I purchased this the truck near Bend Oregon in 2009. My wife and I took a trip and looked at three trucks of the same vintage all in the same area. The price ranged from $2-3.5K. This one was the last one we looked at and by far the most complete. It was running when I bought it for $3K. It ran and was driven on to my car carrier.
I live in Brush Prairie WA just over the Columbia river from Portland OR.
We brought it home the following weekend and it sat for a year. The truck only had surface rust. Bend is high desert area. This truck had a title from Idaho last registered in the 1970's.
I am doing a body off restoration.
I dismantled the truck in the summer of 2010 and started the sand blasting and painting of all the chassis. The down-side to a truck that ran so long is many parts are very worn. This will be my daily driver to work when complete.
The engine is a 1953 block 216 with a three speed. I will keep the truck close to original. Replaced the rear diff gears with 3:55. The tranny is 3 speed and rebuilt now. The engine is being rebuilt in Portland and will have shell bearings instead of the poured in place babbit.
The color will probably be Export Blue but with a black interior dash and tuck and roll seat.
So here I am.
Gene Wirth
