The automotive universe sometimes produces absolutely incredible stories. This story of the Minnesota who bought back the pickup truck his grandfather sold 44 years ago for the same $75 price is absolutely mind-boggling.
And comforting.
Here are the facts.
44 years ago, in 1976, John VanDerVeen, a farmer who entering retirement, sold his 1957 Chevrolet truck to a man by the name of Bob Sportal, at the time a young man in his early 20s. For the next 38 years, he would use it on a daily basis for commuting to and from work. In fact, he continued to drive the pickup do so until he retired in early 2015.
Amount of the transaction in 1976: $75. The Chevrolet 3100 was certainly in better condition than it is today, because as you can see by looking at the video that accompanies this post that the model needs love, and a lot of it There's tape on the seats, body panels are literally punctured and the paint is far past faded.
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In recent years, Bob Sportal had been under a bit of pressure to sell his jewel of a truck – mainly from his wife, who wanted to free up space in the garage, but also from original owner John VanDerVeen's grandson, Tom Leenstra, who teased the owner about when he would be ready to part with his model.
Finally, the big day came.
And the beauty of it is that even though Bob Sportal could have gotten a few thousand dollars for his model, which remains a sought-after item on the market, he decided to sell it for the same amount he paid at the time: $75.
For John VanDerVeen's grandson, getting his hands on his grandfather's van was priceless. Tom Leenstra was nine years old when the truck was sold to Bob Sportal.
Tom’s plans? For now, just take it for a spin and relive a few dear memories, naturally.