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Grandpa’s Old Truck

While in Louisiana, one day I had lunch with my uncle and aunt at Pat’s of Henderson in Lake Charles.  The company was great.   The crawfish fettuccine was good too!  When I’m in Louisiana, there’s never enough time to do all the things I want to do.  I guess it’s that way with all of us who have moved away . . family and friends to visit; favorite restaurants to visit, dad who wants an iPod and needs a lesson (or two) on using it.

So, I met my uncle and aunt for lunch and then my uncle took me around town to see all the locations sponsored by the organization for whom he works.  It was interesting and I learned a lot about his company but while we were driving around town, he asked me if I remembered that he has my grandpa’s old truck.  It’s a 1959 Chevy.  I didn’t remember so he took me by his house to see the old truck.

My uncle has had it completely restored.

I hardly remember my grandpa having this truck but I know he would be real happy to know it’s fully restored and belongs to his son.  It’s a beauty!  Who would ever have thought those old cars and trucks would be so cherished?

I had a 1967 Mustang fastback when I was in high school and college and I would so love to have that car now.  What cars have you or your family had in the past that you wish you still had?  Think any of the cars we drive these days will be collectibles?  Heck, we keep our vehicles so long, they’re almost classics by the time we get rid of them.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. When I met my husband, he had a 1949 Hudson that had been his grandfather’s car. That was a real TANK but it would be neat to have it still today.

  3. I had a red 66 Mustang. I wish I still had it.

    My dad restored a 39 Packard and he still has it and he is 89 1/2 years young.

  4. My Mom always kept her 1932 Ford in the basement garage. It was Mom’s car. Dad sold it a few years ago, I guess it just made him sad after Mom died so it is gone now. My Aunt still has Grandpa’s farm truck in the barn – he only used it to drive down to the field and is in mint condition. The best thing about these cars is being able to store them inside. Nice truck Judy – your uncle is taking great care of it! Cheers! Evelyn

  5. I had a ’77 Camero, stick shift in a turquoise shiny blue colour. It was my first car and I LOVED it. I bought it for $5000 and sold it about 5 years later for $3000…it didn’t owe me anything!

  6. Gosh, when I read Pat’s of Henderson’s that brought back so many memories. My Dad’s family had a camp in Henderson. We spent lots of time there when I was growing up. Thanks for the reminder!

    My parents had a Studebaker. It was sometimes in the ’60’s.

    So glad that you had a good trip in LA. I leave Monday for Baton Rouge (my Dad is in a home there near my brother’s home. Lafayette is our home)

    Take care!

  7. I learned to drive in my Gramma’s 57 Chevrolet Belair 2 door hardtop and my dad’s Studebaker pickup. Such fond memories of both. Thanks for the road trip back. I always wanted to own that car, not so much the pickup.

  8. A certain red VW bug with a stick shift but my favorite car of all time was my 87 silver grey Jaguar. Would love to still have that Jag.

  9. My husband has his dad’s 65 convertible Mustang. We have been restoring it and now just need to get it painted. It is nice to read about the old cars.

  10. My dad was a mechanic for 50 yrs. He restoreda Model A with yellow wheels like he drove while in Highschool. he had to research thru ford for the exact yellow to use. He also restored a Packard coupe deluxe that had only 300 made. It was featured in the Packard Cormorant Magazine. He showed his cars and recvd many trophys over the years.
    A cousin in Co, has recently restored an old green truck with a curvy back window, Im guessing 48 chevy? They restored the body, but put it on a new chassis & engine. They have named it RattleBolts.

    Restoring cars is about as big a cult/hobby as quilting !

  11. I drove a 1962 Rambler convertible that was my mom’s when I was in high school. It was unique the reverse went out and you had to be very careful where you parked the car!!

  12. My dad had a 1959 Chevy Pickup when I was in high school. My dad was a teacher at the high school, too, and we had fun commuting in that Chevy. When the windshield wipers were turned on, the glove box door would fall open. And the wiper speed was somehow related to the truck speed, so the faster the truck went, the faster the windshield wipers would go! Funny truck!

  13. My husband has his grandfather’s 66 Chevy restored to that same color.
    The wood is not in the bed yet. There is a truck the same year and color in our area. What treasures they are. Merry Christmas

  15. My sister had a 72 Mustang in Grabber Blue. It was awesome. She sold it to a nephew, whom she thought would cherish it, and he sold it a year or two later. She was so upset. I have an Excursion now that is almost 10 years old. I love it–but not the gas mileage.

  17. Yup..those old vehicles are the best…..we have alot of that old shit around….a 1948 Ford pickup, 4 Case tractors ranging from 1932-1949, 1942 half-tract (some old military thing), 1935 Chevy truck for grain hauling, a1964 Volkswagon, and some old Duster thing that was the last of a high octane gas guzzlers……. most were original to my DH’s family farm……most people when they go out for a drive get out there best newest vehicle…..we grab some old thing, that on more than one occasion has left us stranded!!!

