(VIDEO) Partial independence from the United States

Monday 8 May, 20:14
General

Video- Owning a vintage car is more than just owning a car. Jan Jacob Veenstra brought a Ford F250 from Arizona. “The sense of freedom, the strength, it’s so beautiful.”

Car is from 1977, so old. They actually used this type of car in America as a farm truck that could pull heavy carts and carry a lot of stuff. “Besides I think they’re beautiful cars, I wanted to know how it worked to get a car here,” says John Jacob. “I came into contact with a Dutchman who was traveling through America and buying cars there through Marktplats. With his help I brought the car to the Netherlands. Four months later, the car was actually in the driveway.

Fixer upper

Once in the Netherlands, John Jacob decided to completely renovate the car from the outside. “The truck is ‘bone dry,’ and that goes for the gaskets and seals, so there’s still a drop of oil coming out left and right, but I’ll definitely deal with that. The doors once came from another truck; one door was white, the other green. That’s why I sprayed the outside. From car 77.” You can see what came in, so they didn’t tighten it all the way up. Also, new tires were put on. The engine was already running fine, so I didn’t do anything about it.

The couch inside was so worn that John Jacob pulled it out. Like a carpet. “I ordered a new cover for the sofa, a new ceiling and a new carpet. The good thing about this truck is that its little brother, the F150, is one of the best-selling cars in the world. This means you can get all the parts that fit in mine.

Renewal may take some time, but it brings peace and joy. “I have a technical background, but in my current job I spend a lot of time behind a computer or on the road. It’s extra fun to retreat to the garage for a while. Put on some music and do some work. Making something old look good again.

Freedom and memories

According to John Jacob, this car gives a little freedom and brings back memories. In the 1980s, many farmers migrated to the United States and Canada in search of happiness. That’s what John Jacob’s parents did at the time, and that’s what he got from his 2^e For his 7^e Lived in America. “We had a ‘farm’ there and there were pick-ups. I think that’s part of the feeling you want to get back. I’ve been back a few times and I really like those big cars, the space and that free feeling.”

“It’s a big car, it has a good presence. The cab can go in the back, dirt bikes can go in the back, the surfboard can come in, the whole family can sit in the front. It even has power steering. They already had it in the US in the 1970s. These things definitely create a feeling of love.