Old Blue: A Family Heirloom Brought Back To Life
My great grandpa bought “Old Blue” brand new back in 1982. It served as his daily driver and farm truck. When he passed away at the turn of the millennium, ownership of the truck (and the family farm) transferred over to my grandparents. Growing up, I always admired that old rusty farm truck with the rotten wood in the bed. My grandma knew this, and while I was in college, she came to me one day asking for $1 so she could sell the truck to me. She still disputes if I ever actually gave her the dollar, but it definitely happened. Over the next decade, I dedicated my time and money, on a teacher’s salary, towards renovating Old Blue just to get it running again. My dad began to join me in this adventure as it quickly became a father-son project. We spent our summers pouring blood, sweat, and tears into reviving Old Blue to its former glory. After many hurdles in the process, the restoration has neared its end. Now, Old Blue has a new lease on life as multiple generations of my family get to enjoy what it once was, and what it now is yet again.