By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Spectators at Saturday’s Old Settlers’ Day parade in Marion may or may not have recognized a 1950 Chevrolet pickup truck driven by Dale Johnson of Marion.

Originally a metallic blue, the truck was an entry in many Old Settlers’ Day parades. This time, it was hunter green.

Carroll Daniels, a high school principal in Louisiana, purchased the truck from Johnson in April 2013. He took it to Louisiana and sold it to his brother, Danny Joe Daniels, an Exxon Mobil retiree who had the extra money to restore it.

Danny Joe took it to a restoration business, where it was stripped down to the frame and restored over a period of 16 months. He spent $49,000 on it.

“There’s not a part on this truck that has not been rebuilt,” he said. “Every part is like new and every part is powder-coated.”

When Danny Joe learned the truck had been driven in many parades in Marion, he thought it would be good to bring the restored truck back.

“I made a promise to my little brother that I would take it back and let Dale drive it in the Old Settlers’ Day parade,” Carroll said. “It was my lonesome-dove promise.”

The pickup came out of the shop two weeks ago, just in time for Carroll to haul it to Marion for Saturday’s parade. Danny Joe accompanied Johnson on the drive through Main Street.

“It was pretty neat driving that old pickup truck again,” Johnson said. “I especially enjoyed learning to know the Daniels family better. They are nice people.”

The Daniels brothers plan to drive the truck in parades in Louisiana.

Carroll Daniels is the father of Briana Methvin of rural Lincolnville.