1958 Chevrolet Spartan 90

Owned by Jonathan Beaty "jonbeaty76" Bolter # 19574 Gallatin, Tennessee

From Jonathan :

My Father and I were on our way back from Indianapolis picking up a 1955 Chevy Suburban. We were stuck in traffic, and looking around at the area we were in. Out of the blue, I spotted the prettiest old truck I had ever seen.

We got off on the next exit and finally found the lot were it sat. It was sitting on a commerical drop yard for trucks and trailers at a company known as "Haas Cabinets." They had many trucks and trailers, all painted black.

Being as it was a Sunday, there was no one around to inquire about the truck. We called the number on the "For Sale" sign with no answer. I left a message telling the owner I couldn't wait to hear back from him regarding this beautiful specimen.

We had the '55 Suburban on the back of a trailer connected to my Chevy truck. We quickly unloaded the Suburban, and my Father traveled on to Nashville while leaving me in a hotel room with a truck we weren't sure would make the trip back.

I received a call the next morning from the owner and quickly went to meet him. He had purchased the truck from a fire station in Pennsylvannia and had it painted to match the company's trucks and trailers. They used it as a "yard pup" moving trailers around to be loaded for distribution.

We agreed on a price, and he set me up with a local hauler with a low-boy trailer to deliver it to my home in Nashville.

He told me the story about finding the truck. This Chevrolet Task Force series truck had been a 1959 Seagrave ladder truck used in a mountainous region in Pennsylvania. It had 7,500 original miles on the 348. The ladder bed had been removed, and the frame had been chopped to the size of a dually truck. They had installed the fifth wheel hitch and painted it black.

The truck ran like a top! I could not have been happier!

The picture above is several years old and is exactly the way I purchased the truck -- minus the smokestacks.

The truck is currently in the shop having some major upgrades added. They are as follows:

• Swapped 348 engine and transmission for 454/700R4
• Installed 2-speed rear end
• Removed bench seat and added bucket seats from 2005 SSR-heated / leather / lumbar
• Replaced steering column comlete with column shift and tilt steering
• 6-Alcoa Dura Brite Polished Aluminim wheels 19.5"X7.5"
• 6-NEW Michelin tubeless tires
• Removed fifth wheel hitch and added bed from 2006 GMC dually truck w / Rhino liner

I also have removed the grille, front bumper, and headlight bezel. They are being chromed. Once the mechanical work has been completed, I will then install black carpets and move the gas tank underneath the bed.

I will add more pictures once restoration is complete.

Also, if anyone is interested in purchasing the removed motor and transmission, please email me.

JHB

1958 Chevy Spartan 90.JPG

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