I recently purchased a 1937 Chevy 1.5 Ton LWB from my neighbor I never knew he had. It looks to have spent most of its life in barns of NH. And was professionally restored sometime around 2005 by a collector/enthusiast that has since passed. It appears to be all original except with a 12v battery. I've yet to determine if it's been fully converted from 6v to 12v. Has the original 216 / 4spd /10lug running gear and shows 10,500 on the Odo. I did drive it about a mile and hit 40mph and checked braking before buying. All seems ok. Drove it home after purchase and then flatbedded/towed it to my dad's barn an hour away from me. I'm now really putting a light to everything and find the only rust is on the lower radiator mount and It is leaking radiator fluid. Looks like I'll be putting a radiator in soon-(any suggestions)? Truck is a solid 8 out of 10. I already have dibs on a running 235 from a 55 Chevy 1ton and possibly both, yes both a GMC 270 AND 302.. now attempting to find a SM420. If I keep this beautiful truck, I really want to drive it on nice days and want to preserve the original drivetrain. So toying with pulling the 216 and storing in the corner of the barn.
She's a little dirty from being outside and having curious onlookers crawl all over it when my neighbor had it for sale in his front yard/restaurant parking lot.
Any other Big Bolt owners in the Northeast?
-Prubah
Last edited by prubah; 05/03/201910:44 PM.
New to Stovebolts 1937 Chevy 1.5 ton long wb 2SD10
I really would like to drive this truck(throughout the northeast and perhaps mildly work it.(getting lumber or cord wood every once in a while) I'd prefer a more reliable driveline, like a 235 with hydraulic lifters or something of the like. For now, it's stored in another barn till I decide exactly what direction to take with it or just leave it alone.
-Prubah
New to Stovebolts 1937 Chevy 1.5 ton long wb 2SD10
Before you do any swapping you should fix the leak and drive it. It was built to be a daily driver and work for a living, so don'r be afraid of putting it through it's paces. As long as you don't run it out of oil it will give you may thousands of miles of good service.
Contact your local radiator shop and see if your radiator can be fixed or re-cored...might be something easy!
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
I'll probably fix radiator and drive this Summer as is. But attempt to build something next Winter to go in place of the 216. Bottom of the radiator and mount is rusted. Not crossmember from what i can see. Perhaps surface rust on the top of crossmember. It's the only rust on the entire truck. I have no problem springing $300-400 for a new radiator, hitting it with some black paint and putting it back in. Any work I do will be fully documented. If I'm going to start driving this truck around, I need it to be very reliable. I'm not going to go down the path of being nickel and dimed by tows back home. (Rebuilt 235,sm420, and perhaps laterms a new drives haft to a Dana 80.)
Last edited by prubah; 05/05/20199:56 PM.
New to Stovebolts 1937 Chevy 1.5 ton long wb 2SD10
