1953 Chevy 3100

	"The Green Truck" Owned by Jonathan Cochran "New Old 53" Bolter # 3075 Lexington, South Carolina

From Jon :

         This is my 1953 Chev 3100. I have had the truck since 2004. I tried to restore this old truck to as close to when it was new as possible. I did add chrome hub caps and stainless bed rails with finished pines bed boards. Other than that, the old boy is basically like when it was new -- correct as I could get anyway. I have not ever owned a classic before.

         The truck is called "The Green Truck" -- not very original but that’s what my kids call him. [ View from the front ]

         I found the old truck in an old guy's backyard in Marrietta, Georgia. The truck looked rough. The interior had Smurf blue latex paint on it. But everything was there -- even the original seat and gauges. I towed a car hauler all the way to Marietta, then hauled the truck back to South Carolina.

         The exterior was an even bigger mess. There were at least two coats of some kind of paint over the original blue. Someone along the years (probably in the '70's or '80's) had scratched “Lynard Skynard” into the body on the right rear side next to the back window. I thought that was pretty cool. Also, one of its previous owners liked beer because the bottom of the truck was full of old pull tabs from beers long ago.

         There was no bed at all except the old bed rails that were rusted and bent. I installed stainless steel bed rails and finished pine boards. The fence around the bed is oak. [ bed pix ]

         The engine is from a 1954 3100 Chev truck. It was the first year a 235 was offered in the 3100's. The truck had the original 216 that ran but just barely. We took out the 1953 216 Babbit bearing engine and installed a rebuilt 1954 235 from a 3100 a guy who redid it, then he put a big hotrod engine in his instead. I guess we made out.

         The engine was rebuilt and runs good. [ engine pix ] My Father in-law did all the work and I was the assistant wrench handler. He has been a mechanic since the 1950's and did an outstanding job. I did buy a rebuilt carb and I am probably going to get a rebuilt generator as it is still on the 6 volt system, which I like by the way.

         I did all of the exterior and interior work myself with the exception of the body paint. [ Interior from driver's side | from passenger's side ] I even laid down the interior paint with a hobby gun. The interior paint is the right color champagne that was applied in 1953 according to the vendor I bought it from.

         My tires are Michelins but I think I want to put some type like Cokers on it.

         I tried to restore the truck to look like it did when it was first purchased. In 1953 the Korean war was taking all the copper so the chrome fenders and hub caps were not standard. The hub caps came painted gray like the bumpers -- but I just could not see not having chrome hub caps on this old truck!!

         One of the coolest things about the truck is the foot starter on the floor.

         Hope you like my old truck.

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