Kevin Bremer's 1939 1/2-Ton Pickup

01 November 2000 Update

From Kevin:

     I recently found some original NY 1939 license plates and received them today in the mail. They are in VERY good condition and will look really nice on the truck. The plates have "New York Worlds Fair 1939" on the top and "8Y95-95" for the number. I have recently learned that I can register the truck in NY with these plates vice the "historic" tags usually issued by Albany. The only condition being that the above number is not currently in use. Hopefully, that won't be a problem.

Kevin Bremer
Bolter # 448
Westfield, New York

     Kevin is counting the days to retirement. His brother recently picked up the '39 and took it safely to NY where Kevin and his wife will start "their second career." -- Editor

April 2000

From Kevin:

     This is my new hobby (according to Becky, I needed one). It is a 1939 Chevy 1/2 Ton Pick-up that I was able to buy from a former Marine officer, John Milliman, from southern MD. (For a Marine, John is a pretty good egg!) Anyway, I have finally been able to fulfill one of my daydreams of one day owning a classic antique pickup. This one is about 80% (+/-) restored as John has done just about all of the mechanical restoration. I hope to call on my 20+ year old auto body experience (that I haven't used since I worked in my brother-n-law's shop in '78 and '79) and see if we can get this ol' girl in original condition or better. No Hod Rod here! This will be restored to it's stock condition. Life in Carlisle ain't bad.

     Hope to see everyone sooner or later.

Kevin Bremer
Bolter # 448
Westfield, New York

"If you aren't thinking Joint, you aren't thinking!" -- Gen. Al Gray, USMC (Former Commandant of the Marine Corps)

Editor's Note -- An excellent of a typical Joint military operation -- The Marines pick up the pieces left by the Air Force and do all the hard work, and then turn it over to the Army who has all the fun and takes all the glory!

July 1993

From John:

     This is "Gumby" -- a 1939 Chevrolet 1/2-ton pickup truck owned by the Milliman family. This truck was originally purchased in 1939 by a wheat farmer in Kansas. The farmer used the truck until about 1960 when it was retired behind the barn. In the 1970's, the farmer's son started a hot rod project on the truck, but gave up (thank goodness!). In 1985, the truck, sitting in mud up to its axles, was purchased by Dennis Linn, an Air Force officer stationed nearby. Dennis did minimal work to the truck and eventually sold it to me in July, 1993. I did a complete ground-up restoration of the truck and completed most of the project in July, 1995 (with assistance lent by CWO4 Bob Schenck, USCG).

     In the photo, Gumby is participating it its first parade -- the Lawrence, Indiana, 4th of July Parade in 1995. John flying, John Liphardt at Co-Pilot and Peggy and some of the neighborhood kids in the back waving and handing out Marine Corps bumper stickers.

     The project would never have been possible without the expert assistance lent by John Liphardt of Danville, Indiana. John L. was the guy who always said "Let's give it one more try." He was indispensable, even if he did want to turn it into a hotrod!

     Also helping: Fred Trowbridge (veritable walking encyclopedia of truck knowledge), Charles Wheeler (Woodworker extraordianaire), Eric Huckaby (a better neighbor a guy never had -- he had all the great tools!), Leo Curran (Mr. Electrical), Barry Weeks (Owner of most of the '40 1/2-tons still in existence and a great encourager) Larry at J&L Automotive (Former Marine and Babbit expert), Jim Dorn of (believe it or not) Ye Olde Ford Shop who had lots of good advice and let me use his bead blaster (don't tell the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America, but Gumby has a lot of Model A sheet metal patches thanks to Jim) Rick at NAPA, who could commiserate with my trials and tribulations, and always knew what I needed (even if I didn't), and of course, my wife Peggy who lovingly lent me her half of the garage for two years.

Thanks, guys.

John Milliman
Bolter # 2
Oakville, Maryland