Sunday, September 21, 2008

My Truck

Ok, I cannot believe I am going to post about this, but here goes. My wife has been pestering me for years to get my truck up to the shop. I am not sure if her motive is to get it out of our driveway so we are no longer the rednecks of the neighborhood or what.

Kate sat inside to "drive" it, but in all reality she was just sitting there. It used to be my joke that it has power steering and that was my arms. When it will not run then the power steering comes from the guy pushing.


Kate ans Kolbie looked so good in the truck. Neither have actually ever taken a ride in it. We officially parked the truck about 6 months after Chris was born. See Jill did not like the fact that no seat belts meant that Chris and his car seat would ride wedged in between the seat and the floor boards. I think that was one of the safest places for him to be, but I realized that being a responsible parent also meant following the law.

It seems as every time over the last 13 years that I thought about starting the rebuilding project on the truck. We would find something more important for our money to go towards. You know how that is. Not sure when I will begin the restoration, but the first step is to get it running and up to the shop. Besides maybe up there some of the guys will give me some help and we can get it cruising again.

Just so you know I am posting in red for a reason. I love my truck. It is my very first car. I bought it for $25 from an old man up by Brighton High School. He wanted to pay us to haul it off. I was 17 and it did not look like it does today. During high school I drove it in different stages. I worked for my Uncle at his body shop and we fixed it up slowly. During my junior year it did not have a bed on it for most of the year. In the winter we had to find some weight for the back end because I would get stuck stopped at a light. So my dad got a 55 gallon barrel and we made a bracket for it to sit on the back. I quickly got nominated as the kegger truck because that is what it looked like. My senior year is when it really took shape and began to look closer to what it does today. That was 1988. It drove me too and from college most of the next year. It has also been in at least 3 parades that I know of. Story is that when I was on my mission Carl (my brother) was headed to a family reunion in Mount Pleasant, Utah. He got to one of the small towns on the way and they had main street blocked off for a parade. They asked Carl if he would drive the truck through with some of the royalty on it so he did. It won several car shows including best paint several times. The engine gave out while I was on my mission so when I got home it was parked behind the garage waiting for me. Dad found a new power plant and we got he back on the road the next summer.

My truck played a roll in my first meeting with Jill, see I was involved in our stakes single adult Sunday school. Jill was told to come and see what it was like. I could never seem to park it straight in the parking stall. Jill showed up late and her exact words are "what dummy needs to take up 2 stalls". Needless to say I borrowed my Mom's car on our first date. I did not want her parents to have a bad impression of me. But date #2 I pulled up and she just rolled her eyes.

My goal is to get her back on the road and enjoy it for what it was made for. I think all I will need to do is get a battery home tomorrow night and I can get it to run. Of course it will take some TLC, but I will take my time and get her cruising again. FUN!!!!



7 comments:

Lynne said...

Marci & I were talking last night and I mentioned your family's blog -- she actually wondered if you still had the truck so I guess that question is now answered. Hope you can get it going again - your son will probably beg you to let him start driving it when he's 16!

Unknown said...

It's about time you get that thing going agian! Good Luck.( do you want a '71 Chev. to work on too?)

Jill said...

For the record: my exact words were "...what a jerk!! I can't stand people who take up 2 parking spots. Who does that guy think he is?" I'm excited to get the truck running again! It will be fun for our family!

Unknown said...

It's great to read about your truck! It brings back memories of Snow College.

Babcock Family said...

WOW! Just looking at your truck throws me back to Snow College days. I really can't believe you still have it, but I also know how much you loved it back then so really, I CAN believe it.

Hi Greg! It's me Marci. glad I found you.

Greg said...

Hey Lynne and Marci, nice to hear from you guys. That truck carried us all around quite a bit. Thanks for commenting.

Wood Gang said...

Glad to see you still have your baby... There are some memories there! That truck and your Uncles Bronco... what was I thinking!... Cruising state street with a vehicle full of guys! I never dreamed I would have to "duck down" when the "cute girls" drove by. I think we were crazy~ But it was years of fun!
~Wendy