This week is Big Blue's 10th Birthday. I'd like to thank him.
In 2003 I started shopping for a tow vehicle to replace my beloved 96 Ford E-350 5.8L Club Wagon.
It got about 14 mpg highway and 7 towing, and didn't have the balls to tow heavy up a grade. But I really liked it. It was just long in the tooth.
I first started shopping for Ford Powerstroke 6.0's. After reading a lot of reviews and owner's experiences, I was a bit edgy. There was a claim that the rear main seal leaked, among other things. At the Ford dealer, there were 10 6.0L diesels. 5 showed signs of leakage.
I test drove one that didn't leak, and wasn't that impressed.
I heard GM was coming out with a New Duramax with more HP, the LLY. I test drove an LB7 and liked it more than the Ford. So I custom ordered a 3500 SRW, Crew Cab, Long Bed 4x4. I had the color matched to our Z06 Corvette.
The day it finally arrived, we went down as a family. The local Duramax Crew (Mike L., Steve Cole, Dmax Doug, Guy Tripp, etc, etc) were at a Dyno Day that day.
I hated to miss the dyno event, but... Big Blue was SO cool!! It was love at first sight. I had it a couple days, and Kathy wanted to drive it since it was raining that day. She called me at work and asked, "How do you put it in 4x4?". I said, "There is a button on the dash on the upper left ... WAIT A FOOKING MINUTE!!! WHY DO YOU NEED 4x4 IN MY NEW TRUCK!!!????". She had buried it up to the axles in our front lawn in the rain trying to take a short cut. The 4x4 pulled her out.
When it hit 502 miles, I took a buddy to go pick up a 2500 lb machine. We were in Southern California, and it was in Southern Florida. I was pulled over twice in West Texas for driving on the limiter (96mph). Trooper pulled me over, and I said "I just got this new diesel pickup! It is so smooth! It's like a Cadillac! It has so much power, it's hard to keep it under the speed limit!". He replies, "Yeah, I got a Dodge Cummins at home and I love it! You slow it down, and drive safe, yeah hear?". Got off with a warning. 90 minutes later, the same thing happened. "Yeah, I got a Ford Powerstroke at home and I love it. You slow down and drive safe, yeah hear?".
It hit New Orleans and many other stops on the way. It took 40 hours hot-seating it to make it to Florida, and the same the way back. It's been to Bowling Green with a 11.5' Lance camper towing a Vette, and to Colorado towing Casper, and many, many other long hauls.
It was one of the first LLY's to sled pull, to run a 13, and it was a blast.
I still have Blue, and he has never let me down. He's been to at least 20 states towing heavy, at drag events, and sled pulls. He's protected my kids and my wife when things got hairy.
I'm not a Camry guy. A vehicle is more to me than just a set of tires that go places. I get into a personal relationship with my cars and trucks. I hate to say it, but I LOVE Blue. He's been a damn good friend, and we've had some damn good times together. :hug:
Here's to another decade my Friend! :beer
In 2003 I started shopping for a tow vehicle to replace my beloved 96 Ford E-350 5.8L Club Wagon.
It got about 14 mpg highway and 7 towing, and didn't have the balls to tow heavy up a grade. But I really liked it. It was just long in the tooth.
I first started shopping for Ford Powerstroke 6.0's. After reading a lot of reviews and owner's experiences, I was a bit edgy. There was a claim that the rear main seal leaked, among other things. At the Ford dealer, there were 10 6.0L diesels. 5 showed signs of leakage.
I test drove one that didn't leak, and wasn't that impressed.
I heard GM was coming out with a New Duramax with more HP, the LLY. I test drove an LB7 and liked it more than the Ford. So I custom ordered a 3500 SRW, Crew Cab, Long Bed 4x4. I had the color matched to our Z06 Corvette.
The day it finally arrived, we went down as a family. The local Duramax Crew (Mike L., Steve Cole, Dmax Doug, Guy Tripp, etc, etc) were at a Dyno Day that day.
I hated to miss the dyno event, but... Big Blue was SO cool!! It was love at first sight. I had it a couple days, and Kathy wanted to drive it since it was raining that day. She called me at work and asked, "How do you put it in 4x4?". I said, "There is a button on the dash on the upper left ... WAIT A FOOKING MINUTE!!! WHY DO YOU NEED 4x4 IN MY NEW TRUCK!!!????". She had buried it up to the axles in our front lawn in the rain trying to take a short cut. The 4x4 pulled her out.
When it hit 502 miles, I took a buddy to go pick up a 2500 lb machine. We were in Southern California, and it was in Southern Florida. I was pulled over twice in West Texas for driving on the limiter (96mph). Trooper pulled me over, and I said "I just got this new diesel pickup! It is so smooth! It's like a Cadillac! It has so much power, it's hard to keep it under the speed limit!". He replies, "Yeah, I got a Dodge Cummins at home and I love it! You slow it down, and drive safe, yeah hear?". Got off with a warning. 90 minutes later, the same thing happened. "Yeah, I got a Ford Powerstroke at home and I love it. You slow down and drive safe, yeah hear?".
It hit New Orleans and many other stops on the way. It took 40 hours hot-seating it to make it to Florida, and the same the way back. It's been to Bowling Green with a 11.5' Lance camper towing a Vette, and to Colorado towing Casper, and many, many other long hauls.
It was one of the first LLY's to sled pull, to run a 13, and it was a blast.
I still have Blue, and he has never let me down. He's been to at least 20 states towing heavy, at drag events, and sled pulls. He's protected my kids and my wife when things got hairy.
I'm not a Camry guy. A vehicle is more to me than just a set of tires that go places. I get into a personal relationship with my cars and trucks. I hate to say it, but I LOVE Blue. He's been a damn good friend, and we've had some damn good times together. :hug:
Here's to another decade my Friend! :beer
