awesome adventure

Got some more mentionable quotes:

From guy selling it:

"The rear bumper is in great shape."

"What do you want out of here?"

"How about this hospital bed table?"

"Do you need a riding lawnmower? Ill throw it in back."

"Check out how big these hubs are..." (referring to a cut in half Dodge Ram's front axle)

"It's been a good truck."

"It won't run without the fuel pump on."

"How about some used tires?"

"Need an interior door?"

"How about a candy machine?"

"Go to the gas station, get gas and come back here so we can start it, I don't have a ride."

"The transfer case was smoking..."

"I have this grandfather clock out of a house that burnt down I'll throw in, still in the box."

Me:

"Wait, wasted who's time?!?"

"No way am I paying $500 for a truck without wheels."

"That bumper is f'ed."

"Why the hell would I care about the inside of the bed?"

"You kidding me?"

Back and fourth:

Guy:"What did you expect for $500?"

Me: "A truck that at least ran and had wheels on it."

Guy: "Well, I need the $500."

Me: "Well, your not getting it."

Wade:

"All this over $25?"

"What the hell is that going to prove?"

Jake:

"That bumper will buff out."

Rob L.

Got some more mentionable quotes:

 

From guy selling it:

"The rear bumper is in great shape."

"What do you want out of here?"

"How about this hospital bed table?"

"Do you need a riding lawnmower? Ill throw it in back."

"Check out how big these hubs are..." (referring to a cut in half Dodge Ram's front axle)

"It's been a good truck."

"It won't run without the fuel pump on."

"How about some used tires?"

"Need an interior door?"

"How about a candy machine?"

"Go to the gas station, get gas and come back here so we can start it, I don't have a ride."SAID ABOUT 1000000 Times

"The transfer case was smoking..."

"I have this grandfather clock out of a house that burnt down I'll throw in, still in the box."

 

Me:

"Wait, wasted who's time?!?"

"No way am I paying $500 for a truck without wheels."

"That bumper is f'ed."

"Why the hell would I care about the inside of the bed?"

"You kidding me?"

 

Back and fourth:

Guy:"What did you expect for $500?"

Me: "A truck that at least ran and had wheels on it."

Guy: "Well, I need the $500."

Me: "Well, your not getting it."

 

Wade:

"All this over $25?"

"What the hell is that going to prove?"

 

Jake:

"That bumper will buff out."

 

Rob L.

DID YOU GET A TITLE?

Please tell me you got a title ...

DID YOU GET A TITLE?

 

Please tell me you got a title ...

yes

Yep. Clean WI title, in his name. VIN's were correct truck to title... Oh, and the build date on the truck is 10-91.

Rob L.

Awesome story Rob!

Did you get pics of the shady guy? :cheers:

just picture a bowling ball

Glad to see that going on up north too. Northern rednecks. SOP down here Rob. :cheers:

Got some more mentionable quotes:

 

From guy selling it:

"The rear bumper is in great shape."

Rob L.

he probably meant,

"the rear bumper is in A great shape." very modern art.

Not to be rude or anything… but I’m glad you added the photos for the summation, as I just don’t have the attention span for all that text. :smart:

:agree:

I'm glad you put this in there,

So long story short, I got my donor. $450, and an engine stand. With the "buddies" ( ) rims and tires. Got it home, and its cuddled right up in the driveway anticipating a teardown of all usable parts (which isn't much), and I even got the window sticker.

Your warning should have said, WARNING, TOO Long. :D Us short attention span... Oh look a bug is crawling... Did I lock the back door....Raining cats and... Oh crap the dog is outside.

:cheers:

Great story. For the Ritalin twins who couldn't sit still for 4 minutes to read it all, too bad. But dude, what are you worried about, you're in the money on that truck! $100 for the Grand Cherokee Canyons, and I bet you could get, I dunno, (Dice Clay voiceover here) tree, maybe four hunge for those taillights on ebay baby! Ohhhhhh!

It took me 2 cups of coffee to get thru the story :roll:

Man.......don't ya just love people that wheel and deal like that....... :headpop:

I had one last year August, just like that, But.......I went home empty........and glad I did. The guy thought he could get $350 from the scrap yard for a '87 2.5 2wd MJ, that 1/3 of the weight was rusted away :teehee: Oh, and the scrap yard was 40 miles away :rotfl2:

Nice job Rob, I'm sure that guy slept good last night :shake:

Damn, I wish I could have gone. I love craigslist encounters with shady hillbillies.

Damn, I wish I could have gone. I love craigslist encounters with shady hillbillies.

After all, that's how you met your wife, right? :rotfl2:

Damn, I wish I could have gone. I love craigslist encounters with shady hillbillies.

 

After all, that's how you met your wife, right? :rotfl2:

Nope, your thinking of "Causal Encounters", a popular section on craigslist. And I definitely don't tell my wife about what I do in there.