Little Blue Truck

You're probably thinking: an old tired-out Model A Ford pickup truck. Who cares. Not so fast. Back 90 years ago when money was very tight and you needed a pickup truck for the farm, what did you do? Well, you took the family's aging two door sedan, cut the back off and moved it up behind the drivers seat. Then after nailing, screwing and riveting it on, you built the pickup bed out of whatever was handy. A good coat of green house paint, likely applied with a broom, finished the job. The old bus soldered on until 1971, when it was put to bed in the barn and became a popular mouse condominium.

One day I was visiting my daughter Jane and grandson. After trying to coax Mr. Bashful over, Jane suggested to Teddy that he show Gramp his favorite book. That worked. In short order he arrived with said book. The name of the book was The Little Blue Truck.

Some time later, after Teddy was put down for a nap, Jane and I were enjoying a cup of so so coffee. While talking, Jane seemed preoccupied and was pushing the book back and fourth on the table. 

Suddenly she looked up and said, "You know that rusty pile-of-junk pickup truck someone bestowed upon you?" Would it be possible to turn it into this?" pointing to the image on the book cover. "Teddy would love it."

                                So...                                  We went to work. Now, what's the most noticeable and endearing feature on the cover of the book? Well, of course It's the googly eyes. 

The first order of business was to remove and completly rebuild the engine.

"I think I'm going to need a bigger hammer to get this gasket on."

The finished product.

And VOILA