1959 Chevy Apache Stepside
1946 Chevy Pickup
1963 Chevy C20 6L

Owned by Joop de Kleijn "joop" Bolter # 20607 Netherlands More truck pictures on my personal site!

26 October 2009
# 2686, 2687, 2688

From Joop :

Greetings from the Netherlands. Here are my Stovebolt trucks: a 1959 Chevrolet Apache Stepside, my 1946 Chevrolet pick up and a 1963 Chevy C20 6L.

In the past year, I was working with several restoration shops. We worked on various English old timers. In the evening, I work at home on old and new cars. In March 2009, I decided to start my own business, which is what the web site is about. You'll notice a nice looking cab on my web site. It was a friend's -- I welded several parts on it. It is a cab off a 1949 GMC 100 pick up.

The Apache has been my dally driver (here is a close up picture). As you can see above, I used it to pull my '46 Chevrolet chassis / frame to the sandblaster. I also have a little "tow-behind" I use to carry stuff (see picture). That trailer was made by me a couple years ago when I found a Stepside with only a complete bed with fenders. I had an original trailer that I put the bed on. It's a good match with the colors -- white and rusty.

The picture of the '46 was taken fairly soon after I bought it. It was only 50% complete. Several folks had been working on it and a lot of parts got lost.

Now I hope to find these parts. It may take a few years. It will not be easy in Europe. I have been buying several parts in the USA. I was visiting the great swap meets at Hershey and Carlisle in 2008. Then we drove to Jim Carter's in Kansas City. We got plenty from him. We flew to the USA with three suitcases and come back home with four suitcases -- only parts.

This '46 will by my second restoration. My first was a GMC 100 1951 pickup the story was placed on an old GMC truck web site. I will try to make a small story to cover the Chevy's.

At this time, I am working on a 1963 Chevy C20 3/4-ton that I will use as a daily driver because the Apache needs some attention to the mechanical works. The yellow Chevy is only a few weeks in my possession. It has a 292L six engine. This old truck actually came from Placerville, California and was sold to a guy in the Netherlands in May 2008. That guy never drove it here. So this past October, I bought it from him. It still has the USA title. I will have to make this Chevy ready for a Netherlands' title, and that will take several changes.

The '46 Chevy has the priority even though it will take several years. The frame and cab have been sandblasted. I have repainted the frame black and the cab is in primer.

For those who might like to see more, there is a small club in the Netherlands for us old pickup truck guys!

Thanks,

Joop


It's always good to hear from our Stovebolters in far away places. Next time you come to the USA, you'll have to plan it around the Reunion. I think there are many Stovebolters who come to Kansas City who would love to share the brotherhood of the 'Bolt with you. Look forward to more story as you get time. ~ Editor

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