Back in 1968 Cec bought a new 1/2 Ford Pickup down at Truck City Ford on Ben White Blvd in Austin. Back in those days pickups hardly ever came with a rear bumper from the factory. They were all installed by the dealer and most of the time in this area they were supplied by D&D Bumper in Seguin, Tx. The dealership name would be imprinted in it, so when you bought a bumper you paid for the privilege of advertising where you bought your truck everywhere you went.

There was a brand new thing that he couldn’t do without. The new invention was on the end of the bumper. A flat plate flipped down and inside was a place to attach your lug wrench and use it to operate a winch cable that would drop the tire out of storage underneath the bed. Then drag it out without crawling up underneath the pickup. I know you are saying, like all trucks do now-a-days. Yes, but not in 1968.

It was such a good idea, Cecil Lewis wasn’t leaving without one of those bumpers.

He showed everyone he ran onto his new gadget. I saw him demonstrate it dozens of times. Each time the person was in awe at what they were seeing. Back then everyone had wrestled a tire out from under a pickup bed and returned a repaired one to the rack. Nothing was more frustrating. Dirt in your eyes and all. This new invention was the greatest thing ever.

Our old friend Dink came by one day, a few months after the pickup was bought. Cec had to demonstrate his tire removal rig. As he started down with it the winch cable broke and the tire fell to the ground. Stunned he looked at Dink and said “Well Damn, I’ve done that a thousand times and that never happened before.” To which Dink said “Hell Cecil, you wore the damn thing out just showing it to people”.

And I think that was exactly what had happened !!!!