Son flies across America to buy back his dad’s long-lost 1969 GMC truck and restore it
Published on Feb 03, 2026 at 10:07 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Feb 03, 2026 at 3:29 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A man recently flew across America to buy back the long-lost 1969 GMC truck that belonged to his dad and conducted a heartwarming restoration of the pickup truck.
YouTuber James Lucas Condon, aka TheStradman, remembered the GMC truck that his dad sold many years ago for just $500, describing it as a ‘rust bucket’.
Despite this, he had a strong emotional connection to the pickup truck, which only grew stronger after his father passed away in May 2021.
After hunting for the truck, a tip-off led to one of the most special moments of the YouTuber’s life.
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How Stradman found his dad’s 1969 GMC truck
After two years, thanks to some help from viewers, he received a tip-off that it was in Boston, Massachusetts.
The exact location was a town called Baldwinville.
When they arrived at the potential home, nobody was in, but they left a note for the resident, called Dan, through the letterbox.
Amazingly, the note paid off, and after a call from Dan, James was back out to Baldwinville with brother Nick.
After arriving, they were shown to a 1960s GMC truck, and incredibly, it was his father’s old pickup truck.
In the glovebox, there were even insurance documents made out to James’ parents.
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The classic truck underwent a full restoration
Dan sold James the pickup, and it was trailered back home.
After it arrived home in Utah, TheStradman sent it off to a professional to have it fully restored and back on the road.
Restoration started 18 months ago, and a recent video saw the YouTuber collect the restored truck.
The vehicle was now immaculate, with new Detroit steel wheels and chrome hub caps similar to the originals.
It underwent subtle modernization, such as the new LED headlights and the updated hub caps.
Under the hood, the truck has a crate LS3 V8 engine, which now produces a huge 500hp.
As it is a six-speed manual with rear-wheel drive, it could be quite a handful!
The most remarkable part of the truck isn’t its restoration.
It is how TheStradman found his dad’s old 1969 GMC truck, bought it, and brought it back home once again.
A brief history of GMC
1902: Max Grabowsky founds the Rapid Motor Vehicle Company in Pontiac, Michigan, focusing on commercial trucks; this company eventually becomes the backbone of GMC.
1909: General Motors acquires Rapid Motor Vehicle Company (and later Reliance Motor Car Company) to form the General Motors Truck Company.
1912: The GMC Truck nameplate officially debuts at the New York International Auto Show.
1916: Proving its durability, a GMC truck crosses the United States from Seattle to New York in just 30 days.
1940s: During WWII, GMC shifts production to military vehicles, building nearly 600,000 trucks—including the famous CCKW, nicknamed the ‘Jimmy’.
1999: The brand pivots toward high-end luxury with the launch of the Denali trim on the Yukon, setting the standard for premium trucks and SUVs.
2021: GMC enters the electric era by reviving a legendary nameplate with the all-electric Hummer EV ‘super truck’.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
