Cheyenne Morin's 1953 Chevrolet 3800 1-Ton

"Thing"

August 2010 Update from Chey from the forums: Chey had to sell "Thing." She said the new owners " picked up Thing and gave me good news. They are just updating the interior to ac / heat and power steering. Keeping him as he is! Even his ugly paint job! My Dad spotted him in another town. Dad relayed to me that the new owners were grinning ear to ear!! I am happy he ended up in a new home. I had a tear when he left.

Hope to hear from the "new owners" so we can update Things (or his new name) history page! Good luck to you Chey! ~ Editor

15 June 2007
# 1971

From Chey :

           I have had previous knowledge in working on older cars. My Dad raised me in the shop with my fingers grabbing the little things his clubs couldn't get. I learned a lot from my Dad. Some useful, some not, and most forgotten. The "bug" never left me. In my teenage years, my Dad sold the 1955 race car, a 1920 something all original Ford truck (my Grandpa's), as well as the all original 1955 Belair. Broke my heart. And the bug kept on growing. So, I started searching on eBay for a project that me and my Hubby could work on together. I wanted something unique, yet simple.

           This truck jumped out at me. Orange, ugly as sin. But "he" clicked with me. I immediately called my Hubby who was working away from home. Told him all about the truck. He said, "Well, go for it!" He happened to come home a couple days before the auction ended. He looked at the truck, and said again "Go for it!"

           Well I did. As most eBay horror stories, this truck fell in with all of them. It was an awful time we had.

           In the end, we got the truck home. But the previous owner didn't supply us with the correct paperwork. He skipped town, changed numbers and left us high and dry.

           That's when I found The Stovebolt! I ran the VIN buster on the trucks VIN plate. It came up as a 1953 3800. Just what he was! I ran the VIN on the paper work that the guy supplied me with and it came back to a 1953 unknown. Unknown? I jumped threw a few more sites and managed to get a 1953 Panel. I am STILL in the process of getting the papers fixed.

           I have an idea, and by the end of this month, I will have a update.

           Once we got him home, I HAD to find a name for him. All I ever heard from people was "thing." "Why did you buy this 'Thing'?" "What you going to do with this 'Thing?'" "This 'Thing' isn't worth it." "This 'Thing' is ugly." So, I named him "Thing."

           Thing had been sitting on the trailer for about two weeks or so when I told Hubby "Ya know, I don't want to complain, but I think we need to get that heavy thing off the trailer."

           He wouldn't start. So we rolled him off the trailer. Poked here, pulled this, stomped that. What about this thing over here? Finally we rolled him down hill ... and POOF! Black smoke billowed out and he was running. We have been driving him ever since.

           Thing needs minor to major work. I found that having a 1-ton is not the easiest truck to own. Most parts places that deal in classics only carry up to 3/4-ton.

           I have managed quite well and am on the hunt for a parts truck. I have to replace his bed because the previous owners torched holes in it. Three fenders are shot. Running boards (impossible to find), and some badges that are correct for him as well.

           He is 1/2 6 volt and 1/2 12 volt. The engine is a 235 out of a 1959 with 4 on the floor. Our goal is to have him as original as possible. When things go out on him, we will "upgrade" from there.

           I have never dreamed I would own a beast named Thing. But I do. My bug has subsided some. I love this truck to pieces and I plan on keeping him in the family!

           Thanks to ALL the Stovebolt staff, friends, and fellow Bolters who have helped me and Thing! I've got some more pictures on my MSN site.

Chey, Thing and Bailey, the dog

Cheyenne Morin
"Lost1953"
Bolter # 14430
SV, California