Robbie DeWitt: 3 Generations 1 Truck

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And that's I think what holds people back from doing anything, starting a band, starting a business, starting making videos, starting on a car, building something they never heard of.
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Like, just start.
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And I think there's that quote online get in so deep, you can't dig yourself out, right?
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I think I think that's a good kind of I like that.
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It's a good way of going about it, right?
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Welcome to Airdry Inside.
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My name is Brittany Ludingham.
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I'm standing in for Chris Glass.
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We are here in Robert DeWitt's garage.
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Something a little different.
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Taking a step back, learning about one family who is one of the heritage families in here, been a few generations in Airdrie, have a pond named after them, DeWitt's Pond.
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And I'm here with Robert.
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How's it going, Robert?
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Pretty good.
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Yourself?
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I'm doing really well.
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Yeah, you're welcome to call me Robbie.
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A lot of people call me Robbie.
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You don't mind, Robbie?
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Yeah, yeah.
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So Robbie's good.
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It's usually Robbie, just how it flows, right?
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Yeah, yeah.
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Yeah.
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So we're in your garage.
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I just had a lovely conversation with your dad, which we'll play these week after week.
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So people won't necessarily play these back to back.
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But I yeah, catch me up.
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Tell me about this town that you're born and raised in.
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Yeah, for sure.
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Yeah.
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I mean, you met my dad there a little bit.
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Um, but the the DeWitt family's been in Airdrie almost a hundred years.
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We're kind of coming pretty close.
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And so uh originally it was with my great-grandfather or my grandfather who was here, which was when it was also Robert DeWitt, and then his son Albert DeWitt, and then myself Robert.
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Again, I was named after uh my grandfather, maybe my father's share if you watched other podcasts there.
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And uh yeah, Airdrie's been home for our family.
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We've been uh growing up, I grew up actually west of town as well, um, just kind of um really close to the rodeo grounds.
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Something my dad didn't tell you the story is he grew up right really close there, and uh they actually sold the land to the city for the rodeo grounds, and so that was DeWitt land that was sold to the city of Airdrie.
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So we all grew up west of town.
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Um, and uh yeah, it's sure changed since those days, right?
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Yeah, like I remember being a little kid and uh driving halfway to town was the golf course, and yeah, I always I always tell a story and it's fun.
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I just like I wanted to get to the video hut, and it was like right in the middle of town, and yeah, even the Roxy Theater, it's gone now, but it was really close to the old Roxy Theater, the old little video hut.
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I think it's like a a bank now or something.
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Yeah, yeah.
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And I remember was it in the parking lot?
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Yeah, I think it was that little standalone building, I think CIBC or something's in there.
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Yeah, and uh that used to be the video hut, and I remember like, oh man, halfway to the video store, I can rent a I don't know, a movie.
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I don't know what I watched, probably Indiana Jones or Star Wars or Back to the Future, something cool like that.
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Yeah, and I just remember wanting to get movies and watch them and take them back to the farm.
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That that was back in yeah, 80s, 90s, yeah, yeah.
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Well, and like we're you're 3940 as well as myself.
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Like we're both the same age, yeah.
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I'm 39.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Me too.
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Yeah, so I was born in 86.
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You mentioning 80s, I'm like, do you remember much of the 80s?
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Not really.
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I was born in 86, but yeah, it was been like mid-90s in there and uh when I was doing that video hut kind of run, that's for sure.
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Yeah, and then when I was about 12 or 13, we moved to the city and uh yeah, lived in town.
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Went.
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I know you guys got some good robberies.
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I'm a bird church boy, so uh I went to Birchchurch and graduated there, met my wife, and yeah, and then we still called Airgy home.
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So hard to believe, you know, that uh I I just didn't have to move away, actually, I guess.
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It was really simple.
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So it's a great place to raise a family.
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I my family was raised here.
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My sisters were uh had their kids in Airdrie too.
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So yeah, it's just a long legacy of a lot of DeWits living in a very similar community.
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Obviously, it's not the same, it's not the same community that my dad grew up in, but uh it's definitely a good place for families, right?
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Yeah, yeah.
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Well, and let's let's rewind.
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You got kind of the bird's eye view, and then tell me a bit about growing up here, like what were you into in elementary through?
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Like yeah, yeah, what was?
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Yeah, I was I did grow up on the farm.
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So, you know, I we weren't uh an athletic or a big sports family just because we were busy working on the farm.
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So, you know, I think till I was about 12 or 13.
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I think my dad tells a story he never missed a Christmas of 25 years who's true.
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We had to be at the farm quite a bit, so we had a lot of work there.
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So as a kid, I always remember getting in the trucks with dad and trying to get away from homework and uh get in the truck and go down to the farm and do something down there instead.
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And my uncles were close around there, like physically, like they lived really close.
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So it's always someone around working in a garage, maybe similar to this.
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Or yeah, I think it was dirtier back then.
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My garage is a lot cleaner than the what we lived on the farm, but we tidied well.
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Yeah, I tidied up while I cleaned up.
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I got that from my mom.
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That was definitely from the DeWittz.
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But um, yeah, I would have grown up on the farm.
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Building tree houses, man.
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I love building tree houses, actually.
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Taking me back, yeah.
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I saw it probably in a movie somewhere.
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I was like, I'm gonna build that.
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And I think that's probably where my building niche kind of started.
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It was building a tree house or building trap lines or or something I could, you know, either swing off of a tree or a zip line or anything I could do to, yeah, I don't know, just make things.
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That was pretty common back in those days, even for me.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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And then middle school, I think I was kind of at the farm, and some of it was still back in airgy by then.
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So we'd moved into the city by about 12, I was 12 or 13.
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So that was middle school time, which was really cool.
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I think I got uh I really blessed young life out on the farm, and then I got to move to the city right that that mid-aged where you got good friends, and and back then you could bike across town and no one even worried.
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And I don't think anyone worries now, but like I just I just remember biking all over the place, right?
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And going to my friend's house and having a great time.
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And those friends are still here.
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I mean, yeah, I got a friend who lives down the street, and uh he's still one of my best friends, and he lives down the street.
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I got other friends and they moved away, but like me and that guy, we we hung out like since I was 11.
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That's amazing.
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And he's now we're nearly 40, and he's still down the road, and we were just in each other's garages and houses trying to help each other build little projects or make something that we want to get into.
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Who knows, right?
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Yeah, yeah.
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Somewhere where you can well, and I find myself in two different roles.
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Adrian side, yeah, it's interesting to hear about people living making a life here, whether it's uh athletes, entrepreneurs, people that volunteer.
