When Warrnambool’s Lois Morrow found an old tricycle in the back of her shed, it brought back beautiful memories of her late father and son.
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Mrs Morrow’s father, Frank Chilton, built a collection of unique tricycles, which could be adjusted in height and converted into a bicycle, from his shop at Terang more than half a century ago.
Her son Robbie, who died in a car accident in Geelong in November 2017 aged 36, used to ride one of the tricycles as a child.
Mrs Morrow said she found the old trike on her property in December last year.
“All the grandkids were coming over that Christmas and after losing our son in a tragic car accident I thought I’ll try and get this little trike restored,” Mrs Morrow said.
“There were only two weeks to go before the big day and I thought it was going to be impossible. I took it to Cafe Cycles Company and I asked Luke Pretlove if he could do it and he said yes.”
Mr Pretlove spent hours restoring the bike in time for Christmas.
“It was a really big job,” he said.
“It was a pretty panicked time with Christmas so soon and the bike was very uniquely built, so it made it quite difficult to get all the parts, as you couldn’t really just go out and buy them.
“The tricycle was basically created so that you could buy it as a little kid and then as you grow up, you adjust the height and add some parts to turn it into a bicycle and extend its life. It was really well put together and was quite a challenge (to restore).”
Mr Pretlove stripped the trike back, added new parts and painted it bright red.
Mrs Morrow said she was over the moon.
“Luke’s efforts were truly amazing,” she said.
“I kept it for a surprise on Christmas morning and I told the grand kids the story of their amazing great grandfather and uncle,” she said.
“That trike has brought us so much happiness after so much sadness.
“It is much more than a trike to us now.”
Mrs Morrow said she was now on the hunt for other tricycles to restore.
“I want to see if anyone has one of these little trikes in their shed because ours has made my little kids so happy,” she said.
“I want to bring them back to life, because it can be done.”
Mrs Morrow said if the old tricycles were found, she planned to restore and donate one to the Warrnambool Special Developmental School.
Anyone with information should call Lois Morrow on 5562 4191.
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