Brad Martin's 1959 Chevy Stepside

29 November 2006
# 1737

From Brad :

           My 1959 Chevy Stepside pickup is from Ft. Sumner, New Mexico. In fact, the name of the dealership where the old girl was purchased was Withers Motor Co. I can even tell you that she was purchased on October 12, 1959. I could even tell you the name of the first owner. I have never met him, but I know he must of loved her as much as I do because he kept all the maintenance records and warranty information with her.

           I was 13 years old when I first saw her and it was truly love at first sight. My Dad (Bud Martin) had gone down to look at a car that was for sale, but decided he didn't like the car. He saw the '59 in the barn and asked about it. The lady told him that it hadn't run since her husband had died.

           Long story short, Dad took the '59 home. The story I was told was that a new battery, good gas, and a little kerosene in the cylinders over night, was all that was required to start the truck up after it had been left for several years in the barn. The drive home was about 200 miles and Dad said she smoked like an old freight train.

           Dad restored her back to original when I was in high school. He covered her in Corvette red paint. Some 20 years later and now she is mine. I confess to having neglected her over the years, but time and two boys (Caleb and Nathaniel) of my own have a way of changing my plans on a regular basis. My boys love the old truck and are excited about helping me re-re-build her. It'll be a great Father-son project and a fun re-restore.

           She still has the original 235 and the starter is still on the floor. She no longer has a generator. A '77 Plymouth donated the front end. She sat out on my family ranch for the last five years without being started. I didn't need kerosene, just a lot of TLC and a new set of points. That's all we needed to bring my first true love home to meet my wife (you would think she would be jealous, but my old truck has accepted my wife into our little triangle better than I thought she would).

           A good friend of mine, Scott Janssen, who is building a unique '57 turned me on to this site. This is the best site I have been to yet for information, and just plain fun reading. Good job.

           I hope you all enjoy the pics. I will post more as the build continues.

Brad Martin
Alamogordo, New Mexico