Goodbye Unchained 5150 (RIP Rick)

That's a great idea. It's because of Rick's effort in setting up the Dirt King UCA GB that I'm running their awesome set up.

This is horrible news, condolences to you and your family. RIP Rick.

 

God this thread is a LOVE it HATE it tread!
I Love coming here to see all the good folks here talking about how Rick moved them in someway.
But then I absolutely Hate coming here because I miss his sense of humor! He made me laugh hysterically so much that I would cry like I’m doing now.
Guys if you ever get down in the dumps PLEASE reach out to someone, anyone. I wish Rick would have that way he still be making us laugh instead of cry.
RIP my friend RIP…

 

My Rick Story:

As two resident TW squatters both from the north east, him and I regularly came in contact throughout various TW threads tacoma/bicycle/NE related.

We would interact a decent amount. The good the bad and the ugly, just like TW serves it up right lol...???

He would love to spit ball ideas around getting others input, I know everyone here has gotten the random what do you think about this PM from Rick right??

This one time, he called me an ashole, lol that was funny but it killed me he was insulted... that was a good 45 min thread... But all in all we talked it out, and we both apologized for the misunderstanding...

@RobP62 dont sell those wheels

After the ahole wheel confusion incident, It was business as usual. Random PMs back and forth about racks and lifts and lights and colors galore...




I loved how Rick would always jump in and tell someone they didnt have the 50 post min for Buy/Sale threads, but then he would forget to post a price or location or some other technically in his many for sale threads. It was always a great way to rib him a bit, and he always got a good laugh about being called out.

He really was a good sport. Sensitive, as we all are on here... But he is one of the TW locals. And for that, this really hits home. I can see myself in Rick.


he is shredding down on us now

 

I just combed through my PMs and found a chat Rick and I had back in 2017 when he was selling a super cool tube amp. At the time I was in the process of buying and installing my LT on the FJ, so I had like $.03 to my name. He not only offered to hold on to it for a longggg time, but offered me the NE homie price. I ended up not getting a chance to buy it, I wish I did, but his generosity was unfathomable.

 

I met Rick in a roundabout way. I'd bought and installed a heated mirror kit on my truck that's made by @Up2NoGood, and was contacted a few weeks later by Up2NoGood asking me if I'd be willing to help another member, who lived in the next town over do an install on his truck. I agreed and he introduced me to Rick. When Rick and I met up to do the install I was blown away by how immaculate his truck was, everything shined. That heated mirror kit was just the first of several projects I'd help Rick with over the years, I feel fortunate to have met, and worked beside him.

 

Made one of Ricks posts a quote. One of the many memories I have of Rick.

VVVV

 

$2024 was sent to Rick's family from the buy sell garage sale thread.

 

@Daria @tcBob
Thank you to everyone for your generosity. I never imagined that the items from the truck would add up to so much (my kids saw the transfer and were instantly calculating how much pizza that translates to). Please know that your generosity, thoughts and stories about Rick have meant a great deal to us.

The Swank family

 

Thank you to you and your family for letting the TW family have a piece of Rick that we will cherish and carry with us forever ❤️♾

 

@Unchained 5150 , I got a D in psych and I don’t understand people at all but I do know two things.

Rick was special
We will miss him

I’m sure you feel the same way. As a dad of two young boys, my heart goes out to you and I would be honored if you ever reached out to me or anyone here for something we could help with in the future. My wife doesn’t really get it, but this place is more than what it probably looks like on the surface.

 

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

 

Hats off to you brother

 

So sorry for your loss.

 

Go ahead, read this and try not to shed a tear. I'm smiling, but still...

 

I don’t even know what to say. I’ve been away from the forum for a few weeks and was so saddened by this thread being the first I read upon my return. Rick was the first to really make me feel welcome here and he was amazing ever since. He was so generous in the items he gave away and he was happy to send me a few things.

I’m so sorry to be so late in hearing this horrible news. Rest now brother.

 

I still have the one he gave me, sitting in my garage even though I can't use it on the new rig. I purposely kept it from my old truck just because it was a gift from him.

 

{ Note to Self - This is taking you three four days to compose. Simply because you work, sleep, eat, shite, bathe, and walk dogs nealy 12k steps a day and of course, there is always some TW in there somewhere, just isn't a good excuse Son! I know reading the other members stories gets you off track. I get it. Of course finding these old posts takes some time too, and you're old. Still a lame excuse.....sadness }


Holy shit this thread is bringing me so much joy! These stories are awesome and I know they just scratch the surface of how many more are out there. I want to read them all and will.

This (TW) is just one of Rick's Loves, and I can't imagine how many many more there are. What's fantastic is, each one of them is taken to the next level and becomes a passion for Rick. I think passion like that is what brought the two of us together. Which was immediately simple though, us being old school. It is so obvious that a mans word and a firm handshake means more to us than anything.

I definitely think it's great we both also have a great sense of humor!! Here are some recent posts between us.



I'm getting ahead of myself though. See, off track already..........

So,.....................back in June of 2017, RobP62 joined the forum. Even though I was instantly loved and celebrated by all, and super popular because of my personality, I knew I needed something to really set me apart from the likes of people like Hobbs (total riff raff) or that Chadspride guy (talk about self-centered). Then one day I got Lucky AF! I happen to stumble onto a post with wheels for sale. A member in Cali posted 5 NIB SCS Ray 10's in Brushed Copper. Please. I immediately sent the money.

After some other wannabe mods, I felt like my wheels were blowing up the forum and my EAF points were going way up. I'm sure you'd all agree it was one sexy biatchacha.



