The Gallery
 

A 'virtual garage' of antique Chevy & GMC trucks from around the World


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1946 Chevy DP 3100 1/2-Ton



 

Owned by

John Kornmann
"46 In Progress"
Bolter # 3921
Farmington, Minnesota

08 November 2007 Update

From John :

          It has been awhile so I thought I would send in an update for my Gallery page.

          In the fall of 2005, I finally got a chance to take my truck down to the frame. After powder coating the frame and most of the hidden parts, reconstruction started in early 2006. Money is always an issue with old trucks, so I decided to paint the outside myself. A body shop did the welding on the cracks in the fenders. But for the most part, all the work was completed in my garage.

          Cutting the wood (pine boards) for the bed was probably one of the most rewarding jobs I did. My father-in-law is a pretty handy carpenter. He brought over a table saw with a datto blade. I was careful when I dismantled the box and had all of the original boards for patterns. The big box lumber stores like Home Depot and Menards don’t stock a pine board wide enough for the middle board so I went to my local lumber yard to find one.

          If I had it to do over, I have since found a good source of old clear pine. While going through a 50 year old shed near my house, I found that all of the boards used to build the shed were solid, clear pine. A little work, and those boards would have looked great in the back of my truck … live and learn.

          I do need to re-do the body, but for now, it looks good to me and I am not afraid to put a nick in it from normal use. Maybe when my kids are a little older and bikes, car doors and other things that wreck the paint are no longer a worry, I will get to that part.

          I’ve got the “Wurlitzer” t-shirt that Jim Carters and The Filling Station sell. Needless to say, after four years, that shirt is worn out and needs to be replaced I wear it so often.

          I chronicled my story in this forum post.The thread has links to the progress pictures. As always, there is much I would have done differently, but taking it down to the frame and putting it all back together was very rewarding.

          The truck has come a long way since November of 2003. What does the future bring for this truck? Maybe a quality paint job, a T-5 transmission and a different rear end for better highway speeds. For now, I am trying to drive it as much as I can and just enjoy my ‘Bolt.

           Thanks to all the other Bolters out there who asked and answered questions that helped me along the way.

John

Thanks for sending us an update on your progress. That '46 is gorgeous to say the least! it's come a long way since you first found it. Looks as though you are the rightful owner! I've always liked those art deco juke box grilled beauties. Did you know they were nick named the "Wurlitzer" ? ~~ Mike "Burgandybolt" Allen, Stovebolt Welcome (Panel) Wagon


17 December 2004

From John :

          This is my 1946 Chevy DP 3100 1/2-ton stock pickup. It is my second "Art Deco." After owning a 1941 for six years and never getting a chance to drive it, lack of money forced me to sell. Some 14 years later, I decided another truck was a necessity.

          I had been watching the ads for years just to see what was out there. I came across my truck on a national car sales web site. The owner emailed me the details on the truck in mid-July. I thought the price was way too high. My wife went with me to look at several trucks in the fall. After deciding all were too far gone for the money, I contacted the owner to see if he still had this truck. We loaded the family in the car and drove the two hours to see it.

          This truck came from northern North Dakota and had spent its life as a farm truck. At some point, it was owned by a county sheriff and a college student. In the mid-70's, it migrated to Minnesota. The new owner kept it in a barn. The truck was driven less and less and finally, in the mid-80's, it was not touched at all.

          When the owner died, the truck was passed on to one of his sons. He knew the truck was in good shape, but did not have the truck bug. He posted the truck on the web site. Minnesota trucks are known for being rust buckets. This truck was the most complete, rust-free old truck I had ever seen.

          The price was high. We added up the cost of all the good parts on this truck and figured out we were probably spending far less than if we bought a basket case. The truck came home in November of 2003. After removing four 5-gallon buckets of dirt and grease and installing a new brake and fuel systems, the truck was driveable!

          The project is still IN PROGRESS -- hence my Stovebolt name, 46 In Progress.

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