Very cool story... Man Buys Pickup for $75, Drives It for 38 Years Plus By Keith Griffin Normally when you buy a pickup you worry about things like depreciation, operating costs, and how long the truck is going to last. Not this guy ? he more than got his moneys worth with this one. Back in 1976 when Bob Sportel was 24 he bought a used, rusting 1957 half-ton Chevy pickup for $75 because he needed a way to get to work. He just retired from his job after 38 years ? driving the same truck. According to KARE-TV in Minnesota, Sportel originally tried to buy the truck for $50. His only ?extravagance? as he puts it is four oil changes a year. We?d say he changes them with the seasons but Minnesota only has two: winter and mud. Sportel has applied several layers of duct tape to the truck?s upholstery. Bondo holds the front lights in place and rust holes provide portholes to the truck?s underside. He guesstimates the truck has more than 300,000 miles on it because the odometer hasn?t worked since he bought it. And, in spite of his wife?s pleas, he has no plans to replace it. Maybe the best line of the news report? ?Soundtrack provided by Chevrolet.? Sportel has no plans to sell the truck. Then again, who would buy it at this point? https://autos.yahoo.com/news/man-buys-pickup-75-drives-38-years-plus-153023218.html
Moneys worth It cost him about 2 dollars a year. By now I believe he got his moneys worth. Love the duct tape upholstery. I hope he keeps driving it for several more years. Considering how much I have in my truck, at 2 dollars a year I would be 8,000 years old by the time I got my money back.
The true meaning of "still on the road". Great story. Amazing how you go to a vintage car show and there is 23 GM vehicles, and 35 GM engines... now you know why.
seen it on Fox news Today it was on Fox news web sight. I read all the comments. Most were positive but some were negative. None of the commenters have any idea there are so many of us across the country that treasure these trucks. None of them mentioned that parts are available. Amazing how many will put in their two cents worth when their two cents isn't worth two cents. Keep on truckin' Gerald in Florida
Task force ! Thank you for this article ! . I still miss my '55 Chevy Tow Truck ~ it was beat up but never left me afoot .
