The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1946 Chevy COE rescued from Lexington VA...

Ok so don't know what has gotten into to me but thanks for a local 'bolter here on the SBP I decided to save this beast from a local junk yard. This came out of the owner's "private stash" however we all know how that might turn out. Never touched and will rott away to nothing I bought this on a whim and decided to bring it out of the yard for revival.

Plans are to get it cleaned up, and see if the engine will turn over. If that goes well then it will be tires, brakes and steering and then make a yard truck out of it.

I just dumped 90 photos on my photo bucket account. Any thoughts, comments, and cash donations would be appreciated.

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/TrknGMC/library/1946%20Chevy%20COE?sort=2&page=1

Nice save, You now have proved, that you have the addiction!
My next step would be to seek out and save another one.

Don

It appears to be in a lot better shape than most of them.

Nice Save!

Very cool COE. Looks like you did good by pulling it out of salvage. Just enough left to bring back...hopefully.

Very nice truck. Yes, that one doesn't belong in salvage. You are going to get more attention in that truck than you would guess...

Welcome to the COE World Phil !

Nice truck, I feel like I've seen it before..

Have you tried the engine, does it turn?

Great Save!! Except for the tires,it looks GOOD,Solid,and Complete!From what I see in the pic's,the dump box looks GOOD,too! Hopefully,it won't take much to get "Her" running. We pulled a "beyond repair" '56 6400 out of its 35-year resting place a couple of years ago-and the engine was still FREE! The cab and fenders were shot,but a fellow "Bolter" drove 500 miles,(round trip),to buy the frame for his project! Good Luck!!

I've got to chime in as well and say, good save. That is a great truck. I saved mine a couple years ago and it was in very similar condition. Months of cleaning, unpainting and pulling cholla cactus out of every crevice imaginable and it's still rough but runs and drives and sure does turn heads wherever it goes. A yard truck is an honorable semi-retirement. Good luck with it. Anything in AZ I can help you with, let me know.

Geo

Wow! All kinds of candy on this one! Cab heater, Hydraulic lift, cab clearance lights, 2-speed rear end, turn signals, and looks all original!

When you feel overwhelmed, take heart in the notion that, whatever you do, you won't likely make the truck worse! Anything you do will only help - it was you, or death by rust! There's a certain freedom in that . . .

Very cool truck!

-Michael

Again,Nice truck! Looks a lot like the way I found mine. I must admit I'm a little jealous of the bed, mine was bare. I also like the pick up style lights mine has the lolly pop style. Look forward to seeing your progress,Good luck!

Looks like it's about the same shape mine was in when I got it. It's even the same original color,the dark green. I had to line a lot of sheet metal with sheet metal. I'll bet the bottom lip on the hood is gone and probably the pans that hold the front of the cab that set on the sub frame are also gone. All the glass was also still in mine,that helps.It looks all there,even 95% of the front stainless. If you bring it back you'll truly be able to say you saved it from the crusher!!

Outstanding Save! And she looks a whole lot better than many I've seen when the project started.

LOVE them COE's!

Great thoughts and comments. Thanks for looking the photos over.

I spent a few hours looking things over. Then I decided to clean out the interior. I think every mouse in South West VA took residence under the seats, in the seats, under the seats. You get the idea. I picked the seats clean down to the springs, shop vac'ed the interior and rinsed with bleach.

Looked the engine over, very complete and very "original" looking. Look at the updated photos, I'm curious what the large wire coming out of coil is.

I'm going to clean the bed out shortly, then get it inside where I can try to turn the engine over. Not really interested in laying on the cold wet leaf covered ground to find out sooner. Looking forward to getting underneath with it with a creeper and dry concrete.

Also take note of all the old tools I found behine the seat ect. Also a 1957 TV Guide.

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/TrknGMC/library/1946%20Chevy%20COE?sort=2&page=5

The late '30s & early '40s series used a coil with a locking cap and armored cable protecting the ignition wire from the key switch. I guess to prevent hot-wiring the ignition. Called "Electrolock" or something. Took a "special" tool to remove the cap to get access to the primary wire.

If you need to replace the ignition switch, wire, or both, it's awkward, with the armored cable in the way.

Sadly, that I know of, nobody makes similar replacements.

Awesome cache of tools! Wonder how many are original GM issued tools?!

-Michael

Phillip, looks like you had a good day yesterday. The interior cleaned up pretty good. That rust in the passenger side toe board is the same place mine had problems. If you are not going concourse, its an easy fix. Good score on all the tools too. I think Grigg has a tail light like the bezel in the pic.
I bet she fires right up!
Oh, isn't there a picture of something else you found in there?

Ahhem.......

Yes, there was something else worth mentioning....Or not?

Tucked behind the seat deep was this and very worn out purple blouse...

http://s1291.photobucket.com/user/T...12_zps6a5b172d.jpg.html?sort=2&o=105

Blouse?!
looks more like a ladies under drawls to me.

I can see it now, a hot date in the COE at the drive-in movie show. Full moon.....

That tail, stop, and turn light is an Arrow Model 3. I have a good one and several for parts. The glass lens is hard to find in one piece, and the few I've found were very expensive.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RgYJv2FYaERg4HpqyjVikdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

Grigg, you have my attention.

Marlow, I mentioned also was a very worn out purple blouse plus the "nighty".

I can tell your too excited to read my post properly.

"She Thinks My Truck is Sexy",looong before any such song was dreamed-up!! I.M.H.O.,trucks,Especially "Old'Bolts",have tractors beat "hands-down"!

Phillip: I have no idea what you paid for your new project,but these Art Deco COE cabs go for BIG money on E bay. Especially as complete as this one is! It's cool your truck hasn't even been cleaned out or probably had any thing else done to it in 50 years or so!

After seeing the latest pix I have to say MUCH better condition than most of these rare old snub noses. Outstanding find.

BTW...anything good on TV this Wednesday around 8pm?

Brown chicken, brown cow... Man you have a love machine!