The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre new member

Hi everybody. I found this site while doing research on my new truck. I'm from the Indiana/Michigan line so lake effect snow in my area requires more salt than other places and eats trucks alive! That's what made me feel like I needed to jump on this opportunity while It was available. I just got my first project from Kansas, it's a 1955 Chevy 1 ton with a PTO dump bed. I've always loved early task force trucks. I feel trucks are supposed to be made to work so this seemed like a perfect blend of 2 exciting things for me. I'm new to not only this site but to working on old trucks too. There seems to be a lot of antique technology I'm learning about. Just because it's old doesn't mean it's simple. I'll probably be here asking for plenty of help from you good people and I hope to share my future experiences with others. To start off I'd love to find out who has trucks like mine. I saw a lot of you guys have AD 3/4 & 1 ton trucks but I saw less with medium duty task force trucks. I'm here to be enlightened so bring on the knowledge.

Welcome to the Stovebolt,ethanm90. Yes there are lots of AD's but a good number off Task Force as well. Have you checked out the gallery photo's yet?
I've always said that a truck will "pay its way" while a car is an absess on a man's pocketbook. You can find answers to your questions by asking the questions in the most appropriate garage forums and as you probably already know there is also a forum for the 1 tons......but lots of stuff will cover many years and styles.
Take a little time and get to know the bolt. Knowledge is the best resource and there is "tons" of it here with guys willing to share. See you in the garage.

Welcome Ethan, there's only one thing better than a stovebolt and that's a working stovebolt. If properly maintained, they will outlast their owners. If a man wants to learn, he' already halfway there. You definitely came to the right place. Just follow Alvin's good advice and ask in the right forums. I can already hear that hoist working. Good luck and let us know how you're making out.
Leo

Welcome Ethan to the site of knowledge.
I loaded my 57 one ton dump yesterday with firewood.
They are handy to have around.

Don

welcome to the site! I don't have a 1-ton but have a 55 and 58 2-ton. 58 is my working truck, 55 is my waiting truck (waiting for me to work on it!)

I checked out the gallery like you said, pretty neat stuff over there but the the 1 tons still seem to be out numbered by a long shot. I guess I'll join the minority and increase the number.

...and you'll be in John's good side. He's got a nice one ton.

Yep, to start with: 3100s probably had around a 7:1 sales advantage over 3800s.

Welcome!
Nothing wrong with a 1 ton. Anybody can have a pickup!
I have a 1 ton F**d, but my Bolt is a 1 1/2 ton.

I'm almost overwhelmed looking at this project. Where do I start?

Welcome!

I'm partial to 1 tons.

This week mine had a load of 4 year olds in a Christmas parade, 2 loads of pine bark mulch, and a load of stage risers.

It still works like it was 80 years ago

That's awesome Wayne I want to do be able to say that same thing some day.

Make a plan. Break it down to manageable pieces and work it a little bit at a time.
Don't just take everything apart without bagging and tagging. Take lots of photos for reference.

Does it run and drive right now? If not, I'd start there.
If it does, I'd probably just drive it as is for a while, and you'll eventually decide what you want to do to it. Then, as mentioned, do a little at a time. Eventually you'll get it to where you want it.

Thanks for the input. It runs right now but it's not road worthy yet. Only one of the rear drums was working when I got it and that was with a leaking wheel cylinder. I already got the second rear going now I have to figure out why the fronts aren't responding at all to the peddle.