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02 February 2012
# 2941

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1952 Chevy One-half Ton

"The Idaho Sheep Shot"

Owned by
Scott "ADspudnut" Gummersall
Idaho

From Scott :

My older sister has loved sheep since she was a teenager. She's always found time after her day job as a hospital cook to work on the sheep ranches in southeast Idaho. She told me the owner of the ranch she's currently working on wanted to get rid of an old truck. I drove out to the ranch and just south of the sheds, setting between a transport and old Mack school bus, sat a three window Chevy half ton.

I have very fond memories of a 1951 half ton that I owned in high school. I got the '51 for $75 from a neighbor. My brother and I drug it out of a snowdrift and scooped the snow out of the cab. The snow had filled the cab because the driver’s window was broken out.

We pulled the truck home and on the way, I slipped it into 4th and let out the clutch and she started right up. My brother was so surprised when I started honking the horn and revving the engine!

I drove that truck on many fishing trips and camping trips until the 216 gave up. I didn't get around to fixing it and went off to college. I came up short of cash and sold the '51 to my cousin.  He took the 216 out and then the truck sat. About three years later, I asked my cousin about the truck. He said he had lost interest in the truck and I could have it back ... no charge.

My brother and I found a 1953 235 for the truck. Not knowing that a year newer engine would have full oil pressure, I took the '53 235 to a machine shop and had the engine rebuilt from the crank up.

After I got married, my wife and I always took the '51 camping and we would sleep in the bed.

Eventually, the steering and clutch went out and children came along. I kept the '51 for years, moving it from place to place, always planning to fix it up. Then, in a weak moment, another truck enthusiast asked me to sell the cab to him and I let it go. I wish I hadn't. Even my kids were upset with me as I've had that old truck their whole lives.

Well, this 1952 is a chance at redemption ... a chance to resurrect an old Chevy that the sheep rancher had given up on and get what's left of my '51 going again.

I offered $250 for this old truck and the deal was done. I got it home and cleaned it out. The cab was full of dirt mixed with a couple boxes of 22 shells.

The '52 needs a lot of work. Much salt is used on the icy roads in Idaho and it eats these trucks up. I'll need to replace a lot of the cab floor and the inner and outer cowls.

I could find a better rebuild candidate but this truck is from close to home and reminds me of my 3 window '51. I've already got the '53 engine running again and rebuilt the rear axle, suspension and steering and put all that on a freshly painted frame. Next I'll tackle restoring the cab.

Here's a pictue of the rebuilt drive train & chassis. [ Scott also sent us a picture of the bed ... Not sure if this is the bed from the '51 when he and his wife did their camping ... looks a little weathered. ~ Editor ]

Scott Gummersall
"ADspudnut"
Bolter # 18691

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