My name is Joe and I live in NY and just brought a money pit 52 Chevy 3100 Pickup. Of course everything is far more expensive than I expected. The shipping alone cost $1500.00 The 235 motor is frozen up completely and I have an unfrozen motor purchased on e-bay on the way. Much to my horror, the front wheel brake parts were cannibalized. It has 6 bolt wheels and the old style brake shoes and hardware where you adjust the brake cylinder studs to adjust the brakes. The frame is partially rusted in one area. However overall the truck has good bones and is suitable for an amateur restoration to a daily, occasional driver to go to local destinations. email: Joshk256@gmail.com
Best regards
Last edited by Peggy M; 04/30/202312:29 AM. Reason: added more info to the title
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
Welcome to the Stovebolt madness. There is no cure!
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
Welcome to the Stovebolt...upstate NY part of New York here...about 20 minutes North of Albany...yes they are money pits but once you get it running and driving they can be fun...there is a ton of old truck knowledge on here...feel free to ask any questions or just surf around and find some answers too...
MikeC
1951 Chevy 3800 1-Ton Howard Knapp In the Stovebolt Gallery 1948 Chevy 1-Ton (sold Nov 2017) 1953 Chevy 1-Ton (sold 10/1/2016)
Joe, no one said it was cheap but this hobby is very gratifying....and your truck is certainly in much better shape than what many of us here start with. Many garage forums here to ask questions and get help so don't be shy. ......OH, and welcome to the Stovebolt................lots of bolters in NY so watch for them. May be one next door or down the street.
To Mikec4193 - Thanks for the reply. I live 2 hours south of Albany, 60 miles north of Grand Central Terminal. Working on this truck takes me back to when I was a teenager, 50 years ago, repairing my own 60s cars, when it was enjoyable and simpler.
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
To Achipmunk - Thanks for the encouragement. When I found the engine to be hopelessly seized, I thought I was now stuck with very expensive lawn art. I love working on this truck. I like restoring things, houses, land and now classics.
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
To justhorsenaround - Thanks for the welcome. I agree with your thin blue line comment. I worked in NYC in the "bad old days", across Harlem and the Bronx. The Police had no power and the people were suffering greatly. Most were just working people trying to raise their families, however the crime was horrible. A typical crime, when it was actually reported in the newspaper, "Woman dragged to roof, raped, thrown off". No one cared about what the people were actually going through! The conditions in the neighborhoods were completely misrepresented by the Media. Night and day difference now, safe, clean neighborhoods, schools and people are now a part of the mainstream, thanks to courageous police work.
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
I'm new to posting here too Joe. Your truck looks similar to my 1950 3100. You can find almost any part you need for Advance Design pickup trucks and they are considerably less expensive than a corresponding part on a newer truck. I see AD trucks parked or driving around in my town every day. Some are nicely restored, some aren't, and some are original and are just in town from the farm for the day. We only get about 9" of precipitation a year and the roads don't get much salt in the winter. Rust isn't as much of an issue here as in NY. I bet there is somebody here on Stovebolt that could give you advice on how to unstick your 235 engine.
Here is the Truck 7 months later virtually finished! Make no mistake, I went to hell and back to get it this way, time wise, money wise and physically. It is like having a sick child, you cannot ignore it, you cannot not spend the money, and you must see it through to the end NOW! Was it worth it? Not sure .... yet.
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
Okay, I was rooting for you as I started reading through the thread. That was until I got to your 7 months later post. Now I am jealous and annoyed. I have been working on my 54 for two years and have not come as far as you have in less than half the time. I will swallow my pride and congratulate you. That is a great looking truck. It is exactly what I like, There is nothing wrong with the trucks that have been brought back to new or better than new but my personal taste align perfectly with what you have done. Clean and mechanically sound but still an old truck.
All kidding aside, great looking truck and great job saving another one.
Thank you for the replies. I worked on it full time for 3 months after working on it part time for 3 months. Most things I did twice or three times. 3 different colors tried for the cab interior, 2 different colors for the exterior. Sanded down and painted the exterior 3 times for color change or orange peel. Tried a couple of ways to fix the frame. put the engine in twice. Worked hard to reuse some parts but ended up buying replacements. Rewired a couple of sections twice. Tried to make an old carburetor work, bough a rebuilt. All the while spending about $100 for every day I worked on it. very expensive! Now I have a truck that I paid, adjusting for inflation, more for than when it was new and that is just in parts, labor not included.
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
Regarding leaving the Patina, it is bad enough to go to the local car shows with my amateur paint job among all the rest of the cars with perfect beyond belief paint jobs. But then again, maybe the Patina would have made it the most popular vehicle!
'49 3100 "Sweet Caroline" because the truck has fabulous curves .... like Caroline!
I purchased mine for $6,000. I have $6,620 in parts. That does not include the hours upon hours of labor. (I have a spreadsheet to track everything I buy for the truck)
Still worth it.
Oh yea, still not done. I am half way through replacing the front floor pans. Once that is done I have some HushMat I need to install to quite things down in the cab.
Shop trucks are cool....they definitely have their following amongst car/truck enthusiasts alike. These are trucks...they have tons of character even w/o a 10K paint job or a high $$$$$$ custom frame or even one that is bagged. But this is only an opinion of a shop truck owner.
Regarding leaving the Patina, it is bad enough to go to the local car shows with my amateur paint job among all the rest of the cars with perfect beyond belief paint jobs. But then again, maybe the Patina would have made it the most popular vehicle!
Fran painted our truck. I did the mechanical and electrical and she did the bodywork; that was our deal. Paint has orange peel and curtains in some areas. Hood doesn't fit right. Other minor issues. At least we can say we did it ourselves. I think we deserve a bit more respect than those who simply pay others to do all the work,
