Hoopy is a 1928 Chevrolet one ton truck my grandpa Leo bought new in Redding. When I was very young, I think before ten or so, dad would let me steer the Hoopy while he cut the bales and fed them from the back of the truck to the cattle. Most of the time this feeding was done near the lower barn. Dad would set the throttle and point me at a mountain in the Big Valley mountain range. He would then climb on the back and start feeding. Sometimes I would get too close to the swamp so dad would have to climb back inside, turn the wheel, and get me back on track.
I wasn't tall enough to reach the peddles so I could stop or strong enough to turn the wheel. Old vehicles had hand throttles so it could be set and just leave it. This is how I learned to drive.
As I got older, it was often my turn to feed from the back of the truck while Bruce (he's my little brother) or someone drove. Most of the time we drained the water from the radiator so it wouldn't freeze. It had too many leaks to put antifreeze in and waste it. One winter that was very cold I remember dad had to set a fire under the Hoopy's radiator to thaw the water. Hoopy wouldn't start after we poured the water in so the water froze. We only had to be careful of the lower hose because everything else was steel and it wouldn't melt.
Hoopy had to be hand cranked to start. Dad always told me to set the timing retarder/advancer before cranking it. He said it was more likley to kick back if not set right and the crank could break an arm. I think I always remembered to do that. It has wooden spokes for wheels, wooden slats in the roof, a four cylinder engine and four speed transmission.
I spent many an icy cold or wet rainy morning on the back of Hoopy too. Bruce still has Hoopy at his house in the hopes of getting it running again. I hope he does someday before it gets too deteriorated.
I wasn't tall enough to reach the peddles so I could stop or strong enough to turn the wheel. Old vehicles had hand throttles so it could be set and just leave it. This is how I learned to drive.
As I got older, it was often my turn to feed from the back of the truck while Bruce (he's my little brother) or someone drove. Most of the time we drained the water from the radiator so it wouldn't freeze. It had too many leaks to put antifreeze in and waste it. One winter that was very cold I remember dad had to set a fire under the Hoopy's radiator to thaw the water. Hoopy wouldn't start after we poured the water in so the water froze. We only had to be careful of the lower hose because everything else was steel and it wouldn't melt.
Hoopy had to be hand cranked to start. Dad always told me to set the timing retarder/advancer before cranking it. He said it was more likley to kick back if not set right and the crank could break an arm. I think I always remembered to do that. It has wooden spokes for wheels, wooden slats in the roof, a four cylinder engine and four speed transmission.
I spent many an icy cold or wet rainy morning on the back of Hoopy too. Bruce still has Hoopy at his house in the hopes of getting it running again. I hope he does someday before it gets too deteriorated.
Great story Jim, I found it from the link on Flickr. Not used to checking my bookmark for this blog yet. You've given me one motivation to blog, it might be a nice way to put the family stories somewhere with pictures to illustrate. I'll have to think about this one. Lee
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