For Sale: $500 Truck for $575
This is my '75 Ford F-250. As you can see, I made a mistake, but no one was hurt. I had it rolled back over, poured 3 liters of oil in, kicked the roof back into position, and fired it right up. It cost me $550 to roll it back over and $25 for a no-windshield ticket on the way home. Considering the truck cost me $500, this was an expensive day.
Ed Loo, Calgary, Alta, Canada, Dec. '98
Overdoing It
I took my eyes off the road and swerved, then overcorrected and rolled my '82 Toyota pickup four or five times. If it wasn't for my seatbelt and the Downey interior bar, I wouldn't be here. I only needed four stitches on my forehead. But I don't think I'll get the Toy running again.
Virgil Hollins, Mohsue Valley, AZ, Sept. '96
Liberrrrty
The ice was 3 to 4 feet thick on Walsh Lake. As I went to cross over from Walsh to Banting Lake, the ice gave way. In an instant my brand-new '03 Jeep Liberty Renegade was a write-off. The first tow truck I called out couldn't get my Jeep out. Another guy got it out two days later, but it was pretty frozen by then because it was 30 degrees below zero. The vehicle was a giant ice cube up to the steering wheel and the ice around the outside had damaged the body on all sides.
Dane Gibson, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, Sept. '03
A Pine in the Ass
I woke up one morning to this sight. "Don't look!" was my boyfriend's response when he discovered a 20-foot section of a pine tree had fallen on my '98 Sonoma Highlander. Needless to say, I was late for work that morning.
Pam Millard, Lead, South Dakota, Oct. '00
Dive, Dive
We were out mud riding at a place called Lockhead when our '83 Chevy ended up swimming in rushing water. It ended up submerged, and four days later we finally located it. It took two more days of digging and winching to get the truck out.
Adam & Paige Babb, Cumming, GA, Mar. '96
Hummer Eater
There's a place in Germany that can swallow Hummers whole. It's called Hohenfels and is where a friend's Hummer-with the help of an inexperienced driver-was eaten by a monster hole. The same driver attempted to restart the vehicle and succeeded in sucking water into the intake and eventually the cylinders. Two more Hummers, one winch and several hours later it was out of the hole, but miles from nowhere with a blown engine. I enjoy your magazine and I love Hummers. In the hands of a capable driver, they're unstoppable.
Bruce Kocher, Columbus, GA, Jan. '95
Invisible Rock
Don't let this happen to you! We were on the Rubicon Trail and I didn't see the 3-foot rock. Since we were wearing our seatbelts all we had to do was crawl out. Nobody was injured except for my pride and the truck's body. We were able to push it over and continue down the trail.
Jason Salvatierra, Sacramento, CA, Mar. '95
Built GM Tough
I was the assistant driver of this M998 when it rolled onto its top during a night maneuver here in Okinawa. Once the sun came up, we used a 5-ton tow truck to pull the vehicle out. All four occupants would like to thank GM for the rollbar and the sturdy craftsmanship.
Lance Cpl. Daryl G. Scott, Okinawa, Apr. '98
How to Impress the Ladies
I had purchased this WWII '46 Dodge personnel carrier with a flathead six-cylinder and had just replaced the clutch when I took my girlfriend out for a ride. I was eager to show her what the six-by could do and was bragging that the tough old truck could never get stuck. It took a power wagon and a deuce and a half to free the Dodge. Talk about some mean mud!
Pat Sutalo, Santa Ysabel, CA, Sept. '98
So Close
We tried to make it through the edge of this pond in my '83 Chevy K-10. We were almost out when we hit the slick mud, and there was nowhere to go but in. A friend pulled my truck out with his old Dodge in about two minutes.
Sean Barker, Ponca City, OK, Dec. '97
Your Slip is Showing
I went hunting one day, and slid off the slippery trail. My '88 GMC Jimmy turned upside down as it rolled into a deep ravine. Luckily, everyone in the truck got out safely. After being pulled out by a forest tractor and adding more oil, I was able to drive the 100 miles back home.
Cristi Morariu, Bucharest,
Romania, Apr. '00
I Spy...a Headlight
This is what happens when you don't block your wheels when parked on a hill beside a lake. It took one winch, a 3-ton chain hoist, a little bit of elbow grease, and two hours to get it out. I had her running two days later.
Mark Stuart, Nanaimo, B.C., Canada, Apr. '07
Say No More
Four men and a twist of the key and off we went.
Brian Lee, Springfield, IL, Sept. '94