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photo by Hannah Reel
Lane Freeman wipes the dust off the bed cover of his 2002 Toyota Tacoma Saturday afternoon at his house in Natchez. Freeman details his truck once a week.
'I love Lucy' rings true for Natchez man
Published Monday, June 22, 2009
NATCHEZ — When The Dart landed on Armstrong Street Saturday, Lane Freeman was spending some quality time with Lucy, his pickup truck.
Freeman was putting the finishing touches on a detailed cleaning of his 2002 Toyota Tacoma.
“This is the best truck Toyota makes,” Freeman said opening the hood to show off the immaculate engine.
And when Freeman bought the truck new in 2002 with just 31 miles on it, he planned to keep it running and looking like new.
With the windows down and the radio up, Freeman had an assortment of car care products laid out on the tailgate for easy access.
Photo by Hannah Reel
Lane Freeman’s 2002 Toyota Tacoma is his pride and joy, right down to the personalized plate on the front of the vehicle.
“This is for the tires, the topcoat, the dash,” he said looking over his inventory. “I have something here for just about everything on the truck.”
And while some drivers simply enjoy a clean car, Freeman takes it a step further.
He keeps a towel on the passenger seat so he can wipe down the dash, and he cleans the vehicle at least twice a week.
“I normally wash it once and then really get in detail with it,” he said. “You have to get in there and get everything.”
Photo by Hannah Reel
Detailing is serious business and Freeman has an array of products to get the job done.
But getting everything takes time, Freeman said detailing the truck can take up to half a day.
“You can’t just rush it,” he said. “You have to take your time.”
And Freeman has gone beyond taking care of the truck’s exterior.
The engine compartment looks like that of a car in a showroom, not a pickup with more than 80,000 miles.
And Freeman isn’t interested in resale value, he plans to drive Lucy until he or she can’t go any more.
But in the coming years Lucy will have to make way for a new girl in Freeman’s life.
Freeman said he’s currently planning a full restoration of Lulabelle, his father’s 1964 GMC pickup.
“That was my daddy’s truck, and it was the first thing I ever drove,” Freeman said looking at the rusted gem. “It’s going to be beautiful.”
