History on wheels

There was a good chance the 1964 Chevy Pickup, stored in the Ag Building of the Jasper County Historical Museum, would not have been showcased in the Greater Newton Area Chamber of Commerce’s Fourth of July Parade this year.

Luckily, someone had found the keys, much to the delight of Jack Maples, who sat in the passenger seat of the light blue pickup truck to wave at spectators during the Thursday morning Independence Day celebration. Of course, he very fittingly wore a straw hat with a Chevy logo emblazoned on the front.

Permanently on display at the museum, the pickup needed a quick wash before driving the streets of downtown Newton. Since it is not equipped with power steering or seatbelts, Maples recalled, getting the vehicle out of the barn along South 15th Avenue West was no easy task

“Trying to maneuver this from a standing position or no movement is a workout,” Maples said. “I’m used to power steering, so these tires are harder to turn. Once you got going it was fine. I had it in second or third gear without any problems.”

The truck has remained a display piece at the local museum since 2002. Back in the day, the vehicle was under Maples’ possession at his family business, Maples Chevrolet. The truck belonged to the previous owner of the car dealership, who used it as a service truck. Maples purchased the building in 1969.

By the 1990s, the retired Chevy Pickup was refurbished and continued its life as an ancient artifact of sorts for the Chevy dealership, as well as a strong talking point for all who noticed it at events. However, it was not placed on the showroom floor.

When Maples retired from the car business, he decided to donate the truck — a popular model among Jasper County citizens, he said, when it was made — to the Jasper County Historical Museum staff, noting the truck had historic significance and would be preserved. At the museum, the pickup gets a lot of attention.

“People come by and they say, ‘Well this is the greatest thing that you got here!’’ Maples said. “Well they’ve got a lot of stuff there. And Newton is not aware of what all the museum has too offer. But this is just one of thousands of items.”

Inside the pickup, the gearstick protrudes rather awkwardly, the radio no longer works, air conditioning is nonexistent and the ash tray is completely empty. But the classic look is enough to conjure a smile from Maples. And it certainly brings back memories of his days working alongside his father at the dealership.

Maples Chevrolet sold new and used cars, had a mechanical service department, a body shop and parts department, as well as office staff. Car dealerships from back then, he said, are not even comparable to the car business operations of today. Internally it might be the same, but Maples said the price of cars — “my goodness” — has inflated.

“The average truck was probably around $3,500 maybe for the list price,” Maples said. “That was pretty close to cost to those at the time. They must have 25 or 40 percent markup. We had about a 9 percent markup.”

Seeing the pickup today, Maples said it was something he was proud of.

“It represented a part of our history,” Maples said.

Editor’s Note: “History Lesson” is a weekly series inspired by the Jasper County Historical Museum’s 40-year anniversary. Newton Daily News will publish a story every Friday (until the museum is closed) featuring the people who work to preserve and promote the region’s past endeavors, while also showcasing the historical and educational significance of artifacts and exhibits on display in the museum.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com