The Thank You Series, Part 3 of 7

As I type, spring is about 19 and a half days away, due to arrive in the early evening of March 20th. I decided to mark the occasion this year with the Thank You Series, in recognition of those whose help along the way has been a critical part of making this amateur's dream happen. And happen it will this spring, as all that's left before we can go down the road is a finished brake job, a new battery and a visit or two to the DMV. These posts will go up on Sunday and Thursday until March 12th, with the seventh appearing Friday March 20th, the day spring arrives.

Part 3 of 7: Hilton
This is one of the things I love most about this adventure. Complete strangers who know what it's like and are willing to lend a hand. Just a few days after we got the truck running, I went out to see if it would start without help. As I pushed the floor button to engage the starter, it snapped off. It had obviously broken at least once previously and been quickly welded back together. Thinking that having it welded yet again wasn't the best idea, I set about trying to find the entire starter bracket.

I couldn't locate the part in any of my catalogs and didn't think to try ebay, probably because I wasn't even sure how to identify it. "Starter thingy?" "Foot doohickey?" Pretty sure that wasn't going to get me anywhere. I decided to post about it on a message board where I was a member, begging forgiveness for my ignorance and describing the part as well as I could. A wonderful gentleman from Canada named Hilton responded, and we ended up speaking on the phone. Turns out he's a custom/restoration guy with his own shop, who regularly turns out projects that go for six figures. He ended up pulling the part off one of the trucks outside his shop in Manitoba, boxed it up and shipped it to me, completely free of charge. It bolted on easily and has worked perfectly since.

Thank you again for your kindness and generosity, Hilton. I'll never forget it.


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The Thank You Series, Part 2 of 7

Today we continue the lead-up to Spring 2015, the season when I will finally realize the 34 year dream of driving this truck. There are several key people who have helped this project along the way, without whom the dream would still be just that. I wanted to show my heartfelt appreciation, and came up with the seven part "Thank You Series" - Every Sunday and Thursday for three weeks, and the seventh post on March 20th, the day Spring arrives.

Part 2 of 7: Jim!
A radio comrade going back almost three decades, always there with a big smile and a rock solid handshake whenever you see him. Just an all around great guy, and one of those that can pretty much fix anything you throw at him. He also loves working on old rides, and jumped at the chance to help this project. Jim was not only here the day we finally got the truck running again for the first time in 27 years, but is actually the one who made it happen.

A shot of Jim in action on July 9th, 2011, when the old truck finally fired up again. Thank you, my friend! You da man! Can't wait until I can take a drive up to your place and take you out for a ride.


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The Thank You Series, Part 1 of 7

I've always believed that no matter how far you go or how much you accomplish in life, whether you're a wealthy international superstar or some schmuck about to realize the lifelong dream of driving an old truck, never forget where you came from and never forget those who helped you get where you are. With that in mind, I'll be doing a series of posts recognizing those whose help and friendship have been a critical part of making this dream happen. I'll be doing two per week for the next three weeks (on Sunday and Thursday), and the seventh on March 20th, the first day of Spring.

First up, my lifelong friend Brian.
We've known each other since junior high (when he first became friends with my brother Chris), ran on the high school track team together, and were always talking cars and fiddling with something under the hood. Brian was riding shotgun the day I did what I thought was a tuneup on my first car (a straight six powered '68 Camaro), and laughed hysterically when I couldn't make the thing do a burnout. I guess in all of my teenage genius I tuned it down instead of up.

Not long after that day, this is what the Camaro looked like after I hit a tree with it. I was an incredibly lucky kid, having been knocked out cold for a while but otherwise unhurt. Brian was the first of my friends to see the car as it sat in the yard after being towed home, as he happened to be driving by.




Thirty-some years later, this lifelong friend rebuilt the carburetor on the truck and helped tremendously with the first start attempt. Thanks for being there all through the years, Brian! So glad you're such a big part of this story.

Part 2 Thursday: Thanks to Jim


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