[AKChevyman]

love all the stories mine isn't as epic as HIGHWAY BY THE SEA but it might be just as long. Here is the story of my 1971 Chevy fleet side C20, hugger orange and white 350/350 camper special. It started when my great-grandfather bought the 71 brand new from a dealership in Everett WA. It spent many years with a camper on the back until that fell apart which he and my great grandmother use to go camping all over the north west. He then bought a 1978 Dodge RV and towed the 71 behind that for a few years when they headed off across country. (According to my grandmother) I have even heard a story that they had to use the 71 to pull the old Dodge up a particularly steep incline once. Some time in 1979-1980 my grandparents bought a farm in Kentucky after retiring from the Navy in Rhode Island. My great-grandfather then gave my grandparents the 71 and an old orange 1957 Co-op tractor. (I think I see a trend) to use on their new 100 acre farm. That is my first real memory of the truck is on the farm. We hauled hay and cows in the back of that ol' pickup. I even have fond memories of riding in the back 2 hours to the zoo in Louisville one summer. Fast forward to 1995-96 my grand father and I along with my brother and future wife did a high-schoolers restoration (i.e. bondo/fiberglass/pop rivets and aluminum). Then had it painted for $150. I got it all together just in time to leave for Air Force basic training then to South Korea, Alaska. The truck sat in the garage most of the next 9 years except for whenever I came home on leave. Which included my marriage (getaway vehicle) and a few summers visits over the years. In 2005 that all changed when I convinced my grandfather to drive it all the way from Kentucky to Idaho (towing a 1998 Bonneville) where I was stationed at the time. Along that trip they some how ended up in a ditch but after inspecting for damage and finding none drove out and kept on going. Once in Idaho that is where I started a correct ground up rodsteration not going back original but making it better than new along with no more pop rivets and fiberglass. Now I am in the 9th year of a 4 year build (deployments get in the way)and now living in South Carolina thanks to the Air Force and getting closer to completing the truck. (hopefully by years end or early spring next year)