powerrammaster

From time to time I get to feeling lonely up here at the top of NJ. There are no diesel first gens around here on the road anymore. From time to time I see locations on someone's profile while others are a bit mysterious. I wonder what their area looks like and why they are into the same hobby I am. I wonder what their truck looks like when its not all shined up for an avatar pic. Around here I have no one to share my first gen passion with, without travelling extensively.

I thought this would be a good way to feel a little less lonely in this corner of the USA. I don't want to descriminate or leave out anyone, I just have travelled the Northeast and can kinda picture the area if someone speaks up. ALL are welcome to chime in.

I encourage you to post up with a little about yourself, your location and of course your truck. Pics of trucks and your area and faces would be a bonus.


I will start off with myself:

My name is Brian and I have been a lifelong resident of extreme North Jersey. I am a professional water treatment operator (wa wa not ca ca) for a small city.I have owned a lot of Dodges and Jeeps over the years and have enjoyed their reliability and simplicity. My area is somewhat affluent so my truck does not fit in with $50k 3rd gens, but I like my old school stuff. This area suffers salted road damage as bad as anywhere in New England anymore. My trucks are ever changing as I like variety. However I have experienced most configurations of first gens and will be slowing down on the constant trading. It seems most motorheads sell their dreamcar as soon as they complete it. It is the challenge more than the car itself. If I could afford to I would be the 'catlady' of first gens. ( meaning I'd have hundreds and couldn't afford to keep em all going). Every one I see I catalog in my mind. Obsessed? I guess. My dream job would be to restore or part out for a living. I envision a large yard full of gen 1's and every configuration for every day at my disposal to drive. Like recycled demo's. Anyway this is like some sort of group therapy for me I guess. I'm sure others are this posessed too??

I will be posting some photos soon, I just had this idea kinda late tonite for photos. I don't mind answering any questions if any one wants to know more about me. We share at least one common interest in our region ( rust battle). I find it interesting when someone like a lawyer is interested in old Dodge trucks, so what is it that makes all of you tick?

Richie O

My name is Richie O. A.K.A. " Mr No Detail". I live in the northeast, I have 3 trucks. Glad I could help.

dzl_damon

Luke from Maine. I can concur with Brian very much on his ambitions/goals. I would love to have a bunch of trucks in the yard.... well, I do kind of. I guess I wish I had more land in a spot where my neighbors didn't have to see all my projects! My consciousness of them is what limits me more than anything!! Currently 2 1st gens, a 60's muscle car, a TDi, a M1031, a tractor, and some various diesel engines sitting in my yard along with various friends and families vehicle that I fix for the best rate in town... sometimes cheaper than the parts for some reason.

To support my mechanical addiction at home, I work on bigger mechanical things at work. For example: pumps, motors, boilers, turbines, incinerators, purifiers, piping systems, hydraulics, cranes, and slow/medium speed diesels with some electrical, welding, and machining on the side.

The Utility with a jag of hardwood:



Utility truck when I first bought it:


Dually pulling the 1st gen I bought for my cousin:



Dually pulling my buddies 1st gen for one of my low priced brake/front end jobs:



Dually as shiny as it will get:


The dooryard:

ChrisLib

Us Northeastern`ers have to stick together . I live in 1st Gen exile as well out on Long Island NY, I could count the number of 1st Gen CTD`s around me on one hand...mine and some older fella with a beat up 2wd that lives a few blocks from me. There was a guy with an pretty nice 89 on the next street over from me (was in the classifieds a while back, he`s since sold it). Other than that 1st Gen sightings around these parts is like running across the Loch Ness monster . I have been an Auto Tech since 85, started with Mitsu (franchise got sold), went to Toyota (owner was/is the spawn of satan), and now I am with Kia. My current truck I have owned since 2004, got it from the classifieds right here @ DTR . I have owned one other 1st Gen, a 1986 gas truck, also into old Jap bikes, specifically old Honda SOHC 750`s. Currently own a 1973 that is a work in progress (they always need more $$ and time than I have on hand ). Here are some pics of my stuff,

Currnent,


You can see the driveway "tattoo`s courtesy of my leaky rear main



My old gas truck


and my two wheeled hobby

powerrammaster

Very nice guys.

