The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk New find, '48(actually a '53)

The AD trucks have never been my favorite but I do like the slightly unusual. This one was sitting next to a small body shop in the part of town I don't go through much. The utility bed and sun visor caught my eye so I stopped to inquire about it. They had just aquired it and a '29 International 1-ton and were planning to do a little work on it before selling it. I asked if I could look it over and they complied. It has a few dents and dings but very little rust. It started life as a phone truck and then went to a local gas station until it was put to pasture a few years back. The top of the utility bed is rusted away but the rest of it is in pretty good shape. Even all the latches still work. Looking inside I noticed the indash radio and under dash AC. The 216 has been replaced with a 235 and I was told that it was running just a couple of years ago before the owner died. He mentioned a number of 1500 early in the conversation which was reduced to 1200 by the time I was leaving. I called him the next day and offered him 1000 and he agreed. $1000 is a lot of money but it doesn't seem like too much for something that will cost much more in the future. Here are a few pix I took when I took him the money. I'll take it home tonight and get more photos.

photo album link

You got a great deal. Looks like an excellent truck to start with.

Your new truck is worth a lot more than a thousand bucks. That puppy has a really straight body and very workable chrome work. Looks just about all the original pieces are there. Nice dash. Heater box in your truck is worth $150 alone.

Sure enough a Godzilla size air conditioner, never have seen one that big before! Now that has to go, ugly!

This telephone company utility box on the back is very unique. Clearly the box is custom made to fit your style of truck. I would be tempted to keep the utility box. Doubtful there are many trucks around with one of those utility boxes. Easy enough to have a metal supply yard slice and dice you a new top for the box, maybe 1/8 thick diamond plate. An aluminum top would be nice and look good all shined up.

Looks 16 inch rims up front and 15 inch rear. Periodically on Ebay you will find original 16 inch rims, usually one at a time, maybe a pair.

Normally I would suggest you look around at Denman Tires for old fashion style tires. Couple weeks back, after almost a hundred years in business, Denman filed for bankruptcy protection and is now being liquidated. Tube type tires are now much harder to find. I suspect some sizes, like 20 inch tires, will become impossible to find.

Nice truck, great price!

Billyray

Nice find The phone trucks do have a collectible value, but a limited audience.

It's surprising to see an A/C unit behind a 235 six cylinder. The truck looks drivable as it is, once the brakes and tires are addressed. Let's hope the engine does run and doesn't smoke.

That's about the 10th phone truck I have seen and they have all been in that condition.

Good Find

Nice truck
you did get it at a very good price.

Maybe when you get it home you can confirm the year of your Truck before you start buying parts.

From the pictures it dose not look like a 1948, maybe some of the more experienced stovebolters can advise.

It reminds me of the General Telephone trucks of North East Texas and South West Arkansas. Fact is, that truck was driven by the service tech that repaired our phone on April 1, 1952.

Very nice catch! Nobody has mentioned the nice original radio in it! I guess the telephone guys didn't like getting too warm!

Nice truck, great deal. I agree with DADS50, looks like its newer than a '48.

The doors are 52 up. The vent windows look rebuilt, at least repainted.

I have a bell telephone utility box almost like that one. Does yours have a large drawer that goes from side to side? Mine also has a ladder rack on the driver's side. I've never seen it on a truck. I found it out back of a friends shop and he gave it to me.

You guys were right. Upon further review, the VIN tag says it's a '53 model. Yes, Builder, the utility box does have a tray in the front half that slides from side to side. The trays in the back half are accessed from the back doors. I now need to determine if the engine is the later pressure lubed type or the babbit type. From the info I've found, it should be the pressure lubed type because it has the valve cover held on by two screws on each side. I'll check for the block number ASAP. I've added new photos to my photobucket.

http://s305.photobucket.com/albums/nn214/jfnar/1953%20chevy/

I like the big old "Polaraire" under-dash unit. Is the truck still 6 volt? I see it still has a generator. That is cool - and ugly like someone else wrote... I have been looking for a 6 volt A/C unit for my 50 pickup...
Congrats on a cool old truck with a nearly perfect original bright grill.
Have fun.