Erik Berg's 1950 Chevy 3100

10 January 2006
# 1360

From Erik:

          Hope you will include my 1950 Chevy 3100 in the new year in your Gallery. I'm a 16 year old junior in high school and have worked on machinery for all my life including when I was five and my Father and I put together the undercarriage of a TD6 International bulldozer.

          I've been looking for an older pickup for a long time and finally found my project in an 1950 Chevy 3100 Advanced Design, although I have always personally preferred the task force trucks. So this is my first Stovebolt.

          I picked up this 3100 out in Lake City, Utah on the other side of the Great Salt Lake a while back. I was only able to get it to my house yesterday (New Year's Eve!). The guy I bought it from got it with no bed and just a camper on the back. He immediately dumped the camper and later found a trailer with the correct pickup bed on it. So, I'm going to put it on the truck when we run back and grab the trailer.

          It's in very good shape for this age of truck I think. There is no cancer or rust-through anywhere on the truck. There are what looks to be various failed attempts at restoration which has kept the metal in good shape. There are only two dents on the whole truck -- one on the top of the cab and one on the fender.

          I bought the truck because I know quite a bit about mechanics (thanks to working on my Grandma's sawmill in Seattle including fixing up 50 year old forklifts, etc. and restoring an Oliver Super 55) but body work has not ever been my forte (due to little experience, heavy machinery doesn't have much in the way of sheet metal plus they are all working machinery so it doesn't matter much if there is a dent in the hood or whatever).

          The interior is in great shape even though all the glass has been broken out of the truck. It has a radio. I don't think it is the original so I may sell it on the swap meet. It has a 235 pressure lube engine in it that runs well with no smoke so I may not rebuild it. The truck also has a four on the floor although I don't know the type of rear end it has. I believe it's stock but it needs a new seal.

          I'm planning on fixing it up stock -- although custom rods can look good I've always liked the idea of driving a half century old vehicle! I plan on keeping the 235 as my engine and don't think I'll have to rebuild it. I'm certainly going to clean it up.

          There are a few problems with the body in terms of wrong body parts. For example the doors have air vents in them and the push button handles which aren't supposed to be there. I may replace the doors with the proper ones but it all depends on if I end up doing a thorough -- yet not total -- restoration or a full frame off.

          I'd love some help with this decision from you guys. If I don't do a frame off now, I will certainly do one in the future. Either way, the first thing to go is is definitely the old wood flatbed. Unfortunately, I can't bring the truck inside to start to working on it until we finish the Oliver Super 55.

          Thanks again for such a great site. I hope if there are any Stovebolters in Salt Lake City, I'd love to meet you guys. Anyone knows of any upcoming shows and or swap meets in the area? I can't seem to find any information on them. Please contact me with any questions on the truck, comments, tips etc.

Thanks,

Erik Berg
"Thrift Master"
Bolter # 9458
Salt Lake City, Utah