Sister rang and said she was heading over with a trailer full of pine. She had the badly leaning pine in her front garden dropped and her son had bucked it up. It turned out to be a fairly large pine and the rounds were heavy. My nephew lifted the largest rounds as they were heavy; I picked one up and wished I hadn't it was so heavy. I went over and visited the next day and she had gotten her son to drop several dead pines; some were partially bucked up. However, she told me she was finished hauling any wood. Therefore, I need to see about acquiring a truck; maybe an S10, or acquiring a trailer I can pull behind the Buick. One possibility is I could get all the wood bucked up and then see about renting a truck.
If you are thinking about getting a truck, just go big and get a 3/4 ton skip the s10 and full size 1/2 tons. You probably will find out, that the s10 isn't enough of a truck, bed too small etc. the 1/2 ton will work for a while but a good load of oak (or most any fresh cut hardwood) and you might just second guess that decision. I used my 1/2 ton for years, the engine could pull the load but the brakes and suspension was iffy. My 1/2 ton has a 460 in it and when the load in the truck makes that front end rise up and feels like the tires are feathering the ground it kind of makes you second guess putting so much wood into that bed, even though it all fit just fine and safe.. I wouldn't kill your buick with a trailer either. As you know wood is heavy and there is a good chance the brakes and transmission on your car just isn't up to the task.
Yes, I am still having issues with the used trans I put in the car. I got a Trans-Go kit but waiting to see about what I am going to have to do about the torque converter lock up issue.
I am going to have to go with some used truck. I might keep a lookout for a good deal on a vehicle that needs repairs. I have seen where often people will let good vehicles go because the repairs are so expensive; it is the labour costs that kill you. I put a grand in the 98 Buick but that was all parts; I did all the work myself. I am so grateful that Dad was a mechanic and I was able to learn from him.
Definitely recommend used! Especially being a firewood truck. It took me a year to find my 79 and about 2 years to find the 86 because I was more specific in what I wanted. Wasn't everything I was looking for but close enough.
