So here's my Dad's 1955.5 3100 that he's had since the mid '70s, it was his first ride! This is pretty much the truck that got me into the 1955-59 Task Force series.
Back in the day, my Dad and Grandfather went to go look at this truck. It had a 235 that burned just as much oil as it did gas. It also had original steel wheels minus hubcaps, white shag carpeting all on the floor and headliner (an upholstery shop previously owned the truck). It was painted gloss black with a PAINTBRUSH. Horribly might I add: brush strokes, runs, paint on the windows and headlights. Dad wasn't too keen on the truck but my Grandfather insisted and bought it for a whopping $200. They then had to push it to get it started.
My Dad eventually grew to like it.
Within the first several years of ownership, the 235 was pulled for a 305 he took from a car in a junkyard along with a 3/4-ton clutch. The steel wheels gave way to white rims that were of the times. A few "Excessive Acceleration" tickets and the name "Roach" was given to it by his high school friends. A couple other things I know is that the driver side door ended up getting peeled back while it rolled backwards down an embankment. It ended up getting egged by a group of girls, one of the girls was my future Mom!
The Roach started off as a daily driver, then a secondary vehicle when my Dad got a '69 Buick GS (wish we still had that one!). Then it was down-graded to a farm truck. Then finally it was parked and turned into a tool shed and not be moved for many years.
Fast forward to 2012. After attending many car shows as a spectator, I took it upon myself to finally clean out the truck and start the process of reviving the old '55!
All the tools and stuff inside the cab were removed. Then I ripped out all that nasty shag (that had turned yellow) and cleaned out the bed. Dad and me discovered that wood ants had found their way into the fuel pump and carb. Thankfully not any farther into the engine. Surprisingly, the fuel pump was still good and the carb wasn't seized from all the dirt. So after several days of tinkering, the worn 305 came back to life. We backed the truck out of the hole it had been sitting in! We drove it across the pasture to the house -- no brakes whatsoever.
In 2013, we went though the entire brake system and repaired the parking brake as well. The 305 was yanked out after it started knocking and was replaced with a 327 we bought cheap and disassembled. Had it bored 30 over, a mild cam installed and reassembled. We stuck with the 3 speed that was already in it.
The previous seat must have been out of a car, the legs were too short and had clearance for the driveshaft tunnel. My dad claimed he always hated that seat and was glad to swap it out for an original reupholstered seat we found for a good price. The drivers side door was swapped out to a much better one I found at a flea market.
Currently, we have a set of 6 lug Rallye (Rally?) K5 wheels that will eventually be painted and put on. The steering gearbox is sloppy and will be swapped out for a better one I was given. The passenger side axle seal leaks too so that need to be addressed.
We've taken it to several shows, either being local or a few hours drive, and is happy to motor along at 55-60 mph. Most likely the entire rear end or just the ring & pinion will be changed out.
We'd like to start restoring it one day, but yet its fun just to hop in it and fire it up and cruise on down the road.
