bersaguy

I think thats a great looking old Jeep...................... :up: :up: :up:

I spent many a day back years ago playing in the mud but never owned a jeep but you guys are sure making an old man jealous and remembering all the fun I had with my 1977 Dodge Ramcharger Bought it in 1978 used off a GMC truck lot. I had been watching it for about two moths and it was never moved so I stopped in one day and walked into showroom and ask if that Dodge Ramcharger was for sale and  you would have thought I was from another planet by the looks I got. Then this salesman walks up and said yes, it is and I said I would like to hear it run and look it over. The truck has 17,809 miles on it, was Metallic black and perfect interior and started right up and drove perfect. On the way back to the dealership I asked him how much they were asking for it and his reply was make me an offer. I was quiet for a few minutes and he was almost holding his breath in anticipation.  Knowing they were not going to take my offer we had to start somewhere and I said $1,850.00 tax title and license. He said let me talk with the owner when we get back. The owner of the dealership came out and shook hands with me and said you just bought yourself a truck and a nice one at that. Hell, I didn't buy it, I stole it. I couldn't wait to sign the papers before they changed their minds. It was a pure stock Ramcharger with automatic and a/c, smoke tinted windows and I was in heaven. I owned my first 4x4 and had great plans for it. back then I was a dodge guy and I was driving a Lil' Red Dodge Step side at the time. All my buddies had 4X4's and they all had the smaller versions like CJ 5 and CJ 7 and hopped up 304's in them with headers, A few guys had the old Ford Broncos in the smaller versions and 302 Ford hot rod motors. A guy named Lark had a Small Bronco with a 351 Cleveland in it and he was kind of the boss of the club. The club name was the Dixie Mud Hawgs. When I showed up three days later to the meeting everyone was wondering why I was there and I told them i came to join and they all walked outside and looked at my huge what they called Big ugly Black truck. My brother was helping me build a real off road family truck. Didn't change any thing in it's appearance except the wheels and tires and lift. Put 15X35X38 monster mudders with 6 inch life kit in it. Put on a sent of Lock out front hubs which was something not seen on many Chrysler products 4X4's because of cost but my brother had all the connections. We replaced the NP(New Process) 203 Transfer case with a Sontag High Tech G2G ( Gear to Gear) to avoid chain stretch under a real load. Added a set of Detroit Lockers to front and read differentials. had the tranny beefed with all over size power valve body valves and springs with porcelain clutches and an Ed Roth power drive 3000 stall torque converter. And last but not least a 340 6 packDodge power plant under the hood. Sure was glad it came with a 45 gallon gas tank from the factory. By the end of 1979 I was the big dog in the Mud hawgs because i never lost a mud trough meet and never got stuck on any off road rally's and had to be pulled but I did a lot of pulling for guys that did. When I locked everything in to pull go off road top speed was 9 mph but that was up hill, down hill, in mud out of mud 9 mph. On the highway just running it got a whopping 10 MPG on cruise control at 60 MPH. I bought the truck for $1,850.00. Invested another 10 grand in it over the next 2 years. Drove it off and on till 1985 and went to a mud meet in Ashland City at the fairgrounds. Truck had not been off road in two years and was all clean and shinning like a new penny. My boys and I went over to watch the competition. It was two day event. 1st place was $5,000.00 and some guy with a really big mouth from Missouri was leading in the distance traveled in the mud pit and all he did was run his mouth that the hicks from Tennessee didn't have anything for him. I told the boys we would be going back Sunday and I spent most of the night under the Dodge checking everything out. When we got there Sunday he was already running his mouth about his Jeep called White Lightening when i pulled up to the entrance gate and registered to compete. For those of ya'll that don't know the mud trough starts shallow, is about 40 yards long and gets deep quick to about 4 feet of mud which no one had reached yet. I was the last truck to do the trough. Most guys got a running start and hit it fast. I just drove up to the starting line The guy dropped the flag and I drove the complete length of the trough, turned around and drove back and White Lightening was already loading to leave. That day the Dodge went to a new home.  A man walked up to me and said I have been hearing rumors about that truck but never really knew or believed it existed. How much do you want for it. The guy was driving a Chevy pure Stock 85 Blazer. He gave me the Blazer and title and $12,000.00 and I gave him the Dodge and the title. Sold the Blazer to the GMC dealership I bought the Dodge at in 1978. Drove GMC Pick up for 280,000 miles and now I own a 1997 Jeep Cherokee  Sport 4X2.  yep!!! very sorry for the long post but hope ya'll can bear with an old man and what few great memories he has left................ :hiding: :hiding:

Kind of favors a Copperhead if you blow the picture up enough times to get a good look at the head but then I have seen juvenile Rat snakes with same markings. Will need someone more up on snakes but I'm sure that won't take long..... :up:

See there , now we have a DSHS ........................... :rant:

