Man Buys Classic Pickup in Junkyard, Drives it Home
After sitting for nearly two decades, this 1979 Ford F-150 is ready to start its new life with a real enthusiast.
The enduring dream of every car and truck fanatic is to stumble upon a barn find. Somewhere out there, for each and every one of us (we hope), is a desirable vehicle that hasn’t seen the light of day in decades, hidden by dust and debris, just waiting.
Sometimes, that amazing find isn’t in a barn at all. Sometimes, it’s right out in the open. That’s where YouTuber Brick TheGun found this classic 1979 Ford F-150, sitting in a junkyard for almost two decades.
To look at this truck, it seems odd that it would end up in a junkyard. As Brick TheGun says, “It’s pretty dang straight, it’s got a nice grille.” Despite the dirt and dust covering its white sheetmetal, and truck bed filled with branches from long-dead trees, we’d say that he made out just fine.
Peeling the carpet back, he reveals a bare minimum of rust on the floorpans. For a truck that’s lived a life as hard as this one, it looks to be in pretty great shape. After walking around the back of the truck to the driver’s side, we get a bold statement from the truck’s new owner — “Now I’m gonna drive it home.”
Under the hood, Brick TheGun makes a few discoveries. For one thing, the engine turns by hand. The radiator also looks new. The chrome valve covers are just a bonus – and they’ll need plenty of polish if he wants to make them shine again.
That’s the least of his worries right now, though. He needs to get this truck running so that he can drive it home. That fresh radiator is bone dry, but thankfully, there’s plenty of oil in the engine. Unfortunately, it’s pitch black.
Brick TheGun’s first task is removing the dead battery, and replacing it with a new unit that’s the proper size and shape. Amazingly, the truck still has its original key, despite all its years in the junkyard. With the fresh battery, the truck has power – the windshield wipers come on right away!
For the first time, we hear some enthusiasm in our narrator’s voice when he says, “Well, I’m excited. It’s got lights, even!” With the battery taken care of, Brick TheGun turns to the fuel system.
Removing the air cleaner, we can see that the carburetor linkage isn’t frozen, and the choke still works. Pouring gas directly into the carburetor, he cranks it over, and for a moment, it sounds like it starts to run before it cuts out again.
After a few attempts, he fashions his portable gas can into a makeshift fuel tank. It’s clear that his truck won’t run off of whatever varnish is in the tank, so instead, he plumbs in a small pump and wires it directly to the battery.
Next, he pours some distilled water into the radiator. After some coaxing, the truck actually runs! After fixing a broken, leaky fuel fitting, the truck actually idles and stays running, albeit roughly.
Brick TheGun even manages to pull the truck out of the bush it had been sitting in. Remarkably, three of the four tires still held air! Once that issue has been taken care of, it’s time for him to fulfill his promise to drive his new truck home from the junkyard.
Amazingly, the truck seems to be doing just fine on its journey home. Brick TheGun says, “I’m on the highway, keeping up with traffic! I mighta shoulda washed the windshield, but…you only live once!” Incredibly, he’s not just limping this old beats up the street – he lives over 70 miles away!
With a few stops to refuel (remember, he’s still running off of a small gas can), he makes it home, safe and sound. He’s got a lot of work ahead of him to get this truck completely roadworthy — brakes, tuneup, fluids, and fuel system — but we admire his bravery in saving this one from the crusher and bringing it home!
