"Gambling: the sure way to get nothing for something." - Wilson Mizner

From friend Sherry. I want this for the next trip to Phoenix.

Leroy called to say the tranny is installed, he took it for a test drive, and it's all good. In fact, he said the truck drives very well with a surprising amount of power.
(I wouldn't know, since I've never really driven it.)
Which doesn't mean it's good to go. He's going to work on the brakes next week. I had a new rear axle and differential built using parts from an 80's Chevy truck, and that requires a different emergency brake cable connection that was stock. So he's got the parts and will make that swap.
And most of the dash gauges don't work. The oil pressure gauge, gas gauge, and speedometer an all inop. Oh, and the wipers don't work, a potential problem in western Oregon. Those are all problems I can work on a bit at a time, driving it as I clean up those issues.

I have things I say frequently. I suspect we all have phavorite phrases we rely on in similar situations, things we've picked up from others, or that just became habit over time. Some of those are relationship specific. For example, when Pam says, "You're right" I respond with, "I hear that so often." (It drives her crazy.) And I confess to quietly saying to Pam, "Who told her that was a good look?" when I see a female dressed in a bizarre way.

I have something I've started saying very often to God. Two words.
"Teach me." 
It's our shorthand for saying something like, "I don't understand," or "this doesn't fit my paradigm," or "I don't know what to do in this situation," or "I messed that up and don't want to do that again."
And I want God to increase my wisdom and understanding.

Today I said that to him re. the truck.
That '59 Chevy stopped being fun a long time ago. Somewhere back when the radiator guy screwed up, or the guy who built the rear axle screwed up, or the transport company lost the truck while shipping it to Oregon, or the transmission fried, or....
Just way too many problems.

We need a vehicle that can haul lumber, or a bale of hay, or feed, or.... And I always intended this to be a driver, not a show queen or garage jewelry. Yes, it is a sweet looking truck; Leroy agrees it's beautiful, and I'm proud of the the results. But we're in a stage of life where we have to pay attention to the budget. That's not a burden, we don't feel oppressed, and don't chafe under the restrictions. It's a trade-off we've willingly made to enjoy the life we have on Baker Rd.

So, driving the truck will require more money to fix those things, plus registration and insurance. Is that a reasonable hit to the budget for driving a classic truck that looks pretty sweet, will haul what we need here, and allows us to go separate places at the same time?

Or, should I buy a Harbor Freight utility trailer to pull behind the Kia, build a box for it that would take care of the hauling, and save us a significant amount of money over the long haul. That would keep us a one vehicle family, but we've made that work for the last year without more than minor inconveniences.

Could I even get enough for the truck to make selling it a good way to go?

"Teach me."