21 October 2013
# 3032

	Owned by Wally Crow "Old Crow" Bolter # 36395 Arkansas

1954 Chevy Panel Truck

More pictures of my old truck *

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From Wally :

I registered on the Stovebolt site back in August and I posted a few questions about a 1954 1/2-ton that we were building down at the shop. I didn't think I'd do much of an introduction in the Welcome Centre because I didn't expect to be around much.

Well ... here I am ... and up to to my eyeballs. My wife decided that life wasn't complicated enough (three Harleys, two Jeeps, an 1988 Sportscoach Motorhome and a 1961 F-100 ... and a restoration business at that). She wanted a classic vehicle to drive. She mostly had been looking at cars ... but then she found this Panel and just HAD to have it!

So late September, I dragged home a 1954 Chevy panel truck. It does run and drive - and needs some love.

The Panel truck came from Little Rock, Arkansas. The owner before that was also from LR. The seller was not really much of a truck person, didn't have it very long and didn't know much of its history. I think he bought it and thought it would be easy to fix. Since I have a restoration shop, and the mechanical ability, I don't think it will be as bad as it looked to him - hopefully!

The previous owner said he drove it around the yard and it ran. He tried driving it around the neighborhood and he found he had no brakes. When we went to take a look at it, it seemed like it may have lost a hose and the brake fluid ran out. Still to be determined.

I was just underneath it and the floor boards look good. Fenders have the typical rust. All doors and hood are straight. I think I got it in time. If it had been a few more years, who knows?

First in order will be to get the brakes fixed. My WIFE'S first order of business is to "get the blue off" -- she does not like the color. It does look like it was painted with a rattle can. I think they call that the old restoration look.

This is my first panel. I have been reading a lot on Stovebolt in the Panels & Burbs forum, and will probably be reading more.

I have a set of wheels that I had around the shop for it.

It will be somewhat of a rolling restoration. I won't be able to take it all the way down for a frame off or anything. I can't spend that kind of time or money, AND keep this business going. You know - the cobbler's son has no shoes.

Rust, oh yes. It was patched once upon a time but it's starting to come thru. I will address the rust issues one at a time. When I get all that patched, then I will go over the whole thing. Not sure what color the wife wants. Right now she says black. I have to keep in mind that I had painted her Harley every two years. So, not real sure what the final color will be - nor does she, probably.

One problem I have been fortunate NOT to have is issues with are the doors.

So, we'll get the brakes fixed and we'll see how it drives. I would like to have it on the road in a few weeks. I have been driving it around a bit and using the parking brake to stop.

We probably won't even put in power steering since we are use to driving old vehicles. I had a 1953 Ford as my first old truck, a 1952 GMC, and a few in the 1960's. I have been driving these old trucks since I got out of the service in 1975.

I really am glad to get back to a General Motors vehicle. I was a dealership tech for 23 years. Then I worked for this fellow who had his own shop. Over a year ago, he decided to retire, so I bought the shop. I was not having enough fun as it was ??!! I have 11 cars to work on in the shop right now. (One fellow has a 1970 and a budget of $7-800 a month for restoration work. That doesn't go far with the kind of car he has. Now if HE had a TRUCK, that kind of money would really make a project move along quickly.)

I bouth an old Ford a few years back with the idea that it was going to be my wife's. But as time went on, it became mine.  I don't think she's going to let that happen to this panel no matter how hard I try!

* Peg said you all like lots of photos, so I sorted them out. Here are some more pictures of the Panel and other personal vehicles. Here are some of the projects we have going on around the shop. And this one is all bikes! (Thankssssss ~ Editor / Peggy )

I'm sure I'll be seeing ya 'round.

Wally

Vince's Vintage Vehicles
Restoration in the Ozarks
1954 Chevy Panel and and more...

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