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And I like that we're doing this in your garage, and like this is just this is one of our neighbors.
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Yeah, that's what I like about getting to know you here.
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Yeah, 100%.
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Helping people get to know their neighbors was one of my goals with this when Chris and I started this up.
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So I think this is this is pretty fun.
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Yeah, I think you and I met, but like we went for coffee once like 14 years ago because some guy in Fort McMurray told me that I should meet Robert.
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Yeah, yeah, exactly.
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And then it's a small enough world that like now we have like mutual friends, but yeah, I haven't seen you in years, so this is really good.
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Thanks for doing it.
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Yeah, you're welcome.
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I'm glad to it.
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It is true though about Airdrie, is like there's kind of a a rooting that everybody has.
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If you're from here, you're connected.
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And I mean that's probably true about any community wherever you're from, and I can imagine that's from all around the world.
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You know, you can go on a trip to Mexico, you're like, You're from Canada, you must be my neighbor, right?
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You know, we have those incidences, but I think in Airdrie, it's it's good to hear that this has been a pretty it's been a pretty like no, I say transient community, but it's been a very fast-growing community.
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So there's a lot of people who've come in, but they've called it home and stayed.
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Yeah, and but there is a lot of neighbors here that have been around for a long time.
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And you know, some of my not not many of my friends can say they've been here as long as like my family, but then there is some that have, or even longer, right?
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And their history goes on just as long as almost a hundred years, and this is where a lot of people put down roots, right?
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Yeah, and there is good neighbors, right?
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And there's more every day.
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Yeah, that's a yeah, that's a good way of putting it.
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We just get more.
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Yeah, we do, like we're right.
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I think we've been one of the fastest growing cities for as long as I can remember.
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It's we're like one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, and that seems to be pretty common, right?
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Yeah, and you can see that.
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I always kind of joke too that I could have bought a new house every couple years in a new community in energy if I wanted to.
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Obviously, I have no need to, and that's not my desire, but I'm just saying that's how fast it grows.
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Yeah, could always have been in a new house, yeah.
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Pretty much, right?
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Yeah, yeah.
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Not what I want to do, but yeah, it's you could.
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No.
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Roots here in Bayside, this is good.
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Yeah, yeah, it's a good spot, and we're happy and lucky to be here.
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Yeah.
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I so like there's certainly niches of this podcast because I'm a guy and much I like shooting vehicles, taking photos for Canadian hot roads for a number of years.
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Yeah.
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Tell me about the truck behind it.
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Yeah, let's talk about that.
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That's cool.
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Yeah, the truck here is uh probably my second project I've kind of taken on.
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So the truck has let's just go back to the the root of it, is actually my grandfather's farm truck.
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Um, my grandfather, Robert DeWitt, uh, he bought the truck.
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Uh, you know, we heard from my dad here earlier.
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He thinks it was new or is really fresh in 1947.
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Is that the story correct?
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Yeah.
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It's a 1947 GMC.
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Give him a break.
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Yeah, exactly.
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He was four, he couldn't remember.
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But 1947 uh GMC one-ton pickup.
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And it would have been like a grain truck back then.
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So it would have been or like it would have been a farm truck, it would have been a a working truck for the farm.
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And so cattle, it would have hauled cattle, would have put it would have had either a a flat bed on it with with stock sides so they can move cattle around or any other animals for that matter, or or some sort of a grain truck that could have been on.
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Was it haul now?
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Uh yeah, a whole lot of nothing.
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I don't even think it has a box in it.
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No, so yeah, that that was my grandfather's farm truck.
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So they lot they sold it not that long after, to be honest.
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And dad didn't didn't see it for many, many years.
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So, anyways, I think he told a story, but I'll repeat it anyways, that that my uh my uncle of all things was zooming on Facebook, as every car guy is, we're on market Facebook and talking to a guy named Steve about a good truck that doesn't run so well.
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You know, my wife just said, You better not be Steve again, you know.
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But my uncle was on uh market Facebook Marketplace, and he's like, Man, is that is that what it is?
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And and he could tell, and the the main giveaway is on the doors, it actually says R.
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E.
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DeWitt for Robert Earl DeWitt and sons.
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And so basically, this whole truck like history is stuck on this door and it and it comes around.
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It's quite interesting story.
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I've asked my dad a few times about where that came from, but just some random guy was like offering to do door painting, and he's going door to door back on the acreage, back on the farms.
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Like he must have been traveling from a long distance, and he painted that on the door.
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And my grandpa Robert must have decided to put that on the door.
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Robert Earl DeWitt and sons, and uh it's a pretty cool legacy.
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And so that stood out to my uncle, yeah, and he's like, Hey, Albert, I think we found the truck.
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He's like, What?
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So my dad tells a pretty good story, I'll leave it for that.
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But he went up to Red Deer and another cold day negotiating for a good truck, and he he came home with the old truck.
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So he had it for a couple years there, and uh he, you know, he wanted to restore it so he could just kind of drive it.
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Just remember, he didn't want it to get worse.
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So he spent some money to make sure some of the rust was kind of repaired and just kept it in it and kind of in a patina look.
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So it's really patina back there.
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It's it's not a show truck at all, but it had too many dents and too much history and all that kind of stuff.
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We just left it all.
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And of course, yeah, I'm gonna tell the story anyways, but my dad always tells the good old story that he was just a young kid and younger than my boys now.
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He was sitting in that cab, and his dad was coming home, driving the truck home to the farm, and he and he sees a deer.
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And he's like, Ooh, I'm gonna get that.
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So he pulls the truck off, pulls out his rifle, puts that deer in that Skype, and my dad's like looking, and the barrel is like, you know, across the hood, and my grandpa's shooting down there wherever, my dad's looking at it, and gun goes off, just blows a hole in the hood because he puts the barrel too close to the hood, and there's a bullet hole.
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And so there's a bullet hole in that hood.
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There's a few other bullet holes in the whole thing, but that bullet hole is pretty important, and that uh and that brand that you know the name on the door is pretty important too.
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So now come come to my time.
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My dad buys this truck.
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To be honest, at the moment, I wasn't even into cars yet.
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I was building other things.
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I haven't I had a family, had a job, didn't have really a big space for it.
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And uh dad just had this truck sitting at my farm, at my uncle's farm, where the car was just sitting there, and he yeah, and he kind of got the rust off of it and just kind of not a not a fancy paint job, but just a clear coat paint job on it so that it could just be kind of maintained.
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And it was just sitting there.
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And uh he's like, Oh, when you when I pass, that truck's yours.
