My parents bought a ’70 like this and gave it to me as a high school grad present right before I joined the Air Force. What an awesome gift, huh?! I drove it from CA to SC in ’80 and then shipped it to Germany in ’82 for my next military assignment. I met my future bride there in ’83 and we took a lot of fun European dates in it. After we got married and had lots of kids we couldn’t afford the old truck anymore and sold it in ’87 in Las Vegas. Always wanted to get another one though.

After 29 years in the Air Force I retired but our 3 kids sure didn’t. They all had their first babies in the same year, 2015 and now we have #7 on the way! I mentioned to my wife one day that I sure wish that grandpa had an ole pickup to drive them around. In 2016, she asked me when I was going to get another truck like that. Boy, that’s all I needed! What a great wife!! Found this one in Ft Worth and started the 3-year resto which I just finished.

Wow was that a lot of fun AND a lot of work. Parts dealers like LMC sure made it easier though. The only original/old parts now are the ’69 396 block and 454 heads, the cab and door shells, the frame, rear axle, bed box & rear fenders, everything else is new. I did all the bodywork, sanding and primer work by hand but had a professional paint it Hugger Orange just like my last truck. Added AC/PS/PB, a Monster Transmission 700R4 tranny, and lots more. It’s so much fun to drive. We love our dates at a DQ in Vegas where 30-50 classic cars come out every Friday night. Oh, and I finally fulfilled my 16-month promise last week to two of my granddaughters (both 3) to drive them to Chuck-E-Cheese in grandpa’s truck. Dates in the ole’ truck have taken on a whole new level of fun!