01 August 2014
# 3077

	Owned by Todd Shumansky Man in the know (Previous Owner): Gene Riser "niobrarafun" Bolter # 20492 Iowa

1959 GMC 3/4-Ton Longbed Stepside

This story comes to us via Gene, who was the previous owner of the truck. Gene has a 1956 Chevy Shortbox Stepside in the Gallery. Gene knows all about this truck and hopes to get it back some day. We thought we'd add this history ... so when he gets it back, it will be easy to continue the truck's story! ~ Editor)

From Gene Reiser :

Here is a picture and story of the 1959 GMC 3/4-ton longbed Stepside that I sold to Todd Shumansky in August 2012. He has the old truck on display at his Haunted Forest at “Scarecrow Farm,” which is just east of Sioux City. She's just sitting in the pumpkin patch.

I am secretly planning on purchasing the truck back from Todd when I need another project down the road.  Just don’t tell my wife!

Here is a little background on this truck. The truck was purchased new by a dealer in Akron, Iowa and used as a truck around the dealership property. The dealership logo is barely present on the doors, but not legible.

In the late 1960s, Victor Rider, who lived on a farm 10 miles from Akron, bought it from the dealership.

The truck didn't have an engine. Victor was going to fix it up and thought it would be a great rat rod since it had awesome patina. it was in good shape. It was not rusted bad. It wasn't perfect but it was fixable.

Victor parked the truck in mid 70s -- not sure why.  Victor passed away in the mid 1980s.

I worked with Victor’s daughter, Donna, at Wells Enterprises (makers of Blue Bunny Ice Cream!).  In the summer of 2010, she asked if I could help her stock their pond so they could catch some nice fish out of it.  While there stocking the pond, I noticed this1959 GMC and asked what they wanted for it.

Donna’s Mom, Bernice, said I could have it for the help on stocking the pond.  Next thing I knew, she ran in the house and came back with the title and gave it to me.

So over the next couple of months, I spent a good bit of time digging the truck out.  The old gal had sunk about eight inches into the ground and had no rims or tires. The passenger side front bumper had a tree trunk growing into it.

By early September, I had the truck at another friend’s farm next to my 1959 Chevy Apache 36 Fleetside ( which now belongs to Alfred Reiser ).  While finding tires and rims from a guy in Sioux City, I noticed a 1956 Chevy 3100 Stepside Shortbox truck next door ( which I ended up purchasing; she's the one in the Gallery now .. the one that is STILL MINE ).

Well, that '56 put my wife over the edge and I was forced to reduce my truck inventory to just one, the '56. 

I ended up selling the GMC and Apache. The GMC was sold to Todd.  But I hope to get her back some day and get her driving again -- but that won’t be for a while.

So, she sits in the pumpkin patch. It's not really scary but just looks like an old abandoned truck. Todd said he may get a ghost with glowing eyes to sit in the driver's seat. That's probably good / bad since he has no plans to restore it. Plus, his farm is just outside Sioux City where I live so I can check on her now and then.

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