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And I was just like, Great, I don't want lawn art, Dad.
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And where am I gonna put this big giant thing?
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And at the time it had a big uh like a 14-foot like flat.
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The frame is massive, right?
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It's a big old one-ton truck.
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Yeah, and so um, yeah, I I it wasn't that far after I actually moved to Bayside here, and that was about three years ago.
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I was like, Dad, it's time to take the truck and make it go, and let's do something with it.
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So, so yeah, then that really starts my story, right, with the truck.
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And so, like three years ago, um I pulled the well, you know, I didn't pull the truck in here.
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Sitting at my uncle's farm.
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And that's a great story, actually.
00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:20.320
I like telling that story.
00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:20.960
Yeah, yeah, please.
00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:27.759
Um, the old my uncle, uh, he's west of town, and I just remember I was like, okay, his name's Denny, Denny Becker.
00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:31.279
I was like, Denny, I wanna I wanna get that old truck running.
00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:33.360
So I'm coming to look at it.
00:13:33.600 --> 00:13:37.840
We're gonna take the cab off, and we're gonna go find a box for it, and we're gonna make this run.
00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:41.120
And he's like, I think that's easier than trying to fix the old frame.
00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:42.559
He's like, Okay, yep, yep, yep.
00:13:42.720 --> 00:13:43.759
So I'm coming to look at it.
00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:48.159
So my original plan, I was gonna go, I was gonna go pick up an S Chev S10.
00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:50.799
It's like that's the that's the thing you do with these trucks.
00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:57.759
You take these trucks, you take a little Chev S10, and you slap it on it, and uh, you get some kits and they all kind of work and everything's quite easy.
00:13:57.919 --> 00:14:00.639
Looking back, maybe that would have been an easier job, but whatever.
00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.120
It's fine.
00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:02.240
This is a better story.
00:14:02.399 --> 00:14:04.320
And uh, so I'm out there with my Uncle Danny.
00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:09.600
I was like, I'm gonna go look at this Chev S10, so I'm gonna measure up the wheelbase and everything and see if this truck fits.
00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:24.080
So we're looking at it, you know, he's showing me, and uh, and he just kind of is like, okay, well, you know, if you wanted a truck frame, you know, I I got like some rusty old trucks sitting in the barn or in the back in the behind the barn, actually.
00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:25.039
I'm like, yeah, okay.
00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:26.399
It's like, well, I'll come take a look.
00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:27.360
Okay, sweet.
00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:30.639
So here and my buddy, actually, my buddy Colin, I was just standing here.
00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:35.039
Him, me and Colin were just walking back there, and Danny's like, You can have that one or that one or that one.
00:14:35.120 --> 00:14:37.039
I was like, wait a second, what are all these?
00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.399
He's like, Oh, they're all blowing up and the rusted bodies and all that stuff.
00:14:40.480 --> 00:14:41.600
I'm like, What's that green one?
00:14:41.840 --> 00:14:43.279
He's like, that's a C20.
00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.440
It's like that looks good.
00:14:45.679 --> 00:14:48.399
Like an 80 Chev three-quarter tonight somewhere in there.
00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:49.120
Yeah, exactly.
00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:54.000
It's like a it's an 80s, I think it's a I think it was a 70, somewhere in the 70s.
00:14:54.080 --> 00:15:04.080
I think it was 76, 77, C20, three-quarter ton pickup truck, no motor, no transmission, but rusty old green body that's just useless.
00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:05.759
Used to be worth about 500 bucks.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:06.639
They're now climbing.
00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:07.759
It's true, it's true.
00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:14.000
I I and you know, looking back a little bit, I was like, man, I probably could have kept some of the trim pieces and stuff and sold them, but it was rough.
00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:18.879
So there's no no question that it just this the whole C10 world is blown up for sure.
00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.000
And this one was rough.
00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.399
And I was like, okay, do you care about that?
00:15:22.559 --> 00:15:23.679
He's like, no, take it.
00:15:23.840 --> 00:15:24.879
Like, perfect.
00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.039
I guess I'm not buying a C10 today, right?
00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:28.480
That's was pretty much my deal.
00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:30.320
So then all of a sudden, I love that.
00:15:30.480 --> 00:15:36.080
You just I just kind of remember him walking away, and me and Colin and my buddy were just looking at this truck, measuring it out, trying to figure it out.
00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:37.600
And I was like, Where are you going, Danny?
00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:38.960
He's like, uh, come with me.
00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:40.080
And I was just like, okay.
00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:41.360
So start walking.
00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.639
We're just walking away.
00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:53.519
I just remember him taking me into the barn in the back, and he's got a bunch of barns you can go through this, like just you know, typical farm barn, the one I grew up in, just messy and dirty, but cool stuff on the walls, all sorts of things.
00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:54.559
Back corner.
00:15:54.799 --> 00:15:56.000
Yeah, you can have that too.
00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:57.200
I was like, Well, what's this?
00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:59.279
He's like, That's the 454 that was sitting in.
00:15:59.440 --> 00:16:00.480
I was like, that's awesome.
00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.000
Wait a minute, you say I can have it?
00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:06.159
He's like, I was gonna hot rod something with this one day, and you're gonna do it better than me.
00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:06.720
So let's go.
00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:10.240
So he's he he threw me 454 in a transmission.
00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:15.039
Now, the 454 was had to be completely rebuilt, but yeah, who cares?
00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:15.679
It was awesome.
00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.159
So you got that experience right here in this garage?
00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:19.279
Yeah, that's exactly it.
00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:32.320
So that that so there's this farm truck that my grand my uncle used, and this farm truck that my great-grandfather had and my dad bought, and it's just like all this family history, and it's like, all right, it's time to slam this all together, right?
00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.759
And that that's kind of where it came in.
00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:43.919
So three years later, I rolled that frame in here first, yeah, and uh, and this started getting rid of all the dirt and all the rust and all the problems.
00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:50.240
And I just I have pictures on Instagram, just like you know, covered in safety PPE glasses, mask, and everything.
00:16:50.320 --> 00:16:52.080
Just a bit of mouse stuff, yeah.
00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.720
Just like just mouse poop and rust flying.
00:16:54.799 --> 00:17:04.000
This whole garage is just filthy with dust and just grinding the frame clean and getting it down to bare metal, getting it all done, got that cab off, and that was a good day, actually.
00:17:04.160 --> 00:17:06.640
My uncle brought the tractor, we pulled the cab off.
00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:14.079
That was before I brought the frame in, but you know, pulled all that off with my buddy Colin, and then we moved that frame into here and I started working on it.