  19. Merry Christmas Judy and to your wonderful family! I just want to tell you again how much I look forward to your blog everyday. I feel like you are a dear friend. Thanks so much for taking the time to tell us about your life and share all your wonderful recipes and ideas with us. It is really a joy to read. I look forward to more terrific posts in 2011!!!!

  20. YES!! I wish we still had my first car! Who knew then that the 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air would become a classic – worth a lot of money today. Which all goes back to the quote “If foresight were as good as hindsight —!”

  21. Mine is kinda new compared to some of the commented ones I have a 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra and I love that car. Someone is always asking me why don’t I get a new car and I respond, “why, I like this one too much.” My DWH is looking at the older Mustangs and GT’s so we will see.

  22. When I was in high school, my parents went from a 1 car to a 2 car family. They got a used 66 Mustang – light blue. I loved that car! Would love to have one now. It so happened that they bought it on my 16th birthday and the neighbors thought it was a gift for (spoiled) me. NOT SO! My mom worked various shifts, so it was primarily for her use, but I did my share of driving it.

  23. I love that truck! I’ve been looking for a truck like that for a long time. I live on a farm in Kentucky and if you ever want to sell it, let me know. It will be very happy with me.

  24. Our family has a wonderful family member named Lizzie…a 1955 Chevrolet Truck. My husband first met Lizzie a few months after he met his first wife. It belonged to her grandfather and was a farm truck. When Grandpa died, my husband was able to buy it from the estate and has totally restored it. When Rhonda, his first wife, was still alive, they all went to numerous car shows with Lizzie and she won lots of prizes! After Rhonda passed away not only did I get a great husband, I also got Lizzie to come live with us. She doesn’t get out as much as she once did, but we still take her for a spin now and then. We try not to let her know how much competition she has. My husband restores old cars for a living (so he says) and has restored a number for himself (and the truth comes out about him doing this for a living…or as I say to support his habit!) We do love our old cars and have some really great times in them! I hope your uncle enjoys his as much as we enjoy ours.

  25. My parents drove a big, green ’48 Packard until I was 15. I can recall the smell of the leather seats just sitting here! The first car they ever bought new was a ’59 Chevy pick up, just like the one your grandfather had! Ours was a soft grey.

    Merry Christmas, Judy! You bring me and tons of other quilters a lot of joy all year long. Your devotion to us is obvious and we do SO appreciate it!

  26. My dream car as a teen was a convertible Mustang.
    In reality, my first car was a maroon Ford Escort, 5 door, with playboy bunnies etched on the rear windows(obviously it was “pre-owned” by a guy!). I was married with two kids before I ever had my own car! We had a pickup that was his work truck…I had to bum rides for a while!

  28. I’d love to have my 1st car – a 65 Chevy Nova. It wasn’t real classy, but the gas mileage was awesom – over 40 miles to the gallon on the highway. I could drive it all week on a couple of gallons of gas when I was in college. Gas prices were only 25 cents (when they had a gas war), so we were set for running all over our college town with each passenger pitching in a quarter for gas. Sold it to a young man for parts (he had one just like it that had wore out and mine was still in good shape (with only 100k miles plus. ! What memories. Thanks. Dar in MO

  29. When I was 18 (1958) I bought myself a 1949 Pontiac convertible. Now that was a jazzy car. My dog and I would “cruise” the loop with the top down in the dead of winter with the heater going full blast. Oh, this was in Cedar Rapids, IA. I was brain dead at the time. I remember my father when I was young could never afford to buy a new car so he bought used cars. He loved cars so he was always changing them (or at least it seemed like it). He had some nifty ones most of these would have been in the 40’s , a woody, 1949 Ford, a Studebaker, a Hudson (thats all I can think of at the moment). I have a picture of my dad (about 10 years old) his mother, father, brother, sister and grandmother standing near his fathers 1st and only car, about 1924. ” Merry Christmas”

  30. I like the comments that say “wish I still had it.”

    Well, I once had a ’67 Mustang Fastback that I bought brand new.

    Guess what.

    I STILL have it.

    It is sooooooo cool. I just love taking it out in the summer.

    It was our only family car for many years but now gets driven in the summer only . I live in Alberta and the winters here are very long, cold and snowy. The car deserves to be in my garage all winter. From 20 feet away, it looks almost brand new. Quite original. I plan on keeping it.

    I have all the documentation – from the original bill of sale to receipts for everything I have ever spent on it. Some people seem more interested in looking at the receipts than at the car.

    Not a muscle car, just a 289 2 barrel with an automatic.
    Vintage burgundy colour
    Parchment interior

    NEVER abused

    Wayne Knight

  31. I’ve only had 6 cars covering my nearly 40 years of driving. And while I don’t know if I’d want it again – it lacked a/c and modern comforts – I rally liked my 1970 Ford Maverick. It was stylish for 1972 when I bought it. It had mag wheels, dual racing mirrors, black vinyl top, and was bright yellow!! I truly like my current vehicle, a 2006 Toyota Highlander. As you can see, I don’t change cars very often. The other 4 were a ’67 Ford Custom, a 1975(?) Plymouth Duster (ugh), a 1980 Mazda wagon, and a 1994(?) Saturn sedan. Have a blessed New Year 🙂

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