Gallery Page 108
Peggy's 1953 Dodge Truck Has Great Family Memories
This 1953 has only 45,500 miles on it! The engine is a flathead 6 cylinder, 4 speed. The starter button is on the floor and the heater, runs straight off the carburator. The truck rims were repainted and the bed of the truck has been replace once, the rest is original equipment.
The truck is presently located in Virginia. It was shipped across country on a truck and came through fine. It was originally purchased by Peggy's dad new in 1953 for use on their farm in Kansas. They used it for many things, like hauling wheat to the grain elevators, hauling hay, livestock, moving, etc.
When they first got the truck it was shipped from Kansas to Washington State in a railroad box car. The truck made the trip like the champ she is. Peggy's father used it for many years on the apple orchard he owned, hauling apples and other chores around the orchard. Peggy used to drive it to work. It was her first stick shift and a ball to drive. When her father died in 1970, her Mother kept it in the garage. When she sold her place, she had to put the truck in storage. It stayed in storage until this year, when they had it shipped to Peggy's brother, Charles, in Virginia.
When the truck arrived in Virginia, Charles put a battery in it, checked the oil and it started right up like a champ. So they decided not to do anything to it. Before buying the truck, it had been in storage for about 10 years, however, they think the guys who ran the storage place had been using it to haul things. That was probably a good thing because it kept the truck in good running condition. It is a beauty! Peggy's brother drives it around in his area and said wherever he goes, he attracts a crowd.
Peggy had two memorable moments in this truck, one was when her Dad, Charles and Peggy raced a tornado through the hills in Kansas. They won!!! The other was when her Mother, Dad, Charles and Peggy were going into town and there was a hill you went down that had a 90 degree turn at the bottom. They made the turn ok, but the door flew open and Peggy's Mother grabbed her brother in one arm and Peggy in the other. Peggy held on to the speedometer (she thinks). Anyway, it was a bump on the dash that she was holding on to for dear life. They made it around the corner with her Mother hanging on to both of them and Peggy onto the truck. None of them flew out of the truck. Obviously, this was before seat belts were common. The truck holds many family memories of their time on the farm and growing up in Kansas.
Peggy email address is:
PeggyRicciuto@bellsouth.net
Are you proud of your Dodge truck or car? Want to show it off? Please email me a pic along with a description of your vehicle and I will add it to the Gallery.
Joe Leonard 2007-08-27