The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Got permission to buy first Stovebolt!

Finally enough guilt to break the wife down. I'm going to try and purchase this '53 3800 Flatbed Dually from a friend. It's been in a barn since the mid 70's. I'm thinking about offering $500 for it. It appears that it has been repainted but I am not sure. I am also not sure if the engine is a 216 or 235.

Check out the pictures and let me know what y'all think. Identify the original paint and engine for me.

Thanks,

Huthip
http://photobucket.com/huthip3800

It's been repainted. This picture shows a light or maybe aqua blue under green. You can see the same difference on the firewall and along the engine compartment in this picture. I think the engine is a 235.

I would be happy to go see it with you sometime. PM or email me.

Hy huthip, just so you know, someone has changed the rear axle in that truck, or it has the weirdest set of wheel adapters I've ever seen, the engine looks like a full pressure 235, hope that helps.

The paint wasn't very good on the days that truck was built and they were repainted every few years. It is very rare to find one that is original paint. It does look like someone put a rear axle from a one ton under it which was also very common to get more weight carrying capacity. It looks like a very likely candidate to restore. It's probably been in Texas all its life and never seen a salted road.

I looked at paint schemes from that era and believe it was originally "Ocean Green" which matches the firewall color. Somebody else told me that they believe the rear axle had been modified.

Do you believe that is ok and won't present problems?

Also, did that model come with the 235 or do y'all think it was changed out?

Been in Pflugerville, TX it's entire life. Has never seen salt, maybe some fertlyzer which caused the white spots on the rear corner of the cab
Thanks

Yes, they came with low pressure 235's. Only the engine ID on the raised pad next to the distributor can tell us if it has been changed. The axle my be original with an adapter, but it has likely been changed out with a modern one. The rear rims don't look like splits, but the fronts are.

Email me at david(dot)colter(at)sbcglobal(dot)net and we can both crawl all over the thing soon. We'll get it for $500 or less.

Ocean Green is a 1953 color.

The 235 engine with that valve cover did not become available until 1954.

The radiator housing was chopped-up to allow the radiator to be moved forward - the later 235s (late-55 through 1962) had a water pump that extended too far forward and would have hit the radiator. That engine is a later 1955 to 1962 engine (most likely a 235 but it could be a 261).

Gee + you + are + you = GURU = tdlederman

I trust every word.(and we will remember to get the number off the engine - right, huthip?) Is there anything that we should keep an eye out for, Tim?

The rear wheels for sure are the Firestone RH-5 design, which are the "split rims" that give the OK "lock ring" rims a bad name.. The fronts look OK, they appear to be three piece lock ring wheels.

The rear 5 lug Budd wheels make me think it's a rear axle from an IH truck. Could also be an aftermarket adapter to put dual wheels on the original Chevy single wheel hub.

Earlier it was commented that the axle is a 1 ton, the truck is a 1 ton too, so no surprise there. But something is odd about the axle and or wheels/adapters.

Grigg

I don't think it should be too difficult locating a correct 3/4 or 1 ton axle.(they are essentially the same except brakes and springs, right?) I notice the running boards have been cut, so It originally had a 9 foot bed also.

Looks like we may have another one ton owner(to add his story to the gallery) and complete our quorum of 5 one ton owners (in the gallery)voting yes on having a 1 ton(3/4 also, John?) forum in the Grassy Knoll next month, but that's a stretch - even for me.

I think that's the longest sentence I've written here yet.

There is a good chance I saw the truck when it was still running. I used to haul grain out of Pflugerville in the 60's and 70's when Willard Pfluger still owned an elevator in downtown Pflugerville. A lot of hogs and turkeys were fed here in Fredericksburg in those days.

I know it was originally owned by Mr. Meister from the north end of Pflugerville. I am not sure of what his first name was but will find out. It has been in the Kuemple family, Charles Kuemple, since the mid '70's.

Speedometer looks like it's from a late 50's early 60's chevy car, who knows what the actual miles are!?!?! You can tell the year of the engine by the code above the starter by the "CON 4" stamp. A=january B=february, etc, with the date next to it and the last digit of the year after that. For example A 23 0 means January 23, 1950 or 1960. Hope this helps.

I was thinking the same thing about that speedo. Hard to imagine that thing ever doing a buck twenty.

Thanks for the info on the codes. We are going Monday to thoroughly inspect the truck. The speedo is definitely not original. The font is completely different and I think the original went to 80 or 90 mph.

I don't think the engine is a 261. I'm not as knowledgeable as most on subject but I think it should have a water pump bypass hose from one of two outlets on the water pump to the housing above the thermostat if is a 261.

I have obtained numbers from the truck and the engine.

Please help identify the numbers for me.

I have included pictures of the numbers

L53S013443-Door Plate
0I94604F56V-Engine near distributor
3836848
GM12--Other side of engine

THanks

http://s732.photobucket.com/albums/ww324/huthip/idnumbers/

3836848 is a 235 head cast in 1956.

Having seen the truck in person with Huthip, I know the entire cab and doors are solid. The water pump moves, the heater hose has broken off of the thermostat housing, and the generator pulley/bolt is missing. The interior is missing various things, and reeks of mouse. Both front fenders will eventually need repair/replaced. Most everything that looks like rust on the top surfaces of the truck is actually a thick layer of animal droppings/dust/guano. The frame shows no sign of cracks at the front of the flatbed. The rear axle appears to be the original, and it is leaking at the yoke. The 5 lug wheels are mounted by way of a 8 lug - hub centered, to 5 lug - stud centered adapter. The engine is stuck, and the generator pulley is missing. Huthip was asking about the cost of replacing the rear/all rims and tires. I suggested that he might want to go back to a singe rear wheel, but I didn't know the cost per wheel/tire. I suggested that he not pay over $700 or $800. I forget if the title is even available.