Pictures of our trucks over the years - I'll start!

[Ape0r]

I thought it would be interesting to share these images and a bit about myself, thought it might make for a cool thread.

 

My parents, generous as they are, gave me my truck for my 18th birthday. I had been driving my sister's old pickup. My dad ordered it to my exact specifications (WHY DIDN'T I GET AN EXTENDED CAB!!!). The day my mom drove me down to pick it up, I locked up the G80 pulling out of the dealership and skidded across a lane or two of the road. Good start. Two miles.

 

Here I am with my truck in December 2003. Pardon the toolish nature of the picture, most kids are weird:

 

My uncle and I slapped a grille gaurd on there at Christmas. Here is my truck with my sister's work's truck in Winter 2004:

 

I upgraded my truck slowly. Here she is in Fall of 2006 getting ready for some new rims, at maybe 47k:

 

In Winter of 2008 I took a bike ride around the town I lived in at the time, as a senior at Virginia Tech. I took pictures of anything and everything, to share with others in a thread not unlike this one and show them where I lived. Caught my truck in a picture from my apartment building. This was about a year after the April 16 tragedy. A lot of our lives changed that day.

 

Another picture from probably Winter 2008, leaving my parent's house to head back to school. My mom was always the worst about letting me get out the door. Miss her now.

 

That spring some ****er rolled a car into my truck, while trying to steal the radio [from the car]. I fractured two vertebrae a week or two later in a mountain bike crash, and had to pay to have someone else fix it - something I have RARELY done with my truck.

 

Working in one of the labs, a few weeks into grad school - summer 2009. Backed her in there to use as a workbench. My back still wasn't in very good shape - note my back brace on the right side of the tailgate.

 

Winter of 2009 I took a trip with my new girlfriend to her parent's lake house in Western MD. We had a blast. She tried to teach me to ski. It didn't go very well.

 

This is the house I lived in during my last semester of grad school, pic taken for a subletting ad since I was moving on. Fall of 2009.

 

I was moving on indeed. I had taken a job in California. My girlfriend was to come with. Since they wouldn't pay to ship her car, we let them pay to ship the truck and drove out. Had 104k on it that day. ~December 20, 2009.

 

Labor day weekend 2010 we hit the road again, and headed to Death Valley. Incredible place. Go if you ever have the chance.

 

Last month (Feb 2012) the worst happened (well, not really). I was losing coolant. No idea where to. The diagnosis wasn't pretty, found the coolant in my oil. Cracked cylinder head, NOT of the castech variety. It took 38 man hours to repair (3 guys for ten hours, then me buttoning up, changing oil, flushing coolant, etc). 148.6k.

 

Happily, the patient came out of surgery just fine, and now shows just under 150.2k. A lot has changed since the day my mom and I picked up my truck in October 2003, a week or so after I turned 18. Two college degrees, one broken heart, four nieces, one cross country move, lost my sweet mom to cancer, and now I'm engaged to the girl I went to the lake with in 2009. Proud to say that I've learned to ski - we even have season passes to a Tahoe resort. Didn't learn much from my mountain bike crash, now riding at night

 

The truck is still in fantastic condition, with the refurb heads I put on performing well so far. Never thought I'd ever crack the engine open before the transmission. Has a bad tire making some racket, bit of roughness in the steering.

 

Boys, here's to another 150k from my trusty Chevy truck. It has truly been a part of my life these past 8.5 years. As they say in the ads, "Chevy. Runs Deep."

[69camarorag]

Thanks for sharing your pics and a little bit of yourself with us!

[GPGuy]

Very cool set of pictures and the story to go along with it. Sorry to hear about your loss along the way but the truck still looks great. I'm sure she'd be proud!

 

I'll have to go through a few of my pictures and post something up too...Although my truck's story only spans just short of 4 years. Although to be honest it's crazy to think that it will be 4 years this July...Seems like only yesterday I spotted her on the dealership lot.

[Morgan1986]

Moving story ...

[Chris]

when i got my truck in april 2008. it had 46k on it. my grandmother cosigned and made the down for my birthday

after i moved from california to florida.

stuck in florida sand in spring 2009

truck vs tree 2009

bilstein hd shocks 2010

denali light and led parking lights fall 2011 after i moved back to california

tow mirror upgrade christmas 2011

trans cooler upgrade feb 2012

dump run march 2012

[99silveradoz71]

Great thread...as the saying goes, every picture tells a story

[Chris]

sad thing is i have more to add. recent mods. and my truck was the last real gift from my grandmother before she passed. i just have to get the pics

[ram1067]

finally something worth reading......thanks for sharing!

[Vince Bissonnette]

ApeOr great Idea for a thread. Nice story along with super pics. Like the timeline . Hope others chime in with similar pics and stories. I have had my truck for <3 months. At this point, not much to post for myself.

[KMGZ400]

i remember seeing a post with the picture of your truck on a flatbed a long time ago, good story.

[Big Whiskey]

Great thread!

[RyanbabZ71]

Before and After, electric powered to 6.2 powered . It did a lot of growing up

 

Also before and after the level kit