Lonnie and Yvonne Henderson's 1949 Chevy 1/2-Ton

“Brown Sugar”

01 December 2005
# 1303

From Lonnie:

             We purchased this truck in the fall of 2000 and restoration was completed in the fall of 2005.

             I always had dreamed of owning an old Chevy truck ever since I was a little boy when my Grandfather taught me drive his truck. I would fetch wrenches for him and pump those old brakes. After completing a 32-year career as a Junior High Principal and raising my daughter, I decided to fulfill my dream.

             When purchased, this truck was farm fresh. It had holes in the floor, cowl, and rear cab corners. The bed end was totally shot. However, the drive train was in good shape! I lost most of my before exterior pictures in cyber space but included are some before interior shots.

             At the time I didn’t know that the “professionals” wouldn’t touch or understand the working of a 50-plus year old truck. So I decided to do it all myself.  I taught myself to weld, to do body work, and to paint (it was painted in a barn). I luckily discovered the Stovebolt Forum and the restoration was on. With the help of the Stovebolt Forum -- Peggy and staff, Metalman, Bill Jesse, Jeff Nelson, and others on the forum, plus my Father-in-law (he owned one of these trucks as a young man), we completed our project this year.

             It has been great working on this truck and the work served as a transition from the stress of work to retirement. The truck resides at the confluence of the Ohio and the Mississippi rivers in Cairo, IL.

             Ladies and gents, I would  like to present to you “BROWN SUGAR”

             All original including license plates. The only modifications are for safety and convenience: 12V, dual master cylinder, pertronix ignition, carpet, side spare tire carrier and seatbelts.

Thanks,

Lonnie Henderson
"Lonnie49"
Bolter # 956
Cairo, Illinois