Birge Robinson's

1952 Chevy 3600 3/4-Ton


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06 August 2007
# 2009

From Birge :

          This is my 1952 Chevy 3600.  It has a later model 235 engine from 1962 or so I think.  (I still have to run the numbers.)  This was an old farm truck from around Gravois Mills, Missouri.  I learned to drive this truck several years ago. 

          I have fond memories of Dad driving this truck prior to our family moving from that area to around St. Louis .  He got it in a trade for an oxy acetylene welding rig and a set of Bobcat tires.  This was back in the early 1980's.  Unfortunately, after the trade, Dad never retrieved the truck. 

          One deer season, I got bored in the woods and started tinkering with the truck.  Hunting was slow so Dad came up and helped.  We got it running -- I think I was 12 or 13 and this is what I first drove.  It was supposed to be my first vehicle when I was 16 but that never happened. 

          Fast forward 10 years or so, around 1996. I redid the interiorThe dash looks pretty good. Bought all new glass and seals, and drove it around for a summer.  It has sat ever since that summer. 

          Now Dad has fully signed it over to me and it's mine.  I plan on just smoothing it out a bit and driving it.  I got her going on July 13, 2007.  I need to add some heat or Gumout and check the plugs and points and she should purr!  I need at minimum brake shoes all the way around and I think wheel cylinders. I'm not sure if I can rebuild them.  One major item, the back drums, are grooved real bad and I am not sure if they can be turned.

          This truck had a stuck valve about a year ago. Dad and I discovered it. This stuck valve caused a pushrod to get bent. So we kinda hill billied it -- took the push rod out straightened it with a hammer. [Smile] We put it back in and fired the truck up. I know this is archaic but at the time we were just seeing if we could get it run. This being said, I need to pull the valve cover off and look at it run, and probably put a set of push rods in it. The motor could use rebuilt but, at this time, I am going to try and run it the way it is.

          At this point the plans for the truck are to get it running right, stopping right, get some good tires on it, get it inspected and drive it as my weekend parts store / lumber store vehicle. I also plan on taking the bed off and building a flatbed out of channel and either light cher plate, or wood. I think wood will be lighter. So if anyone needs the remnents of a 3/4-ton bed, keep me in mind.

          After a debate with myself, I decided I better take the gas tank out of my truck and empty the rust out of it. I had plugged up a couple of gas filters, so I figured this was probably the best thing to do. When I pulled the tank out, and emptied what was left and nothing but brown chink rusty fluids came out of the tank. Very nasty stuff. I just hope the fuel filter do their job. I soaked the tank with Castrol Super clean and water. I ordered a tank repair Kit from KBS only $66. It was cheaper than some of the others, and looks to be a pretty good kit. I will let you guys know. I guess, if all fails, new tanks are about $140 or so. It's possible the tank could fail a pressure test but it's pretty solid, or it seems to be. There sure was lots of crap in it. Another important fact ~ this has been done once already. Dear ole Dad never recoated the inside, so it's on its second go round of cleaning. It may be a little thin in some areas.

          Here is a link to some more pictures of the old beast.  I got it going again (kinda that is). She ran but kinda rough.  I think may be a combination of possibly bad wires, plugs and points.  It also had a stuck valve which could be a big contributor.  I am going to check that out.  It is probably time for a rebuild but we'll try to run it for a bit anyway.

Later,

Birge Robinson
Bolter # 15070
Farmington, Missouri


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