1950 Chevy 3100 – Shani L.
During the time that my dad brought home the truck, I was experiencing large amounts of pain in my hips that prevented me from attending numerous days of school, and I found myself in bed more often than not. Being in bed for such long periods of time not only takes a toll on the body, but also the mind. It was a very difficult time in my life.
One day my dad took me to the yellow shed on our farm. When we went inside, I saw a truck that was rusted on every inch of its body with pieces missing. After closer inspection, I decided to open the door. That was a mistake! Dead mice fell to the ground, and I couldn’t believe that my dad had brought this truck home from a rock pile in the field. He then announced that it was to be our project to work on together for the winter. I was excited because, although all I saw was a rusted automotive, my dad saw a prized possession. And if anyone could make something so ugly beautiful, it was my dad.
We started working on it together, and although the transformation was slow, it was stunning! The rust was slowly disappearing, and with hard work, the truck started to appear the way we had imagined that it would. I would work with him as long as my hips allowed and then we would go home, only to find him returning hours later. He has a determination that is to be admired.
My favorite memory during the restoration was when the front end of the truck caught on fire. My dad, alarmed by the sudden turn of events, started swatting at the flames. I quickly handed him a rag to smother the flames. He wasn’t hurt in anyway and it gave us a good laugh.
I’m proud to say that the truck, after its restoration, was beautiful and driven everywhere. I drove it through high school and even recently to my wedding. The memories of spending time with my dad on the project will always be some of my favorites. It was an amazing experience that I feel very blessed to have. It was awesome to learn about something that my dad cared so deeply for and share the pride with him of our beautiful truck.
