Mike Grizzle's 1934 Chevy 1.5-Ton Grain Truck

From Mike :

           This was my Grandfather’s grain truck. He used it from the 1930’s into the late 1950’s. The truck would travel to Minot, North Dakota. My Mother remembers learning to drive with it. She said the accelerator pedal was (and still is) missing and would wear a hole through the souls of her shoe. I played in this old truck when I was small.

           In June 2002, I went to visit the farm my Grandparent’s had owned, where my Mother grew up. I saw the old truck buried in the tree line in the back of the farm. There are trees growing on four sides of it, none through it yet. The rear end is sitting on the ground. The running boards are just above, too and the frame looked solid. I just wanted to bring it home and make it run again. Maybe my Mother would still be able to drive it one more time. I noticed the Chevrolet emblem on the front, but didn’t know what year it was at the time.

           I went back to the farm in January 2005 and brought the hood home on the plane as luggage. I got a piece of it now.

           I have learned a lot from your great site. It feeds the obsession. Also checking eBay.

           I made another visit July 2006. Now a door is missing. I wanted to put the truck's picture in “The End?” of Custom Classic Trucks Magazine. It’s not over for this one yet if I can help it.

           The year 2007 is the year to start my collection of incomplete 1934 Chevy 1.5-ton trucks. I hauled one from the UP of Michigan back to Florida since I had an empty trailer coming home this June. The load of furniture was heavier that the truck. What a job that was driving. This truck ran when parked. Then a tree parked on it and crushed the roof, corners and back panels. It still turns with the hand crank, just needs some more parts to fire it up. I hope!?

           I got a second truck for a great price with a title and almost complete ”key in the ignition” minus the wood that holds the cab together from Collector & Restorable Cars in Webster, South Dakota. I checked on this for about three years before it came home -- the same week the first one did. Time to add onto the garage.

           Now in August with the wife’s blessings, I will finally make that long but fun haul to bring my Grandfather’s truck home to restore. I have a good start on parts now. It may take three trucks to make one or create a second one. All three have the 207 motor, 4 speed, and dual wheels.

           I plan on keeping my Grandfather’s close to stock and use it as a weekend driver to the local Saturday night car show. I can’t drive that slow everyday.

           I will need some diagrams or prints to make the missing wood structure. Would anyone have something to help?

           I have more photos in my Webshots shoe box! “New guy last month” in the forums but a Stovebolt reader for five years.

Thank you,

Mike Grizzle
"Grizzly 34s"
Bolter # 15231
Crystal River, Florida