00:17:14.160 --> 00:17:15.279
So worked on that.
00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.799
Then I had to get a big block that I had that 454.
00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:21.920
So I brought that in the next summer, tore it down.
00:17:22.160 --> 00:17:28.240
Somewhere in between, I uh I paused on the motor and I was like, okay, I've never actually built a motor.
00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:32.000
So, but what's the best way to learn is just to get into it, right?
00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:34.960
And I actually never really welded much either before all this.
00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:40.640
And then so I mean, I welded a little bit on the farm, but not where I needed to be for all this.
00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:41.119
Yeah.
00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:48.559
And so yeah, brought in the truck, brought the cab in, and all we had was a cab and and front clip.
00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:52.640
So had to figure out how to mount that on the frame, got it on.
00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.839
It's on there now.
00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:55.599
Um, then I had to find it.
00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.480
Yeah, it it had it.
00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:59.839
I had I had to find some wheels that I liked, so it has some different wheels now.
00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:02.160
They're big, big, steely wheels, but they look cool.
00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:05.359
Had to find a box, so I found a box out of red deer.
00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:06.720
It looks appropriate, yeah.
00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:08.160
Yeah, it looks really good.
00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:10.079
I like how it's kind of patina looked, right?
00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:10.480
Right.
00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:16.640
Then I had to find some fenders, but um found some fenders, actually fender rear fenders were a lot of work to find.
00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:20.240
And uh, because of the big C20, though, everything's bigger, right?
00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:24.480
And yes, this would have been everything on this truck was one ton, which was good.
00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:27.680
It was bigger than that little S10 thing by a long shot.
00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:30.160
Well, it just looked big, it just was proportioned bad.
00:18:30.240 --> 00:18:33.359
So the C20 was great, except it was, it was a little wider.
00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.079
The box lengths were all kind of weird.
00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:42.720
So in the end of it, I ended up like cutting the control arms in the front to narrow them so they could fit the front end in this truck.
00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:52.400
Yeah, and then on the back end, I wanted big wide tires, and you know, it was a dually, so to fit a dually tiler in there, I had to like add two and a half inches to those rear fenders.
00:18:52.559 --> 00:19:01.359
So I like stretched the rear fenders, I like shortened the control arms, I took the box, I had to find a nine-foot box, which is huge in the first place.
00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:03.279
Like it's long, and then it's still long.
00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:06.400
I took a nine-foot box, people are mad, you cut up a nine-foot box.
00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:09.920
Well, yeah, I only cut out six inches so I could get it perfectly lined up.
00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:15.680
Then I had to cut and weld running boards so they're the right lengths, so they now they fit the truck and the thing.
00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:18.880
So yeah, just a lot of fabbing and trying to figure things out.
00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:21.519
Again, I I don't really know what I'm doing, but I don't really care.
00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:23.039
And I don't care what people say.
00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:29.359
I got my grandfather's farm truck back on the road and it looks cool and turns heads, and we're here talking about it.
00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:30.160
That's pretty cool, right?
00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:31.599
So that's a big thing.
00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:43.119
So kind of got that body kind of figured out, and then uh and then I had to get that motor rebuilt, and so that was another project.
00:19:43.440 --> 00:19:44.319
Yeah, back up.
00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:45.920
The old man wants to know where the rims were.
00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:49.519
Well, it's a C20, so it has an eight-lug bolt pattern, dad.
00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:54.960
So I wanted to get my brother-in-law's tires on it, and he had it from a Corvette C eight.
00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:56.799
So I just had this crazy idea.
00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:58.400
Let's stick the biggest tires I can get.
00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:05.200
So he gave me these tires off of a C8, but I had to get them to fit this eight-lug C20, so I got custom-made steely wheels.
00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:08.400
Our demographic is not all car guys.
00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:08.880
Right.
00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:12.400
So C8 is like the brand new Corvette with a mid-engine.
00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:13.359
It is okay.
00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:14.640
So the brand new Corvette.
00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:21.839
I had these, I actually had these, you know, car guys, we get we collect parts or we get a good see a good deal, or somebody gives you stuff.
00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:23.440
Well, I got a lot of stuff given to me.
00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:26.319
And so from that uncle, man, I got an uncle that gave me stuff.
00:20:26.400 --> 00:20:27.839
I got her brother-in-law's that gave me stuff.
00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:31.920
I have a different uncle on the other side that gave me stuff, and you just like, well, let's make it work, right?
00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.079
So had these big rims and big tires.
00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:37.599
Yeah, and and the tires, the tires would fit, but the rims wouldn't.
00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:38.720
It just would look terrible.
00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:44.480
So I sold the rims and uh kept the tires, and then I was like, How are we gonna get 20s on this truck?
00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:52.960
So had to get these custom-made steel rims, but they had that the only the biggest problem was they had this eight-bolt lug pattern, which is a C20.
00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:53.920
Yeah, yeah.
00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:57.759
A little heavy-duty truck, not a five-bolt or a light duty house.
00:20:58.079 --> 00:20:59.119
It's not like a little half-ton.
00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:01.680
So, yeah, that's where that big 454 came from, right?
00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:03.359
It's a big work truck back in the day.
00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:06.799
So, yeah, had this 454 sitting in my garage here.
00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:09.359
I had no idea what I was doing, but I tore it apart.
00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:10.079
That was easy.
00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:15.680
Getting it back together wasn't so easy, but hey, it starts up and runs, and I think you heard it as you pulled up.
00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.559
Yeah, absolutely.
00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:18.559
Yeah, I was I was pretty happy.
00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:21.279
Pretty happy, uh, very happy that I actually rebuilt the motor.
00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.319
I had some awesome friends.
00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.839
There's lots of community.
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:32.640
If you if you ever want to get into cars, just go to car shows, start talking to people with cars you like, and they'll tell you all darts of stories and all sorts of things like that.
00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:37.279
And and I met some guys here in town, and then that uncle who sold me the motor, right?
00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:59.839
Just asked them questions, and here I am rebuilding the motor, and like everything is done in this garage on that bench, and it's covered in black because I was like polishing the crank with WD 40 and a shoestring, like I literally use a shoestring and some steel wool, and you're like trying to clean the crank so that it works with the new bearings that you buy and you try to memorize.
00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:10.319
It all up and yeah, a lot of YouTube, a lot of friends, uncles, car guys, and they teach you how to do it and got some advice along the way.
00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:12.960
And man, she started up, started up this spring.
00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:14.000
That's amazing.
00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:18.640
Why and it yeah, why why did you keep going when the job got hard?