Richie, your videos tell anice story of you.

Luke, wondering why your screenname has damon in it? I also am very self conscious of the burden I put on the neighborhood with my projects and wish I had secluded space and more of it.

Luke, I am also wondering about some terminology I have never heard before: dooryard and a 'jag' of hardwood. Not poking fun just never heard those terms.


Chris, I like the pics and definitely think the old bikes are sweet. Many fond memories on the back of my uncle's early Hondas and Kawi's. The 'ol gold girl looked pretty sweet too. I see your in a suburban neighborhood like so many around here. I feel my truck and I belong up in the country where we'd fit in. No such luck.

Richie O

Jag is just " a good load " or " big load " type of thing. Dooryard is just the yard or driveway/parking by the house.

Edit,, I looked up "jag" in the dictionary for giggles. It says " small load ". Thats funny cause around here it means to opposite.

G1625S

Former first genner, long time nor'easter. Driving a funny shaped truck now, but in the market for another 'real' truck Gonna try and have a couple get-togethers up here this summer...pig roast/tire roast

Richie O

There is a 92 slush box 4x4 on craigslist for 1600 bucks in central mass. There are a few high end ones too.

Make sure you invite Pete to your piggy fry.




.

oilcan64

im Justin up in Preston, Connecticut. you see a few 1st gens in my area. I met timmy 22 on this site, he lives in Rhode Island up the road from me, he helped me with the kdp and taught a few things about these trucks. i bought my rig when i was 16 didnt even have my license drove it home with no registration or insurance. currently she is sitting in pieces. i started to restore it but fell short when i had to leave for school. but my old man and i put up a greenhouse so now i have a place to work on it over christmas break. this is where i was at on the truck...

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...n-t269964.html

i currently am a freshman at the university of new haven studying criminal justice. aspiring to be a state trooper. once i finish my truck, the next dodge im gonna do up is a 1969 charger...ill have the only General Lee in my area!

JD730

Mike from not quite as far north as powerrammaster, just south of where RT80 crosses into Pennsylvania. Lived in the same township all my life, just bought the house next to the family farm. Vegetable farm part time, I work in an environmental test lab for a living.

We have a pretty good collection of 1st gens. Two are currently licensed, I have another that is not on the road, but is road worthy and 4 more that I have collected for very low costs for parts/donors. We also have a very healthy collection of tractors, mostly John Deeres.

Working on a 1984 Peterbilt 359 to take over some of the towing duties to save the wear and tear on the pickups.


Here's a pic of the one 93.

bradshaw106

im matt from maine, right close by to luke and richie o
currently trying to rescue my truck from the clutches of the salt monster...

JerseyJello

I'm Angelo, Jersey born and bread, lived in this same area my whole life. I work for CSX running the railyard and I get to work the night shift even though I have 10 years seniority I got my cummins because I've always liked diesel and they're one bad truck!!! Along with the CTD I also own a 1970 M35A2 (Duece and a half), a chevy tahoe, 2 old honda 3 wheelers, and just recently acquired a old sportster/chopper. I always seem to have to many projects and never enough time or money to have them all where I would like them to be.

Living in suburban jersey makes it hard to have hobbies like this, I have very little space to work on my trucks. As for other 1st gens around here there are a few... My friend and his father have about 6, gasser's and ctd's, they use for their construction buisness. I'll have to see if I can dig up some pictures of them today. And the only other 1st gen I have seen is a D350 5spd with a single stack drivning around the area here. That's about it

foxtrot

I feel for you Northeasterners, I spent 5 years up in Rhode Island. I hated it. It was nice up there but the winters were a little long and every time I would go back up there after a trip some where else in the country I always felt like I was going back in the closet. Felt so far away.

bradshaw106

since we are talking about us in general...... I built this last winter...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGXi0nRZICM
If your quick you might get a glimpse of the truck

SORTIE

dang, my 1st gen looks ridiculous in my driveway, next to my little house

but I keep it nice, everything works and it pulls like a mother

I'm definitely the only 1st gen in this area...haven't seen another nearby

my wife tolerates the truck but has only ridden in it once...my daughter loves the truck and I told her we're gonna have to argue over it once she turns 16!