letter from the editor

ALONG-TIME PERSONAL DREAM OF MINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO OWN A CUSTOM TRUCK THAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT THE YEAR THAT I WAS BORN—1979. That year brought quite a few cool automotive designs, but my choice for a birth-year build has always been a Chevy squarebody truck. I’ve worked on quite a few cool custom trucks, but I’ve never had that real emotional attachment to any of them enough to keep them. This is a vehicle I’m never actively looking for, but it’s one that’s always on my mind, and one that I mentioned to my wife on occasion. I’m one of those guys lucky enough to have a wife who’s always thinking ahead, so when a 1979 Chevy popped up on Facebook marketplace one month before my birthday, she sprung into action and managed to buy one of the best birthday gifts I’ve ever received.

This two-wheel drive shortbed Chevy will be my personal project in 2022. Nothing specific in mind, but I can assure you it will be special. The great thing about a keeper is you can make it as personal as you want. You don’t have to think about selling it in the future or doing specific modifications that may not be interesting to potential buyers. So, we will come up with a plan, create a rendering and eventually name the truck that has no price tag.

When was the first time you created a lifelong bond with the truck you call your own? I have some friends who are permanently attached to their very first purchase, and I know some guys who can’t get close enough to a truck to keep it more than a few months. Either way, we are all driven by the same force with the same goal in mind: Take something cool and make it cooler, and try to enjoy the ride along the way!

THIS TWO-WHEEL DRIVE SHORT BED CHEVY WILL BE MY PERSONAL PROJECT IN 2022. NOTHING SPECIFIC IN MIND BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU IT WILL BE SPECIAL.