The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Do It Yourself (DITY) Gallery 1946 Chevy truck -- Meet Bruno

I have a 1946 Chevy truck that's original (no LS swap). I purchased it in May 2020, and I'm desperately trying to get it on the road before Frog Follies (August 2025).

I lost several of my pictures during a phone update, but I'll share what I have. This is our second (and last) vehicle restoration (the first being my husband's 1968 Camaro, from high school), and we're piecing things together as we go.

My 216 Babbit was seized, and had a busted oil tube. I replaced it with a 235 (261, it had "captain bars"), and it runs great. There was a PTO shaft with an "air blast elevator" that we went through, and the transmission has been reworked.

I'm converting it from 6v to 12v, and we just started laying the wiring harness out yesterday. I'm going to hook the heater up again but I'm not sure how we should go about it. I'd like it to be functional.

I just left my windshield crank to a friend to see if he could 3D print another. I've been told by multiple people that it's WWII vehicle-specific, and I've found exactly zero like it online. Regardless of the authentication of it I want to reproduce it because it's what 'he' came with.

I swapped-out the odometer with a friend's so it was both period original and functional. It needs rewired, and probably gone through, but I'm not willing to send it off to some name in a magazine. It's 100% 1940's parts, down to the clutch head screws, and I've heard too many horror stories of instrument clusters coming back repainted with new, shiny hardware.

My steering wheel and shaft had issues. Bruno was an old farm truck from Kansas, and they fitted parts and pieces to keep him functional for as long as possible. The steering box was partially busted so they somehow flipped it, cut and bent the metal tube that the rod from the box to the steering wheel slides through (I don't know the technical name of it), and added 3-4 large washers where the horn should be to make the steering wheel the height (inside the cab) that they needed. The steering box is sorted, but I'll need to repair the tube or replace it, and then figure out the horn. Also, the steering wheel is in OK shape, but it needs to be refurbished... Something I'm going to have to research.

I'm working on a "buy a little bit as we go" budget, we're not wealthy, we're not retirement age, we're not professionals, and we have maybe a half a day a week to devote to the restoration of my truck. I still need to figure out the battery's new home, turn the driving lights into turn signals, add a second brake light and two rear turn signals, put the floor of the cab back together, get new tires, and finish the wiring harness.

I think that's it, for now. Any advice on the steering 'tube', steering wheel restoration, heater restoration, and instrument cluster fine-tuning would be greatly appreciated! Other than that, I'm well on my way to finally driving my truck after owning it for 4.5 years.

Contact Jim Carter about having your speedometer rebuilt. They'll do a proper job on your original and reuse the original parts as specified. www.oldchevytrucks.com They can restore your entire gauge cluster.

You'll probably have to have a new shaft machined for your steering box. Lares rebuilds steering gears www.larescorp.com You might also contact www.rareparts.com

The steering wheel can be repaired with epoxy and then painted if you have that sort of ability. If not, there are plenty of companies that do excellent jobs restoring steering wheels. It'll cost you a few hundred dollars, though. Do search on this site for steering wheel restoration (magnifying glass in the upper right of this page) to find others who have done their own.

Jim Carter might also have an original windshield crank for you. He has a large inventory of new and used parts in stock.

Due to WWII my ‘41 is pretty much the same as your ‘46. So I’ll following your progress.

Thanks for posting.

John

Thank you so much, Otto! I appreciate your help.

Thank you, John! They don't have any like mine and, since I'm leaving everything original, I don't want new and shiny unless absolutely necessary. Good luck! It's been a journey. Haha

The ‘46 models often had parts from prior years because the demand was beyond production capability. My ‘46 was born in June, months after the war ended. Yet it had, for example, a leather gas tank grommet. Rubber was still in short supply. There are many other examples that others have reported over the years.

I have a few parts left over from the restoration of my ‘46. Let me know what you might need. I’m certain we can work out a mutually acceptable deal.

I'm just getting my '46 back together, so I'll be sure to watch for your updates. I'm not planning to paint mine - I want it looking like an old farm truck. I'm still debating the 6volt vs 12volt.

John from Utah,

I use my truck as an actual truck and put thousands of miles on it each year. It still has a 6v system with a generator and works just fine.

The sealed beam halogen headlights are as bright and shine as far as any modern vehicle.

Ditto for the taillights.

Unless you're adding a bunch of electric accessories, I see no reason to do the switch just for the sake of doing it. Also, you can jump start your 6v truck from a 12v vehicle in an emergency without harming the starter.

