Interesting you should post this topic. When I moved to Arizona in 1992, I had some money to spend on a vehicle.
I had my eyes on an S-10 because my dad had an 86 while I was in high school. It had no power steering, which the dealer made him sign an agreement that he wouldn't refuse it from the factory and a 5 speed. My dad learned to drive in 1946 first series 1-1/2 ton Chevy box trucks and believed firmly a truck should be a truck.
When I moved into my apartment complex I saw an old truck in the parking lot. I instantly fell in love with it. I told myself at the time that if it were for sale, I would buy it. Imagine my surprise when two weeks later there was a for sale sign in the window. I talked with the owner and learned that it was a 39 Chevy 3/4 ton. He had done most of the work on it to date after recovering it from a salvage yard in the Phoenix area in 1989. Before he would sell it to me, he gave me driving lessons to make sure I could drive it.
Driving the non-syncronized 4 speed was an immediate challenge, but I bought it anyway. I clearly knew nothing about what I was getting into, but I've kept it ever since and have learned that the only way to add to my knowledge base on this truck is to learn it the hard way. With some help from my now deceased father in law, we found a new (1948) engine for it in lovely Gila Bend, Arizona and put it and maintained it ourselves.
It was a great driver for many years until other priorities (kids, job, the usual) prevented me from driving as often as I would like. Now I drive it only occasionally, but wish I could drive it more!
I am blessed to have a wife who understands what it means to me even if I can't always justify the money I put into it!
