Murray “Tippy” Touchette, a hardworking owner and president of Conroe Machine in Conroe, Texas, was on the hunt for a 1947-1953 Chevy truck with a full steel body and that was mostly done. With little time to spare to work on a project truck, he stumbled upon a beautiful 1951 Chevrolet 3100 that caught his eye on carsonline.com in June of 2012. The color scheme and the detail of the build were just what he was looking for, so he decided to pursue it.

The owner of the truck at the time, Jeff Pletcher, was in Morgantown, West Virginia. Tippy exchanged a few emails with him and flew out with his 14-year-old son, Matthew, to check out the truck. They agreed that if they decided to buy it, they would drive it back to Texas over a three to four day period. What followed was a once-in-a-lifetime road trip that they would never forget.

After meeting Jeff and discussing the complete build and the reason for selling the truck, Tippy and Matthew were behind the wheel in no time, grinning from ear to ear. The truck, with its modern drivetrain and Vintage Air A/C, performed flawlessly on their 1,550-mile journey back to Montgomery, Texas. They drove through West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, and then down to the great state of Texas.

Along the way, they received hundreds of thumbs up and eager admirers always wanted to take pictures and ask about the truck. The road trip provided Tippy and Matthew with quality time to bond and talk about their shared love for cars. It was a great time spent with his son, and they both felt very blessed to have had the opportunity to share it.

This real-life father and son road trip proved that custom trucks can be more than just a vehicle; they can be a bond that lasts a lifetime. Tippy’s pursuit of the perfect truck provided him and his son with an unforgettable experience that they will always cherish.