The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts grain truck

Well it's been several years since I went to this site but I'm still driving my 61 GMC half ton from time to time. recently a friend asked me to work on what he says is a 1950 Chevrolet 6400 by the hood emblem. tag on the door post says 16,000 # GVW I'm sure. the old truck has a solid cab no rot underneath or in corners or rockers.PTO driven hydraulic lift grain bed, 2 speed axle may be original 6 cyl. eng. starts and runs good.vacuum boost brakes. his plan is to sell it but he thinks he should get the lights working- ( wiring under the bed is rough) I drove it 10 miles home and it did good but I didn't try shifting the 2 speed axle.anyway my question is whether the truck would bring more fixed up or whether a hot rod uy would buy it just to get the cab and junk the heavy frame and running gear anyway. any thoughts? truck is in the Texas panhandle east of Amarillo

I don't think that fixing the lights will add any significant value to the truck. Potential buyers of "Big Bolts" would expect for there to be some repairs needed to make it road worthy. If it were mine, being a 6400, I wouldn't spend more money on it. If it were a 3100 in the shape described, yeah, I'd make it road worthy as I think you'd get a return on your investment. Ebay it and see what happens? There's my nickels worth.

Others will disagree but in my neck of the woods you can’t give away a Big Bolt. $500-$1200 is normal.

I expect you're right as far as the truck not having too much value. unless he can find someone that is just wanting one for the memories. -it is an unusually sound old truck though on serviceable tires and drives decent other than looseness in the steering. didn't smoke or overheat.got an older 12 volt alternater system conversion

Skelflyer, why don't you post some pictures on here. You might find somebody interested in it.

Word of caution, do not post it for sale in this particular forum. The Swap Meet Forum is the place to sell, buy and barter. Thank you, The Stovebolt Staff

after talking to the owner again today I think he is leaning toward just keeping it, but now he wants me to get the speedometer working as well. it does have a broken needle but doesn't move anyway. not sure if I can get it working yet but I'm thinking it may have a broken cable or even problems with the speedometer drive. since it is a 2 speed axle I'm sure there has to be a splitter there to get the correct speed for each range.but I'd be glad to hear any advice.I need to get it back out on the road and see if the axle shifts to high range anyway since I only drove it in low. with the vacuum shift there is no way of telling if it is going to shift or not

You can get needle and cable for pretty cheap from most vendor. Same as the smaller truck. Might just be the cable. If it's the "splitter", you can just bypass it. The speedometer is not that accurate to begin with, more like a suggestion...
J. F.

You can take the hoses off on the rear end. get them loose enough to slip on and off. If the bed raises you can get to easier. With the engine running, trans in neutral, park break on, wheels blocked. You can pull one hose at a time. The Vacuum leak will cause the truck to run rough. you will know which high or low, switch the hose you can at least hear if it is trying to shift. Then put the Hoses back, change to high or low in the cab and you can do the same again. You will hear and know if there are any leaks in hoses, if the valve works, before you try it on the road.

What ever you do, be VERY CAREFUL when it come to the bed being raised. I don't think I have to tell you why......but a dear friend of mine is not around any longer to warn you.

Thanks, Alvin! You got to that one before I did. I also knew someone who died that way.
NEVER go under a raised bed unless it is VERY securely blocked up with wood posts or blocking!

I should have said, put a good block between the frame and bed, just incase the Hydraulics fail and the bed should drop. Thank You Achipmuck, that had actually started to bother me that I did not mention that. And I came back to say that, hoping it would not any hurt feelings, if I mentioned something that may or may not have already thought of. But better safe than sorry, hurt feelings are better than the unlikely but possible, bad outcome.

Well I have not had much time to work on the truck lately, went to ft. Worth for the week to spend time with the grandkids. but the owner came by yesterday and asked me if I would continue to get it in good running condition so he can drive it in parades. I told him as long as he wasn't in a hurry I would so as I get time I will keep working on it - he also asked me if I could install power steering on it like I did on his 63 chevy pickup. now that I don't know. to me it doesn't take that much effort to turn it as-is. but I wonder if anyone has converted one of these old trucks to power steering with the original chassis and engine?

There are ways to install power steering, but none of them are quick, simple, or inexpensive. A steering box from some models of Toyota Land Cruiser is probably the best- - - -it's a virtual clone of the stovebolt box, and mounts in a location that's very close to the original box. You will need to make an adjustable drag link and figure out how to mount a pump and get the drive belt system right. That usually involves going to a 2-groove crankshaft pulley, which can be a challenge in itself. Stay FAR away from any conversion that involves mounting a rack & pinion gear to the front axle- - - -those things are a deadly accident waiting to happen!
Jerry

OK that's kinda what I did on the 63 except if I remember right we used the box from a blazer or something. drag link I don't hink was the problem,finding the right pitman arm was important and I had to make a adapter plate for the box.but anyway it sounds like it has been done on the big bolts. I'll keep it in mind. thanks for the reply

as for fixing it up he wants to get a replacement floor mat as well.I would expect the cab would be the same dimension as the pickups. where's a good place to order one for the old 50 model? and thanks for all the helpful replies

For parts like the '50 floor mat, I'd try Jim Carter's Antique Truck Parts. His web site is located here. Jim has been a good friend of Stovebolt.com.