A retired Dave De La Cruz posess next to his classic ‘65 Pete
David De La Cruz’s career in construction trucking started as a substitute driver for Vernon Paving Company in Irwindale at the age of 31. After working for several years with the paving company as a stand-by driver David asked the superintendent if he could drive full time for them, he was finally given the opportunity.
Shortly after taking the position, David decided it was time to drive for himself. On February of 1970, David purchased his own truck, a 1965 narrow-nose Pete with a 220 engine and a utility and main box transmission (referred as a 4x4). He bought his truck in Porterville, California.
“Man I tell you this Pete was ugly but something told me to buy it. It was Caltrans orange in color everything was orange even the wheels,” David reminisced.
The classic Pete went through many changes. Four years after he had purchased it he painted the truck a gun metal grey. Shortly after that, he decided to paint his truck in a dark metallic green and give his Cook transfer boxes a light green to off-set the truck, and he became known as the “Guacamole Kid”.
The early 1980’s were a pretty good time for his business and so he decided to expand his company with new equipment. He purchased a new Pete from Pico Rivera and his business continued to flourish. By the mid 80’s, he invested in five homes in El Monte and a getaway beach house in Rosarito Mexico, about 30 miles south of the California boarder.
From Left to Right: 1980 Pete on Cook boxes and Dave’s ‘65 with its original narrow nose hood that was replaced in the mid 80’s.
In 1988, the 1965 Classic Pete took an award at a local truck show for Best Looking Work Truck.
A year later, in 1989, he had to make a decision on which of the two trucks he was going to get rid of, after all, the classic truck was part of the family, so David sold his 1980 Pete and kept the ‘65.
After 21 years of turning his trucking profits into mainly property investments, David and his wife Patsy decided to leave town and moved to the High Desert in 1992.
“One of the reasons why we decided to move was because the traffic in the LA area was getting bad, so I told Patsy that we are moving,” recalled David
De La Cruz Trucking made a change in the business and started freelancing on the side once they had moved into the High Desert. David took jobs working for Gregg Brown, Dennis Downing and Faith Trucking Company. Eventually, their business in the High Desert started to pick up and he needed some additional help attending to the business so David’s wife Patsy started to help.
Dave touching his new 1980 Pete’s
pinstriping job, It reads ‘80 Lady
“Patsy did most of the work”, said David, “She was the super mom, she did my book keeping, dispatching and would sometime help wash the ‘65 Pete.”
After 11 years in the High Desert and joining CDTOA for its great medical benefits and fuel discounts, De La Cruz Trucking bought something more comfortable and reliable. In 2003, David purchased a 1995 Pete and along with the new purchase he decided to replace the retired engine in the ‘65 Pete with a Big Cam 400 and 13 speed transmission. David took the old Cook boxes off the ‘65 Pete, and placed then on his new truck.
“This truck was different, she was red and my boxes was guacamole light green, the guys at the plant called her Chilly Pepper, but I didn’t care, she was comfortable,” explained David.
Top: Patsy holding a pose in front of the 1980 Pete. Bottom: The Classic ‘65 as it stands today, this classic is for sale. (See classified section)
A year after his new purchase, David’s career took a turn for the worse, due to a stroke. He was forced to take an early retirement in 2004. “Selling the 1995 Pete along with the ‘65 - it finally had to happen,” said David.
De La Cruiz Trucking has been through some tough times but has always kept the memories in the ‘65 classic Pete at home.
Special Note from David, “The high desert truckers are the best boys that I have ever worked with.”
