Happy 75th Birthday Dad! In 1968 my dad came home with a 1932 Ford pick-up with a flat head and 3 deuces, four speed with a tall shifter. It had a Hamms beer tap for a shifter handle. The truck was baby blue with 3 inch white walls and 2 inch exhaust pipes up the back of the cab. From the years 1968-1972 my father and I did some work on it and changed the drive train to a small block Chevy, 400 turbo and a twelve bolt rear end. We installed black diamond tuff interior, shortened the box and changed the color to a dark blue. My dad sold it in 1973 just before I graduated from high school in 1974. He sold the truck to a friend of the family and he drove it for one year and then tore it apart and never put it back together. It had been sitting ever since. I had been in contact with him the last couple of years and on July 4th of this year I traded my 55 Chevy gasser Street rod, that I was building, for the 32 . I’m going to get it running and give it back to him for his 75th birthday this month. How fitting since its the 32 Fords 75th birthday too. This is a once in a life time opportunity for me and I want to share the story with the world. When I got it home on July 4, 07, I put the motor back in with a few up dates. The twelve bolt did not come with it , so I’m putting a nine inch Ford rear end on it and also putting the original 400 turbo in. I just purchased a set of new 3 inch white wall tires and I’m mounting them on a set of Ford steel stock rims that I’m having powered red. I’m putting it back together just as it was torn apart and I’m not dusting or cleaning off any thing so it looks like a barn find. Here are a few pictures of the truck. |
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The next 8 pictures are a update of what it is looking like now. Dad is now 75 and wants to come work on it all the time. I think it has been good therapy for him since he has had a 5 bypass heart operation, had both knees replaced and a heart defibrillator in the last ten years. It’s about time that something very different has happened. Thanks, Greg. Update: November 17, 2008 I have some up dated info and pictures. I am very glad to say that we have been working on it very hard together and we finally got it running about a month ago.. We didn’t change anything about the Pateana because I thought it was very important to leave things the way it was when he sold it in 1973. We have had it at a few car shows and showed it at 2 local swap meets.. This winter we are going to paint the cab and hood a blue metallic like the firewall is and dark gray metallic like the frame. Next summer we are going to go on the Hot Rod Tour and go to a lot of car shows. When we get it all restored I will send you the pictures. Another thing, Street Seen and classic and custom truck magazines want to do a story about us, so keep a eye out. Here are a few more pictures. Thanks, Greg and Bob Lane. |
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Update: August 2009...It’s DONE I’m happy to say we finally got it done after two years and it a blast to drive and we took it to a car show last weekend and everybody just loved it. We are going to go to as many car shows as possible before the end of the year. A local magazine is doing a story about about us and there are a couple national magazines that are going to also. Thanks for allowing me to share the store on your web site and we will keep in contact. Here are a few pictures of the the truck finished. Thanks Bob and Greg Lane. |
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Thank you Greg for the story and pictures and we hope your dad enjoys the truck. | ||
Update 11-06-12 | ||
Greg Lane here from Central City Iowa. You did a story about my Dad’s 1932 Ford pickup that I gave back to him for his 75th birthday. It is a great story, but it has a sad ending. Dad passed away two months ago from heart problems and the 32 got passed down to me. I have been driving it as much as possible before winter comes. He is missed by a lot of friends and family, but the 32 will be in the family forever. Thanks, Greg Lane | ||