"Now, new generations are going to get to see these vehicles and know they were part of Route 66 and special to the meaning behind it."
A U-Haul truck that is special to the history of Route 66 has been restored to its original working condition.
Students and instructors at Francis Tuttle Technology Center have been working on the truck for three and a half months. Auto Collision Repair Technology students brought the truck's exterior back to life with dent and hole repairs and a new paint job, while Auto Service Technology students installed new parts and got the engine running again.
The truck bears a mural painted by Bob Waldmire, an American artist who was inspired by the sights and stories of Route 66. The mural includes a general map of Route 66 from Chicago, through Oklahoma, and finally out west to Los Angeles.
“I’m so excited that it has turned out so well,” Clint Drabek, Instructor for Auto Collision Repair Technology at Francis Tuttle, said. “I can’t wait for the people at the Route 66 Association to see the final product.”
Waldmire completed the mural in 2008. The truck was acquired by Oklahomans Ken and Marian Clark in 2009 and then by the Afton Station Packard Museum in 2019. It was then bought by the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and sat along the road for several years.
For the centennial, the association sought to have the truck restored so it could be driven and appear at several events. Drabek, who is a member of the Route 66 Association, offered to have his students and Automotive Service students at Francis Tuttle to take the lead role in the restoration.
“They were so enthusiastic about this project and really bought into it,” Drabek said. “They’ve had so much fun. And they got to be part of something bigger.”
The process of fixing the truck included several crucial steps, including removing almost every part of its exterior and making sure the motor could operate again. It received a brand new gas tank, dashboard, floorboard, wheels and tires, and door handles.
“It was a great opportunity for the students to do work that we don’t normally get to do,” Drabek said. “It was very unique. At the same time, this one project covered just about every area of the curriculum.”
The truck will now take part in a caravan traveling Route 66 in honor of its centennial. It will be driven across Oklahoma – and potentially farther – but is final home will be back in the state along Route 66.
Drabek’s class also restored a 1940s fire truck for the City of Wellston by updating special parts and exterior lights and giving it a new paint job. Both of these vehicles will now serve as pieces of history along a stretch of road that served a special role in U.S. history.
“I’m just thankful to have been part of it,” Drabek said. “And now, new generations are going to get to see these vehicles and know they were part of Route 66 and special to the meaning behind it.”