1947 Chevy Thriftmaster 5-window

	Owned by Mike Clark "oo8track" Bolter # 14685 Clinton, Minnesota

From Mike :

           Hello All! I have officially been driving my 1947 Chevy Thriftmaster around for the last month and a half. I got Minnesota Street Rod plates for it (anything under 1949 qualifies).

           I have taken the truck down the highway a couple times. With the set up I have, about 3000 rpms is 55-60 (I don't have a working speedo yet) and it rides excellent on the highway.

           This pic is of it sitting in my front yard during our 125th Celebration in town. I didn't enter the parade since I am having a few issues yet with the brakes. It's a truck that you ask it nicely to stop, you don't tell it to!

           I have an axle out of a 1952 Chevy that I plan on using to update the brakes and get new king pins under it and new tie rod ends.

           The pic on the right is in front of the garage. Here is a shot of my interior as it looks these days.  You can check out more pics at my Myspace page. Hope to keep u updated.

           I have a long ways to go, but at least I can drive it around somewhat.

Later,

Mike

            ~ Good to hear you’re making progress and are enjoying some windshield time, Mike! ~ Gallery Guy

23 June 2008 Update
# 2181

From Mike :

           Here are some more pictures of my '47. Now the weather is starting to cooperate, I can start working on other things.

           As you can see from the picture, the "old n new" are in the garage now. The GMC is getting a new trans and the '47 is starting to get a few new parts to put in.

           The GMC in the garage is my 1989 GMC Extended Cab 4 x 4. It has a fresh 350 in it with only about 8 -10,000 miles on it. I got by with the old tranny until this year when I lost drive. So, it's time for a new one. The chassis has 195,000 miles on it. I had 188,000 or so on the original motor until the balancer took a dump and took out the main bearings. I bought it from my Uncle who was the second owner (also the same Uncle that bought my old '47 from my Dad way back and sold it back to me).

           I have to fix what some one did back in the 1970's on my box sides. I don't know why they didn't just fix the cross piece -- but what do I know? Let's weld some scrap 'n call it good.

           Now I have my taillights, thanx to eBay. I know they are not original, but I thought they were cool. Also have a new sound system, courtesy of my girlfriend's old car (which is only fair -- it took my truck's stall away for about two months and now it's gone never to return ).

           As for parts coming that I just ordered, Box mounting kit, tie rod ends, windshield rubber, stainless to go around the windshield, and a few other little things.

           So with a little luck, I will get a little farther on my project.

           You can check out more pics at my Myspace page. Hope to keep u updated.

Mike

08 April 2008 Update
# 2181

From Mike :

           Hello, here I am again. I just thought I would send some more pics of stuff that I have been working on and some more photo's of my truck in the progress stages. Here's a nice view from the Driver's side.

           The first pic is of my old '47 Chevy back when I first got it with my sis standing next to it. It was all original then -- fresh from Grandma's farm where it had been sitting under a tree. We had just driven it home with no brakes and tires that went flat as soon as we got there.

           The next couple pics are of my friend's 1947 Chevy Loadmaster 5-window big bolt. [ Driver's side ] He got this truck for a steal -- free -- from his work. It was the old Barry Elevator truck. It was put in a shed for the last 15 years or so, until they tore it down. [ Passenger's side ] The motor is stuck, but it still has some hope. He is hoping to put a motor in it and make it a flatbed hauler. It has a hydraulic ram so it would work nicely. It's not in bad shape for the price -- haul it away.

           It was really his birthday present since we had his cake and then towed it to his Dad's right after that.

           I'm currently buggin' him if he is going to do what he wants. I think it would be cool to have a big and little truck of the same year.

           Then there is a pic of what is behind the grille of my truck. It is the trans cooler with an electric fan out of a Ford Tempo mounted to some home made brackets. I have done this trick before on my other creations and it works. If you just hook the wires up backwards, it turns the opposite way and throws quite a bit of air, surprisingly.

           Right now my truck is sitting outside with a tarp over it. I've been working on other cars that need to be on the road. I have put my stereo in it now. I bought some center caps for my rims that are on it. New tires are in the garage. I have a few other items and I hope to get it going in a month or two.

           I still need to find some fenders for the box, but currently I think I'm going to put a flatbed on it for now. The box still needs a lot of work and I can recycle the wood when I get the box fixed.

           Well, hope you enjoy the pics.  You can check out more pics at my Myspace page.

Mike Clark

14 January 2008
# 2181

From Mike :

          Hello fellow Stovebolters!  Here are some pics of my 1947 Chevy Thriftmaster 5-window pickup through the years.  [ an old photo ]

          This pickup has been in the family since I was about three years old and I am 32 now. [ A little rough in the yard ] My Dad used it to haul wood and then sold it to my Uncle.  It ended up sitting on the farm from then on.  When I turned 13 and I wanted a car, this one was my first.  It was all original until I was around 20 years old then I ended up blowing the original 216 ci with the 3 speed 4:10 rear end.  [ engine ]

          It sat until this last year when I finally got the time and enough parts collected to build it the way I always wanted.  It now has a Chevy 305 motor and a turbo 350 automatic transmission (9 inch tail).  My friend’s Dad had a 1952 pickup (that is now on an S-10 frame) with a 1973 pickup posi 3.73 rear end set up.  I took that from him.  My cousin had a 1981 Monte drive shaft that I lucked out it in getting that fit perfect.  I have power lumbar seats out of a Ford Tempo which was my first demo car. 

          I am always making stuff in my garage so a lot of things are custom built to work with what I have.  It is currently going to be a rat rod so I have some fun driving it around for the time being.  I would like it to someday have a better paint job, but rattle can Chevy orange and black look good for now. 

          You can check out more pics at my Myspace page.

          ~Looks like you have a great project and a lot of “donors” for it!  Be sure to keep us updated! ~ Gallery Gal

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