>>>
>>> AN
>>> AN ERA IS ENDING IN THE LITTLE TOWN IN PRINZBURG
MINNESOTA, NO LONGER WILL PAEP
HEAR THE RUMBLE OF BOB'S PICKUP
TRUCK.
TRUCK.
TRUCK. WHAT IS LEFT IS A GOOD STORY.
NOW, MADE EVEN BETTER.
BOYD HUPPERT EXPLAINS.
>> Reporter: MICHAEL J. FOX IN
A DELORIAN, THIS IS NOT.
BUT IT IS GOING BACK, AND SO
ARE WE.
ARE WE.
ARE WE. >> A 1957 HALF-TON CHEVROLET
PICKUP.
PICKUP.
PICKUP. >> Reporter: THAT IS BOB
SPORTAL, FIVE WINTERS AGO, WHEN
WE FIRST SHARED THE STORY OF
THE TRUCK HE PURCHASED IN HIS
EARLY 20s FROM A RETIRING
FARMER.
FARMER.
FARMER. >> I BOUGHT IT FOR $75.
>> Reporter: $75, FOR A RAM
SHACKLED PICKUP HE THEN DROVE
TO WORK THE NEXT 38 YEARS UNTIL
THE DAY HE RETIRED.
>> BECOMES A PART OF YOU, I
DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT.
>> Reporter: BOB'S TRUCK IS NO
SPEEDSTER, BUT TIME FLEW.
>> TRUCK IS RUNNING GOOD, YEAH.
>> Reporter: HIS 57th, IS NOW
63, REMAINING STEEL, AS IN THE
AS GAS STATION TOILET PAPER,
ITS EXHAUST AND RATTLES, A
CLATTERING SYMPHONY
CLATTERING SYMPHONY REVERBERATING THROUGH
REVERBERATING THROUGH PRINZBURG, THE TRUCK'S ONLY
SOUNDTRACK.
SOUNDTRACK. >> THERE IS NO RADIO, NEVER
WAS, THIS IS WHERE IT WOULD
HAVE BEEN.
HAVE BEEN. IT IS A REAL MAN'S TRUCK.
YOU DON'T GET SOFT DESCRIBEING
THIS ONE.
THIS ONE.
THIS ONE. >> Reporter: YOU DO GRIND THE
GEARS OF YOUR WIFE.
>> IT IS GETTING MORE AND MORE
WARN OUT.
WARN OUT.
WARN OUT. >> THESE HOLES, THIS IS WHERE
THE PARKING LIGHTS WERE.
>> BRAKES AREN'T WORKING VERY
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. >>
WELL. >> JUST RUSTED OUT.
>> GRAND KIDS WANT A RIDE, AND,
WHAT IF THE DOOR POPS OPEN?
>> CATCHES ON HERE A LITTLE
BIT.
BIT.
BIT. >>
BIT. >> I
BIT. >> I USUALLY HEAR IT AT LEAST
ONCE A WEEK, TWICE A WEEK.
>> I WANT SPACE, YEAH.
>> WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET
RID OF IT?
NEED THE ROOM IN THE GARAGE.
>> Reporter: WHICH IS WHY THE
TRAILER NOW SITS IN 41 FRONT
OF BOB'S TRUCK, THE TRAILER
KECKED TO TOM'S TRUCK.
>> DID YOU THINK THIS DAY WOULD
COME?
COME?
COME? >>
COME? >> NO.
>> NO.
>> NO. >>
>> NO. >> Reporter: TOM LEEND STRA,
GRANDSON OF THE LATE JOHN
VANDER VENE, THE FARMER WHO
SOLD HIS TRUCK FOR $75.
>> I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS
FOR 10 OR 12 YEARS.
>> HIS RELATIVES GOT OVEN ME.
>> NOBODY HAPPIER THAN KATHY
RIGHT NOW.
RIGHT NOW. >> Reporter: NEGOTIATIONS WENT
SWIFTLY.
SWIFTLY.
SWIFTLY. >> $75.
>> $75.
>> $75. >> Reporter: BOB COULD HAVE
GOTTEN MORE.
GOTTEN MORE. >> HE GOT IT FOR $75, AND HE IS
SELLING IT FOR $75.
SO THAT IS GOOD.
>> MORE THAN JUST A TRUCK TO
YOU.
YOU.
YOU. >>
YOU. >> YEAH.
>> YEAH.
>> YEAH. LIKE RIDING WITH MY GRANPA
AGAIN.
AGAIN.
AGAIN. >>
AGAIN. >> Reporter: TOM WAS 9 WHEN HIS
GRANDPA SOLD THE TRUCK IN HIS
50s.
50s.
50s. >>
50s. >> I
50s. >> I WISH HE COULD BE HERE.
>> Reporter: AS IT IS COMING
BACK.
BACK.
BACK. >>
BACK. >> THAT IS GOOD.
>> Reporter: ACTUALLY, BETTER
THAN GOOD.
THAN GOOD. >> AWESOME.
>> AWESOME. >> THIS IS IT.
I AM DONE.
>> Reporter: THE SATISFACTION
ONE FEELS HAVING DONE--
>> IF I DON'T FALL OFF OF HERE.
>> Reporter: THE RIGHT THING.
>> HERE ARE THE KEYS.
>> THANK YOU, SIR.
>> Reporter: THE KEYS TOM'S
GRANDPA ONCE CARRIED IN THE
POCKET OF HIS OVERALLS.
>> ISN'T THAT SOMETHING?
>> AND THE 57 CHEVY LEAVING
TOWN DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD THAT
CAME FULL CIRCLE.
>> JUST DMRAD YOU ARE GETTING
IT.
IT.
IT. >>
IT. >> Reporter: BOYD HUPPERT,
KARE11 NEWS.
KARE11 NEWS. >> SOME THINGS ARE JUST
PRICELESS.
PRICELESS. THE TRUCK IS NOW AT HOME, IN
WILLMAR, TOM SAYS HE MAY
REPLACE THE SUSPENSION AND THE
ENGINE AT SOME POINT, BUT FOR
NOW HIS PLANS ARE SIMPLE: HE
IS GOING TO DRIVE HIS GRANDPA'S
TRUCK, JUST THE WAY IT IS.
VERY COOL.
VERY COOL. GREAT STUFF, RIGHT?
>> YEAH, I MEAN-- IT IS THOSE
FAMILY MOMENTOES, RELICS, THEY
JUST MEAN SO MUCH IN THE
FAMILY.
FAMILY.
FAMILY. >> REMINES ME WHEN MY DAD AND I
GO FISHING, THERE IS A WALL EYE
HUMP WE CALL THE 57 CHEVY
BECAUSE WE ALWAYS SNAG WINDY
RIGS ON IT, LIKE THERE IS A