The best way to learn about cars is to just do it.

That’s the mentality, or at least it was when my father grew up in the ‘70s. Although most kids I knew when I was 15 only learned about cars from video games, I’m glad I had someone to help me get to know my first truck inside and out before I was even legal to drive.

In the summer of 2004, as I was patiently waiting for my license the following spring, I began to play with the idea of buying my own vehicle instead of borrowing my parent’s cars.

When I found my diamond in the rough, I couldn’t refuse.

A farmer inmazda the area had owned the truck since new, but when the catalytic converter failed the emissions test, he parked it. At some point during its abandonment he had also managed to hit the bed with a tractor, which crushed one side severely. From what we could gather, that was the majority of the concerns.

The farmer had virtually no mechanical knowledge. “It’s scrap!” he said, and let my father haggle him down to $175 for the truck in cash.

My learning experience had begun. The box came off and I made two friends really quickly: the grinder, and the sandblaster. Harsh winters are cruel to small pickups, most of the other Mazda’s wound up in scrap yards with split frames. Mine had a solid frame and I intended to keep it that way.

I was lucky enough to find a parts truck at a local auto recycler, and for only another $300 I bought a new bed. It was in perfect condition, and the late owner had just happened to put a brand new exhaust on shortly before his passing.

Although for less than $500, I had pretty much built a reliable vehicle, I had time to wait before I could drive, so my father began teaching me some other valuable procedures like brake lines, and windshield replacement.

The following spring I had two things on my mind, my license, and painting the pickup. In March 2005 I was finally able to get my license, and as the weather warmed, I began sanding, and priming, and sanding… and priming.

In July of that year my father passed away leaving both me, and the Mazda project, pretty much sunk. I no longer had the guidance nor the enthusiasm I needed to finish it.

My family moved out of our big farmhouse with the workshop into a small townhouse with a one car garage. I took Dad’s truck, a ’98 Chevy C1500 with a hungry 5.0L V8, not a bad set of wheels, and the Mazda got put on the back burner.

In 2007, I graduated high school more interested in cars than ever. I spent all of my time in the technology departments, but I focused mainly on transportation.

I immediately began an apprenticeship in the automotive industry. I was hired at a Ford dealership, and got to do a lot of advanced work for a first year apprentice. I now had the facility, tools, and knowledge to finish what I’d started.

I spent the summer of 2008 driving a cobbled together Camaro, and decided to finish the Mazda for that winter because it had four wheel drive, and my car was a death trap and it was an unfinished task, and it was mocking me.

Dealer plates from the sales department brought the truck to our facility, and I began to chip away at it when the shop was slow.

Since the truck had been sitting in a barn for nearly two years, there were several new issues to be addressed before the truck would pass a safety test. Soon I had replaced all four shocks, the emergency brake cable, brake shoes and hardware, the fuel tank and fuel pump, the radiator, all the wiring to the rear lights, and I performed a full tune up.

With all the safety items green lighted, I insured and temporarily plated the vehicle in September and anxiously took my pride and joy for its first emissions test.

Although my hopes weren’t extremely high, the results were more dismal than I expected. It seemed that time had taken its toll on the once new exhaust, and it would have to be replaced yet again.

There was no getting around it this time, I was breaking down and buying a new catalytic converter which cost me about $250, more than I initially paid for the truck!

On a Friday morning when our shop was extremely slow, I went off the clock and decided I’d give myself the day to finish the exhaust. I started to entertain different ideas of making a custom exhaust, and immediately began thinking of ways I could fit something huge like a Mustang muffler on my little 4 cylinder.

Over in our body shop, a special edition “Midnight Black” ‘09 Lincoln Zephyr lay battered and broken from a collision, and was getting a new exhaust on warranty. The Zephyr is Ford’s 263hp luxury car, and this one happened to belong to the dealership owner. Not a bell-or-whistle was spared on this model, including the 3.5L V6, and the dual exhaust with chrome tips that was now mine.

 

Following an afternoon with the cutting torches and MIG welder, the dual exhaust system, which was once nearly as wide as my little truck, was now a foot and a half narrower, came to a Y-pipe and ran through my brand new cat.

Other than the unique new look my truck now had, the huge mufflers from the v6 made the truck virtually noiseless at idle, but when revved gave the sort of smooth growl you’d expect from a BMW. Like something small and angry.

I attempted another emissions test the following day, but failed again because the new exhaust needed time to get broken in. I used the remainder of the ten days the truck was legal to put some mileage on the new cat and take care of one other vital aspect: paint.

Another full day off the clock dedicated to sanding had the truck smooth enough to enter a booth. Our shop’s painter offered to spray my truck that night for free because I was a good apprentice, and another mechanic donated a few gallons of gloss white enamel paint.

The next morning I had a brand new truck.

I spent the following morning carefully painting and installing the grill and bumpers and took one final successful attempt at an emissions test.

 

The father son project I had started and abandoned years before was finally finished, and I had a new set of wheels.

 

 

By Nate Waterfalls

Nate is a young journalist and experienced freelance writer from the Niagara Falls area.

After initially starting in the auto industry, he has committed to combine his passion for cars and music with his aptitude for communication.

 

 

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