1961 Chevy C-20 Stepside

	"Sisie Q" Owned by Carol Levanger "Husker" Bolter # 4438 Utah Join the talk about this truck in the DITY Gallery

02 November 2011
# 2918

More pictures of my old truck

From Carol :

Hi all. Ever since I can remember, I have wanted an old truck to work on. In junior high and high school, I spent hours scouring every issue of "Old Truck Trader" I could get my hands on. I envisioned the day when I was driving my very own "$800 o.b.o. truck."

I didn't go into a mechanical career, and I never learned what I would need to know to work on an old truck. But still, the fire burned. I guess it was fairly obvious to my husband that I would always get whiplash when driving by a junkyard full of classics, or when passing a farm and spotting a "gem" in the field.

Without my knowing, there was a guy in town, who had offered to sell my husband a 327 motor.  He just had to wait until he got it pulled out of the junk truck it was in. The plan was to make a trailer out of the bed, and scrap the rest. This went on for several years. Finally, my husband said, "Maybe it would be easier if I just bought the whole truck." So, my husband went up to take a look at this junker. At first glimpse, he knew I would go ape over it.

So, the old truck was delivered to our house while we were in town shopping. It's an hour to the next town, and half way home my husband says, matter of factly, "I bought a truck." (Now my husband is NOT an impulse buyer. But he IS a fisherman, and the bait was swallowed.)

"You WHAT?!?" I replied.

"I bought a truck" was all I could get out of him for the next ten miles.

Then he dropped another tidbit, "You might like it."

Another ten miles of no new info.

Just as we pulled into our little town, he said "If you like it, it's yours."

My curiosity was about to give me a heart attack! Well, it was dark when we pulled into the driveway. When our headlights shone off the dual headlights and I caught a glimpse of the shape of the hood, my heart skipped a beat and I said, "I LOVE IT!!!"

Well, it's been road worthy and licensed a couple of different times, but not to the point of being what I want for a daily driver. That is my goal. I want to drive it to and from work.

I took off the roll bar, and sprayed some blue paint on several years back. The original paint was from the Forest Service. I hope to repaint this year after some body repairs to the cab corners.  I've removed the bed wood and will be redoing it next year.

So, here I am. I'm the first to admit that I know nothing. But I'm a quick learner. So, I keep asking dumb questions. Keep getting great information from all my Stovebolt friends. And I'm learning more than I dreamed possible. Looking forward to learning more, and doing more on that truck. I am anxious to do whatever I can myself. Dirt, grime, grease ... bring it on. Rust, I'm learning a bit about it, too.

Thanks so much for being part of the realization of my childhood dream!

Stovebolts forever!

When I get to driving her every day, then maybe I'll turn my attention to the 1937 1 -1/2-ton dually I rescued from a field.

Thanks for considering my truck as a Gallery entry!

Carol Levanger



Carol "Husker" L was a big help to the Stovebolt Staff with getting the 2011 Kansas City Reunion semi-organized! It was great to meet her out there. She continues to be a big help on the site as a recent member of the Gallery A-Team (Acquisitions). She's one super nice Bolter that hopefully more of you will get a chance to meet some day. ~ Peggy M / Editor

In February 2012, Carol added her 1937 Chevy 1.5-Ton Dually ("Hank, Sr.") to the Gallery -- another great story you'll want to read. ~ Editor

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