Pickup reminiscent of early days on family farm
"Dad! I'm going into town!" Jeff Rott shouted over his shoulder and bounded out the front door, snatching the keys to his father's 1965 Chevrolet pickup.
This was a regular routine for Jeff, who as a teen looked forward to getting behind the wheel of his father's rig. His dad had bought the rolling workhorse new. It was used regularly on the family farm in Naperville.
Jeff's father allowed him to pilot the truck around the massive property as well as on errands and after-work runs. While no racer, the Chevy packed the 283-cubic-inch V-8 and had "plenty of get up and go."
The pickup was just the ticket to get a young man's blood pumping for an open throttle and empty stretch of road.
"I got into a lot of trouble racing in that truck," Jeff recalls now. His dad "always had Chevy trucks" and owned a '36, a '52 and the '65. In high school, Jeff purchased his own '55 Chevy.
His goal was to make the truck a hot rod. He got as far as installing a 327-cubic-inch V-8 and then abandoned the project. As the enthusiast got older, his emotions were stirred once again to own a vintage truck.
In the summer of 2003, he spied an ad in a newspaper for an "old truck for sale." Jeff went to look at what turned out to be a 1955 Chevy 3600 pickup. The worn-out hauler had been stored in a Yorkville barn for 12 years.
Rott purchased the vehicle and with the help of his wife and two sons, Greg and Kenny, embarked on a full restoration. His teenage dream may have been for a daring speed machine, but now he desired a factory-correct look.
The entire vehicle was stripped to the bare frame. The engine was rebuilt and all new brake parts and lines were installed. The body was bead-blasted and, with the aid of his pal Bill Marquardt, was repainted.
Jeff set out to install many of the truck's factory options, such as spotlights and other dress-up items. Great progress was made but Jeff wasn't sure the Chevy would ever be road-worthy again.
"I looked at all the bags and boxes of parts and wondered if I'd remember where everything went," he said. For motivation, he set a goal in 2006. He wanted it done in time to take part in a local show hosted by the Great Lakes Region of the Vintage Chevy Club of America.
Every spare minute leading up to his deadline was poured into the project. Sure enough, he had it complete the week before the event.
Not only was his handiwork on display, but the gleaming pickup won a first prize in its class.
However, it's not just judged events Jeff enjoys. Just like all those years ago, some of his favorite truck times are when he's headed into town. This time around, though, it's not to speed by - but to slowly cruise through.
• Share your car's story with Matt at auto@dailyherald.com.