Page 8 - Issue 44

Buddy has built cars before,
including a chopped 1930 Model
A before starting on this project.
While building the A in Georgia,
his father Rudy was slowly
succumbing to the ravages
of cancer in Texas. What kept
Rudy going was photo updates
every few days on the project.
Unbeknownst to his father, Buddy
trailered the fi nished car to Dallas
so he could go for a rip in it with
him. After that wonderful moment,
Buddy revealed to his father what
his next project was going to be.
“But it’s so ugly”, said Buddy’s
father in disbelief. “It’ll be really
sharp”, Buddy promised. Sadly,
Buddy lost both his father and
his sister Becky Alford to cancer
before the pickup was completed.
“I talked to these two more
than anyone”, says Buddy. “It felt
so strange to build without them
around”. He says that this was an
emotional build, and that it really
took on his feelings at the time.
His faith also helped him through,
as evidenced by the crown of
thorns and “Clean Sweep Co.”
lettering on the door, referring to
the Resurrection. There is also a
quote from the scriptures on the
cab: Ezekiel 37:5-6:
This is what the sovereign Lord
says to these bones / I will make
breath enter you and you will
come to life / then you will know I
am the Lord
Buddy draws a parallel
between that and the act of
putting this truck together,
starting it up, and driving it, and it
makes sense.
And when that truck does start
to breathe it does so via a 6-71
blower atop a 383 stroker built by
Buddy himself. It’s backed by a
Turbo 350 and sends the power

8 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE FORTY-FOUR

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