Steve Jones' 1936 Chevy 1/2-Ton

20 December 2006 Update
# 1305

From Steve:

          I was reminded today by a fellow Stovebolter that I needed to send in some updated photos. So I decided I had better get with the program.   I met Andy Hale who also has a '36 about a year and a half ago as he chased me thru town honking his horn as I drove my ride while still in primer (see the pictures below).  He was anxious to talk with me, and find out who could put some finishing touches on his truck. We have been friends ever since.

          I referred him to Fenders and Fins here in Woodinville. The owner, Jon Carson, fabricated that great roll pan he has, and of course is responsible for the many fine details on mine as well. A special thanks to Jon for the great work he has done. Be sure to check out his web site.  My disappearing LED taillights built into my roll pan is an example of Jon's workmanship.

          Over the years hanging out at Fenders and Fins, I met another Stovebolter named Jim Schmidt. He has a 1940 Chevy 3/4-ton in the Gallery.  While hanging out at Jim's new shop a few weeks back, he reminded to get the new photos in.  So after two of my buddies reminded me, I thought I better send them in.  You will notice in the new photos that my grille is not stock, made out of stainless 1/4" rod.

          Incidentally, Jim was the one who informed me about stovebolt.com and told me to put my truck on this site in the first place.  His '40 was already listed here. I had a client that wanted to find a good home for this truck, so I was able to put the two of them together. We are anxious to see his truck come together.

          So within a three mile radius we have three Stovebolters in Woodinville, Washington. Any others of you out there nearby?  Email us and join the Woodinville chapter!!

Steve Jones
"Steve's 36"
Bolter # 6442
Woodinville, Washington

          Wow, that is quite a surprise. I think that's the neat thing about the site is Bolters finding one another. As we say, never know when you might need to borrow a wrench. Keep us posted on "chapter" activities! ~~ Editor

01 December 2005
# 1305

From Steve:

             In summer of 1998 I rescued a '36 Chevy Pickup from a farmer's field in Central Washington near Yakima. It was an old, rusted out, not running, bullet holes in cab with doors falling off farm truck.

             Upon inspection I learned that the purchase price also included an additional cab, two beds, assorted fenders, wheels, and miscellaneous parts. My daughter, and her boyfriend (with a truck and car trailer) helped me haul it to a self storage garage and there I inspected my find.

             A few weeks later, I purchased another complete '36 Chevy truck, less running gear, that someone had completely disassembled and was a pile of parts. Another cab, fenders, bed, chassis, gas tanks, grill shells, and boxes of more and more parts made up the second purchase.

             I surveyed my parts and decided to sell the original farm truck and keep all the extra parts to assemble my street rod. I sold the truck to a guy and his son in Portland, Oregon and for five years, my parts lay waiting for me to start as I attended swap meets and car shows to determine what I was going to do.

             As I looked around, I also realized that the cost of this project was going to be hampered by this college tuition thing for my daughter, so I waited. I purchased and rebuilt a '76 Chevy Stepside pickup, and a few other lesser projects before starting the '36 in January of 2003.

             Over the last three years, this project has become .... well, bigger and more costly than expected. I started and stopped as my money was available. Sound familiar? But it has been worth the wait. For those of you who cringe that it is blasphemy to not restore to original, remember that I collected piles of parts never before assembled together, and resurrected them into a vehicle that will be around for a long long time.

             Body changes -- shaved rain gutters, door handles, and hidden hinges, welded seams on an original firewall. Cab nose, including firewall, and floor from donor cab. The curved sheet metal above the rear window of the donor cab also was used for the custom roll pan with frenched license plate. Original bed was shortened about six inches and tailgate was welded shut, and stake pockets seams are welded to bed sides for finished look.

             Original frame boxed with IFS, disc brakes in front, drums in rear, with 9 inch rear end. Frame is braced with upper and lower X member, and all parts powder coated and / or painted. A '65 Corvette 327 balanced and blueprinted with an output of 380 hp with a 700R4 transmission to back it up.

             Custom-made, polished stainless steel gas tank, firewall to radiator support brackets, and radiator grill made of stainless round rod.

             The truck returns to the shop for painting of the bed, fenders, and running boards in December, and the plan is to do the interior in January to complete the project. Both the frame and the body work was done by two quality guys that know their stuff, and the many years of shows and swap meets allowed me to enjoy this project to the fullest.

             I may have had the money to get this done a little sooner, except for that wedding thing that my daughter said she wanted. Thank goodness I only have one daughter!!! Do you know what I could have done for what I spent?

Thanks,

Steve Jones
"Steve's 36"
Bolter # 6442
Woodinville, Washington