Sweet Ride

Once its true heritage was uncovered, this old Chevy went from hauling wood to turning heads

Initially, it was just a beat-up old truck that we bought from a friend to haul wood with. Well, we soon found out that it was more than “just a truck.” My husband Ron had started stripping the body of the truck to prep it for paint, when a stranger came up to him and started asking a lot of questions about the old Chevy. Now curious to know more about the truck himself, Ron had the VIN (vehicle identification number) checked out and discovered that we were in fact the proud owners of a 1967 Chevrolet pickup Centennial edition. What truly set the Centennial edition apart from the rest of the pack in 1967 were its big back window and a large grille in front.

We started restoring the truck in 1987 and finished it in 1988, to where it is today. It no longer has its stock motor, but the wooden slats in the truck box are still original. It was painted with several layers of 1979 Lincoln Continental Black and took on such a sheen, that the paint job reflects the colours of any objects near the truck. Our first car show was in Boissevain, Man., in 1988. We were hooked and, since then, Lenard—named after the friend we purchased the truck from—has been in many car shows and has won several trophies.

The truck has also been the focal point in many photo shoots over the years, including at our son’s graduation ceremony and our daughter’s engagement celebration and her wedding. That’s our daughter Tenille and her husband Moe in the photo provided.

For a 50-year-old, Lenard still sounds wicked, looks great and is tremendous fun to tour around in. n