00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.160
When yeah, things when you banged your house thumb with a hammer, whatever might be.
00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:23.519
Why'd you keep going on the same truck?
00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:24.559
Good question.
00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:30.720
I uh yeah, I mean, truthfully, I wanted to get dad driving in the truck before anything happened.
00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.759
That was the goal, right?
00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:37.440
I wanted to be driving down the road with my old man and my two boys and myself and you know, my grandfather's name, R.
00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:37.680
E.
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:39.119
DeWitt, on the door.
00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:46.160
So now it's like, and sons, and so now actually I have two sons, so it's like Robert Oliver DeWitt and sons.
00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:49.279
And so it's pretty cool that I have that kind of legacy.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:57.599
So I wanted to get this truck driving and running down the road, and uh, so that my dad and me and my boys could, you know, have that moment and share it together.
00:22:57.680 --> 00:22:58.160
And we did.
00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:00.319
We did it this spring, it was pretty awesome, you know.
00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:04.799
And uh I think you know, you hear my dad, life is short, so you want to push on.
00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:11.599
So, in less than three years, I had this truck, you know, went from that, hey dad, let's get it off the farm and running.
00:23:11.680 --> 00:23:12.880
And he's like, Yep.
00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:18.079
And he trusted me and he gave me the keys and gave me the title and gave me everything I needed to get this thing done.
00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:22.960
And now we got plates on it, we're driving down the road and we're laughing and giggling, and it's a good time.
00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:27.119
And my boys say it's too hot and it smells, but that's perfect, they'll get used to it.
00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:31.920
And I think uh I think the older boy's like, Oh, when when do I get to drive?
00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:33.920
I'm like, Yeah, soon actually.
00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.880
You get your learners.
00:23:35.279 --> 00:23:36.640
12 is too soon.
00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:37.839
Yeah, it's really soon.
00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:41.119
So I've got to make sure I teach them how to actually drive it pretty well, too.
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:42.079
So yeah, it's just cool.
00:23:42.160 --> 00:23:45.200
I want to get it done so that I could share it with my family.
00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:46.160
Yeah, yeah.
00:23:46.880 --> 00:23:55.839
And tell me a bit about the car community that you met through this, like friends that you've made that you might not people might have a hard time making friends.
00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:57.839
What's the car community do for making friends?
00:23:58.160 --> 00:24:08.880
Yeah, I think I think the car community is just I think with every community and everything that you get into, you make friends, you just gotta be willing to go and ask and ask them a question about their car.
00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:12.240
Is Brendan was on the show?
00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:12.880
Brandon.
00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:14.640
Brandon Hagar, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:19.200
So Brandon was on the show, yeah, and uh and he's a cool guy.
00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:24.240
Like, you hear I I had a buddy's like, yeah, there's a guy in Airdrie building a Ferrari in his garage.
00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:25.200
We're like, What?
00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:27.599
Yeah, I need to meet him, you know, and that's wild.
00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.440
It's like, what are you kidding me?
00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.480
You're in airdry.
00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:41.359
So you find this guy on Instagram, and you're like, you know, I don't want to sound like a creep, but I was like, dude, you live in airgy, like please show me where not far from where I am.
00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:43.920
And he wasn't very far from where I was either at the time.
00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:46.640
And I was like, I I'm sorry, but I just I have to see this.
00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:55.759
And so I got to go in his in his little two-car garage, and it's kind of inspiring, even just to see like a real humble local AirGree guy doing great things.
00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:57.440
And I'll say that about AirGree in general.
00:24:57.519 --> 00:25:00.000
There's a lot of people doing a lot of great things in town, right?
00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:04.480
And worldwide things, and so go back to the car community though.
00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:09.359
Like, there, there's a cool guy who's just likes building things and he just has that itch, and I get that.
00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:10.160
I get that.
00:25:10.240 --> 00:25:15.440
I just I have an itch to build something, and uh it gets my mind off of work, right?
00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:19.279
I work for I this isn't this isn't because of dad.
00:25:19.440 --> 00:25:27.039
I mean, dad helps, you know, I'm here because of my family, but you know, I work all day to to kind of come and and play here, right?
00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:32.799
And that's and I don't get to work with my hands, and that's another thing, like as a professional, right?
00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:37.119
Like my my job is in in Calgary, and so I work in the engineering world.
00:25:37.200 --> 00:25:39.119
Yeah, I'm a business development manager, yeah.
00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:52.079
And so I I help find uh my my staff and my team work and projects that they can do all around the world or all around Western Canada and a lot a lot of different sectors, and oil and gas is one, but pulp and paper, petrochemical, and all that.
00:25:52.160 --> 00:26:06.559
But all that is is on the computer or communication or engineering drawings or document and document control and invoicing and contracts, and none of it's working with my hands, where I grew up in town was working at a farm, trying to get out of the getting out of doing homework, right?
00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:18.160
And doing anything work like go go go shooting gophers or go work in the farm or go in the barn or go in the garage, see what uncle, one of my uncles are working on, or yeah, blow something up, you know, like honestly.
00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:20.400
Yeah, or blow up, yeah, exactly.
00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:24.720
Back in those days, it was easier to, I don't know, get in a little bit of trouble, but be safe and it was fine.
00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:30.079
And so, you know, coming here now, it's like, no, no, I want to build something, I want to make something, I want to create something.
00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:33.680
You don't get to do that very often sometimes in life, right?
00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:38.160
And so it's pretty rewarding to say, yeah, I built that.
00:26:38.400 --> 00:26:41.039
And that car culture, you know, it didn't start with the truck.
00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:43.599
I the truck was my second project, I said earlier.
00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:46.480
My first project was a 65 Mustang, yeah.
00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.920
Uh sitting behind you there.
00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:53.920
And and it was me and dad, and dad's Chevelle's actually sitting up top, and that's pretty cool that we get to have him here.
00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:58.960
And it's pretty quite an honor to have these cars in our lives, and we go to car shows and things like that.
00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:08.240
But it was, you know, it was dad here who who bought a car, and and he was kind of reliving his youth, and that, you know, in in some sense, I didn't know how much fun that would be.
00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.039
I don't he did not think I was gonna build cars.
00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:13.279
I don't think that was even in his mind.
00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:17.200
And then I was like, he bought this old car, and I was like, that's cool, dad.
00:27:17.359 --> 00:27:18.880
And he's like, let's do something.
00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:20.640
I was like, let's I wanted you, let's do something.
00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:22.079
He's like, No, it's perfect, you know.
00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:25.519
We always bicker and argue, but he's like, It's my car, you gotta leave it alone.
