AD Chevy Trucks

Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. This one is on AD Chevy trucks (1947-1955). Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment for you.

See more 1941-1947 Trucks

Art Deco The Victory Trucks

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I haven't met ... yet.

Ken Yanko, 1952 GMC

	Owned by Ian Ring Bolter # 40102 Tennessee

1941 Chevy 1/2-Ton pickup

"Lucy"

More pictures of my old truck

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From Ian :

I thought I'd finally share my long story about my 1941 Chevy pickup truck named Lucy.

It all started right before my 17th birthday. My Grandparents wanted to get me a car and they asked me what I wanted. I always liked old trucks but now I had a chance to actually get one! Other cars like a Camaro and '65 Mustang were thought of but I came back to wanting an old truck.

One day, my Grandparents drove past a house just up the road from them and outside a little garage sat Lucy. They turned around to go ask about her. The funny part is the owner, Brad, turned out to be an old friend of my Papaw's. Papaw later told me about the '41 Chevy and then took me out to see her.

When I walked into the shop where she was parked, I was instantly hooked. I walked right passed a '58 Corvette in mint condition and straight to Lucy. I loved her!

A couple weeks later we met Brad at the shop. This time with my parents there also, and this time I got to leave saying I was her new owner. We brought her home a couple weeks later.

Lucy had belonged to a friend of Brad's who had passed away. So Brad bought the truck from his friend's wife. Brad is a Corvette guy (he owned the frame from Corvette number three for a while) and has some gorgeous cars, but I wanted what he calls, "the old farm truck."

When he got Lucy, she needed a lot of work. He took a hammer and chisel to get the mud and manure off the bottom!

He put in another engine as the original 216 needed a lot of work. He said he wanted to replace it with a 235 but couldn't find one at the time. Instead he found the current engine which is a 1947 216.

Now, we finally come to my beginning with Lucy. When I got her home, I drove her around in a field a couple times and then got into learning how to work on the old Chevy.

She had an overheating problem that took me about a year to get right. It turned out there was rust chips and sludge in the block so I flushed the engine and cleaned it through the freeze plugs and after what seemed to be forever, it was finally clean! But when she'd get out on high speeds, she would boil over still.

I tried different thermostats and even running without one. Then some guys in the Stovebolt forums suggested checkin the timing and the distributor. I moved the distributor about a quarter turn and that changed my truck! She pulled hills and ran so smooth! And even in 90 degree weather, Lucy runs fine -- no overheat!

Some of the big things that have been done are:

• New wiring harness
• 12 volt upgrade
• Turn signals
• Restored a set of wheels
• Rebuilt wheel cylinders and master cylinder
• Installed electric windshield wipers
• New glass
• Replaced door regulators
• Valve cover and oil pan reseal
• New water pump
• Installed seat belts
• Had a new muffler and tail pipe put on

And the list goes on as many of you know!

I have said that I've done a lot of this but I need to mention my Grandparents again as they have funded the biggest part of Lucy, for which I am very grateful. My Dad has also helped me on this truck so much and I don't think it would be anywhere near as good as it is if it weren't for his help, ideas, and encouragement. Also thankful to Mom for taking time out, to help me too.

The wood racks on the truck are my Dad's creation. They are made of white and red oak, stained and urethaned. He is also working on a tool box that will sit on those racks -- I will add pictures when he finishes it!

A couple interesting things you should know about Lucy. One, I am the fourth owner. She has a GMC bed because the original was destroyed by pigs at one point. I just replaced the GMC tailgate with a Chevy one from Jim Carter.

Lucy is actually titled a 1946 Chevy but I call her a '41 because the cab and parking lights are the 1941 style. She has one '41 headlight bucket and one '46 and a few other '46 parts so she's sort of a mix but just by looking she's a '41. I know that's confusing.

I absolutely love the Art Deco style and so does my Dad as he's mentioned it and wanting one also!

I met an older man at a little car show. He lives near me and has a 1946 Chevy. We got to talking about the area my truck came from and he said when he was a little boy, his Dad rented a truck from a farmer friend of their's to get a load of corn. He said it was a '41 Chevy. We both came to the conclusion that the truck he rode in as a little boy could very well may have been mine!

It's been a long journey so far with my '41 Chevy but it's all worth it. I love driving Lucy and working on her! There are ups and downs but overall it's awesome. I'm still getting use to the attention -- people wave and honk whenever I am out in Lucy -- and I'm starting to be known around here as the "guy with the old Chevy truck."

Besides the '41, I have a 1967 Mustang (Sally) that was a high school graduation gift from my Grandparents. My other hobby / interest is railroading!

I am also so thankful for the Stovebolt Forum. You guys have helped me with so much and taught me a ton. I know that will continue so thank you so much. I enjoy meeting all of you!

: - : ~ Ian

Support Stovebolt, the Next Generation! (Ian is 18!) Keep track of Ian's project details in the DITY Gallery and check for new photos to his Photobucket album. Any and all questions welcome! If you post in the forum, others can share in the discussion. Thanks ~ Editor  

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