A man’s passion for his car — or truck — is for the making of a country song, especially if you do most of the restoration work yourself.

That was the case for Rick Blomdahl of Troy, who took home the top prize of Peoples’ Choice during last weekend’s 52nd annual Igniters Car Show.

“No, I don’t think there is a price tag on it,” Blomdahl said just minutes after his 1935 International pickup truck was determined to be the Peoples’ Choice. “It’s priceless, as they say.”

Blomdahl was hard-pressed to put a value on the car, which included six years of labor in his Troy garage.

“Fifty-thousand? Not quite. Probably less than that. I’ve had this car for 31 years but spent the last six years restoring it. It’s all International,” Blomdahl said.

Admittedly, Blomdahl said his wife, Jill, who works in the Lincoln County License Office, may have grown tired of the project.

“She’d say, ‘Dad’s out in the garage with that other woman,’” Blomdahal mused. “She looked up the plate to see if it — MYAFAIR — was available, and it was. She said ‘we’d better get it while we can.’”

With only 270 miles on the odometer, Blomdahl had high hopes for the Libby show. 

“I took it to California to the American Graffiti Festival, and it got recognized among 20 of 1,200 cars.

“I’m just tickled. It’s all been worth it,” Blomdahl said.