Restored Chevy Truck Becomes Family Heirloom
Classic Chevy is one man’s ultimate tribute to his late great-grandfather.
Many of us simply wouldn’t have ever gotten into the automotive world without the influence of our fathers, grandfathers, and even great-grandfathers. The love of everything automotive often gets passed down for generations. And in the case of the Eskew family of Decatur, Illinois, that passion spans at least three of them.
20-year old Nathaniel Eskew grew up around his gearhead father, Eric, and great-grandfather, Dwight. They all spent some time wrenching on cars at Eskew’s Body Shop, which Dwight ran for many years. That time forged a bond between them. But none of the vehicles they fixed up can compare to one special 1973 Chevy truck.
Dwight bought the downtrodden Chevy in 2010 to serve as basic transportation while his car was being repaired. Shortly afterward, he and Nathaniel began to slowly repair the engine. And in 2015, the younger Eskew brought the truck to Richland Community College, where he was taking an Automotive Technology class at the time, to finish the restoration.
But before the old Chevy truck was finished, Dwight sadly passed away. What was once just a beat up truck suddenly took on a new identity. “I just wanted to get it finished because I was tired of staring at it,” Nathaniel told the Herald & Review. “I have more of an emotional attachment now.”
With the help of his classmates, the truck is now completely restored to original spec. It took two years, but now Nathaniel has something he can cherish forever. He’s also set to receive his Associate of Applied Science Degree in collision repair, so the young man can continue his great-grandfather’s legacy. And one day, maybe pass that legacy on to his great-grandchildren.
