1983 GMC Sierra – Dakota S.
My passion for old trucks and cars started at a young age. My grandfather being a mechanic, I was constantly working on cars and trucks with him. I always said that one day I would have a square body, something for me and him to work on together. (2020) Freshman year comes and my grandma comes home with a smile on her face telling me she found me a squarebody for sale. I was thrilled! I didn’t even have my license and I was ready to burn up the streets.
The truck was definitely in rough shape but it ran good and it was something that I could work on with my grandpa and that’s what was most important to me. The day I brought it home, I started ordering parts, chrome headers and valve covers, anything I could to dress the motor up. I ordered my paint having done NO body work on the truck. I knew I wanted it to be a sparkly blue. I wanted that truck to sparkle like a bass boat. Together over the next two years, my grandpa and I did the engine and exhaust work. We put true dual exhaust on it and some new tires. I kept the aluminum wheels it came with, because I think those are the best looking on a square. Then, came all the body work. This was a whole new ball field for me, but I had my grandpa right beside me guiding me every step of the way. Together, we did both bedsides and the quarter panels. We ordered a new tailgate because the original was tore up from the trucks long life on a farm. The truck was then primed and sat for the winter. Over the winter, I did a few things here and there but nothing major. Speakers and small things like that.
In January of 2023, I felt that I had learned enough to tackle the cab corners and rockers by myself. It took me a few weeks but I got them almost perfect and I was happy with them. In late march, I decided I wanted the truck done by my junior prom on May 6th. A lot of people thought I was crazy, but I was determined. I still had to go through the entire interior. I worked long nights after work and school on it for weeks on end, and ordered parts during school hours (don’t tell my teachers). Finally two weeks before prom, I was ready to shoot paint. Thanks to a great friend, the truck was painted in a weekend and he taught me so much about painting a car. The week leading up to prom, I spend almost every night in the garage until 2 am working on it with my grandpa. On may 5th, I was able to take it out of the garage and my grandpa and I went for a stroll through town. Seeing all the heads turn and the smile on my grandpas face was something I’ll never be able to forget! Most people just see a truck, but when I look at my truck I think about all the memories I was able to share with my grandpa and lessons learned.
