The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Newbie from Motown

Newbie from Motown
Hi All,
My name is Joe Finkelstine and I just joined last week. I do not yet own a Stovebolt but am preparing to own one within the next year or so.

I am hoping to learn as much as I can in this forum and I have many questions I will begin scattering over the other forums once I read the tech tips and other background information before I bug you all.

I have really taken a liking to the Art Deco-ish C3100 series pickups (1941-1946) and this will be where I target a purchase. I just love their looks and I can’t stop staring at those beautiful grills.

I grew up working on cars in the 70’s and had a Plymouth Roadrunner in the 90’s before the arrival of marriage and 4 kids made keeping the car quite problematic. Fast forward to today, and 3 of 4 are out of college, last one is 2 years to go, and I actually have a spot available to me now in my 2 car garage. I thought a Stovebolt would be a much better fit than my daily driver.

I have the first marriage of my oldest (3 daughters and a son) and 1 semester of dual tuition left that both clear as of summer of 2016 — I hope to get something then and for now, I am going to follow the advice I give my students when I teach them Radio control flying and they show up at our field — I tell them to do their research, and this is now good advice for me.

Several of my good friends in my flying club are also old car enthusiasts and they stopped me from buying a Stovebolt last week. They did what all good friends do, they challenged me as to if I have done my homework and what was the feedback on the dealer I was looking to negotiate with, along with their misgivings about me doing a sight unseen purchase of a truck in Texas. I had to admit they were right (That is the key problem with good advice; it always goes against what I want to do!)

I have so many specific questions like, how do those splash lubricated 216’s hold up over time, vs. several 1940’s I see that have newer 235’s replacing them?, etc. — Much for me to learn

I love the OEM look and want a truck that I can drive and not be afraid of its cost — not a project, and not a trailer queen, and certainly not a heavily modified truck — a clean OEM-ish Stovebolt that is not perfect and wants someone to take care of her and drive her in the summer months in Michigan where I live.

I will be reading much in these forums and if any of you reading this own a truck in the vintage I am looking to target I would love to chat with you about what to look for when I start my searches in earnest

Thanks for letting me in!

Joe Finkelstine

Joe, welcome to the Stovebolt. The best move anyone can make with pre-73 Chevy and GMC trucks. Do your homework but don't pass up a good deal when you find one as these old trucks are getting a little harder to come by. Decide what you want and since time is on your side, somewhat anyway, be willing to look at several.
The guys in the garage forums are excellent on these old trucks so ask questions in the most appropriate forums for the questions for best results.

One thing I might add is while I once had a 46, and currently a 37, there is not very much room in them. Mine has actually gotten smaller over the years The AD years, '47-54 do offer a little more wiggle room. Nevertheless, its going to be YOUR truck and we'll all help you anyway we can. Keep an eye on the Trucks for Sale Forum and the guys are good about posting ads in the Ebay/craiglist forum.

Good luck and we're here to help....since I spent time in the U.P. of Mi. at K.I. Sawyer, I suspect you've had snow equipment ready since the first of Sept.!!

Hi Achipmunk,

Thank you for the welcome. I hope to not get into analysis paralysis, and that the stars line up for my plunge into ownership before too long.

I appreciate the comment on room, as I remember reading that in passing in the history of the Chevy trucks ( The next generation after the Art Deco’s did mention GM adding more room in the cab per customer requests) — I had not thought that would be an issue.

While I am not fully round, I have an expanding equatorial budge like most middle aged men — I am hoping I can find a truck or two to at least sit in from the era I am considering to see if I will be comfortable in them. Perhaps my wife can smile and say lose weight or you won’t be able to buy a truck.

I went to college 30 miles north of K.I. Sawyer in the late 70’s and do indeed remember the snow very well. I lived through the blizzard of 78 up there, where we got 7 feet of snow in 3 days — it was awesome as a college freshman. I suppose you may well know that K.I. Sawyer is now the Marquette regional airport, as the base was closed and that long B-52 SAC runway made for a good start at a bigger airport than the one Marquette had off the shore that was forever fogged/snowed in.

Thanks again for the welcome, I hope you are enjoying your Stovebolt

Welcome Joe, good to do some research ahead of time. Hopefully you'll know when it's the right time to buy. I had one of those splash lubricated engines in my '53. I replaced it with a newer six, although it's a 261, same size. In my opinion, it does better on the long haul trips. I'm very happy with it. Good luck in your quest.
Leo

Joe, there's a lot of bolters in Michigan. http://stovebolt.com/world.shtml#mi

There might even be one or more with the Art Deco series that you could visit. You're not too far from Ohio, and we have quite a few there as well. If you ask in the forum, someone will probably pipe up and invite you over.

Here is a good Tech Tip on spotting an Art Deco truck "like an expert."

Here is another one for shopping for or selling an old truck.

I see you have already checked in with the Great Lakes Bolters in the Side Lot forum. I think you'll get acquainted with what's happening in your area there. Those side lots have some frequent visitors.

Hope they may help.

Peggy M

Hi Leo, Paul and Peggy

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement. I am at the point of feeling like a kid with a pocket full of nickels in a candy store, and am forcing myself to wait and research more. I have already fallen in love with a 41 Stovebolt for sale in Texas, and am really fighting the urge to pull the trigger. I will do my best to introduce myself to the local Michigan and Ohio Stovebolters and hopefully be the beneficiary of experience.

Thanks again

Joe

Hey Joe, I am out in Pinckney which is outside of Ann Arbor. I am not familiar with the 40's trucks but I do have a couple of 50's trucks. Welcome to the stovebolt community.

Matt

Hi Matt
Nice to meet you - I would love to have a chat with you aobut your Chevy truck and any wisdim you could impart on me - Your signature line shows a 1950, which I know is in the AD series, but I am guessing the AD series still shares many things with the Art Deco series I like and I would love to learn as much as I can before plunging in - I can be reached by phone or email - I think members can email each other at least I put this in my profile) - so please send me and email with a way to contact you if yo would not mind talking

Thanks for the greeting