chevynut
07-11-2013, 10:46 AM
Some of you may recall a post I made last year about my friend Dale, and his 55 Chevy sedan. I have known Dale since junior high, and he's had his 55 since that time. We were pretty good friends in high school, and were both interested in cars. At the time his car was a gasser, with a 36 plymouth straight axle. I loved the look.
We lost contact with each other for years after graduating, and I would see him every reunion and chat a little. Two years ago we talked again at our class reunion and Dale seemed to be doing well. A few months later, somehow we contacted each other again and began discussing my new shop addition. Dale is a contractor, so he offered to help me. He came by with his 55 one day, and opened the hood for me....under it sat a Duramax diesel and Allison transmission out of a Silverado truck. He had it tuned to some ungodly torque and took me for a ride in it. It has a C3 Corvette rear that held up fine, and he said I was all smiles riding in it.
I found out when he came over that Dale just completed surgery and chemotherapy for throat cancer. He was still weak, but he worked hard helping me build the shop. It seemed like he was recovering well last summer, but I just learned this spring that the cancer came back. It went into his bones, and they gave him 3-6 months. I went to see him a couple weeks ago, and he was really weak, and depressed.
Here's a video of his "last ride" in his '55. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foOLcD9v3zM
I don't know how long Dale has left, but it really makes you think about your life and how fast things can change.
Dale always said "we all end up in the same place", so it kinda hits home. I just lost my Dad in February of this year due to dumbass doctors bungling his medical care, so it was a double shock for me. Neither of these two guys was ready to go yet.
Here's Dale's car...also see the video above.
2051 2052
We lost contact with each other for years after graduating, and I would see him every reunion and chat a little. Two years ago we talked again at our class reunion and Dale seemed to be doing well. A few months later, somehow we contacted each other again and began discussing my new shop addition. Dale is a contractor, so he offered to help me. He came by with his 55 one day, and opened the hood for me....under it sat a Duramax diesel and Allison transmission out of a Silverado truck. He had it tuned to some ungodly torque and took me for a ride in it. It has a C3 Corvette rear that held up fine, and he said I was all smiles riding in it.
I found out when he came over that Dale just completed surgery and chemotherapy for throat cancer. He was still weak, but he worked hard helping me build the shop. It seemed like he was recovering well last summer, but I just learned this spring that the cancer came back. It went into his bones, and they gave him 3-6 months. I went to see him a couple weeks ago, and he was really weak, and depressed.
Here's a video of his "last ride" in his '55. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foOLcD9v3zM
I don't know how long Dale has left, but it really makes you think about your life and how fast things can change.
Dale always said "we all end up in the same place", so it kinda hits home. I just lost my Dad in February of this year due to dumbass doctors bungling his medical care, so it was a double shock for me. Neither of these two guys was ready to go yet.
Here's Dale's car...also see the video above.
2051 2052