  Well, that answered one of my questions huh?   See, this is were I have my problem. We have far to many letter named operations for me to keep up with.  Ok, we have DHS  ( Department of Homeland Security)  DHS ( Department of Human Services)  DPS (Department of Safety)  DHHS (Department of Health and Human Services) And the list of alphabet is never ending and every day in the news you hear they are starting up another one to oversee the other one that started two years ago because they think it is corrupt..............Believe me I open every piece of mail I get now and even go though those catalogs of junk mail that fills your mail box to make sure the mail man didn't hide one in there........................ :shrug: :shrug: 

Yep Choir boy and alter boy at the local church and straight A honor roll student and all around good boy that every one liked. I bet the folks in the WH didn't like him and we know for sure one didn't. In all honesty God Willing the second one would not have got away either if it were me and within my power to prevent him from getting away. They say never point your gun at someone if your not going to shoot them and according to the news video he had his gun pointed at the guy and was trying hold him there but the guy escaped. A hunk of hot lead would have kept him there.................jmho

I do agree with you Spiffy but with my situation it's just me and my old dog and if I come home and find someone in my house or if someone comes in my door uninvited they will learn just how unsociable I can become real quick. Back in the old west I think they played a game called Lets see you dance and they began shooting near the persons feet. With the cost of ammo today my game is called Dodge the Red Hot Lead if you can!!! I have a lot of friends come and go from my house about every day placing bait orders or picking up baits and I don't keep my storm door locked and every one of them knows the code words to yell when they open the door if I am in the bait room and can't hear a knock. They don't come in till I holler back either. A lot of guys call me while parked in my driveway to let me know they are coming in. Wrong pass word and it could get ugly. Most of the ones that call me forgot what it is so they call............. :up: :up:

Well I just wonder why they are involved in state business. If you have a carry permit then of course you own a firearm. Seems to me that would be just like a registration of firearms in a round about way. If that is the case then they know of at least 300,000 + people who own firearms in Tennessee. And you can bet they know if you own 1 you own more...........jmho

I don't think they are aggressive towards humans but he may have thought you were another Male owl that invaded his turf and he was gonna run it off. Many animals in nature are very territorial and will fight to protect their turf and hunting areas...........jmho   Yes they can look intimidating especially when they have their wings expanded cause it makes them look much bigger than they really are.

yea, I have been thinking in the back of my mind since i renewed mine this last time. Why is the Department of Homeland Security even involved in a state issued permit? Does that mean when my drivers license comes due again I will get a letter from Department of Homeland Security  for that also. It seems every time I turn around they are in more and more of peoples personal lives or is it just me being paranoid??????................ :shrug: :shrug:

Well the Robins left the next morning after my last post and I was right Momma and Daddy are busy. I have been continuing to put out meal worms and crickets and they will collect a beak full and head for a tree and come right back for more. I won't be buying any more. They left the morning after I just stocked up......... :up:

Yep, could have been very much worse and if there is a next time you can bet he will not hesitate to do business and deal with the questions when the smoke clears. They do have a few leads on the bad guys. Their last known address is up in Frankin, Kentucky but chances of them being there probably slim to none. That same van has been used in several other home invasions so either they are very brave or very stupid but either way sooner or that van is going to be spotted during a break in and someone will most likely get shot and maybe killed. Lets hope it's a bad guy or two that needs lead removed........jmho

I need to go through my ammo safes today just to see what I have and don't have. Only thing I have been shooting is 380's and know what that inventory is because I have 1 safe dedicated strictly to it. Need to go through others I guess. I have not bought any 22lr since I got some from David about what, three months ago or longer?

I have no doubt about what my decision would be in most any scenario in my home. If a stranger or two are in my home there is no thought beyond if I get a shot and I am sure of my target I'm taking it. We will discuss my decision later after the smoke clears..........jmho

Great story and ya just gotta love dogs. They are always there for you and it is a guaranteed love. If you show them love I can promise you, you will receive love in return every time...............jmho

Well, I don't think it would be videoed or recorded or premeditated in this case. It was just straight up home invasion but Ex son in law did not do the right thing by going up stairs. Should have waited for the good guys to arrive and do that. Had he done that all but maybe the van driver would have been caught............jmho

My decision would have been to dial 911 and got them coming and then taken up position where I could have stopped 1 or more at bottom of stairway from 3rd level if they attempted to leave before police arrived. If necessary I would have made it clear to them all, face down on the floor or get shot. If any of them refused I would have made an example of him with a bullet to the knee cap..............jmho

