I drove a 79? working for a soil testing co. when I was 19. It had a heavy auger/rock drilling rig w big mud tires. 4 speed and huge pto winch that was used alot.It got stuck all the time and we spent lot's of time un-stucking it. It had tall hydraulic lifts,1 in front and 2 on the back corners of the rig to level it for drilling. We put big blocks 6x6 or 8x8s under the jacks and lifted it out of the mud/holes, then put tree trunks we cut down under the tires and drove it till it got stuck again/repeat.It was a beast,huge tough bumper and would just knock down smaller trees making paths through the woods. huge square tube front axle. It would do about 55mph on flat road,roar and whine going down big hills. I drove it to and back from charlotte,hickory,greensboro,highpoint,stateville etc. and tabor city.One day driving west it backfired and exploded the muffler, the guy @ the weigh station in mebane did'nt like that, especially when the valve seals were leaking oil and smoking bad at idle. While I talked to the man a thick cloud of smoke rose up and went right into the window and the officers face.I cold barely see him it was so thick. He told me to "park the SOB right now!". I called my boss and an hour or so later he showed up and told me to drive it, I told him you can do it. I don't want a ticket. He fired it up and we rolled on, me driving his new pickup w AC on a hot summer afternoon!
