Thread: Kids eh? Don't they do the damndest things?

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Yesterday was She’s birthday, so when the phone rang last night I said “That will be for you, it’s most probably TJ ringing to wish you happy birthday.”
It was, and they chatted away for half an hour or so. Then She said “Do you want to talk to your father?”
He obviously said “Yes,” as She passed the phone over to me.
We chatted for a bit, and he said “I’ve got a birthday present for you too.”
“But it’s not my birthday.”
“No matter. This can be your birthday present for next year.”
“Okay. What is it?”
“An RG1311 Commer.”

Backstory:

All my working life I’ve driven trucks, going back to L, M, A, S, and K Bedfords, (the S and K Bedfords were pigs of things, the S series would roast your feet on a fully laden uphill climb; I kept a broom-handle in the cab to hold the loud pedal down while I hung my feet out the door, and the K series had to be driven hunched over the steering wheel to be able to see more than a hundred ft in front of you because of the low roof-line.)
There were IH AS and AR162s (the ‘A’ designates Australian assembly,) and Austin Ks that I drove too, the K Austins sorted the men from the boys; if you couldn’t double de-clutch or reverse by mirror you could not drive those things…there was no way you could turn the wheel while reversing with just one hand on the wheel, the steering was just too heavy. And synchromesh…what’s that?
Then I got a job driving for the local Egmont Dairy Co, and they gave me an RG1311.
I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.
Easy to get in to, easy to get out of, good visibility, comfortable, a beautiful truck to drive.
After a few years they phased them out for Mitsubishis, and later on Volvos.
Neither of them as ‘driver-friendly’ as the Commer.
So I’ve always had a soft spot for them.

More backstory:

TJ has a mate, Matt Silver, whom I’ve met several times, who collects Fire Engines. He’s done it for thirty years or so, and has acquired fifteen or twenty of them; and has had TJ do all the mechanical maintenance required, for which TJ has never charged him.
Storage of the collection has become an issue for Matt; so he’s decided to sell them all, and knowing my fondness for the RG1311 offered his RG1311 fire engine to TJ in lieu of payment for services rendered.
And TJ decided to give it to his daddy.

Back to the beginning:

To say I was gob-smacked would be an understatement. I just didn’t know what to say. It’s one of the nicest gestures I’ve ever had from anyone in my life.
I actually got a bit choked up over it.
To think that my younger boy thought to do such a thing for his old dad.
I’m just blown away.

He went on to say he’ll get it registered and a Certificate of Fitness on it, and it’ll be mine.

Kids eh?
Don’t they do the damnedest things?

WOO HOO.. Happy Birthday to SWMBO and Johnboy too!
And what a present! Did SHE get as generous a gift?? LOL..

Yeah, yeah, yeah... just pokin' the bear! 8-)

Without pics it didn't happen!

Pixels!

Thanks for the good wishes to She...I'll pass them on.
She's present wasn't quite as generous admittedly; but was still something She's always wanted to do.
It was a DNA kit that will tell you who your ancestors were and from where they originated.
Her mother was Danish, and her father was straight from the Scottish Highlands. The Scottish race were/are fair-skinned, but Andy's complexion was swarthy, hinting at European ancestry...and as he came from the western side of Scotland She has long thought that there could be Spanish blood there.
When the Spanish Armada got totalled by Drake not all of those sailors would have died/drowned, some must have made it to shore surely and integrated.
So now She's going to be able to find out.

Commer was bought out by Dodge some time mid seventies who continued to manufacture the RG1311, but later re-badged it as the Dodge 100 Commando.
I don't know if it was ever sold under either marque in the States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_100_%22Commando%22

Tell Ms. Rosie we're glad she decided to stick around for another b'day...…..despite giving us a scare.

Kid did a good thing for Pops there, handsome tractor.

I looked up the pictures of the truck........NEAT!!!! Good job on raising the kids



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I had the opportunity to meet TJ a few years back, at the shop where he works his day job. He's an engaging fellow, with an obvious large dose of love and respect for both John and Rosie, and also an accomplished vehicle engineer/mechanic/magician who has a genuine respect for old equipment, and the ingenuity that went into building it.
A quick Google gave me this picture jb - likely not the same but it may give one the idea of what you'll have. Are you going to have room for it at the "New Selection", or is there a Plans Modification coming to provide a bit more space in the Play Room portion of the structure? And please give Rosie my best, and my apology for not getting a card posted to her two weeks ago, to give time for it to make the journey. I saw her name on the calendar three days before the date, and had to shake my head, "opportunity lost...." Another shortcoming, added to my list!

Dodge Commando.jpeg

Thanks for the good wishes to She Who Must Be Obeyed people...much appreciated!
That's pretty much the same beast Roger; only it's a later version of the same model, that one would be mid eighties.
There'll be room for it alright at Our New Selection alright; I'll ensure that! (Incidentally: 'Our New Selection' is the title of an Australian pioneering comic novel written by Steele Rudd in the 1880s...a piece of entirely useless information...)
And thanks to all for the kind words said about young TJ. (Tony John.) Quite a few times he's driven us nuts with the crazy stunts he's pulled that we've had to bail him out of; but he's turned out pretty good in the end.
Well we're proud of what he's achieved.

Happy late birthday to she and what a sweet gift you got from TJ JB! That's awesome!

Would you trust this man?...………...

Do I have to answer????

He's probably out starting fires using his new truck and putting them out.

Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

He's probably out starting fires using his new truck and putting them out.

Hush!
Don't tell everybody!
I thought I'd managed to keep that quiet...

They're every bit as nice to drive as I remembered; but it's geared for town use, not open road driving. She's pulling 2000 revs at 50mph in hi 6th, where I'd rather see it at around 17 - 1800. We brought it home last Sunday...a pretty long slow trip for over 200 miles.
I drove the major parts of the trip, through the towns and major hills, then gave it over to TJ to drive at Patea to cover the last 60 miles.
He loved it!

...and yes Uncle Bob: I'd trust that man.
He's one of the most honest and trustworthy people I know; he even helps little old ladies across busy streets even if they don't want to go.