Dashing Darling Datsun

This is the Curriculum Vitae of Khaki, the  1972 Datsun 120Y Pickup

Back in the mists of time, Khaki the bakkie was owned by someone in Bellville. After a short while, he was sold on to a friend of ours. 

Ron and his wife had moved down from Kenya a few years previous to that and had the yen to go farming. They bought Khaki and a small apricot farm out in McGregor.  For some happy years, Khaki served loyally to transport bakfulls of apricots to Robertson every season. After a good many fruitful years (groan), Ron, wife and Khaki moved down to Noordhoek to live in the guest cottage on their son-in-law's property. Ron's daughter is a very keen horsewoman and Khaki was pressed into transport duty for all manner of horsey things as well as serving as the weekly carthorse to the shops for Ron and wife.  Khaki was put into semi-retirement for a few years when Ron bought himself a new car which he felt would be more appropriate for city-slicking. 
 

Roy first got to know Khaki at about this time, being called upon to service and maintain him as his needs arose.  This sometimes demanded that Roy scour the scrap-yards for a rare second-hand part. For the last few years of Ron's life, and for the year after he died, Khaki practically became a garden ornament, never getting out onto the road for a good run. Sad at Ron's passing on, nevertheless, we were thrilled when Ron's wife decided that we should have Khaki. She did not feel that anyone else would appreciate his special attributes and, because he is so old, they would mishandle him and drive him to oblivion in no time. 

After some repairs and cosmetic enhancements, we roadworthied Khaki, much to everyone's amazement. Then we drove him up to his final pasture at "The Plot". Here, Khaki  continues to deliver stout, reliable service as our workhorse in the platteland. The most recent chore was transporting two citrus trees, each in a 250 kg growing bag, from a nursery in Olivedale.

He is totally original, right down to his chrome Datsun hubcaps, 120Y badge on tailgate and blue-flecked rubber mat in cab. Who cares that he has the finish of  paintbrush strokes on his old body. He is lovely and one in a million!!!