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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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| | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Well, I finally did it. I bought this 1954 5700 COE . I've been looking for a cab over for quite a while now. I really like the '54-'55 1st trucks so it had to be one of those two years. The journey to get it yesterday was......well, a real journey. I dropped the kids off at school and hit the road at 7:30 am. Drove from Rapid City to Cody Wyoming and loaded the truck about 2:30 pm. Left Cody at 3:00 pm and beat cheeks for home. By the way, the winch I had recently purchased was worth it's weight in gold. Less than a minute to load! Probably the fastest and farthest this truck has gone in a day.
We had predictions of a massive winter storm coming so I drove straight through. 830 miles later I was home about 10:15. Boy does this truck look big sitting on my trailer . It's in really good condition with the exception of the cab corners, no other rust I can find. I'm the second owner and this truck was retired about four years ago when the rancher retired. He used it as, get this, a manure spreader. It had a very large turd whirler mounted on the back. The only real damage is an extension to the frame, no big deal and a punch in the nose which bent the grill down about two inches. Just hit the center verticle piece, nothing else. I'll get more pictures when it quits snowing. 
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 2,544 | Hey Bruce,
Congrats on the new truck! If you decide that you don't have space for it let me know and I'll have John stop by with the trailer and take it off your hands.
Take Care
Don | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Thanks Don, I think I want my set of tires back now!
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 595 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 595 | bruce welcome to the 54' coe club! does it have the 261 or 235! | | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 22 Apprentice | | Apprentice Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 22 | | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | I can't tell yet. Lots of grease and probably poop on the engine! I knew it was tight quarters but how on earth did anybody ever work on these things? 
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Here's a shot of the interior. I thought these had a stomp starter but it's push button start. The floor looks good. The door didn't shut tight so a bunch of water got in. Still don't know how your supposed to work in here? More pictures in the next few days.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 51 New Guy | | New Guy Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 51 | Very nice. I really like those dash boards better than what I have on my 1950 and 1953. The COE's I have hauled home on my car trailer behind my suburban (same as yours) actually looked worse than manure.
Looks like a very nice platform to start with. Are you going to keep it original or introduce it to the freeway?
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Hey Dallas,
I'm an original kinda guy. Still trying to figure how to go about getting to the engine.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | Good Score Bruce!, Looks good. Best way to work on these engines, is to remove all three floor sections, & the seat cushion/cushions. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Hey Spanky, What model wrecker body would fit on this truck? I'm still not sure what the plans are for it.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 623 "MONGO" | | "MONGO" Joined: Jul 2000 Posts: 623 | Good looking truck!! Congrats! What is it about COE's and Burbs?? I think your trailer is a bit longer than the one I used. And I'd say your truck is a lot nicer than mine too. | | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 684 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 684 | Nice truck!! I like it. Congratulations
Cleon | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | Bruce, I've always liked the Ernest Holmes Wreckers. Your truck being a 5700 series would have been spec'd with a long service body,Heavy Duty Holmes W35, or Holmes W45. The 5400 series COE's were usually spec.'d with the Holmes Medium Duty models 515, or 525. | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Spanky, Where would I find one of these wrecker bodies if I even could? And if I did, what do they run for price? The 1954 at the bottom of this page is one of the bodies I really like. Don't know who made it but I like it.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | The two photos, at the bottom of the page, are of a long wheelbase Holmes Heavy Duty W35. Those pictures were taken at Gilleys Auto Parts. He tried to sell me that truck once. I knew who had it before him also. The two photos, above those, are of a '54, & '50, that both have Homes Medium Duty 525's on them. I've talked to the owner of the "54" Larsen" Wrecker. It's in Utah. The wrecker above those two, are a Holmes Medium Duty 515, with home-made rear fenders. I doubt you'll find one, on the ground, so your best bet, would be to find a complete truck, & remove the Wrecker unit from it. I see them come up on ebay, & different sites, periodically so I'll keep an eye open for you one. The W35, & W45 units, are harder to find complete, than the medium duty units. Prices range around $2500-$4500 usually. This Holmes 525 sold on ebay recently http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160225053990. I used to own this Wrecker, & it's coming back to North Carolina. I paid $2000, for it, sold it for $2500, & now ebay got the owner 4K, for it. The new owner is about 75 miles from me. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Now that you mention Gilleys Auto parts that rings a bell. I looked at it on line when it was for sale geeze, must have been at least four years ago? As I recall, they were asking $8000 and I believe it was a running truck. I really like the Deco styling of these units. I'll start looking but if you find something, let me know.
Thanks
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 139 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 139 | Bruce: nice find. i was looking at this same truck on the internet, glad to see it went to a fellow bolter.
we are off to p/u our new coe tomorrow. we've found a 53 coe that has the 5 window cab to match my 53 5 windowed 1/2 ton.
our's has a single ram dumper and side stakes bed with a 235 6 cyl. 4 spd along with the 2 spd rear end. we'll get some pics up asap.
good luck with your latest find as it's a great addition to your 54 fleet.
cheers,
mike
1947 Studebaker M15 on 76 GMC one ton dually chassis with 454 4 spd
1953 Chevrolet 1/2 ton p/u
1957 Oldsmobile 88 2dr hardtop
1959 B130 International one ton dually
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Digging through the goo on the passenger side of the engine, I can't find the tell tale captains bars. Also there is no number stamped on the boss by the distributor....hmmm? There appears to be some sort of raised round doo-dad in the area where the bars should be. I'm assuming I then have a 235 which is just fine. I don't have the time to really clean the engine off right now so it'll have to wait.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | Bruce, I parted out a '55 1st series Chevy COE, that I first thought had a 235, in it, because of no captains bars. I later found out, by using the casting number, on the passenger side of the block, near the fuel pump, that it was a 261. So not all 261's have the captains bars. | | | | | Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 394 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jan 2005 Posts: 394 | Just seen the post way to go BRUCE. have allways wanted 1, maybe someday, good luck with the new project. talk to you later | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | I'll have to do some more scraping to get to the casting number then. Being 6'5" tall, it's quite a challange squeezing into that small area. Not to mention, there's no comfortible way to lay in the cab while digging through the goo.
Bruce | | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 1,186 | Hey Mike,
Glad to see you can at least drag yourself to the computer! Hope your getting better. The guy I got this from has another. It would look really good out behind the berm.
Bruce | | |
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