It's all about the journey...


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Posted by Greg Coffin on Saturday, December 14, 2002 at 11:32PM :

In Reply to: A comment on us PW guys.... posted by Eric B. on Saturday, December 14, 2002 at 10:30AM :

First, let me say that I'm NOT the kind of guy that likes to take my time and savor an experience. I like to set goals and make them a reality.

Having said that, I think that working on my 1962 WM300 for the last 15 years has been one of the most rewarding and memorable experiences of my life. Because I had to take my time on the project (work, finances, life), I was forced to endure an experience that I would have rather charged through, and missed - what?

I bought the truck for $375 in 1987, had it towed home, where it sat outside for a month before I got it running, the butt of jokes from passers-by, and rightfully so. I then shoe-horned it into my aunt's barn, where I gradually learned what an awesome and daunting task I had ahead of me to get it roadworthy.

I joke that I bought the truck on the rebound after a long term relationship ended, but frankly that's exactly what I did. For a year and a half I could pour myself into the truck, and not brood over other things.

Some of my best memories are associated with working on the truck - dragging my cold, tired, greasy, sometimes bruised or bloody self in at midnight, after a long night in the barn. Learning that determination often pays off, and that impatience often causes additional problems and frustrations.

One of my best memories is of replacing the timing chain and gears in the barn one cold winter night. My wife was reading to me from the cab, the doors, windshield and floorboards were removed, and a kerosene heater was running under the cab to keep her warm. She had a magnetic mount work light sitting on the dash to read by, and the light played out onto the walls and ceiling timbers of the otherwise dark barn. It is a time I will always remember.

And there are many others like it. It took me 4 years to get the truck on the road. I have $12,000 in parts and an engine rebuild in it, a lot of money for me, and I don't know if I'll ever get it painted. But in hind sight, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Today I took my three kids in the old girl to get our Christmas tree (roomy 4 man cab!!). They are as proud of her as I am, and I hope one day to pass it on to them.

Thanks for listening,
Greg



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