Sometimes you can gain no greater satisfaction in life than to sit back, close your eyes, and remember when. With the flickering sound of an old movie projector echoing in the back of your mind, it's easy to relive some of those most memorable moments that bring a true smile to your face.
For John Griffith of Hanson, Massachusetts, hearing an old AM radio crackling on the porch as he spent time at his grandparents' farm in West Virginia in his early years brings back memories of when he first became consumed with classic trucks. Monday was always horse and cattle auction day, when his grandfather would head into town along with his neighbor, who just so happened to own a '49 Chevy pickup. To John, that truck held such a high power that it consumed every thought in his young mind. Sure, it was just a farm truck, but whenever he had a chance to sit in the bed or, better yet, go for a ride, his world went from black and white to full Technicolor...you get the picture! Graduating from high school in '67, John's first ride came in the form of a sweet '55 Chevy as a gift from his dad, but as time moved forward he's always had a pickup in the stable.
Never forgetting his roots, John relocated to Massachusetts and was able to find a small farm to keep his dream alive as he raised his family and ran a business. The only thing that was missing from the mix was that darn '49 that still burned in his mind. One day, out of the blue, his brother-in-law Bo rescued the remains of a '53 Chevy hauler from a corn field in rural Connecticut. Bo hauled it to John's place, telling him it was the perfect start to build that vintage Chevy he'd been dreaming about forever. That's all it took to finally give him the push to get busy and build the truck of his dreams.
Everyone from New England knows that thanks to harsh winters, road salt eats vintage steel for a living, and once the '53 was thoroughly checked out, only its doors were salvageable. Armed with a pair of doors and unable to let the memories of the '49 rest, John set out to find a suitable cab and chassis to start a ground-up build. After scouring the area, he finally located an acceptable start for the project that was in decent shape through a local newspaper ad on a '49 cab and chassis. Finally, with the most critical parts of the build coming into place, he could now concentrate on exactly how the ideas for the truck could move forward.
 When John enlisted the help...  When John enlisted the help of Dennis MacPherson of DMC Racing and Peter Newell of Competition Specialties to take on the project, it was a perfect union, because the hauler racked up a killer stance and plenty of attitude that can't be missed. |  In a moment of tranquility...  In a moment of tranquility at Pete's shop, we caught up with John as he put the finishing touches on the new Barry Grant Triple-D SixShooter system atop the hot Chevy mill in his pickup |  The front end is coming together...  The front end is coming together nicely thanks to perfect-fitting reproduction fenders from Chevs of the 40's complemented by a new grille from Jim Carter Classic Truck Parts. DMC installed the frenched headlight conversion from Hagan to give the truck a cleaner front as well as a little more in the personality department. |