I believe it caught Ricks eye as well, and he for real appreciated it. I had a lot of personal time/sweat/blood and yes tears, into that Taco too and it showed. Members stepped up and helped me from the git go. David (fatfurious2) was the one that introduced me to the Maryland thread and as they say "Bob's yer Uncle".

Less than 2 years later and that 17' Sport was trashed in a vehicular accident. I lost everything including my Brushed Copper Ray 10's. Obviously the surgery I required far outweighed the material things, and I knew I would replace it.

I forget how Rick and I actually "hooked up hooked up" but I am guessing it was not long after that in the "NE Craigslist" or "NE Tacoma Express" threads. It might have even been in the Dumbgeon "Whatever" thread since his was the 3rd post there, and we are all about the same age.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/whatever.597261/#post-20034864

It didn't matter, we were lookin' out for each other early on.



LOLOLOLOLOL

That exact "when we met" part doesn't really matter to me. Y'all know because I would be willing to bet many of ours was the same. What IS important is that we did meet. Without a doubt I will forever be blessed for that. I think it is more of a bromance for me than Rick, and with that Love is also my respect for him because of all he has accomplished. With Jared (you know who I mean big boy) I believe the bromance is purely sexual.

Seriously though, I feel the same way about most of you. I mean, I ain't gonna lie, some of you are always going to be on my shite list, and that's just how you wants it, but that's ok, the <3 is still there. Also, if you know me, you know I kid around more than any mofo on here so I need to be taken with a spoonful of sugar. Yes, even more than that freaky looking Scottalot. It's great though, Rick is always fun and will give me shit quick! It's just another great quality to share with a friend.

Being here and learning about those of you willing to share, and what makes each of you tick, having fun conversing both online and in some cases in person, has been the highlight of my tenure here. As I said, I am not young, and have been on lots of forums for enthusiasts. This, is a great forum, with shit tons of great people on it. I've seen so many acts of selfless kindness here. Rick inspired me from the beginning to do my best to pay it forward any chance I get!

God Bless all a ya, and Rick!

Ok, back to our story........As I said, Rick and I share a passion, and because of that, I was able to spot and follow a familiar pattern early on with Sir Richard. It seemed that besides being fickle like me, we shared a taste for the unusual or widely different, oh, and a personal fav of both of us, things being very clean. I also noticed he was kinda buying and selling an awful lot of Tacoma stuff, all the time. It was then I realized Rick would someday cost me money!

So I have to go on the offensive every chance I got. I know his defense is superior.



I recover from surgery (naturally Rick checked in on me), and after a brief vaca, my time came to replace the Inferno Sport. Since I had flushed 3 years and $6k in mods down the tube with that endeavor, I said fugit and decided to not spend the time again, and just get a Pro. Once again, the TW Community stepped up, and a Md thread member's son was a Toy salesman. He hooked me up with a sweet deal. Stock Tacoma's are always off-road capable. I figured the Pro would add everything I had with the Sport plus the locker. It came with the black wheels of course.



Well, one mod led to another and the one thing that always bugged me the most, well two things that bugged me was everyone was wearing black wheels at the time, and I missed my Copper Ray 10's.

So I'm following along on this Craigslist thread and here comes Ol' Riccardo in true form........says "I'm thinking about getting new wheels & tires". Minutes go by, and nothing. I knew that once Rick says he's selling something he is already onto the 4th or 5th version of the replacement in his head. I immediately posted a reply that I think simply said "Mine" or "Sold" or something along those lines. That's when I really learned what type of Man Rick is! Naturally the CFO has to approve any mod or expenditure for the Taco. Especially since I always say the same thing, which is "it is already equipped and doesn't need anything". Now, I take pride in the fact that I never lie. I don't have to. I lied. I'm a disgrace. You can say it, because I know it.

Rick knows we share the passion. Rick knows I was crying after losing my Ray 10's. And Rick, in true Rick form gave me the kind of deal I just couldn't refuse. No matter how much I insisted Rick wouldn't budge on the price either. So, I was like WTF?! What is the catch. No catch with Rick, just pure friendship, and the desire to make other people happy! Did I feel guilty? Hell yea! I believe in Karma, and I know the bad kind is harsh! Then, on top of the fantastic deal, he sent some spare parts to go with them, and even said he might have some rings for them too and wouldn't let me pay the postage.

Of course with a deal like this and my bad luck, I knew they would go by me on the road one day.

Then from up North Rick assured me that he was honestly ok with the deal and sincerely hoped I would just enjoy them. I think you'd agree with me on this.......




But the reminder, is daily whenever I see my truck...............




Now, besides having the most collector-ist (that's right, I'm making up words), the sweeeeetest looking, replacement for my Ray 10's on TacomaWorld, I got them from a friend I will cherish and remember forever.

On top of all of what I said above right her about the wheels, NOW also applies to my Snorkel! (Once I can figure out a proper/secure attachment system)



I have the esteem honor of modding my snorkel the exact same way as Rick Swank and hope I make him proud wearing it................................... [making drum roll sound like Clark did when he hit the switch]



Thank you Rick!
Rob




“Those we love don’t go away, They walk beside us every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed and very dear.”
a headstone in Ireland


Again, our deepest sympathy and condolences to the entire Swank Family, and everyone else Rick's heart touched.

“Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
Amen”

RobP62 & Mrs. RobP62 (Debbie)

 

Not in a million years Brother!

 

Cold chills..............freakin' awesome Brother!!!