More Than Money

During the 1970 production year, an estimated 260,000 trucks rolled off the Chevy pickup production lines. The Chevy K10 models featured four-wheel drive, while the C10 models featured two-wheel drive. They were popular trucks that would evolve through four generations. The first generation appeared during the model years 1960 to 1966.  The second generation made its mark during the years 1967 through 1972. A third and fourth generation followed, with the last production year being 2002.  Today they’re all classics!

When he got his C10, his plan was to restore it. This would be his second venture into the fascinating and entertaining, yet complex and labor-intensive process of vintage vehicle restoration. Previously, his Dad and he had restored a 2003 Mustang GT. Even though his Dad had passed, he still has that car and all the lessons learned in that restoration process. More importantly, he has all the memories; and for him, they are now and always will be priceless!  

The C10 he bought needed work, lots of it. For the next six years, he worked to restore it. The lessons his Dad taught him, both about mechanics and life, and the rich memories that came with those lessons were vivid for him. With time, money and effort, he moved that project along, motivated in no small measure by his Dad and their 2003 Mustang GT. In time he got the truck to a point where it was nearing completion. Then, as often happens, a busy family, personal, and professional life made it necessary for him to take a break from the restoration process. 

After being stored for a time, he decided to sell his C10. He did so with mixed emotions, but the time seemed right to move it along. He posted it online. There was interest in his post, and he got some inquiries. He was in no hurry, and he decided early on in the process that he was only going to sell it to the right person. He was patient, then he got a call.  It was THE call, the one that would make his decision to sell the absolutely right thing to do!

The guy who called was in his mid-60s. They set a time, and he came to look at the C10. His Grandson, in his early teens, was with him. These two were close, really close. Grandpa shared that this was going to be their project—something they’d be working on together. They had time and the desire to tackle a project, and it was going to be this 1970 Chevy C10. But could they afford it?

If you asked a hundred people to define what makes someone a good person, you’d get a wide variety of responses. There’d most assuredly be some overlap, but the range of attributes they’d offer that are demonstrated by good people would be broad. Even though they’d site unique and different attributes, the vast majority would agree on one truth. When you encounter a good person, you’ll know it in pretty quick order.

When they came to look at the C10, Grandpa and Grandson may not have gotten any restoration lessons, but they certainly got one about how right people think and act. The asking price was $15,000, which was actually a lowball price for that year, make, and model. After some “horse-trading,” and an honest admission that they only had so much they could offer, the guy selling the truck let it go for a little over $10,000. They took it, and the next phase of this particular C10’s restoration was about to begin.

Several years later he was casually sharing the story of his 1970 Chevy C10 pickup. You might expect that the story would have focused on the particulars of the vehicle, its features, and the process he went through to bring it back—not the case. Instead, he talked about selling the truck, the people involved, and the human interaction that bespoke the features of caring, empathetic people, not good vintage trucks.

He said when he met them, he thought of the restoration his Dad and he had gone through with their Mustang. The memories and the lessons learned came back in an instant. He recalled what that has long meant to him.  Here was his chance, an opportunity to pay that forward to total strangers, and he seized it. 

A few months later, he had the chance to see his C10 in their garage. They were working on it—together! Because of what he had done, that 1970 Chevy pickup, one of 260,000, was a classic model of human kindness. He closed his story with a simply yet profound statement: “Family, relationships, and memories, mean so much more than money!” 

Thanks Don!