The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1939 cabover beer truck

Hi Guys, just wanted to check in and let you know about my coe in the gallery. check it out and let me know what you think.

THIS LINK may help since there are thousands of trucks in the gallery. Looks like one hellva project...Joe

"AWESOME" ! ! !, All you need now, is a few of those Wooden Beer Kegs.

Incredible...you need a medal of some sort for your restoration efforts.


Stuart

Wow, that is awesome. Thanks to the yard too for not crushing that gem. You are doing a really nice job of restoring it. It kind of makes me start thinking of my next project!

Gotta love the old beer trucks! Nice job so far, keep us up to date with pics.

I was at a garage sale a few weeks back and managed to pick up two kegs for a grand total of $4. I plan on cutting them in half and making tool boxes to mount directly behind the front fender steps, under the bed.

Jeff

THAT IS BAD A$$.DO NOT PAINT IT!!!

Thanks everyone, my plan is to put the cab with the original paint and patina back on the restored chassis. I think it would be a crime to paint over that original lettering.

Your doing a fantastic job on Becky

That is a great looking restoration. What did you paint the axles and drums with? Those red powder coated wheels look great. Were the drums still good? What all did you do to the brake cylinders, and shoes. I am curious. Thanks for posting and you have a neat looking truck.

That is Fantastic!

Tell us more aboout the Beer Collection efforts. I am pretty sure you have some supporters on this site for that as well.

great find, the more of those i see the more i fall in love with them. keep the updates coming.

Thanks Super55, rear axle was wire brushed and treated with metal prep, then painted with por-15. The frame, front axle, springs, drums, hubs, and wheels were all sandblasted then powdercoated. All bearing surfaces were taped off with high- temp tape before powdercoating. I was lucky to have an old brake repair shop in town turn the drums. They were still within spec. They also relined the brake shoes for me. I found the wheel cylinder kits at Napa, and I carefully honed the cylinders myself before installing the kits. Napa also had the brake hoses. I'm glad I got the brake work done early on this project because that brake shop has now closed down. It's tough to find a shop that can still turn these big drums. My next step is to rebuild the engine and trans.

Hi MikeE, Becker's had a brewery here in Ogden, Utah as well as Evanston, Wyoming. They started up in 1890 and continued through the mid 1960's when they sold out to Tivoly in Colorado. They were one of the few plants to stay in business through the depression because they had an ice plant and also made non alcohol beverages. I remember seeing the old brewery before it was torn down, but I didn't start collecting until about 1984. I have bottles, cans, openers, ashtrays, metal kegs, cardboard signs, metal signs, neon signs, cardboard boxes, wood crates, lots of paperwork, some dating back to the late 1890's. It's been a fun hobby to learn about this local brewery. They used a lot of wildlife and outdoor scenery in their ads. It is amazing that so much of this stuff survives.

Great work!
Looks like a grand old truck will get to see the light of day again!
All the best with the hobby and collecting, must be a hell of a lot of fun!

39cabbo,
I painted my backing plates, and axles with Zero Rust which is like Por 15. I think I might consider the powder coat method for the drums, hubs and wheels, since they are all off anyhow. I wonder if the powder coat is flexible enough for the springs. Anybody on the board done the springs powder coated before?

I would not powder coat the drums. The drums are subject to a lot of heat. I can't comment on the springs.

39,

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a great hobby. I would imagine you learned a lot about local history as well.

I went over to the paint shop link and for painting the drums some one suggested radiator black from Eastwood. It is good to 300° and thin enough so as not to interfere with heat dissipation. Something a newbie like me wouldn't think of. Some said powder coating is too thick as is engine paint. Makes sense to me. I would plan on driving mine enough to heat up the rims. So I will heed their advice.

I really wasn't sure whether to powdercoat the springs and drums when I was having everything else done, but I figured those big leaf spring packs probably won't flex much, and I do know they bake the powder on at 400 degrees,so I hope the drums would be ok up to that temp. I didn't think about how thick the powder goes on though. Hmmm.

I have an old beer can from Becker's Beer,in Ogden. Want it for your collection?
P.M. me your addy and i'll send it to ya.

The beer trucks are cool,
There is a beer truck here in the next town over from me, it's an early 60's Stove bolt P series delivery van. It belongs to The mercury brewing Company, Makers of Ipswich Ale.
You can actualy rent the truck for parties or events.
They have the kegs inside with the taps mounted on the outside of the truck. It's one of the coolest trucks ive seen.
They have a website, but there are no pictures of the truck there.
That truck would fit in nice here.

Jeff - they do actually have a pic and pdf link on this page - very cool

Bill

I'd love to find one of those step vans of that era
to use in my business. anyone know of one laying around unused?

Thats It! The Tap Mobile.
That truck used to be a Cornwell tool truck.

WHERE'S THE BEER!!!!!!!!

Have you guys seen the book American Beer Trucks.... There are some funky looking rigs in there. The sheet metal work is awesome.