The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre 1947 Chevy 3100 - Still in the family (CA)

I posted this on the VCCA forum, but wanted to intro here too.

Hi! My name is Matt. I found this forum looking for a place to be able to ask questions as I get my family's 1947 3100 pick up back on the road after a lot of misadventures.

My dad bought this truck a little before I was born in 1972. It was built in Oakland California - around the 3000th one made after they switched to the Advanced body. Before him it was owned and used from new as a shop truck by Machado Blacksmith Shop in Walnut Creek California. Original shop details are on both doors on top of nicely patina enhanced original paint. It was a regular presence in my life as transportation until around 1980. In the early 1990s he took it apart, had a shop rebuild the original 216 engine and started in on some general clean up. Life happened and eventually it ended up a basket case in Gulfport Mississippi just in time for hurricane Katrina to flood it out ruining the transmission and torque tube rear end. It made its way back to Northern California near Clear Lake in about 2008 where he and I did some work to it, but nothing major. He moved to a house near me here in Murphys California in 2020. More misadventures saw the truck sitting in a field in his old Clear Lake neighborhood until he had it towed to my house just before Christmas last year. It's sitting on my driveway loosely assembled for transport and the unattached parts are in a pile in the barn next to the MGBGT and Alfa Romeo. I reckon it's time for the misadventures to end.

What's my current plan? With help from my dad and 11-year-old son get it on the road while my dad can still drive.

Thanks for reading this long introduction thread. I'll start a rebuild thread in the appropriate place soon.

Hey Matt. Nice history on the '47 -- we especially like trucks that are "legacy" Stovebolts. There are many Bolters in here who'll be glad to help out with your questions. You'll spend a lot of time in the Shops Area we're sure. Will be good to see some pictures when you're able to post them.
Welcome.

Welcome to the 'bolt... work on it at least 15 minutes every day and it will be up and running before you know it.

Welcome to the clan! Like RR just said, a little every day and you will be running before you know it. BUT, I'll bet once you get started on the way, that 15 minutes will evolve into waay more time every chance you get.

Welcome to Stovebolt and enjoyed the history of the truck. You are at the right place. We love our trucks and love helping others on their journey. See you around the garage forums.

Thanks y'all! I have a few other classic car projects to attend to - Alfa head gasket and some MGBGT fuel and brake system fixes, but for the truck the making space and sorting through boxes process has begun. I tried to attach picture here - lets see Edit - picture worked! It has surface rust, but the cab is perfectly solid in the corners. I plan to polish the cab and doors as much as possible and fix up the rest of the truck to match the original scrappy paint.

It's funny - I told my dad to do 15 minutes a day back when we started working on it in 2008 - he did some, but I think his motivation was to hang out with me and I lived 2 hours from him, so progress was very slow.

Shoot. We try to do 15 minutes a day with chores -- at a time. Even that works pretty well. Trick for us is to figure what's a 15-minute window. Interesting how it becomes more than 15 especially when it's fun AND / OR things work out so well, you want to do more.

Found another picture - looks like heck but many seem to when the process starts. Valve cover should be a different color I think... and so it begins.

How hard is it to take the cab off the frame? Can 4 people lift it off? Any good ideas how to support it while I clean the underside etc??

Matt, Might want to start moving those questions to the Shops Area. This one in particular to Paint and Body. You'll get more traction / answers there.
BTW, you are an official 'Bolter now. You have passed moderated status. Post away! And PMs available to you.

Welcome, from a fellow newbie!

Welcome to the ‘Bolt! Nice start to your project and great story and history. We would love it, if you expanded a bit on your goals and what you have already accomplished on restoring your truck.

And of course please post more pictures. We ‘Bolters love pictures. Again, welcome to the forums!

Matt First a southern welcome from down in Gulfport Ms. Speaking from experience you can get answers here on what ever you are doing. I can tell you also from experience 4 guys can lift the cab off as long as you remove the doors first.