Owned by Ed Hoover "DaOzTinman" Bolter # 18331 Wamego, Kansas - The Land of OZ

1954 Chevy COE

More pictures of my old truck

Join the discussion about this truck
in the BIG BOLTS forum

From Ed :

"I'm baaaaaaaackkkk!"

After getting rid of all my old trucks over a year ago, I now have a 1954 COE Chevy. I just could not say no to the one truck style I've wanted for years . She's in good condition (except tires) and if things work out, I hope to bring her to the Stovebolt Reunion in KC in September. Why is it you can't get away from these ol' trucks ?

I got the CEO from Richard Moody, a Stovebolter in northwestern Missouri. I met him a couple of years ago at the KC Reunion. He brought a handful of pictures of the COE to the Reunion and was checking on parts and trying to get a feel for what he could get for it if / when he wanted / needed to sell it. I told him I might be interested if he got to that point.

I kept in touch with him for the past three years just to see how he was doing with the truck restoration. He emailed me the end of February to say he was thinking of getting rid of it and wondered if I was still interested. He gave me a reasonable price, but I told him I still needed to factor in the cost of moving it from Missouri to Wamego.

So, a mechanic friend and I went up to look at the old truck and found that it was in real good condition. I just needed to find a way to get it home! I needed to make the trip home a reasonably priced one.

While I was trying to find a way to get it back to Wamego, Richard was looking around locally and found a young man who would do it for a reasonable price! Richard even picked up half the cost of transporting it because he knew I really wanted the truck. He wanted it to go to someone who was going to keep it original. The money issue was secondary. He said if he sold it, it would be to someone on Stovebolt.

Richard escorted the truck down and put it on the 5th wheel trailer. We off loaded it then put on a 1948 Chevy to haul back to my mechanic friend's place. So, my friend chipped in some for the transportation -- and it made it all quite affordable, for everyone!

Richard bought the truck in the mid-90's. I am the third owner. The truck is in really great condition. It has low mileage on it. It has the 5 window deluxe cab and a working hoist! A hoist makes life so much easier when you have to haul stuff.

Now it's sitting in my big shop waiting for pieces and parts so I can get it ready. I've been checking on tire prices (oh my!). Eventually, I'll do a deluxe interior (pickup two tone green) and it will go back to the original truck color exterior of Juniper Green. I was able to find green tint windows from Brothers ... and on sale!

Big plan is to bring it to Kansas City this year for the Reunion! Richard said he'll come again, too since he'll want to take a drive in it!

Ed

-30-