I first lost my driver’s license in 1996 due to an alcohol
problem. I lost it four more times since then. The 5th and last time
I lost it was in 2003 when I also lost something very valuable to me and that
was my ability to walk. Due to an ATV accident while intoxicated, I am now a
paraplegic. It was obvious that I had a problem with drinking and didn’t care
much for any consequences. I wanted to live fast and was totally ready to die
young.
Times have changed and I live a very slow life now and fear
death. This new found love of life came quickly after I quit drinking alcohol
in 2010. Things started looking up and I was getting healthy again, like when I
was in my youth. After some long battles with the law and court, I was
fortunate enough to earn my driver’s license back. It was extremely hard work
but I never gave up. 2012 was a great year as I smiled because I knew I was
going to be a legal and responsible driver again.
Life had hit an all new high but I was missing one thing, a
vehicle. I had made it this far and I would accept nothing less than a truck
that would make me happy. A truck that had soul and would never make it to the
graveyard. Because of its body style, the 60-66 Chevy C-10 had been a favorite
of mine since I was young and it would be the Chevy C-10 that I would seek. Countless
hours were spent online searching for the right buy. It was on Craigslist that
my Father finally found one in his area in Carolina. After sending a mechanic
there to inspect, the truck was paid for. The former Navy Seal that owned the
truck had it loaded on the trailer within days and on his way to sunny Florida
where it would take residence in my possession.
First impression of the truck was sky high but it was
quickly shot down when it wouldn’t start. I feared the worst but hoped for the
best and the best just so happened to be it was out of gas. We gassed it, drove
it off the trailer and down the road. Finally, my hard work paid off. My
dedication, my determination, my perseverance, my goals and my will power all
came together with a huge feeling of accomplishment.
The C-10 came to me in good condition but it just wasn’t
mine, yet. Sure it was paid off, sure I owned the key and title but there was
just something missing. The connection and bond was made as soon as I started
working on her and it would build over time. I would create a truck that would
be my style. I would create a truck that I would be happy to drive. I would
create a truck that would stand alone. Three years have gone by and the small
projects continue with the support of products from LMC. My vision has become a
reality.
A daily driver, my C-10 is much more than a truck. It’s a
symbol of my life. I load my Ocean Kayak in it on the weekends and take it
fishing. The drive to and from the boat ramp are half of the fun of my fishing
adventures. The dates that the wife and I take it on make it that much more
enjoyable. The comments that come from random people leave a ripple effect of
happiness. Each time this truck hits the streets it’s as if it was my first
drive. As a kid I would ask my parents to slow down or speed up in order to
keep pace with the convoy of classic cars we would see on the road. I’m still
very much a kid but I don’t have to ask my parents to speed up or slow down to
keep pace with that convoy because I’m usually all up in it.
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