Owned by Larry Gregory "larrygreg1" Bolter # 36565 Montezuma, Indiana

1940 Chevrolet 1/2-Ton

More pictures and video of my old truck

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From Larry :

Well, my Dad has a 1953 Chevy 1/2-ton (plus a 1951 Merc and a 1931 Plymouth). I loved that truck, so I started looking and found my 1940 Chevy 1/2-ton.

I learned a lot about these old vehicles from my Dad as I was growing up. I wouldn't be into this hobby if it weren't for him. We believe it is a family addiction.

Dad was a big influence in my car career. In 1980, my first car was a 1968 Camaro. At 15, I was washing dishes to save up the money to get it -- my Daddy didn't give me a car. We worked on it together - lot of sheet metal work, especially changing out the vinyl top for a hard top. That muscle car got me in a lot of trouble. So we sold it.

Then I got a 1970 Challenger. I had it for a while until I got in trouble with that one, too. Dad caught me drag racing.

I went in to the Marine Corps for eight years. Got married. After that, I couldn't have muscle cars any more. I ended up with a Plymouth Verizon, little four door, ugly. Needed room for baby sets -- six boys. My wrenching days were over for a while.

All the kids are grown and gone now (three in the Navy; one is a Navy Corpsman) and we just had our first grand DAUGHTER!

I decided to get back into the hobby. In about 2010, I put together a 1967 Mustang convertible (pictures are in the Photobucket album). I wanted something older and I'm not really a FORD guy. I put the Mustang on Craigslist and it went fast. A fellow brought me the cash and it was gone.

A friend had this 1/2-ton and it was all in pieces. He had been working on it for 15 years with his son. He replaced every piece of sheet metal on it. He went through exacting details, making templates to replace various parts. He put on a new bed. It was coming along to be a really nice truck when done.

But his son lost interest and eventually so did he. I told him I'd like to buy it. He dropped his price so I was able to take it off his hands. He put a lot of work into it and was never able to drive it. When I get it done, he will finally be able to get a ride in it.

So we hauled the '40 over to Dad's place (he's got a heated garage!). We have been slowly working on it. Dad he can still outwork me (and he's over 70 years old)!

This is the third motor it has had in it. The first motor sat for so long, it spun a bearing. We tried one Dad had, but it turned out to have the same problem. This third one is a 350 and runs great. We got it running (video)!

I work at a grain facility where we haul corn. I took the truck in to weigh it and it was only 2900 pounds. So that 300 horse power motor really moves us down the road. I have a Turbo 350 tranny in there and Mustang II front disc brakes.

When he painted my Camaro, I was the sander ... He taught me how to paint but I haven't painted anything yet. I think he'll let me paint my own truck! He's gonna supervise, he said. I think he just doesn't want to paint anymore. It may be the last thing he paints, so that will make it all the more special for me.

I recently got MY garage built, so we brought my truck over here. My one son is attending Cleveland Technical School and he's just about finished. I hope to get him to help me with my truck.

I spotted a 1965 Chevy truck that I am thinking of picking up for my Son and I to work on. Keeping the Stovebolt craze alive another generation.

Larry

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