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A Cool Old Truck

Tom Schupbach's

1947 Chevy 1-Ton

(feature story in the November news)

1 November 00

Here is my 1947 Chevy 1-Ton pickup. This truck is a "parts" car for my restoration of my 3/4-Ton truck. It carries a deluxe five window cab which is to be used on the 3/4-Ton truck. Most of the rest of it will be parted out later. I will also use the double action heavy duty shocks on the 3/4-ton.

The trucks are the same except for the frame and bed. The frame is heavier than the 3/4-ton unit and the bed is longer. This truck is so worn out that when you lift the front end, the wheels move nearly an inch from worn kingpins! The right rear wheel is locked up tighter than my parts budget, and will not budge! I had to trailer it home like that. Was a chore getting it out of the junkyard it was in and on the trailer. Was a bigger chore getting it off!

I had looked for a five window cab for the '47 for quite a while. The closest thing prior to finding this truck was three states away, and it was a 1951 (would have had to cut and graft the cab to do it!). When we got there with a trailer, we found the truck had literally rotted into the ground a foot above the running boards! When we tried to pull it out, the frame broke!

I was able to salvage the curved corner windows but that was all. Looked funny to see a tandem axle car trailer pulling two pieces of glass!

After looking all over for a five window cab, the 1-ton was found in the local paper only 15 miles from my house! The owner was forced to get rid of this and several other trucks as the city was insisting he clean up his property. (Didn't have a permit for a junkyard, but he had the cars!) I bought the truck for $50 - and he trailered it to my house to boot!

Here's the restored engine for the 3/4-ton truck. When I get a little time, I'll send along some shots of the other stuff I've gotten done on the truck. Hope to get the chassis done this winter!

I'm taking so long on the restoration due to two things: First, the research to find ORIGINAL configurations that can be documented as correct is a bear! Finding NOS parts is another challenge, I'd rather use them than reproduction, if possible. (Found a complete NOS tool kit a week or so back!) Still looking for a jack and tire tool.

Tom