We first heard about the Zawadas’ mighty Ford last September when Angela contacted us on Twitter to tell us her parents’ 1997 F-150 had reached 992,666 kilometres. We knew it was only a matter of time before the truck – and its original engine – would hit the 1,000,000-km mark, and we wanted to be there for it!
Everyone waited patiently as the truck climbed closer to the million mark. Then on Jan. 9, 2013 we got the call. Our team rushed to Niagara Falls, Ont., to meet Walter and Zofia Zawada and the now famous truck they bought in 1999 with 97,000 km on it.
How did they accumulate so many kilometres? Walter and Zofia shared how the truck helped both their daughters move, which required many back and forth trips to Alberta. The family also relied on their truck to help with the operation of their family farm, which they owned from 1944 to 2007. Walter said that 4-wheel drive was a necessity for him when he bought the F-150 because it would be essential for work on the farm.
Walter and Zofia Zawada celebrate their F-150 reaching the one million-kilometre mark at Brock Ford Sales in Niagara Falls with GM John Dill
After selling the family farm in Otterville, Ont., Walter and Zofia moved to Niagara Falls, a place they visited each year to celebrate their wedding anniversary (they were married in 1975). Zofia told us that moving to Niagara Falls for their retirement was always in the “back of our minds.”
Since moving to the Falls-area, Walter has taken their truck to Brock Ford Sales for its regular maintenance. After hitting 1,000,000 km on a nearby local road, the family shared the news with the dealership. To mark the occasion, John Dill, general manager of the dealership, and his team hosted a one million-km celebration for the Zawadas.
Walter Zofia Zawada celebrate with a slice of cake.
Watch the moment when the 1,000,000th km was captured! Can you guess what happened?
Do you have any one million-km stories? Let us know in the comments below.
Special thanks to Walter and Zofia Zawada, Amanda Zawada, Carol (Zawada), Chris Owen Morley and John Dill and the team at Brock Ford Sales.