WINNIPEG — The bright green colours of Jean Marc Lacasse’s 1955 GMC shine bright under the lights of the World of Wheels Winnipeg auto show, but just over a year ago, the same vehicle was left in pieces at the scene of a near tragedy.
Enjoying the drive home in the GMC truck from an auto show in Winnipeg Beach, Lacasse and his partner Heather Harding were struck by another vehicle, running a stop sign in 2015.
“The impact pushed everything back. The truck was twisted pretty bad,” Lacasse said.
The truck was hit on the passenger side, where Harding was sitting, with no airbags to protect her.
“I went into the dash, hit my head on the windshield, and you’re just stunned,” Harding said.
No one was injured in the crash, but insurance companies wrote the vehicle off. The damage was estimated at $25,000 dollars, leaving Lacasse with a decision to make.
“I looked at it and said ‘it’s time to rebuild it, that’s all’.”
With the help of Harding, Lacasse had the truck back on the road six months later.
“It’s back together and better than before.”
Now, the couple shares the story with anyone taking a look at the classic vehicle at auto shows like World of Wheels.
The truck is eligible for a number of awards during the weekend.
The show is open to the public, and wraps up Sunday at 6 p.m.