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21 October 2013
# 3034

 
  Owned by
James Stepp
"speed 6351"
Bolter # 6150
Elko, Nevada

1952 Chevy 6400 Dump Truck

 

More pictures of my old truck

Join the discussion about this truck in Big Bolts forum

 

 

From Speed :

My newest acquisition is a 1952 Chevy 6400 truck with a dump bed. It took me a while to get a deal put together for this truck, and technically, I still owe for it.

The previous owner said a fellow who lived close to him tried to restore it but didn't get very far. Then he bought it, thinking he could use it as it was. He didn't use it because it really didn't work. Although he said he did drive it to his place.

He needed to leave the area for a bit to take care of a parent and he wanted someone to look after it. So, he told me to go ahead and take it home.

I took a friend (Pat) with me to get the truck. The property where we went to pick it up was out in the middle of nowhere. The fellow cleaned it up before we got there - took all the tires out, too.

The plan was to see whether it would be easiest to fix it and drive it in, tow it on my tow bar or tow it on a strap or chain, or try to find a big trailer then come back to get it moved.

I decided to first try towing it on a tow bar. So we hooked that up, aired up all the truck tires, connected it to my Bronco II (the BroncWorth) and quickly realized it wasn't going to be dancing to the same tune.

I could pull the truck easily enough. I had Pat get behind the wheel to try to keep everything going the same direction, but the only time the BroncWorth went straight was in transit from sideways to the left, over to sideways to the right.

We finally made it the mile or so to the main road where he told me he thought we should just hook a tow rope to it. No problem, except with no brakes, the E brake was the only game in town, and IT didn't work.

I discovered the pin that held the handle and the lift rod together was gone, so Pat found a hitchpin clip that worked fine.

We went another half mile or so up the road and I stopped to make sure things were okay. Pat was having a rough time with steering with one hand and braking with the other so we traded places.

So on we go. Once in a while, he'd get us going a little faster (okay -- quite a LOT faster) than I felt good with, so I'd just yard back on the E brake. Smoke would boil off it and sure 'nuff, the BroncWorth would magically slow down.

It was about six or seven miles of dirt road into Elko. We went right through downtown Elko and out the old highway to the East another eight miles (at 45 mph) to the turn off to White Rock, our destination, then another three miles to my storage area.

All things considered, it went pretty easy.

I got a lot of thumbs up as we drove into town. (It had to be a sight! ~ Editor) However, I got scowls as I was driving out of town, since that was the direction of the scrap yard.

Once it was parked, I checked it out a little closer and found the engine froze up, and I found a pretty nice used clutch disc under the seat. (Could THIS be why the clutch wouldn't disengage??)

Other than the problems with the engine, clutch, brakes and E brake, the drive shaft for the hydraulic pump is gone, the cover plate for the transmission is gone, everything in the windshield wipers group is gone, it's in relatively good shape -- NO rust out. The cowls and floor boards all look good. The dump mechanism looks like it will work alright. There doesn't seem to by any hydraulic problems! And the price was great!

I'm hoping to find a good 235 engine to put in there.

I've mostly been working on the 1954 since it is here at the house. I have been keeping my eye out for stuff that the '52 needs. While I'm waiting for parts and such for the '54, I head over to the other place and work a little on the '52. When I get it up to the house, I can put more time into it. It's just not "handy" to work on at the other place.

 

.
Speed

Speed -- You are truly a "glass half full" kinda Bolter. We need a staying like that ... "the truck is mostly there!" Positive attitude, it'll keep you busy, smiling and have plenty of stories to tell. ~ Editor

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