The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Do It Yourself (DITY) Gallery 1957 Chevy half-ton short box - my first Stovebolt

This was an e-bay find from Georgia. It's a 57 short box. I've since swapped out the old 235 for a 261. Replaced the passenger door and welded in a panel to fix the rotted passenger floor because of a heater leak. The odometer reads 13000 miles, and looking at the rubber on the peddles, it might be correct. The truck was parked since 1983 according to the last license plate that was on it.

Great find, it has character.

Welcome to the Stovebolt

John

It would appear that I can't find that matching wheel. Has anyone used an adapter to fit a 5 lug wheel? Are they safe, if so, where can you get them?

Found a pair, thanks to every one for their help

So Ralf, did you drive that camper with the trailer all the way from Ashburn to Georgia? Still worth it, though, if you did.

Leo

Yup, Steve Johnston a fellow bolter and I drove the RV to Georgia. It took us 18 hours to drive down, and about 20 to get back, an hour of that was at the border doing paperwork. Been working on the 57 for a few weeks now, and If I had to do it again, I would have gone to a mid west state to get a truck. There were plenty of hidden problems, but I suppose that's common on a 50 year + truck. It will make a good driver for the summer.

Ralf, I think we all can relate to your situation. The pictures of my panel, even with the fenders off, hid a lot of bad stuff. When I looked at the panel I thought "I must be crazy" and should have turned around and pulled the trailer back empty.
Nevertheless, one piece and one day at a time I'm beginning to see daylight. Would I buy one in this shape again...NEVER, but I'm glad I got this one!! Just don't make sense does it?

Keep us posted on your project.

Wow, I just spent an hour looking at your project. Great job on the detail.
Mine had pretty much all the same problems. After market body parts are a godsend, but still needed plenty of massaging to make them fit properly. The cowl and floor are now solid again. Since this is going to be a driver, I didn't go into as much detail as yours. I wish I had the patience to take pictures of the project along the way.
I noticed that you're from South Carolina. My truck came with South Carolina plates. I wonder if there any way of looking up the original owner?

Ralf, it wasn't so much patience in taking the pictures as it was of a necessity. I did take pics of the 37 but lost a bunch of pictures due to a camera problem... the pictures sure help when putting it back together!!

Some time ago I could do a "title search" with the highway dept by sending them a letter and for $5 and they would give/send you the previous owners/history as far as their records go... BUT now due to all the dang privacy acts they won't tell you anything. I believe they cut it out. I could ask if you want me to.

Now it seems all the privacy acts do it give your information to all of a companies "affliates" so they can bombard you with solicitations... and of coarse so the gov't can get it too!

Thanks for your compliments on the panel. Its been 3 years so far but I'm getting there. Keep us posted on your project. It will all come together.

I'm at the stage where I'm ready for paint. I noticed that the serious guys all dismantle the truck and paint the parts individually. I don't think I'm that competent and wonder about assembling the truck and painting it as a complete unit. Thoughts?

I finally added some pics, now all I need to learn is how to get then as part of my signature. The link is in my first posting.