Jerry Brackett's 1953 Chevy 1-Ton Flatbed

From Jerry: 

      This is a picture of my '53 1-ton flat bed. I rescued it from under a tree in 2000 where it had been setting since 1973. The original owner gave it to me ! It ran good after a little work but was very rusty. I wanted to do something different from other people so I chose the flat bed.

      The original bed was not worth fixing so I fabricated this one to look as much like an original as I could. I decided to update the running gear so it would drive like a new truck but look original. So it has a '77 350 4-bolt engine with a TH 350 transmission and power steering, power disc brakes. This truck is setting on a '77 Chevy frame which is a very easy way to update the running gear.

      The doors in this pic are from a '51. The original doors are almost done and ready to go back on. Since this picture, I have finished the body work on the nose and am ready to spray paint soon.

      I have used parts from seven trucks. I hope to have fun driving it this year!

      I am also doing a restoration on a 53 1/2-ton with only 41,000 original miles and a 1/2-ton street rod for my son. I have another 1-ton that will be original -- I'll be doing that one some time down the road.

Jerry Brackett
Longview, Washington.

(We are on the Columbia river about 50 miles north of Portland, Oregon.)

     Jerry also found a Chevy '53 3100 in eastern Washington for his brother-in-law Phil Aiken ~~ Editor