I can't remember where I left off, so I'll just start where I currently am. =) Yesterday, my dad helped me put my new "bedliner" in. I had this idea to incorporate yardsticks like quilt blocks (I've quilted for over 22 years and currently make custom t-shirt quilts). Bruno was a farm truck in Kansas in his past life, and since I had my quilt shop name aged on the doors, I thought the yardsticks would be a good alternative to a shiny new bed. I scrapped the quilt pattern idea when I realized I was overthinking it, and decided to stagger them like a hardwood floor instead. There are 116 pieces, and I put six layers of urethane on it in 46 sections of application. I used subfloor adhesive to adhere them to plywood.

Bruno came without a shifter knob, and my original idea was to have a thimble made. My (at the time) 22-year-old son told me that most people his age wouldn't know what it was (valid point! LoL), but how about a spool of thread? Perfect! A young gentleman in a neighboring town does custom metal work, and he was up to the challenge! I can't wait to use it!

Hubby just ordered me a new water pump because the 261 pushed the fan blade out too far for the radiator. Since the original 216 Babbit was seized, the 235 with captain's bars (from a 1961 Chevy) was the next best thing. The motor runs, but I have to wait for the new water pump to arrive to actually start the truck for the first time.

The toolbox in the bed was a nod to my paternal grandpa, since he was a master carpenter (and Bruno was my maternal grandpa's name). I saw it at Frog Follies a couple of years ago and had to have it. It now houses...my battery! I swapped to 12V and needed a place for the larger battery—it fit perfectly.

I realize that my additions aren't for everyone, but other than the door art, everything I modified was missing or needed replaced. Hubby got me new rims and had them powder-coated to match the green on my door, and I have original hubcaps to put on it as a finishing touch. A reducer and new gauges allowed me to keep the original instrument cluster (my favorite part!), and Hubby purchased the faux leather seat for me because mine was covered with a bath mat-like material and needed replaced.

A muffler system, finishing touches on the interior, and a little more wiring, and I'll be on my way! This has been my dream for the last five years, and I'm so happy that my husband helped me make it a reality! I've learned quite a bit about vehicles, and I've thoroughly enjoyed almost every moment of the restoration. I personally removed everything from it (sans having help with the motor and tranny), cleaned what we could salvage, and replaced quite a bit of it myself. It's definitely something I'm proud of, and thankful for the overtime and family who made it possible. =)

Welcome back and thanks for sharing the pictures and updates of your project! All the personalized touches to make the truck " yours" are great IMHO. My better half has been a life long quilter and got a kick out of your use of the yard sticks and the spool of thread!

You're making excellent progress and I'm looking forward to future updates and seeing more pictures as you continue, not to mention the maiden voyage when that time rolls around.

Thank you, Gdads51! I've gotten all types of opinions from men (mainly those who either never spun a wrench on theirs, paid to have the work done to their vehicle, and/or roll their vehicle off of a trailer at car shows. To each his/her own, but don't judge me for having my own ideas, and not having an infinite supply of money, 'ya know?!). Most can't believe I'm not having it painted, doing a LS swap, adding some modern conveniences, or having a professional do X, Y, or Z for me.

I'm blessed with a patient husband who has 20 years of experience working on F-15's in the Air Force and 15 years of experience repairing and replacing a specific system on Navy ships. Our friend who rebuilt my tranny has owned a transmission business for over 30 years, and taught auto mechanics at our Alma Mater for years. Lastly, my father-in-law has built drag racing motors for 50+ years and was previously a mechanic at a mine - I'm in good hands. LoL I've made educated decisions every step of the way (if anything, I over-think e v e r y thing), and I've gotten some parts and a lot of helpful information right here. I went the hands-on route because it was therapeutic, and I wanted to be able to speak about it and actually know what I was talking about. My "mid-life crisis" was a blessing in disguise, and I hope that others can appreciate it like you and your wife did. =)

The yard sticks and vintage tool box in the bed are unique ideas and I like them. Now I'm thinking about ideas for mine. Glad to see another with a '46 making progress.

Thank you, Utah! I just saw your message about the pedals and replied.

I wouldn’t personally spend 14 seconds worrying about what men think of your truck. It’s yours, not theirs and good for you to personalize it and build it the way you want it. I love the Art Deco trucks, and love yours.

Was just wondering if you still have the stock setup for the brake/clutch return springs. Here are a couple of ways I've been trying. I'm using a wider piece of angle iron now to get more static stretch on the springs. Some suggested to drill holes to keep the springs from accidently coming off. I'm still thinking about fabbing something to use both holes on the bell housing.

Thank you, Paul! =) I appreciate that.

If you still need some used clutch head screws, send me a pm with your address. These are free. I found three different sizes in my bone pile. I think they’ll fit and survive a journey in a padded mail envelope?

46Sparky, that would be amazing, thank you! I'll PM you my address. Let me know how I can pay for shipping, please. Thank you so much!