Thank you for all of the fine replies. I should have made the house and persons in the house more clear. The reason I went through this scenario questions is because my daughters ex husband and father of his children and his wife went through this exact situation 3 nights ago about 9PM. They do live alone, just him and his new wife so no other family in house. He and wife both have HCP's and went through several other defense type classes.But still evidently didn't learn enough. They don't have much in the way of security beyond dead bolts and door locks and do like in an up scale neighborhood.His home is laid out like in scenario. He didn't handle any of it right beyond calling 911 right after retrieving his gun from the table in case he did need to defend himself. I am assuming that the perps had no clue they were even home. Both vehicles were in the garage with door closed. The basement area is almost totally sound proof from the rest of the house if door going down stairs is closed which it was. When he went up stairs to fetch them something to drink while watching a movie he heard a nose up stairs on 3rd level and this is where the stupidity kicked in. He retrieved his gun from the drawer dialed 911 and told the police his address and that he has an intruder in their home. He was told to find a secure location for him and his family and that patrol cars were in route. He made the decision to go up stairs and see who was up there with gun in hand. The way the 3rd level is laid out you can see into two rooms from top of stairs but not 3rd room or bathroom. he saw a young man going through the drawers search for valuables. His back was to the door and Ex did have a clear shot at intruders back and could have propped him but before he was able to do anything the lights went out for him. A second intruder eased up from behind and hit him in the back of the head with a trophy from one of the other rooms and down he went. His wife heard sirens and got up to go upstairs wondering where he was and she got knocked down by three perps at the bottom of the stair way as they were making their escape. They were all three of a Latino or Spanish descent. They ran from the home and climbed into a van with a forth person behind the wheel and made the great escape. The police arrived about 3 minutes later and called for any ambulance for the EX as he was still about half unconscious and was bleeding pretty bad from a large gash to the back of his head which required about 9 stitches. An alert neighbor that had been out walking his dog noticed the van and knew it was out of place in that neighborhood and had already gotten the license tag number and saw the guy behind the wheel when the other 3 came running and jumped in it and left. He was able to give a description of the driver and what the clothing was that the 3 running to the van were wearing. Van tag was from Kentucky.   I was caught back by what the lead investigator told my ex son in law should have done. He said my ex son in law could have legally shot the intruder in the back because of the location. Third floor which leaves no avenue of retreat by the perp except back past him putting his life in danger. He also said by shooting the first one it would have sent the other two into a retreat mode knowing there was an armed homeowner and he was shooting the intruders. I think the investigator gave him some bad information but that is what he told Ex and his wife. He said if there is an intruder in the home with no avenue of escape other than coming towards you, at that point your life is in danger and you can legally defend yourself and that al taking place on 3rd floor he could have popped the perp in the back. As of now I have not heard whether they have caught the bad guys or not. Thanks to all of you for your replies. He is looking at alarm systems with door tones that sound every time a door is opened in the house.   

If you will note , he didn't just order 1 pallet. He ordered 7 pallets at 1400 pound each. Has to be lead or lead mix like a babbit product for making Boolitts...........jmho

i learned to sign when my son was alive because he could not speak after his accident but he could sign and if someone starts to say something to me I will acknowledge they are their and I sign with question and they just walk away most times. I have only ran into one person that signed back with a reply to my question and had short conversation with people staring at us like were sprouted two head each........ :rock: :rock:

That is why I quit fishing Center Hill Lake unless I can launch at Hurricane Marina. Those folks there are great and they watch your vehicles for you. The only other place I might launch is Sligo boat ramp up in the river near the marina. Sorry you got hit buddy and sorry they took your GPS with the addresses for sure......Hope you get a chance to ............. :bat: :bat:

You might check with the company All My Sons Moving Company. They have a ware house to store things in and they have forklifts to load and unload trucks and think they may even have a dock to off load.     http://www.allmysons.com/nashville/index.aspx

Sounds to me like some one may have a load of lead coming in................... :shrug: :shrug:

Let see some thoughts on these scenarios.    #1)    You live in a 3 story house including a finished basement den / recreation area. You and your wife are down in the rec room watching your big screen. You decide to go up to the kitchen and get both of you a soft drink. As you reach the top step from the basement you think you hear something or someone on the third floor were all the sleeping bedrooms totaling 3 are located. You quietly close door to basement You know your wife also access to a fire arm in rec room.  You locate your pistol kept in a table drawer at top of stairs from the basement and you go up to third floor were you discover a intruder is going through your dresser drawers. You have a clear shot at his back. In order to shoot him you have to decide if you can legally shoot him in the back on a third floor level. There is no escape route except past you. Do you shoot him in the back or do you confront the intruder by telling him if he moves you will shoot him and hope he gives up. If he does not and turns to face you but you do not see a weapon, do you feel your life or your wife that is still in the basement life is in danger and then do you shoot? Second Scenario #2))Same as above but you have heard a noise on third level and you have your gun. Do you make your way up stairs expecting to find someone in your home? If so have you given thought to the fact there may be more than one intruder? If so do call 911 and wait at the second level base of stairway to third floor out of sight until back up arrives or do you make the decision to go up and confront the intruder/intruders knowing the police are in route?

My Son in law and daughter are going to attend the HCP class the end of the month and we are going to be doing some range time. My Son-in-law has a grasp of what I have been trying to bestow on them before they go for the class and that is surroundings and awareness of them. My Daughter has a lot of her mother in her and it took me a long time to get it through my wifes head of being aware of what is taking place around you at all times. She is beginning to show signs of what I am trying to get in her head but still needs work. I should have her a lot closer by class time.