[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
 




01 January 2013
# 2996


 
  Owned by
Herschel Keithline
"Huckleberry"
Bolter # 34579
Netawaka, Kansas

1946 Chevy 1/2-Ton Flatbed

 

More pictures of my old truck

Join the discussion about this truck

 

From Herschel :

When I was about 30, I found an old truck sitting in the tall grass at a nearby junk yard. I was into old steam equipment, farm equipment and tractors back then and I'd go to this "has everything" junk yard in the country on a regular basis looking for parts ... and well, just looking.

That truck in the tall grass was a slightly battered 1941 Chevy 1.5-ton Grain truck, which looked like it had been painted with a broom ... assuming the broom to have been several years past its prime. I looked at that beauty for a couple years every time I was there. I just fell in love with that old truck.

I finally asked about buying it. Well, that "question" cost me $150, delivered.

I put a battery in the old gal and some gas and away we went. The truck became my daily driver (for short drives, anyway) and required very little maintenance. The occasional shorted spark plug, plugged gas filter, a used tire now and then. I had that truck for a good number of years. One day a passing motorist saw it parked behind my house and asked if it could be purchased. Seems he had driven a 1941 Chevy gasoline delivery truck as a boy for his Father's business ... he still had the tank. I agreed to sell, realizing I had under priced it when he wrote the check for $100 more than I asked. Oh, well.

Pause for the passage of 20 plus years ....

i still played with the steam and old equipment a little but not as much. My Dad couldn't go with me anymore, so I just quit. My Dad was the one who got me into all this old stuff and we loved every minute of it..

I always missed that old truck and regretting selling it -- although the smile on the old retired guy's face when he drove it away was worth a lot.

Now I was the retire looking for a replacement truck. I spotted one on eBay close enough to home (200 miles -- which is not to far when you live in the country). I trailered it home with a big car trailer and a diesel truck.

Thus I became the proud owner of a 1946 Chevy 1.5-ton Flatbed (actually, no bed -- it was all wood and totally rotted). It seems like it may have also been a grain truck.

Like the '41, the '46 had been sitting in a salvage yard for a long time. In truth, the '41 was easier to get going than this '46.

The truck didn't run. I had quite a bit to do right off. The fuel system was all shot. It had no brakes. It needed a carburetor rebuild, fuel pump and new gas line. But after that: nothing - no points or plugs. Got her running and she didn't even smoke!

On the good side: the interior was not too bad. As far as I can tell, the only thing it is missing is one inside door handle. The floor pan was still good. The seats were all there and just need to be re-covered. I'll need to re-do the instrument panel.

I am running it with a temporary gas tank right now. The tank wasn't leaky but it had a lot of build up on the inside that I want cleaned out and I'll coat it.

By the identification plates on it are painted and not embossed! I can make out some of the information. The truck was built in Kansas City. It has a Chelsea PTO and a "GUE STEAL PRODUCTS" ... I'm guess that may be Sprague ??? dump mechanism then. It's just a guess. I haven't been able to confirm any of that.

The brakes have now been repaired. I got the clutch unstuck and took care of several problems with the fuel system (some just temporarily). I took a short maiden voyage using a five gallon pale for my "bucket seat."

Ultimately, this old truck will be painted Bud Lite blue and black. For now, it's just great to have it as it is. Of course, after I got it home, I found out from a friend there was a similar truck only 20 miles from home that I could have bought for $1000! (Why not get two Hersh! ~ Editor)

I never heard the term Stovebolt in this context or knew I was a fan of an Art Deco style truck until after I bought this truck.

I'll try to keep you all posted in my DITY Gallery thread and keep adding pictures to the Photobucket, so you can see my progress ... and fun!

 

-30-


[an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]
[an error occurred while processing this directive]