More Fun in the Equipment Yard

The North American International Auto Show begins in a couple days in Detroit, so in honor of that, we'll take another trip to the junkyard (oops--equipment yard) to celebrate. Okay, I just heard about the show on the radio today and I went to the equipment yard a couple days ago, but I feel like I need some excuse to show you more junk (or equipment). I find the equipment yard really fascinating. After all it has over a hundred years of hubris resting in it. Someday, maybe some archeologist will find great value in it. Or if the recession gets bad enough, maybe the ranch will start selling parts and scrap metal. I guess I better just enjoy it while I can.

Here's a 1948 Ford F-1. It's the first Ford F series pickup truck. Ford has sold more F-series trucks than any automaker has sold any other model of car or pickup in the history of the automobile. This one was blue at one point, but the paint has sort of faded. Take a good look at the grill, because that was one of the first things to change. Something else to note is that it only has windshield wipers on the driver's side--one mounted on the bottom and one on the top.

This truck looks fairly similar, but you've probably noticed the grille looks a lot different. This is a Ford F-2. Most of the rest of the truck looks pretty similar, with a running board, raised hood, and big fenders (supposedly the fenders are bigger on a F-2 than an F-1, but I couldn't tell). 

This is another Ford pickup--would you like to wager a guess what model? I guessed F-2, and if you did, you can be wrong with me. Despite the funny front, it's an F-1. I really like the bumper--not only does it have the thick metal horizontal piece, it looks like someone added a couple vertical sections. This truck is going to move whatever is in its way. It's also impressive how vibrant that yellow paint has stayed--much better than the paint on my husband's F-150, which is flaking away in big chunks and wouldn't make Henry Ford proud at all.

This truck is also kind of cool despite all the rust. It has a neat windshield that curves around the sides and has the roof protecting it, nice curves, and---

---the coolest speedometer panel I've seen so far. Most are plain old circles or rectangles, but this is a triangle. I guess it doesn't take much to impress me. But trust me, it's cool looking, and I think I'm going to have to go back and look at it again. I've never been into vehicles, but looking at some of the details on these gets me excited. Maybe Desert Boy's interest in anything that moves is rubbing off on me. Oh, by the way, this is a Chevrolet Apache 32 Fleetside.

Sometimes cars don't look like much at first glance, like this Ford Galaxie 500. But take a closer look at the taillights. They really are out of this world.

I liked the lighting power of this car--not two headlights, but eight. No need for a big bumper if you can see what you're going to hit.

Ooh, these taillights are sexy. These are on a 1957 Chevrolet Bel-Air. This model was produced from 1953-1975, but the 1950s versions were definitely the coolest. Old age (and lack of imagination by the automaker) made this a more utilitarian car in the latter years.

The lines on this car just make me want to go cruising. I'm ready to put on my cotton check dress and with my carefully coiffed hair pulled back with a hair band and go out with my beau.

It's not all vehicles in the equipment yard. Here are some strange metal things that caught my eye due to their symmetry. I've come to learn that they are called bowls, and are the bottom part of a well pump. The water entered the metal grate, and the motor at the top of the well pulled the water up. I don't know how this knowledge will enrich my life, but perhaps someday it will. And maybe yours too.