The first evolution of my truck.

Sitting behind our garage, my truck was hidden from the world, except when I started it. When it was running, it could be heard from a block away. It also raised a blue smoke cloud that my best friend Mark could see from his house. Also a block away. Mark was my best friend then, and still is today. Ironically, his last name is.....you guessed it. Ford. When he would see the blue smoke signal, he would often come to my house and help me work on the poor truck.

Because I was a poor high school student with no license, and no job, the first improvements where those that were simple, necessary, and cheap. When spring came around, I got a job at the I-75 Shell station, where my truck had been years before. The business had a different owner, and he was the best boss I ever had. No offense to any other boss I've had, he was just that great.

By the time I got my license, I had done the following: Purchased a set of chrome reverse wheels and used tires; replaced the driver-side front fender; replace the grill with a chrome 1956 grill (had to modify the air deflectors for it to fit) replaced the bench seat with buckets from a Ford Torino; installed an 8-track stereo; cut the running boards at the rear support; installed a driver-side window; installed a ply-wood bed floor; replaced the steering wheel with the typical, everyone had to have one, blue metal flake 3 spoke; repaired the tail gate hinges; replaced the tail lights; and painted the entire truck flat black. It was definitely a "Rat Rod"

The most important improvement were under the tutelage of my dad. He helped me rebuild the brake system, repair the steering and exhaust, and rebuild the Flathead V-8.

If you have read the Blog this far, and haven't fallen asleep, I can finally show you pictures of my truck, as it was then:

Shag carpet (it was the 70's you know) and a Ford Pinto mirror, finished it off. It was now road worthy, and when I got my license in October, I could drive it.

Later, I replaced the front bumper, and installed a sunroof. The sunroof was a big mistake. I was backing into the garage one day, and forgot to close it. It hooked on the garage door (who knew these trucks sit so high?) and ripped it right off the top of the truck. Sunroofs were plexi-glass back then, so instead of exploding, it broke into 4 or 5 pieces, and the frame was twisted into an aluminum pretzel.

I drove it to school, I drove it to work, and I worked on it a lot. It was fun, but it was always a rough old truck.