After 20 years of good service my old Dodge truck (aka Berth) has gone. Even though I sold it almost two months back it sat here since. Yesterday when wuga was here the fellow came to see if it would run. Last I had running it was Dec when I moved it to its winter spot. When I went to move it this spring the battery packed in. I was ticked as it was ONLY 18 years old! Anyway he had a booster and I had an iffy battery I was using on my reverse electrolysis cleaning tank so we popped it in and tried it. We were stunned when he turned the key. It seemed like it didn't even make a 1/4 revolution and the Big 488 cubic inch V10 barked to life. Not a tick or a squeal or nothing. It ran perfect. He said he would be back today with a dealer plate to pick it up. We just got back from breakfast and it is gone.

Wife said it is probably good I wasn't here. I ordered the V10  21 years ago (15th of Aug 1993) I waited 7 months for it to be built and then another month for delivery. It was according to VP sales Chrylser Canada the very first V10 RAM ever ordered from Chrylser  ever (US and Canada) and to his credit it had and still carrys the order number ...001 sticker under its hood. Once it had a intake manifold gasket replaced , more a recall deal. And once they had to put safety plugs in the back of the steering wheel bolt holes as some idiot had caught his keys there and complained so all ram were retrofitted with these plugs. Other then that two set of plugs. 4 sets of front pads and one rotor in 20 years is not bad. Still has its original exhaust as well. I think 4 set of rear tires and two sets of fronts plus a replacement of a defective front but that is it for owning it over 20 years. I raced it at Shannonville twice when it was new winning both runs. It turned 15.86 at 87 MPH. I also beat Arnie Malcolm with it running his 454 SS Chevy at Luskville when he challenged me (have photos of that race and probably still the time slips) And then my nephew took it the same day and ran some shortbox 400 SBC truck who was feeling his oats and smoked him as well. It has been to Florida , Oregon (we needed some oregano :>)Bonneville. In fact I have a pick of my wife heading out over the flats about where the picture of Neil and Wuga's adventure was this year. (Behind the sign.) I drove it to Alaska and back averaging 18.59 MPG (imperial) on the whole trip. It will reach 20.5 in hiway cruising if you keep it under 70MPH and would tow the race car to Luskville and back with an average of around 17.6. The mileage was something I never expected but contrary to popular opinion (always given by folks who never owned one or drove one) it gave remarkable fuel mileage exceeding what the 318 or 360 truck offered on the best day. I have done a little stop light gran prix with it and have been known on more then one occasion to say to a Camero or Mustang owner jacking his car on its converter at the lights "Go Ahead Punk. Make my day!" I would often here how this truck or that truck could out pull it but I carried a logging chain in the back all the time and would walk out with the mouthy off brand owner , reach down pull the chain up in my hand and say lets hook em up and see. Never not once ever did anyone step up to the plate and try it. Usually they told me something I can't repeat. For years I carried my Sr dragster in the back winching it on with a small electric winch.  In fact that what I was doing the first time I met wuga. A couple of years back I built the matching trailer for my 63 MAX Wedge to tow from here to Picton and didn't drive the truck much after that. Finally I decided to sell it as it wasn't right just to let it sit here. I gave John a real deal but he has done a lot for me over the years so I don't feel bad about that. Still tis sad to see the old girl gone. "Good bye old paint. Your were a great old truck to have around. Will miss ya!"

don