Minnesota man drove $75 Chevy pickup to work for his entire career of over 38 years
Published on Jan 06, 2026 at 12:19 PM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Jan 06, 2026 at 5:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This Minnesota motorist was in his 20s when he bought a 1957 Chevy pickup truck for just $75, and then spent the next 38 years driving it to and from work.
In his early 20s, Bob Sportel was on the hunt for a cheap runaround for work when he came across a rusty Chevrolet truck.
He initially tried to get the seller to lower his asking price to just $50 before eventually agreeing to $75.
He was hoping to get four years out of the truck, but he ended up getting a whole lot more. The tiny amount of money he had to spend on it during that time left him even more shocked.
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He reckons he added about 300,000 miles onto the Chevy pickup
When Sportel handed over $75 to buy the 1957 Chevy pickup, he had no idea he’d still be using it as his daily driver decades later.
“It kept going so I just kept driving it,” he told Kare 11 back in 2015.
In fact, he ‘kept driving it’ for his entire 38-year long career, driving it to and from Prinsburg Farmer’s Co-op every day, until his retirement.
Sportel told the outlet that when he bought the Chevy, the odometer was broken, so he had no idea how many miles he’d actually racked up in it.
But he guessed it was around 300,000 – not bad for a truck he had originally hoped to get just four years out of.
Incredibly, despite its many years of faithful service, Sportel estimated he had spent less than $1,000 on repairs in almost 40 years.
But that’s not to say the old truck was in great condition.
Inside, the seats were covered in layers of duct tape, while the front lights were kept in place with putty.
The truck had never been garaged during its lifetime, and Sportel had also resisted the urge to repaint it.
Even after retiring, Sportel wasn’t keen on parting with his beloved truck, telling Kare 11 that it had ‘become a part’ of him.
He eventually sold the truck to a very significant new owner
Despite initially holding onto the truck post-retirement, Sportel did eventually sell it on – and for a very fitting price.
In an update in 2020, Kare 11 caught up with Sportel as he revealed he had sold the 1957 Chevy pickup to the grandson of its original owner.
“It’s served its purpose for me and it’s time for somebody else to get some enjoyment out of it,” he said.
So, how much did he want for the vintage vehicle?
Well, Sportel was just happy to make his money back, selling it for $75.
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
