The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Any big bolters in Houston area?

I don't understand you Big Bolters. You guys either must be compensating for something else in your life, were picked on as kids, have a large buddy network, or some other mysterious psychological motivation that you justify working on these big guys. Every time I work on my relatively little 3100 or 3600, I'm more impressed with the "kit" and energy that it must take to work on those big guys. I want to come visit one of my local guys to help me understand the phenomena. I'll even help if you supply the beers. It seems however, that you are all north of I10...another mystery.

Anybody can have a pickup!

I wanted something to pull my vintage trailer (35') and my 59 Suburban just wasn't quite stout enough being only a half-ton. I went with a 2-ton (was also looking at some 1 1/2 tons). I found a couple farm trucks in pretty good shape and well, the rest is history!

I'm north of IH10 and I have a lot more trucks than pickups. I have at least a dozen 2 ton and larger GMC of the 50's.

https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos/photo/112636930370126476644/6191993835626873602?icm=false

https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos/photo/112636930370126476644/6191993961092761426?icm=false

https://plus.google.com/u/1/photos/photo/112636930370126476644/6236115487757214978?icm=false

And there are more that I have never photographed.

Ken, you may be our closest Big Bolter. Next time my wife gets the urge to give the James Avery HQ folks some more money, I'm going to drop in on you.

WOW!!! That's quite a stable of beauties you have there! Makes my little ton-and-a-half bus project look like a kid's game.

I have a few 1942-46 1.5 & 2 ton parts I no longer need that you would be welcome to just to know they don't go to waste. Nothing big, just a few bearings, some knuckle shocks and a few odds & ends. Already handed off the larger stuff to another member here.

I'm just off US 59 and Collingsworth (inside the loop). If interested, gimme a shout and I'll dig around to see what's left.

Hy crenwelge, thank you very much for posting those pictures of part of your collection, you are indeed a lucky man. Nice to see those trucks collected.

Hello, Kenneth,

That 520 in the garage is real nice. (Is it a 520?)

The 520 is one of my favorites. My father used 400 series because the motors were cheap to overhaul compared to the larger blocks. But I always dreamed of having one of those extended hoods. By the time I had a few bucks to buy a truck in 1964, the V8 had become boss. But I finally fond a 520 farm truck and made it into a tractor 60 years after I dreamed about one.

I take time to show anyone my junk yard that comes to Fredericksburg and wants to see it. If you bring your wife, bring lotsa money. There are lotsa pretties here that ladies love to buy.

Big Bolt here and south of I-10! So its not an impossible geography problem, truck-itis infects the whole Country in evenly distributed patches it seems. Mine is still living an "active" retirement, as she is occasionally called to work still. About as far south of I-10 as Crenwelge is north of it though I can't claim near as many wife-approved distractions in the neighborhood as he can up there.

Awesome 46 ! Love that video going through the hi/lo gears..and glad to see she is still working. That terrain, barbed wire fence, brangus cattle, caliche roads, Oil storage tanks, cactus and mesquite brush remind me of home (Live Oak County). For you fellas up north, that's pretty much what the southern half of the great state of Texas looks like ! Thanks for posting.

I'm north of H town 130 miles and have a step side and cameo restored stock and a retro mod fleetside all 58's . Found myself looking at Vikings with dump beds on the net ant at the prices hey we're going for figured ,what a better platform to learn how to do all the work I had hired out on on the higher dollar 1/2 tons on than a farm truck that needed repairs but never a full restoration. Plus the roar of engine , low geared grunt and dumpbed certainly are macho, even if ones not compensating.. The search for parts is a grownup scavenger hunt for sure, plus keeping one alive is a tribute to the work they and their owners did to build and feed this good ole USA :-)

Gotta just ask...do you have any parts trucks that could help me with my 58 Viking 60? I'm 100 miles north of north Houston Pete. PM me sometime if you do. Thanks

Tango, quite an original take on a big bolt. Thanks for the offer. You are pretty close to me, let me know if need a hand on it.

Pete, no 58 parts here. Maybe some of the other Texans can help.

I'm 2hrs north of Houston. I like my big bolt because somebody has to. It would be a crime to see it crushed and sent to china. Plus it draws a crowd everywhere I go in it. People are most impressed with the natural 67 year old patina that I have decided to leave on it.

Where at exactly? That's about how far north I am - maybe a tad further.