Tom Gibson's 1955 2nd Series Chevy 3600 Bookmobile

"Baby"

14 August 2007
# 2020

From Tom :

           Greetings! Here is my my newly-acquired 1955 Second Series Chevrolet 3800 Bookmobile. This truck was bought by the Anderson County Library as a standard 3600 chassis / cab unit. It was shipped to Rock Hill, South Carolina to have the book box added.

           The Rock Hill Body Company (RHBC) started as a buggy producer, then built bodies for Model T trucks. Later, the company was building the assembled Anderson Motor Car from 1916-25. After the car ceased production, RHBC continued to make purpose-built truck bodies for bottlers, libraries, petroleum tankers, etc. They were still at it until the late -1970's to early - 1980's.

           This Bookmobile, in the style of pre-war units, features opening side wings, back-door access and auxiliary power hook-ups. We plan a cosmetic and mechanical restoration, leaving the box interior as it you see it. It will be a rolling time-capsule of 1955 and earlier books, with an up-to-date traveling automotive reference section -- for old cars and trucks, natch!

           The goal is to get "Baby" done by the 2008 show season, which also includes Anderson Library's 100th anniversary. She'll look great in local and regional parades, as well.

           After 15-plus years of neglectful inside storage, I was able to save it from obscurity. It took about two year's worth of negotiations to make this happen! Recently, friends stopped by to see the garage, and the 5-year-old grandson squealed, "It looks just like 'Tow-Mater' " (from Disney's "Cars" movie). It's cool that kids -- young and old -- will be able to enjoy this rare vehicle. Heck, it might even encourage some of them to drop the Gameboy and crack open a book now and then!

Regards,

Tom Gibson
"55Bookmobile"
Bolter # 15188
Anderson, South Carolina