Interco Faithful Charlie Winters and The Lost F-150

Every week we receive thousands, of emails, voice mails, private messages, direct messages, posts, comments, snail mail and sometimes we even get a post card from the Interco Faithful.   We get requests for free stickers, which we will send you if you send us a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) for us to send them back in.  We get emails telling us how their tires helped them out in a pinch, or asking when the small wheel sizes for the Cobalt M/T will drop, or when are we going to make a radial Bogger. We get emails letting us know we need to make tires for 30” wheels, or that we should never make a tire for any wheel larger than a 17" wheel.  The ones we like the best though are the emails that share a story about how Interco Super Swamper Tires have been a family tradition.  These days we have all learned that family is the most important thing there is.  It does not matter if we are talking about blood kin, or those so close to us that they might as well be. Family, is family and that is all there is to it... Recently we got the letter below from Interco faithful Charlie Winter and we wanted to share it with the rest of the Interco Faithful Family.  As a matter of fact, we plan on posting more of these stories as we get them.  We think you’ll like them as much as we do.  Without further ado, here is what Charlie had to say.  Some photos to back up his story were included and are at the bottom of the page. Oh, if you have a cool story, and some photos to back it up, hit us up via the contact us page. We would love to hear from you.

Hello,

My name is Charlie winters and I have been a fan of Interco and Super Swamper tires my whole life.  I have a great story (at least I think it is great and hope you do to) to share with Interco and the Interco Faithful family.  In 1985 my father, Ken Winters, opened up The Shop Off-Road, and off-road shop in league city TX.  That same year I was born, and a shop truck was purchased for the Business (an ‘85 F-150 pictured in the pic with the trailer load of Swamper’s).   In the years he owned the truck he customized it to make it “his”, but he always told me one day it would be my first truck when I turned 15.  Unfortunately, that did not end up being the case.  Life happens and he had to sell the truck, just as I turned 15.  Needless to say, I was upset, and it hurt.  Now in my older age I understand why he had to do it, but it had always left a sad spot in my heart.  I loved that truck…

I honestly thought it was gone forever.  I thought about it from time to time, really did not know where it ended up and resigned to the fact that I would never see it again. Then one day an old friend of mine, that knew the truck from back in the day and my talking about, sent me a link from Craig’s list.  He said, “I think this is your truck.” He thought it had to be my truck because of the paint job my dad put on it.  When I clicked the link, I was shocked and in total disbelief – there was my truck on the screen for sale.  It still had the same wheels, bumpers, engine…  everything just like it was 27 years ago when it was sold.  I immediately contacted the seller and negotiated a deal that allowed me to acquire it up for pennies on the dollar.  I immediately went and retrieved my long, lost love. And have been restoring it for the last 3 years.   I updated it a bit along the way to make it a little more to my liking, but now here we are. It is done and I feel it is nice enough to share it and my story with you guys at Interco.  I still have some things to do to her, but we all know you never quit turning wrenches and tweaking on a passion project like this.  Seriously, are they ever really done? Attached are some photos of it then, and now, to help back up the story.

My Dad sold The Shop Off-Road around 2005, but his love for 4-wheel drives and this industry he passed on to me, and my love for an old school truck with Super Swamper TSL’s on it is even bigger.  I really hope all of you at Interco, and my fellow members of the Interco Faithful Family enjoy my story as much as I have enjoyed sharing it.

Sincerely,

Charlie winters