Owned by Lee Williams "LeeW3913" Bolter # 29361 Deer Park, Texas

1951 Chevy 3600

"Dakota"

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From Lee:

My wife and I had been riding Harley motorcycles for some time and my wife thought I should sell them and get an old car "or something." Well, I have always liked old trucks and a good opportunity came along.

My Father-in-law had the truck for me! It had been sitting in the field at the farm in south Dakota for more than 30 years. He said if I would pay to have it shipped from the northern part of south Dakota to Texas, I could have it.

The truck is a 1951 Chevy 3600. It was purchased new in 1951 by my FIL's Dad to use on the farm in SD. It did the usual farm chores, especially hauling hay and feed for the animals.

My FIL said when he turned 16, his Dad gave him the truck. He drove it until he went into the military and then his brother got the truck. In 1971, the truck was parked in the field and wasn't used any more.

After the conversation with my FIL, I started calling shipping companies the next day to see about getting it shipped. Not many people are going from South Dakota to Texas. Most shipping companies said that they prefer trips from the East or West coast going South. No one was too crazy about moving a load from the Central US to the South. It took over three half months to find someone who would pick it up. It took the driver a week to get it to Texas.

We named my "new" old truck "Dakota" considering its roots. When the truck arrived, I started stripping it down in our garage. Then I sent it over to the body shop, Auto Creations in Pasadena, Texas. They had it for almost a year and did a complete frame-off restoration. Except for the engine, the truck is original. My FIL had blown out the original engine but I found a 250 on Craig's List for $100. I cleaned it up and put it in.

I just got the truck back from the body shop about three weeks ago. The tires are off now and I am replacing brake lines, shocks, re-doing brake drums, etc. -- all those finishing touches that will still take a few months.

The paint color is called "White Diamond Pearl." Those great white-wall tires I found on-line from Diamond Back tires. I found those great-looking wheels at a trailer supply place.

I am not a mechanic by nature. This is my first restoration and it will not my last. Every night I read the Stovebolt site. I look for pictures on stuff and then go and work on it. I like getting a lot of responses and options when I post a question. So many on Stovebolt were willing to take personal time to help me figure this stuff out.

I was reading about standard and over drive transmissions. Michigan Mike spent a lot of time with me on this. He sold me some parts and was sure that I got what I needed for an adapter plate to match things up. It has been a helpful process.

My wife thinks it's funny that I'm on the site all the time. She is asking for a convertible for "our" next project!

It's been great to have a truck that you have history with. My FIL has some pretty good stories and he can recall different dents and bumps on the body. For example, when I got the truck, there was a dent in the hood. He admitted that he jumped on the hood to push a hay bale off of it. In the process, he dented the hood.

My goal for "Dakota" is to have it done by February 2013. We want to take the truck to a show in Rapid City, SD. We went this past year for the first time. The show is in an auditorium and they have some nice vehicles. It'll be fun to bring "Dakota" up to perhaps see some "kin-folk."

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