The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk These are really rugged trucks!

Since mounting a good hitch on my '52 3/4 ton GMC, I've been periodically doing some towing. I have a 235 engine with an SM-420 transmission and 4.56 gears...but have upgraded to modern wheels and tires.

I am very impressed with how incredibly rugged these trucks are. A couple of days ago, I spent about 8 hours on heavily washboarded dirt and gravel roads around Colorado's country-side towing cars around. I'm not sure of the condition of my kidneys after all that, but the truck towed the cars around without any trouble at all. It was a little under-powered, so on smooth stretches, I kept it at 55 to 60 mph, but it was always very stable and very tough.

These trucks were obviously built for working and that's what they still do best. A half century later, and I still can't believe how tough these trucks really are.

Yeah, they're great, aren't they?

Around 1987, my cousin and I dragged a 1964 Chrysler Newport (4500 lbs) from Wilkes-Barre, PA to Baltimore, MD (200 miles) behind our Grandad's 1954 Chevy 3/4 ton (4.57 rear & three-speed).

Had to stop every 50 miles to put oil in the truck, and add air to one of the tires on the Chrysler.

About 50 miles into the return trip, we were headed down Rte. US 11, between Bloomsburg and Danville PA, doing about 50 mph, when all of a sudden there was a loud "BANG!" , and the truck motor started racing and we started to slow down... :confused:

As we were coasting towards the shoulder, we realized that the gear-shift was in "neutral"...so I put in the clutch and put it back in high gear...let out the clutch and gave it gas, and all was well for another couple of miles, when the event repeated itself...kept jumping out of high-gear.

So we finished out the trip with the driver hanging his right arm on the column lever to keep it in high gear ! :rolleyes:

We were 13 hours on the road for the round-trip, but the old stovebolt did the job...

I've pulled quite a few cars with that truck...mostly MoPars !

That is why the inline six was called the cast iron wonder. They may not be fast, but they can pull a load.

Glad to here that you are not just keeping it confined to the garage and saving it for parades. Trucks are made to be worked.
After a good work out, hose them down, and they are parade ready once again.
Actually, I think a little road grime makes them look even tougher.

''''After a good work out, hose them down, and they are parade ready once again.
Actually, I think a little road grime makes them look even tougher.''''


but don't put them away WET

it is always good to know that these trucks still see an honest days work. my 61 still spends some time trailering and working. it has pulled a car trailer a couple of times. it may not be the fastest thing on the road but damned if it doesn't get the job done very time. last weekend i drove 700 miles round trip to visit friends for the super bowl. old truck just chugged along, i only go 60 because any faster feels mean. with the low gears and the 4spd the truck doesn't like to go fast but it loves to drive. it drives better than some newer vehicles i have had, and it is an unrestored ex-farm truck. go bolts, go!

Hauled a lowboy and a Ford 4000 up over Betsy's Gap - a real steep mtn - and down again, and a bush-hog stacked on top of a disk up Old Fort Mtn, and have hauled plenty of firewood plenty of times over hill and dale. They're happier when they work.

I hauled over 40,000 lbs of road rock for my driveway, about 4 tons at a time. All the lumber to build a medium size pole barn all in one load. But the best part is the flatbed makes an excellent work platform. I have used it for trimming trees and hauling the branches. I have had a scaffold set up in the back for the last 30 days. It sure beats working in the mud. My '59 has without a doubt been one of my smartest purchases yet.
I have even hauled 24' long lumber (2by6's and 2by8's) on top of the grain racks.

Next time try a bungee cord on the shift lever.

I agree,the old bolts are a tribute to the engineering and workmanship of the dedication of the american workers from an era long since past.

This thread is a testimonial to the fact that these old girls can get the job done.

Hobert

That transmission that started jumping out of gear might have had a shift fork in marginal condition, and once the transmission got good and hot, it started popping out of gear. The good news is, they're not terribly expensive transmissions to rebuild. I was quoted an average price at a local tranny shop of $360.

Well, know what? That old girl is about to take another load, and a small U-Haul trailer, 400 miles to Santa Fe. Hopefully the tranny won't get hot and give me trouble, but last weekend driving 8 hours towing cars on washboarded roads without any problem at all sort of gave me confidence that nothing will happen in 6 hours going to Santa Fe.

Besides, ever notice how nice and smooth the ride becomes once they've got a load in them? Actually quite pleasant. It rides much rougher empty.

you gotta like stories like this...

Where did you get your modern wheels? Are they 15", 8-lug?