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From the August, 2011 issue of Classic Trucks / By Steve Stillwell
Pickups Limited Orange County hosted its annual Safety Inspection, and inspectors found a number of must-fix infractions that may exist on your truck!
Rudy Weber serves the Pickups Limited Orange County Chapter as its safety chairman and approaches his duties wearing a velvet glove over an iron fist. This became very apparent during this year’s annual Safety Inspection where two dozen club members’ F-series trucks were subjected to a 65-point checklist covering all of the truck’s mechanical functions, from brakes to lights and every moving or stationary part in between. While having club trucks subjected to an annual safety inspection is mandatory, it is more of a service than an opportunity for fellow club members to be critical when it comes to the fabrication of each truck. Members’ trucks are as diverse as their owners, who come from all walks of life. As for the club, the trucks are classic Ford F-1 and F-100 pickups and panels from 1948 through 1956, representing restorations to full-blown show trucks, having been built in home garages and driveways as well as street rod shops. An interesting point to the inspection is that few trucks pass every category, and rate at 100 percent; although, some items are only suggestions to make these trucks perform more efficiently.
Pickups Limited began in April 1968 as the result of a classified ad placed in the Pennysaver. The Orange County Chapter, boasting 40-plus members, is the oldest of seven nonprofit chapters located throughout Southern California. The Safety Inspection is free to all club members and was held this past March at Glenn’s Brake & Alignment in Costa Mesa, California. Glenn Kerr’s shop features a number of lifts, which made viewing each truck’s chassis a much easier process than when the first Inspections were performed in parking lots using handtools and floor jacks. Safety inspections are a great idea—you don’t have to belong to a club either, just gather a couple of your truckin’ buddies and spend an afternoon going over your trucks. It may well save you some side-of-the-road time in the future or, more importantly, keep someone from getting hurt.
Pickups Limited members are a hands-on bunch, so Weber (aka Bigfoot) quickly organized teams whose duties were to review the operations of lights, wiring, and glass, as well as pulling wheels and brake drums to inspect the condition of the shoes and springs. This assembly line process served to expedite the procedure and get more members involved.
Once on the lift, Weber and Chris Travers manned the shop lights and checklists, looking for each and every defect, from rubbing hard lines to leaks and even potential suspension woes or frame cracks. Larry Lopez (“Spray Can” Larry), the club’s former safety inspector, took over in the afternoon as this became a daylong event.
Kerr, shop owner and fellow Pickups Limited member, spent time reviewing several trucks including my ride upon discovering a rear seal leak, but his primary focus of the day was providing lunch. Kerr grilled yellowfin burgers from a recent deep-sea fishing adventure. The food was great!
At the end of the day everyone was presented a copy of their safety inspection form. Once all of the adjustments and corrections have been made, each club member then receives a small windshield sticker verifying his truck has passed inspection. Orange County members are a unique bunch and turn every outing into fun, even though this day’s purpose is serious business. After all, the idea is to promote vehicle safety, ensure the club’s trucks are roadworthy, and that each truck is safe to be driven in one of many caravans to outings throughout the year. Whether you are a club or just a fun-loving bunch of friends, take a hint and hold your own safety inspection. It is a good way to know that your fellow truckers will be able to safely stop in time and get to the show without breaking down. For more information on Pickups Limited Orange County Chapter, check the website at www.pickupslimited.com. CT
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