I have lurked around on this forum every now and then and have just signed up. I had an old green 3100 pickup in my life when i was a kid. We bought it from a friend of my grandfather, who used to drive it from his farm into town, loaded with tomatoes and apples. We used it pretty hard for a few years. It was what we used to haul all of the building materials up to our cabin site. I remember riding in the back with my older sister, perched on top of piles of chimney blocks, or shingles, or with the pieces of the cast iron cook stove all around us as we pounded up a very rough trail to get to the parking lot at the lake. As a 12 year old, I got really good at putting chains on to get us through the miles of mud holes, and then taking them off again once we got through the rough areas and back on dry dirt. I bought it from my dad when I was old enough, and after learning to drive the column shift, that old ‘51 Chevy was my daily driver. I was so proud to drive that old truck and I swore I would never sell it. Reality slowly set into my 25 year old self and after the truck sat in my parents yard for a few years while was off to God know’s where, I reluctantly decided to sell it to the father of a friend who swore to take good care of it. Fast forward 35 years, and I was returning a ladder to a friend. He wasn’t home, but his garage door was open, so I thought I would put the ladder inside. Well, inside was an old oxidized (looked sorta green) Chevy 3100. I phoned him later and asked about the truck. He said “oh that’s Heidi’s (his wife). She drives it every now and then and really loves it.” I told him if she ever wanted to sell it, I would be interested, and then let the matter drop. Two years later, My wife and I were driving back from Boston after prostate surgery and my phone rang. Heidi had decided she was ready to sell that old truck, and if I was interested, it was mine. We agreed on a price, and a few months later we showed up to drive it home. We had assurance that the brakes were fine, the tires were a little worn, but they were fine, and the “motor starts right up”. The motor part was at least accurate. I I was driving it the 4 miles home, the truck was practically swimming down the lane, and the brakes sorta worked the first time I used them, then mostly seized up. I got it home without wadding it into anything, pulled it into my barn and as time allowed, started tearing into it to address the issues I knew about. I was shocked to find out I had a practically rust free truck. I had done the best I could, looking under it in their driveway, but to be quite honest I was committed to that truck and was taking it home regardless of what I found. There was one fist sized hole in the back of one inner fender and everything else was about as perfect as it could be. The “worn” tires looked like the originals, and were so cracked I don’t know how they got me from A to B without disintegrating from under me. I found out later that Heidi didn’t actually “love that old truck” but had gotten to the point where she didn’t even like driving it. No surprise there. No brakes and bad tires? Anyway, after about 6 months of working on the truck as I could, which was really a few hours at a time until I was just too uncomfortable, it was ready to go back on the road. I had rebuilt the brakes, repainted the bed, replaced the wood, compounded the whole truck, and replaced the tires. The 6 volt system was upgraded to 12, and stainless trim replaced a bunch of the painted stuff.[img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...CC3EE13-F76D-47BE-AAB2-C59C52E342E6.jpeg[/img][img]https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...8791CE0-8816-42EF-86FB-B65D08D9139F.jpeg[/img]
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 “Bolt”! That's a beautiful tuck you have and a great story behind it. Glad you stopped lurking and welcome aboard!
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Paul, thanks for sharing your story. Most all of these old trucks could really tell us something if we just listened. Your hard work shows nicely. Any questions just let us know in the garage forums. See you around the shop.
Way to go I love a good success story. You know those old bias ply tires seem to be like the Energizer bunny. One of my employees saw two 43 year old 650 x 16 Farm Bureau tires that had been stored in a small tire shop. Had plenty of tread but looked like a cracked mud stream. I told him to take them. He mounted them on a trailer to bring back a bunch of new old stock from a closed Ford dealer south of Atlanta. 1400 miles round trip no problems. I would not do it but ignorance is bliss. Welcome you have a beautiful item there. Doc.
Currently making 1954 3100 better than new and Genetics
Gorgeous truck. Glad you finally signed in and shared it with us. Welcome to the "BOLT".
~ Craig 1958 Viking 4400 "The Book of Thor" Read the story in the DITY 1960 Chevrolet C10 "A Family Heirloom" Follow the story in the DITY Gallery '59 Apache 31, 327 V8 (0.030 over), Muncie M20 4 Speed, GM 10 Bolt Rear... long term project (30 years and counting)
If you don't like driving yourTruck, you won't drive yourTruck..| Living life in the SLOW lane
Great story. Thank you for sharing. I've been threatening to visit my sister during the summer in Ogunquit, I believe about 50 miles from Falmouth. I'll be sure to reach out and possibly catch up.
Great story. Thank you for sharing. I've been threatening to visit my sister during the summer in Ogunquit, I believe about 50 miles from Falmouth. I'll be sure to reach out and possibly catch up.
Thanks for the welcome. I’ll probably have some questions once I get my rear end pulled and in where it’s warm. I have a new ring and pinion set to swap in and see if this old girl likes it at 55.