00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:27.680
I'm like, okay, fine, don't worry about it.
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:33.839
And then another day comes along, and we're like, Mike, what if we bought a car together and I get to go to town?
00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:35.519
And he's like, I like it.
00:27:35.599 --> 00:27:36.799
I was like, wait, what?
00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:40.559
So um, yeah, like dad helped me find the car, and it's funny enough.
00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:41.839
I talk about that uncle.
00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:43.359
That's a great story, too.
00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.720
Funny uncle.
00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:46.799
He uh Chevelles.
00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.160
Do you want to hear that story?
00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:48.880
Yeah, we got time.
00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:54.720
So the Mustang, and we'll get back into the car community because that's where I met a lot of friends in the car community.
00:27:54.880 --> 00:28:02.720
But um, yeah, dad, I decided to tell my dad I want to buy a car that I can work on and I want to tinker on and I want to explore and I want to build them.
00:28:02.799 --> 00:28:08.880
Let's build a motor or rebuild one or go to machine shop, let's do race parts, let's get brakes, let's get suspension, do all that kind of stuff.
00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:12.240
Looks fun, looks exciting, it looks like a challenge, something new to learn.
00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:16.079
And I had always built stuff in my home, but it was just smaller.
00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:18.160
And so a car sounded like a lot of fun.
00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:21.359
So dad said, Yep, I'll help you find the car.
00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:31.200
And at that time, uh, you know, I gotta be honest, I was I was that was about seven, six, seven years ago now, and prime COVID time, right?
00:28:31.359 --> 00:28:34.319
So, you know, you're like, I think we're kind of getting stir crazy.
00:28:34.400 --> 00:28:35.359
I think we're COVID, you know.
00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:38.880
And I was like, Yeah, this sounds like a great idea, something to do.
00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:40.319
Uh, but money was tight.
00:28:40.400 --> 00:28:42.480
So I remember dad saying, Okay, I'll help you.
00:28:42.559 --> 00:28:44.640
Let's go buy this Mustang together, but it's yours.
00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:45.599
I said, Awesome.
00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:50.000
So we we're gonna go look for a car, and we kind of set a budget and we're kind of like this.
00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:54.160
I was gonna go look for a Dotson or a 240Z or something cool, right?
00:28:54.319 --> 00:29:00.799
And and uh, and this is a great story, but you know, it's like I was gonna do this Dotson, I was gonna find this, or I'm gonna find that.
00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:03.359
And then all of a sudden he's like, no, I found the car.
00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:04.160
I'm like, what?
00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:05.440
No, where'd you find the car?
00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:06.960
Uncle Danny's got a car for you.
00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.599
I'm like, what?
00:29:07.759 --> 00:29:09.599
Uncle Danny, I thought what does he have?
00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:10.640
He's got a Mustang.
00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.759
I was like, a Mustang?
00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:12.720
Well, that's kind of cool.
00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:14.480
I thought we were gonna go for something I wanted.
00:29:14.559 --> 00:29:16.400
This, oh man, it's already going that way.
00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:18.559
And uh he's like, Yeah, he's ready to sell.
00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:19.359
I'm like, wait a minute.
00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:21.920
Denny has two Chevelles and a bunch of other Chevelles.
00:29:22.079 --> 00:29:23.359
When did he ever get a Ford?
00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.400
He's not a Ford guy.
00:29:24.480 --> 00:29:25.599
He's got a bunch of Chevelles.
00:29:25.759 --> 00:29:26.640
Oh, it's in the barn.
00:29:26.720 --> 00:29:27.440
I'm like, okay, okay.
00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:29.200
So what year is this Mustang?
00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:31.119
He's like in 1975.
00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:32.400
75?
00:29:32.799 --> 00:29:34.880
No, that's a horrible car.
00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:36.000
I'm not no, no.
00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:36.720
Oh, yeah.
00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:38.559
Mustang two, I'll have to like put a picture in here.
00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:40.079
Yeah, put a Mustang 2 picture.
00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:41.759
Like, okay, put like, yeah, do that.
00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:46.240
Put a 1965 Mustang and put a 1975 Mustang.
00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:47.680
And it was just 1975.
00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.440
65 of 65.
00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:50.079
Oh, yeah.
00:29:50.160 --> 00:29:52.240
Like I guarantee everybody will.
00:29:52.319 --> 00:29:55.039
And there'll be a few people who remember that car, and that's another thing.
00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.279
Everyone has a memory about their car and it's important to them.
00:29:57.359 --> 00:30:04.240
But 75 Mustang was the year that they were doing low, like terrible gas emissions.
00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:07.440
So they wanted, they were just gutless cars and they just had nothing, right?
00:30:07.599 --> 00:30:09.599
And the 65 was the second year.
00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:10.799
It was a 64 and a half.
00:30:10.880 --> 00:30:11.920
This first Mustang came out.
00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:14.400
And so a 65 Mustang is iconic, right?
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:16.960
And so my dad's like, oh, it's 1975.
00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:17.680
And I was like, oh.
00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:18.880
And he's like, I bought it.
00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:20.079
I'm like, you bought it?
00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.880
No, you didn't.
00:30:20.960 --> 00:30:22.559
He's like, well, I told Denny we'd take it.
00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:24.640
And I was like, no, I don't want this.
00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:28.240
You know, I just like, ah, my uncle just suckered us, you know.
00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.559
But uh I get on the phone and I call my uncle.
00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:32.319
I'm like, Uncle Danny, please tell me.
00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:33.920
My dad said we just bought a car.
00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:34.960
He's like, Yeah, it's great.
00:30:35.119 --> 00:30:36.400
I was like, yeah, it's really great.
00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:38.640
He just told me it's a 75 Mustang.
00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:40.400
He's like, no, no, no, no.
00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.279
It's a 65.
00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:42.880
I'm like, oh, thank Lord.
00:30:43.680 --> 00:30:45.680
And uh yeah, it's a cool car.
00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.799
And I was lucky.
00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:52.559
And um, you know, there's a bit of a story there, but he he we did we had it was well in the budget, right?
00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:54.559
And it had a little straight six cylinder in it.
00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:59.279
So, you know, me and dad splitting that was in this car world was nothing.
00:30:59.440 --> 00:31:02.319
And the uncle's like, I always wanted to hot rod it for your aunt.
00:31:02.400 --> 00:31:04.400
And I was like, Well, my plan is to go.
00:31:04.480 --> 00:31:05.759
And he's like, sounds good.
00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:07.359
So, you know, that car started.
00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:09.519
Is that the same uncle that you got the 54?
