1989 Chevy S10 Blazer – Chris W.

The truck has been in the family since it was brand new. It was first purchased by my uncle in 1989 and was ordered with all the bells and whistles of the time. It is a sport package with the digital dash, power windows, power locks, sunroof, car phone, 4×4, air conditioning, and the 4.3L. My grandparents were in possession of it next. They must have received it sometime around 93 because it came with all of my grandparent’s service receipts, and that is as far back as the date. I received the truck my senior year in high school, and have owned it ever since. I am sad to say that those first years I owned it I didn’t take very good care of it. I jumped it, burned the tires off, and sunk it up to its doors a few times. In 2010 I left the state for two years to voluntarily minister for my church. While I was gone my other grandfather took care of it and kept it running. He would send me emails about it and what he was doing with it. He named it Old Edna, and I keep it that way to remind me to be more like him. While I was still away my grandfather contracted a life-threatening syndrome called Guillain-Barré, this left him paralyzed from the neck down. A few months later I received an email from my mother, she had told me how a family in my grandfather’s neighborhood was going through divorce and he had asked my mother to wheel him in his chair down the street so that he could ask the family if there was anything he could do for them. He has since regained control of his limbs, and has made almost a complete recovery.

Edna reminds me of his strength and tender heart. After my return, I repainted the truck, but being overwhelmed by its other issues I bought another car, and let it sit on the side of the house. For three more years the truck sat. Every time I would hear from my grandparent who gave it to me, my grandfather would pester me about getting it back on the road. To give you more context to the story, my uncle who originally bought the truck brand new in 89 passed away in the early 2000’s. My grandfather loved and cared for it because it would remind him of his son. Fast forward to 2015. The truck has been sitting for about three years. I took an internship in California for the summer with Toyota Motor Sales. My wife and I both decided that we should take it. I spent many long nights repairing it to get it ready to go to California. It would be to lengthy to give you a full list of repairs, but to give you an idea these repairs included a full transmission overhaul and a heater core replacement. If you have ever replaced a heater core in a S10, you know that it is an incredible pain. Well I finished the truck with just days to spare.

Over the past few months, my grandfather had become very sick. We all knew that his time was coming close. He would still pester me about the Blazer and getting it done. My wife and I had planned to stay the night at my grandparent’s house along the way to California so that he could see the blazer one last time. He passed away that night Just hours after we arrived. Though he never got to see if he knew it was running, and that it would remain running for some years to come. I do my best now to erase the years of neglect I gave it. It is my goal to keep it in good working order as long as I own it. I may modify it a little, but it will be tasteful and functional. Well that is the story of old Edna.