WHY THE TRUCK?

Why is this 1964 Chevy pickup on the cover of my book? Because in my long list of collected automobiles, this one has been around the longest. I bought ‘Conrad” from a rancher in Conrad Montana in 1982 to haul demolition material in my house flipping days. Later, it became a nursery delivery truck, a tow vehicle for boats and trailers, a car for my son to drive to high school, a rig to haul brush to the landfill for the family cabin and more recently a Fourth of July parade float! Our family has dearly loved this old truck so much that 10 years ago, when Conrad turned 50 years old, we began to restore and modify this old classic. He is not restored; he has been recreated to meet our needs today. New rocker panels, fenders, suspension, disk brakes, power steering and a snazzy paint job. Now the grandkids are itching to drive it.

Having grown beyond his humble origins, Conrad is no longer a hard- working ranch hand, but the well-loved grandpa in the parade that loves to haul kids, squirt guns, bubbles and candy on his back. Many of the cars I have featured in my book have been special; But it’s never about the truck. It is about the stories of living behind wheel.