Sheryl Mantie said she and her family are devastated after a recently restored 1940 Ford pickup truck, her later father's labour of love, was stolen.
Salmon Arm RCMP said the theft of the beige vehicle from a local business was reported on July 2.
Mantie said the truck had been with a mechanic, who was finishing the project her father, Norman Matie, began around 20 years ago. She explained her father retrieved the truck from a family homestead in Saskatchewan.
"He pulled it out of our homestead in the 1990s… this one as well as something else out of the bush basically," said Sheryl. "Bought it for like $500, hauled it back and started restoring it, and he spent 20 years pretty much restoring this truck."
Sheryl said Norman had lived with her in Salmon Arm since 2013. Before that, he operated a body shop in Quesnel.
As Sheryl's father got into his 80s, he found "he could do less and less" of the work on the truck. The restoration was almost complete, needing the electrical system done and some mechanical work, when he passed away last September.
"We were trying desperately to get it finished before he passed but it just didn’t happen," said Sheryl.
In their father's honour, Sheryl said she and her sisters Carla and Cindy decided to complete the project.
"It went into the garage, the mechanic's, he completed the work for us and I was set to pick that truck up this week, completed and ready for the road," said Sheryl, explaining the plan was to get the truck out on the road and take it for a spin before deciding what to do with it, such as selling it to somebody "who loves it and wants it."
While Norman had restored numerous vehicles, the 1940 Ford pickup was his passion. It became his daughters' passion to see the truck completed.
"We were pretty gutted when we lost dad to begin with, and now to lose his last labour of love, it’s pretty hard. It’s a pretty big blow…," said Sheryl. "t’s just unbearable for our family. That was the last that we have, and that’s why we decided to finish the restoration in his honour…
"For us, it was just, let’s get this finished for our dad, because that was his passion, restoring vehicles, and this one was his heart and soul. This was the truck he wanted above all other trucks."
Acknowledging it may have been repainted, Sheryl said the truck was a very unique colour, one her father ordered from Toyota. She's hoping someone will see it and report it to police.
"We need to reach as many people as possible, it needs to get out there," said Sheryl. "it’s a unique truck… there’s very few of them around and nothing is in that colour.
Salmon Arm RCMP asked that anyone who may have seen the vehicle to call 250-832-6044 immediately and reference file number 2024-4011.