There’s a handsome new man in town that’s turning heads. Plano and Frisco residents may catch a glimpse of him zooming around town. He’s more than a truck. He is a truck with a past. His story began 52 years ago when this one owner C10 was purchased in Irving, Texas by a young couple, Nick and Sally Cohen who celebrated 53 years of marriage together before Mr. Cohen passes away.
A Frisco Couple who inherited the truck fulfilled their dream in December. In a celebration at Jorg’s Café Vienna in Plano, Bill and Heather Perry celebrated the end of a year-long restoration of Heather’s dad’s 1967 Chevrolet C10. The truck was her dad Nick’s daily driver for over 30 years. “Dad dreamed about restoring the truck and kept him in the garage for the last 20 years with the intention of restoring him. We were big fans of the Dallas based show Fast and Loud and started considering our own potential project sitting in my parent’s garage. Unfortunately, Dad passed away before we could start the project. However, this truck is the most touching tribute to my dad. Daddy would be so happy to see his “OL RED 67” rolling on the road again,” said Heather Perry.
Nick and Sally Cohen of Lewisville purchased the truck the year before their daughter Heather was born. “Daddy drove Red to pick me up from first grade in this truck. We pulled my uncle’s boat to family vacations with Red…He was always in the background woven into the tapestry of our family and our lives. The truck mirrors my dad in every fashion. He was strong, dependable and cherished. Every time I ride in him, I feel my dad’s spirit and my memories take me back to my childhood when life was carefree. He may have a lot more bling now, but down deep, he’s the same.” Said Mrs. Perry. “My favorite verse that comes to mind when I reflect on my dad and this project is 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! Just as my dad left to walk with the Lord and is restored, Ol Red has been transformed on this beautiful earth as a tribute to the man I had the honor to call daddy. They have both been reborn.”
“We had no less than 6 offers to purchase him after my father passed, but I can’t imagine my life without this old man in it.” Said Mrs. Perry. Finding the right shop to complete a total restoration was a challenge. The Perry’s took a friend’s recommendation to call Scot McMillan owner of Scot Rods Garage in South Ft. Worth. Some may recognize Scot from the local Dallas series Fast and Loud. One meeting with Scot and they were sold. “Scot and I both served in different branches of the military, but we were both veterans and had an immediate connection. Scot’s motto is ‘Correct is the only option.’ I was sold.” Said Mr. Perry. A few days later, the tow truck arrived to load Ol Red on the wrecker and the process began. “We started this restoration 5 short months after my dad had passed. Seeing him disassembled at Scot’s Garage broke my heart, even though I knew he was coming back to us. Scot and his fiancé Kelly Rodriguez played an integral role in this restoration. We knew we wanted a complete restoration but didn’t have a vision for the project. They were great partners. Our daughter wanted an original restoration, but we decided it was time to kick it up a notch and chose restomod.” Said Mrs. Perry. “Our daughter’s response was ‘Great! So when you die, I get to restore him again to original!’ Oh, from the mouths of babes! Yes, we laughed. It still doesn’t feel real when I see him in our garage or when I’m driving him down the road.” Said Mr. Perry.
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“We hadn’t seen the finished truck before Scot drove him to Jorg’s Café Vienna for the big reveal party December 15, 2018. We wanted to celebrate at my granddad’s favorite restaurant and feel so blessed that Jorg and Cathy Fercher opened their restaurant to us for this celebration. Jorg and Cathy are special friends and prepared a traditional Austrian feast for us and 50 guests. The night was a dream.” Said Sophie Perry, a Senior at Legacy Christian Academy.
“The restoration didn’t come without it’s challenges.” Said Scot McMillan. “The Perry’s knew that this truck would pass to Nick’s 5’ granddaughter one day. When we relocated the gas tank under the bed of the truck, we had to solve the mystery of where we would put the gas filler. It took hours of research and development to build it behind the tail light so Sophie could reach it after she inherits the truck. It’s just one of the special features of the truck that sets it apart from other restorations. It also has the original seats that I had never seen before. The buddy bucket vs. the standard bench seats were unique.” Said Scot. “The 1967 body was the first year of a radical change in the body style of the Chevrolet truck. The Cohen’s were told that the buddy bucket seats were one of only 250 trucks manufactured with these seats so I knew we had to preserve them.”
“The Perry’s are special customers and helping them complete this project was an honor. Of all the trucks we’ve done, this is one of our favorites.” Said Kelly Rodriguez of Scot Rod’s Garage. We’ve already scheduled the truck for auto shows in Texas. He’ll be traveling to Conroe, Texas for a show in February and Texas Motor Speedway in May for the annual C10 show. We hope enthusiast will love him as much as we do.”
