1946 Chevy 1/2-Ton

Owned by Tommie Jones "trjones" Bolter # 22463 Comanche, Texas Talking about this truck in the DITY Gallery

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From Tommie :

This truck is a 1946 1/2-ton 3100 built in Detroit. It had a painted grille and leather tank neck seal.

The previous owner was a local theater. They used it to carry a billboard in the back.

After we purchased it in 1964, it was used to carry feed and seed on the farm. When we got a newer pickup, my Dad's employee used it to carry fuel and supplies to a bull dozer until the engine was beginning to fail. At that time, it was parked on blocks with wheels removed -- in about 1970.

I had thought about working on it -- on and off occasionally, but never did. I retired from the Texas Department of Transportation in 2007 after 26 years. I did some fence building, built a hay barn and added a room on my shop which was useful when I started on the project.

On the first of November last year, I put two of the tires that had been originally on it when parked and brought it to the shop. Spent about a week taking it apart and checking the condition of the parts. Saw that all the brakes and drums would need replacing.

Had read it was best to get the frame and body worked first, so I removed everything from the frame and started sand blasting. After sand blasting, everything was treated with Ospho and primed and stored inside.

The battery box was replaced and the front springs which were broken. After this was together and painted, checked the engine out. It had frozen where it couldn't be repaired. So I decided to go with a 235. Didn't find one, but did find a useable 261 from an old truck.

Carried the head to the machine shop to be worked. Ordered parts and did the other motor work myself. The head was the only thing that I didn't do myself.

I had worked on the farm and Highway Department so I had experience on mechanical work.

Now started on the body. I had to replace windows, door handles, fuel tank and floor board. Only rusted out places were where varmints had piled dirt between front fender and cab. This was my first major body work and painting so that was a learning experience.

Fenders were rather rough so had to do quite a bit of work on them. Looked at bed kits, but was in Home Depot one day and saw some wood I liked so bought. Cut to fit and grooved for bed strips.

I joined a local car club the first of this year and they were having a car show the last of September. Was close, but was able take it to it. Wanted to use original Chevy colors so checked paint chips and found the Suburban colors I liked. Left the grille painted because it was originally and chrome was so expensive. The colors are top Airedale Brown and bottom Cireassian Brown; interior Hammered tan.

It was a very interesting project.

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