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I have been hanging around the Stovebolt Page since it used a Bulletin Board format (1999). So I have seen a lot of growth and improvements in the website and forums. I don’t participate as much as I used to. I sold my last AD pickup 13 years ago…
For the past few years I have been interested in buying a Big Bolt truck such as a AD 4100 or something similar. Just today for the first time I read the tech tip “Restoring the Big Trucks”. It is an eye opener, although many of the things discussed I was aware of.
Realistically, how hard is it to own, park/store, work on and find parts for this type of truck? I don’t want a trailer queen or hot-rod, just a solid old truck to drive and enjoy. Thanks!

I have a 1957 Chevrolet 2 ton, it's a Low Cab Forward, 5700 grain truck. Out of all my motorized toys, it is my favorite and most fun. Mechanically sound now after a few years of one project at a time with driving ability between projects. I don't know how far I want to go with body work but it draws a lot of attention at local shows.

Nice truck!

Ed

I always hear that people can’t get the truck in the garage but maybe that is because of length. My shop is 35’ and the 6400 takes up quite a bit of it. The hardest part is finding information on the things the “little” trucks don’t have, like PTO, hydraulic lifts, etc.

Thanks for reading the article! I've learned a lot since then and should probably update it ... After having done a frame-off resto on a '49 4400 ...

To answer some of your questions:

How hard to park and store -- Depends on your space. If you want it under cover, and you don't already have a big enough shop or outbuilding, then you will probably need to build something. I see of lot of big trucks parked under pre-fabbed car port structures.

How hard to work on -- not that much harder than pickups. But some of the components are bigger and heavier (wheels and tires, brake drums, etc. Brake parts can be hard to find, but not impossible. You won't find them at NAPA ... probably. You will get to know the parts guy at the place the farmers or big truck guys go for parts.

Some parts are just not available in reproduction. So don't expect to find too much at the restoration parts vendors -- Just cab interior pieces.

You are on the right track to find a good, solid unrestored/unmolested truck and just drive it and enjoy it. Fix it up as you go. If you find a nice driver, probably the hardest thing off the bat will be finding tires. When you do, they will be expensive so prepare for *that.* As I recall (and Ed probably knows ...) a 4100 probably takes a 7.25x20 bias ply? There is a radial size that will fit I think ... (with tubes and flaps, of course), so radials aren't out of the question.

Looking back, I wish I had not done the frame off.

My pole barn has roll-up garage doors, 8' opened height, my grain truck fits in but with no room to make mistakes. I have kept it inside almost since I have acquired it. I think it is 22' - 23' total length so not much trouble that way.

An elderly neighbor less than a mile down the road from me has a couple of items I'd love to acquire (as if I don't have enough projects already)- - - - -an old Caterpillar D-4 dozer with the gasoline pony engine for starting it, and an early 1950's Chevy cabover truck with a big flat bed on it. So far, my efforts to buy one or both of them have been rebuffed. I don't think either one has moved out of a shed on his place in close to 30 years.

Typically speaking, they can be orders of magnitude cheaper to buy than any light duty truck.

Depending on the wheels that come on any truck you get hold of, the wheels will very likely be the single hardest OR most expensive thing to source depending on the route you go. Having been through this process and taking a year to solve, its the make or break on any big bolt I look at now which determines if it follows me home or not and affects my offering price. A non-running generic condition big bolt is not worth $5k if its going to take $3k off the bat for wheels/tires (or untold time searching for different style used) before even looking at engine/drivetrain etc. Obviously these price points will vary based on location, but here in Midwest farm country its pretty rock solid. Non-running or driving on RH5 wheels means maybe a few bucks over scrap price, if its in decent enough shape. You can find used tires and occasionally the good used wheels at local wrecking yards that deal in medium and heavy duty trucks as well, but you always have to go in person to verify, the counter people rarely ever know what you are talking about.

Everything is bigger and beefier which is good as it typically means things last longer. As far as sourcing parts, the name of the game is to remove your current part and locate the part number and use that to cross reference across other numbers/manufacturers to find replacements (bearings, races, seals, etc). There are master parts manuals which "can" give you correct part numbers without pulling the part first, but after half a century this isn't a guarantee. FLAPS are useless, local non-chain farm stores and big truck shops that have been around a long time are the best bet. The only exception is a very old Napa with the old guys behind the counter and generations of parts books on the shelf (these are rare).

Frankly, I find wrenching on big bolts far superior to smaller trucks. You can easily crawl under with spacious room to work, sit in the engine bay on the rad support or fenders and work, and its easy to do anything you need without removing anything. This helps tremendously should you ever find yourself on the roadside. You need heavier duty floor jacks, stands, etc depending on weight class for proper work on it however. Obviously parts are bigger and heavier too, so that may play into the equation for some.

Titling to drive differs state to state. Some require a commercial title. Some have exemptions if its farm plated. Others allow titling as a classic. You will have to research that with your local DMV. Its a similar story with insurance that varies by region as well. There are some other threads you can search that delve deeper on this topic.

Hydros, PTOs, lift cylinders, pumps, and the like are typical for big bolts. Depending on your intended use, you can keep these for use, keep them but never use them, or strip them and opt for a fixed bed of whatever style you desire. From the cab back is basically just adult legos; build it however you want. From the cab forward is all similar to the light truck line with the exception of steering and fenders/doghouse sheet metal. Front kingpins are still readily serviceable by big truck shops (or you if you have the right reamers and tools). The only real challenge up front is the steering components sourcing; trac bar, tie rods, rag joints, steering shafts.



My '64 C60 is the cheapest and easiest of my entire farm fleet to maintain (titling and insurance included). Granted I mechanically restored it which set the new baseline, but even when things fail, its always easier and typically cheaper than any of the other trucks to repair.

Thanks for all responses. It’s been helpful.
My 20x20x9 metal garage has an 8’x8’ roll up door. So, I know that will be a problem…

Given enough motivation, you can modify anything ...

True. Thanks for the inspiration.