00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:12.160
That's the same uncle got this truck frame and the 450.
00:31:12.480 --> 00:31:13.200
Does he have his own hot rod?
00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:17.200
He's got the few tons of, yeah, and he's had lots of cars.
00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:21.519
So, you know, he was kind of a good hot rod influence even on dad and myself.
00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:25.279
And so 65 Mustang redid the motor.
00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:26.960
I mean, no, no, no.
00:31:27.359 --> 00:31:28.160
Got rid of the motor.
00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:33.599
I got a 302, yes, you know, stroked out to the 347, put a five-speed in it.
00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:36.160
Everything's new, everything's new except the paint.
00:31:36.400 --> 00:31:39.440
And um, yeah, it's been a great learning car.
00:31:39.519 --> 00:31:43.279
They got, you know, the car community, like I said, you you go to car shows.
00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:44.240
I got some great friends.
00:31:44.720 --> 00:31:47.039
I went to a car show with that and it had a six-cylinder.
00:31:47.359 --> 00:31:52.319
And this guy, my buddy Don, he's we're still friends because I was like, he's like, I got a six-cylinder.
00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:53.599
I'm like, sweet.
00:31:53.680 --> 00:31:54.480
And we became friends.
00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:56.240
I'm like, I'm I'm sorry to burst your bubble.
00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:57.759
I'm gonna get rid of it like immediately.
00:31:58.079 --> 00:31:58.640
Not staying in there.
00:31:58.799 --> 00:32:00.799
It's not staying in this little six-cylinder club.
00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:01.680
He's like, Oh, that's okay.
00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:02.880
I'm thinking about the same thing.
00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:05.279
And honestly, he's his car's been in here too.
00:32:05.440 --> 00:32:08.400
We've had a good time kind of making friends over that.
00:32:08.559 --> 00:32:10.160
And then I went to other car shows.
00:32:10.240 --> 00:32:22.799
I'm I made some other great friends, and Dennis and Glenn, and they're from town, and and they met introduced me to all sorts of people all over the place who who race, who go drag racing, and then uh buying parts for this Mustang.
00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:32.079
I kind of got re-connected with some friends uh that that like I I was just distant with, and he he works at a place where they sell Mustang parts.
00:32:32.160 --> 00:32:34.559
And so Western Motorsports, they're down south.
00:32:34.640 --> 00:32:37.039
And Joel's been a great friend, and he took me autocrossing.
00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:41.680
So I you know took this car to autocross, and then the other guys want me to, yeah, the top.
00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.480
Hold pretty tight.
00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.039
Autocross.
00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:55.599
Oh no, it held great because I mean I've lowered it, I've put new everything shocks, springs, uh, modified the front end, um, and again, just built my own lower control arms on that.
00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:56.799
I have no idea what I'm doing.
00:32:56.880 --> 00:32:59.359
Like, don't take this as I knew what I was doing.
00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:02.720
I actually am surprised it even goes down the street some days.
00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:09.359
Uh, but I did, you know, I have some natural talent to figure things out in a drive that's just just an itch.
00:33:10.000 --> 00:33:12.880
Doesn't it over that difference of not knowing to giving it a go?
00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:13.519
Exactly.
00:33:13.680 --> 00:33:19.039
And I think actually on that, I think that's man, that's I think what holds people back from doing anything.
00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:25.359
Starting a band, starting a business, starting making videos, starting on a car, building something they never heard of.
00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:27.119
Like, just start.
00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:31.599
And I think there's that quote online, get in so deep, you can't dig yourself out, right?
00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:33.759
I think I think that's a good kind of I like that.
00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:35.759
It's a good way of going about it, right?
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:38.000
And and yeah, that you gotta be cautious.
00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:40.480
You don't wanna you don't wanna sell the farm in the process.
00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:48.799
You know, you wanna be wise and I understand business is a little more risky in that world, but start with anything and you know, don't wait for the garage.
00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:52.880
I I built the bought that Mustang in a single car garage.
00:33:53.119 --> 00:33:58.240
I didn't have the tools, I didn't have friends yet, and and now I do, right?
00:33:58.400 --> 00:34:02.000
Like it didn't start with me getting the garage to put everything in.
00:34:02.160 --> 00:34:04.480
You maybe see some pictures in the background, the tools.
00:34:04.640 --> 00:34:25.440
No, the car started that, and it it drove me to want to learn, and it drove me to get tools, and then and then uncles were around and people started to, yeah, just one piece at a time, just start with anything and just kind of see it through the best you can, and whatever that is, you know, instruments, music's been a big part of my life too, playing guitar, and so you just gotta start, and and it grows, right?
00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:31.360
And just be curious, always be curious about whatever it is that you're passionate about.
00:34:31.519 --> 00:34:36.559
And again, I I mean there's lots of people who say find something you're passionate about and that could be your job.
00:34:36.639 --> 00:34:46.960
And I just don't find something you're good at, make money and make sure you like life, but let it provide for what your passions are so you can come home and do this for fun.
00:34:47.119 --> 00:34:50.719
Yeah, and I I don't have to stress about that car not running.
00:34:50.800 --> 00:34:52.320
I don't I have no no worries.
00:34:52.480 --> 00:34:53.599
I'll tear it apart.
00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:57.840
It's actually apart right now, and uh the truck runs, so that's good enough.
00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:10.400
And you know, I'll I'll put it back together, but there's stuff pulling apart that I want to change or I want to fix or make better, and that curiosity, that constant just like I want to make it better, yeah, is what drives me to keep going.
00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:16.480
And I think that's what drove me to just keep going with the truck is to get it done, get dad driving in it.
00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:21.920
And uh it's cool, it's just a cruiser, the Mustang, something that goes fast, and that's a blast.
00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:25.119
And I can say I built it with my own hands, and that's I'm really proud of that.
00:35:25.199 --> 00:35:27.440
Or I'm that that's what drives me actually.
00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:29.360
It's not even a I'm not even proud.
00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:32.880
I don't I don't show these off actually that often.
00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:35.599
They kind of sit here, but I drive them, and that's what I want to do.
00:35:35.760 --> 00:35:44.880
But I'm very satisfied that I I took something and I had a vision or I had a dream or I saw something else, and I made my own version.
00:35:45.599 --> 00:35:57.840
To me, that's that's the goal is that journey to build something or make something that's my own that it doesn't need to be as good as the completed overly priced object.
00:35:57.920 --> 00:36:02.719
Yeah, the overly priced guitar, the overly priced guitar car or truck or race car.
00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:06.800
Like I I love I was talking about that C8, and my brother-in-law has one.
