Editor's note: This is part of a new series at KSL.com featuring some of Utah's coolest cars. If you own a customized vehicle — from sports cars to semi trucks — email crosenlof@ksl.com with a photo of the vehicle and a brief description for consideration.SYRACUSE — Just looking at Al Kaiser's stunning 1929 Ford Model A truck, you would never guess that it passed into his possession, almost 30 years ago, as little more than a pile of parts that most would consider scrap metal.

But Kaiser saw potential in the rusty pile of parts and wasted no time in paying the meager sum of $735 for the "truck" which, at the time, consisted of a frame, cab and drivetrain.

After getting the vehicle home, Kaiser set to work in hopes of getting the engine fired up. After an oil change, spark plugs, wires and a little fuel in the gas tank, the motor, which by Kaiser's estimations had been sitting since the '60s, choked and popped its way back to life.

Over the next 20-something years, the truck was taken completely apart with the hopes of one day returning it to its pre-war glory. The original frame was found to have a broken horn mount; fortunately, Kaiser had since accumulated a second frame and the truck's back bone was swapped out and powder coated in preparation for a complete restoration.

But, as often happens in life, the truck was put on the back burner due to other priorities. Kaiser continued to accumulate parts throughout the years, but little progress was made on the truck. That was until the tumultuous events of 2011.

That year unfolded in a way that Kaiser could never have been prepared for. It was the year he lost his daughter, Andrea, in a tragic car accident. She was only 24 years old. He also lost several dear friends that year, including the very friend that sold him the original pieces of the Model A.

After struggling with the losses and on the eve of the anniversary of his daughter's passing, Kaiser decided he needed an outlet to help cope with the pain. Kaiser decided to retire and turned his full attention and efforts to the 85-year-old truck.

Almost everything on the truck had to be replaced. Some parts could be bought new while others had to be found. Luckily for Kaiser, he had been accumulating parts for the vehicle for nearly 30 years and had a well-stocked arsenal at his disposal. While he had many of the parts, learning how to put the truck back together was incredibly challenging, as there are very few correct schematics or repair manuals in existence for a truck of this era.

"It was a lot like putting a model car together," Kaiser said. "Only, in this case, the box has already been opened and there are no instructions. The only difference is that this model car is scaled 1:1."

Tasks that would take minutes on modern vehicles took hours due to the antiquated nature of the truck. When asked how many man-hours Kaiser thought he had invested in the vehicle he replied, "Do you want that in hours or years?"

When it came time for paint, Kaiser turned to a friend who laid down an original-for-the-year shade of gray accented by the deepest and straightest shade of black you will ever come across.

All said and done, the truck's only original parts were its drive train and gas tank, which were repainted to match the immaculate body work.

Despite frequently having to improvise, Kaiser's determination and conviction saw the completion of the truck in fall of this year. There is no doubt about it, putting this truck back together was a learning experience for Kaiser, in more than just the obvious ways.

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Chase Christensen is a wildly successful bench racer who believes life is better with regular oil changes. Follow him on Twitter at @ChaseChris8.

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