Originally, Richard Almanza wanted a wagon, but that all changed after scoping out a few trucks at the Pomona Swapmeet. So when he put the word out that he was in search of a truck, it was his brother-in-law who found one sitting in Redlands. The truck was in rough condition and had definitely seen better days, but Richard had a vision for it so he hauled it off in his trailer and got to work. After addressing all mechanical issues, Richard put the Chevy on a four year road test before starting on the two-year, frame-off restoration. 

The day the truck rolled out of paint, Richard was excited to show his brother-in-law. Tragically, that very same day, his brother was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident. 

“For me, this is more than a truck. It’s a part of our family. The truck represents a tradition, and my brother-in-law finding it was the last thing he did for us, so it means a lot,” says Richard. He adds, “I would never sell it. Besides, I already promised my daughter Ricky that she would get it.”

As a former welder/ fabricator turned Project Manager. Richard did a lot of the work himself including the c-notch, wood flooring in the bed, and the custom three-link air bag setup. From the start, Richard knew he wanted the truck to last and the only way he knew how to make it happen was to do a complete frame-off restoration.