TRUCK TALES

Friday, January 27, 2012

OF the scores of vehicles which were on display at the Jamaica Motor Show at the Police Officer's Club, Hope Road last Sunday, one vehicle stood alone.

It was not from any of the Corporate Area-based used-car dealerships on. And, it was definitely not for sale.

It was a 1935 Chevrolet pick-up truck owned by Paul MacKay. He had the vehicle on display just as an added attraction for the hundreds of car enthusiasts and potential buyers.

"It really works," MacKay told Auto, as he quickly moved to turn the truck's ignition. "It took me two years to bring back the truck to the condition it is in today."

For MacKay it was a labour of love and all the parts that had to be replaced or rebuilt were sourced locally. But one aspect of the restoration proved extremely bumpy.

"To locate the engine was really the hardest part of the project," he said. "It took some time to find."

MacKay said the total cost for restoring the truck to its current working condition was in the region of $500,000 and could have been more, had he not been "hands on".

"I cut cost drastically by doing a bit of the work on it myself," he said.

He said having completed the restoration on the truck, he intends to sign up with the Jamaica Classic Car Association as he has no intention of parting with it any time soon.

"I plan keep the truck for a while. Right now it is not for sale," he said.

—Brian Bonitto