ONE MAN’S SORROW, ANOTHER’S JOY
Dear Classic American,
I have been an avid reader of Classic American since its inception and have owned many American vehicles over the years, including the GMC truck in last December’s issue. I thought that you and the current owner would like to know how he came to buy the truck from the paint shop and not me as the former owner. He mentions this in the article, that I purchased the truck on eBay around 10 years ago. It was a wonderful old beast with an originality many could only dream of; it had that genuine tired surface rust and sun-bleached patina you only ever get once – there is never ever a substitute.
I used the pick-up to travel back and forth to my scrap metal business in Shildon, County Durham during the good weather. I loved it as it was and then I made the worst decision I could ever have made, by getting some paintwork carried out. I drove the truck to the paint shop and on delivery walked around the truck and explained exactly what I wanted – for the colour to match as near as possible the original and where to paint and where not to paint, with strict (and when I say strict, I mean categorically instructing them) not to touch the interior, which was to remain as when it had been parked up in a barn. When I left it with them, I even asked them not let any of the apprentices even touch it.
As I was busy at work then, I would ring occasionally for updates, but had been unable to visit to check on the progress being made. Weeks went by and then the phone rang and I was told the pick-up was ready. To say I was excited was an understatement. I thought: “At last, let it be as good as promised!” OMG, I remember it like yesterday – it was a lovely fine day and the recovery truck pulled into my yard… with my unrecognisable truck on the back.
“Unrecognisable?” I hear you say. It was unrecognisable; to start off with, it was a completely different colour green from the original – they may as well have painted it sky blue with yellow dots! To say my heart sank is an understatement; I felt as if I were drowning. Then I opened the driver’s door, they had repaired and painted the step, as I requested, but had also painted the dash. But they hadn’t stopped there, they had even painted the steering wheel, yes the steering wheel, and gear knob. I felt physically sick and was devastated.
I went totally ballistic and how blows weren’t dealt, I will never know, my blood still boils now just thinking about it.
I told the flatbed driver to take it away and I got my money from them and the rest is in the Classic American feature. I’m so pleased that Adrian and Denise love the truck and I hope they keep it for many years to come and leave their own loving patina on it. They are lucky, because if the body shop hadn’t messed up, it would never have been for sale!
John Cumberland Rushyford, County Durham
We’re sure that Adrian and Denise will be interested in hearing this back story to their pick-up, which probably they would never have known unless John had got in touch. Patina and originality are easily painted over and it may be difficult for some body shops to understand that owners would prefer their cars left looking as original as possible, rather than covered in shiny new paint!