00:36:06.880 --> 00:36:15.199
I've been privileged to drive one, and actually they're very well priced, but you know, it's in the world of sports cars, in the world of sports cars, it's it's very affordable.
00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:20.239
In the real world, maybe of living in air dry, you know, there's a few people that do, but not everybody does, right?
00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:26.480
And it and there's faster cars and more cars, and I get that, but we we can't even take them to their full capacity.
00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:34.559
They're they're monsters and they need to be on a track where gotta be honest, that Mustang isn't as fast around a track, but it feels like it.
00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:38.480
Yeah, and you put somebody in it and you put someone in this truck and they're like, what are we doing?
00:36:38.639 --> 00:36:48.400
Like 4,000, you know, because it's like so loud and raw, and they're just and other guys and making my dad laugh in it or something like that, and making them giggle or slide them across the seat.
00:36:48.559 --> 00:36:55.039
You know, it's just it's just uh a different, it's a different desire there for sure, but I'm very lucky.
00:36:55.440 --> 00:37:02.000
Yeah, it's fun and it's it's living and growing and enjoying the journey, is what I'm hearing.
00:37:02.239 --> 00:37:10.000
Yeah, there's a lot to for other people to be encouraged by in your story and to be to see little steps that they can take.
00:37:10.320 --> 00:37:18.320
Yeah, just little steps like we're just we just grew up in an airdry, you know, and uh maybe that's maybe that's big, maybe that's little.
00:37:18.480 --> 00:37:25.599
And there's probably some people coming around the world coming to airgy and realizing that, but you know, that's we just stayed somewhere steady.
00:37:26.159 --> 00:37:34.400
You know, things around us changed, but we just uh kind of kept moving forward and talking about my dad and grew up on the farm and you just had to take one step forward.
00:37:34.480 --> 00:37:36.239
And I think you guys were talking about it too.
00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:45.119
Sometimes you know, you regret some choices in the past, but you can't really can't dwell on it because you are here because of those things you learn from those those choices.
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:51.920
And yeah, there's mistakes, but you know, what you do about it after the mistake will overcome any mistake, right?
00:37:52.000 --> 00:38:05.519
It's like what do you persevere or step up and and and maybe redeem or or repent of maybe something you did wrong, I understand that, but like at the same time, you know, we look back and we oh, I shouldn't have sold that or shouldn't have done that.
00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:08.480
You know, it is what it is, and you just got to keep moving forward.
00:38:08.559 --> 00:38:24.719
And yeah, like I got friends who I grew up down the street in airdry, and we just ran around on our bicycles and went down the path and went to school here and and just did life and grew up, and then now I have two boys of my own and I'm still living in Airdrie, and I got some cool cars in the garage.
00:38:24.960 --> 00:38:27.039
Great, but still got those good friends.
00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:35.679
I make new friends with the car community or or or my friends who've just been in this community, and life is is is that simple if you let it be.
00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:36.960
You just keep moving forward.
00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:37.679
Yeah, right.
00:38:38.079 --> 00:38:42.719
What's what do you want your boys to pull away from watching you tinker in the garage here and having them with you?
00:38:42.880 --> 00:38:46.000
Yeah, yeah, they're a little young to want to really come out here.
00:38:46.079 --> 00:38:47.679
I think the older one could.
00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:50.480
You could see the desire isn't quite there.
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:55.280
So as I remember with the old man, he really likes golf and curling.
00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:57.199
He's talked a lot about curling back there.
00:38:57.360 --> 00:39:03.599
I gotta be honest, I didn't care too much, and he knows that, and so I curled a little bit, but it wasn't like something I was passionate about.
00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:07.599
So, in the same sense, I remember like my boys.
00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:11.119
I hope they just learn that there's work ethic in their blood, right?
00:39:11.280 --> 00:39:18.239
I think they if they can see dad work hard on something and complete it, then I hope that inspires them to do something on their own.
00:39:18.639 --> 00:39:20.239
I don't know if they'll be into cars.
00:39:20.480 --> 00:39:25.039
It'd be a shame for them, um, because dad's got some cool things in the garage.
00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:28.719
I I think they'll I think they'll look back and be like, what the heck?
00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:32.800
And I I pinch myself looking here now, just like, what the heck?
00:39:32.960 --> 00:39:39.280
Like when I was a little kid, I would have just loved to be here doing something on the drill press or getting the air compressor going, and who knows?
00:39:39.440 --> 00:39:40.559
I probably would have got in trouble.
00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:44.000
But yeah, uh, yeah, just doing stuff, right?
00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:47.199
And I think I think I hope my boy learned some work ethic.
00:39:47.360 --> 00:39:53.760
Um, but at least they they learn that they can put their if they put their mind to something, they can do it, right?
00:39:54.159 --> 00:39:56.079
And uh, I'm not gonna force them into this.
00:39:56.159 --> 00:39:57.199
That's not my goal.
00:39:57.519 --> 00:40:04.079
Um, I'm not gonna force them I I wouldn't I wouldn't discourage them, you know, or even ones like, hey, I'm gonna be a mechanic.
00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:08.320
I I think there's nothing wrong with that role, but I'm also not gonna you're gonna be a mechanic and here's everything you need.
00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:09.119
No, it's none of that.
00:40:09.199 --> 00:40:13.519
It's just they gotta find their own path, and I hope that they just uh go looking for it.
00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:16.320
Yeah, that's a great way to put it.
00:40:16.480 --> 00:40:19.840
And uh but uh yeah, I think that's a great way to cap off this part of it.
00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:25.119
Like we could talk cars forever, but I I'll put a little end to this and tie bow on it.
00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:26.320
This is really good though.
00:40:26.480 --> 00:40:28.480
I love I love the connection.
00:40:28.960 --> 00:40:35.840
I think a lot of people can see themselves in your story and connect and be encouraged by it and hopefully be good role models, and it's really good.
00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:36.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:37.199
Absolutely.
00:40:37.679 --> 00:40:38.239
That's been it.
00:40:38.480 --> 00:40:40.159
Robert, thanks so much for being on this with me.
00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:41.199
Yeah, thanks for having us.
00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:44.159
Thanks for welcoming us into your garage, and yeah, you're welcome.
00:40:44.400 --> 00:40:45.280
Yeah, really enjoyed this.
00:40:46.000 --> 00:40:47.920
That's it for Airdre Inside today.
00:40:48.159 --> 00:40:49.360
I'm Britton Ludingham.
00:40:49.760 --> 00:40:52.480
Please join Chris and I for more episodes coming up soon.