The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Re: What did you get done on your 'Bolt today?

My 1935 big bolt is used as one every day. Grandpa bought it in 1940 (from his cousin who used it since new as a Texaco truck) and farmed with it. My uncle bought it from him in ‘64 and used it every day to feed silage. He put it up on blocks in ‘87 in the old chicken house. Several years ago I bought it just to keep it in the family, but have ended up using it to farm every day as well. I feed cattle with it, haul bales, check pastures, and drive between farms with it. I drive it the five miles to town to pick up base when I grind feed. Lots of folks have taken its picture in front of the elevator, but everyone in this immediate area is just used to seeing it do it’s work everyday. During the summer I take the driver’s door off to make it easier to use, but it doesn’t set out at night or get used in the rain anyway.

It still has the original engine although my uncle had it rebuilt in ‘67. It is still six volt and charges with the original generator. She even starts up to do chores when the temperature hits zero, but I retard the timing for cold weather to make her spin a little easier. It was originally white but my grandfather had it painted red (with a brush) when his cousin put the grain box on it in 1940 from a wrecked truck. When I bought it my uncle was 80 years old and finally selling out and moving to town. He was sure to tell me that it would haul 110 bushels of wheat if I needed it to (nevermind that my combine itself holds 200). I didn’t have the heart to remind him that no elevator had a sling anymore and she doesn’t have a hoist. That’s ok, I wouldn’t want to fill it with wheat and have my thigh muscles give out before I got her stopped. I wouldn’t say I have had more than four thousand pounds in it at any time and I hate to do that heavy a load. After all, this is her retirement.