The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Things you found in your Stovebolt when you bought it ?

Hi..when I bought my 36 Suburban from a man in Mass..it sat in a barn for 46 years...and in clening it out found a blue marble, and a 1934 Liberty head dime..that made my day of cleaning out the rust and mice nests. It is coming along now all apart, some new wood and more to come. All bad rusty holes and weak areas are now leaded and weldis finishing up..next it goes to the meadia blaster.
It's a step at a time to say the least..

Took out my seat while tearing down the other night and found rat poison container empty....2 mice skeltons in seat...and a brown paper bag with clear zip lock bag in it...with some old weed and roach....and this is after it just got back from inspection from Ohio Highway Patrol looking for VIN #'s ....would have been funny if they found it in their inspection...did not even have a smell of weed anymore..so old...but was funny to find...too bad it was so old!!

dad found a nice friendly snake in the headboard of his 46 2 ton

In my 1947 1/2 ton I found under the drivers seat a 1948 penny. I put it in the ashtray for good luck, but I don't think the penny realizes that's why its there.

I found an "old hickory" butcher knife with a 6 inch blade in the speaker hole above the windsheild of my 56 GMC, it was way over to the left side of the hole. I found it trying to see if there was any wires for the speaker up there.

I found lots of dirt, poop, about a jillion little tools an ice scraper all with implement shop advertising on them. The coolest thing I found was paper work that put this truck on a job in Tucson AZ, that my father in law was on at the same time. Now truck is in WY. When I told pappy in law he said "Ya so and so had alot of junk on that job, I don't recognize it" I was crushed

My 48 1.5 ton was a farm truck, and I found plenty of grain, and corn in the headliner. The coolest thing was the mumified mouse under the dash on top of my light switch, who was probably responsible for stuff in the headliner.

Great thread, and funny too!

My truck was pretty clean when I picked it up. Had a tire iron and original (working) bottle jack with spring clip still attached under the seat. Found some old ashes in the ash tray (didn't even smell like ashes any more). In the glove box, found the owners manual, previous registration info, original paint color documents, the heater knob that broke off the control panel, and a couple of misc screws, rubber grommets, and a safety pin (shrug). Under the frame rails I found 4 mud dauber wasp nests, one that still had a live wasp in it. I was hoping to find some cash or coin, but no such luck!

Let's see in the '37 there were two mouse skeletons under the seat behind the fuel tank, enough antique nails to build a house in the glove box, AND three red round emergency flares in a box tucked away under the bed (they look like they date back to the fifties).

About fifty dirt dobber nests. They were on and in everything! Under the left front fender, was a huge yellow jacket nest that somehow was still covered in yellow jackets after the trailer ride home.

It was 1974, I bought a yellow 53 5 window long bed 3/4 T from a roofer/ drug dealer. A lot of usless parts and a bag of pot under and behind the seat. Also a 51 1/2T with a lot of bee's and trash a few good tools. Took the cab of the 53 and put it on the 51. The bed was trashed on the 53 and the cab was thashed on the 51. I bought both trucks for $150.00. The 53 had the title. I'm the 3rd owner of the 53. Still have it today. I put it back the same color. Can't believe I remember all this! Steve

Well I have bought two 1949, Panel trucks to make one good one. The First one it had alot of rust rat nest's and corn kernals and broken glass. Found a penny but wasn't old . The second one which is the doner I found all kind of 61,62,63 and 64 Impala break light lenses? Guy must had used it for storage? I feel I will be able to get one complete one after about 5 years of resto.

When I bought "Boomer" I found approx 8in of Mt St.Helens volcanic ash under and behind the seat........

When I bought my 1951 1/2 ton it had a 36"x 14" paper theater advertisement for La Parisienne staring Charles Boyer, Henri Vidal, & Brigitte Bardot, copywright in 1958. That's not counting all the mouse homes & dropings.

I paid a dollar for it,,and the only thing I found outside of it drove 300 miles in 30 years was a sticker on the firewall saying buffalo NY fire company. 1942 fire truck for van buren fire dept,, best dollar I ever spent,, I got it in mint shape.. it had 20,340 miles.. no rust, and after a few hours of buffing it looked like a new paint job...

The best thing I found in my truck...
When I bought it, two rusty engines came with it and were loaded into the bed. They had been on the ground and in the elements for over 20 years.
I was hoping to be able to get one good engine out of the two and busted them both down to evaluate their condition.
My choice for the rebuild was made easy when I discovered one of them was a 261.
Jerry

I know a lot of folks find wasps when they buy a truck. I was driving my 1969 3/4t panel home from Charlotte NC to Raleigh NC when I opened the drivers side floor vent. Out came the little buzzers ALIVE! They seemed woozie and I shut the vent and pulled off the road in a hurry. I stomped and brushed with a rag until I had them out and drove the rest of the way home with hot but unstung feet! I gave the remaining wasps a good shot of wasp spray when I got home and vacuumed out the bodies later.

Best wishes and Merry Christmas,

Les

My grandfather was always the one who encouraged my various mechanical interests and exploits and helped hone a lot of the skills I have today. He passed away shortly before I got my '49. In the teardown of the truck, I found a chunk of license plate patching the floor. The numbers on the plate were 1194, the same as my grandfather's address. I still have that chunk hanging on the wall. Makes you wonder....

My 1954 GMC yielded a copy of an adult magazine of men (Something I certainly did not need), a couple burnt out light bulbs and a few odd things I haven't identified.

22 caliber bullet and can opener under gas tank in my '46 1/2 ton!

when I ought my 55 2nd inside a loop of the hood hing spring was piece of household wire.when I removed it I found the original un used spare key with the [knock out] still in it.The numders matched thoes on the door and ignition. Cool

1957 GMC 370 LCF. Was pretty clean inside, compared to some of the stuff I have drug in. A few misc. bolts. But the biggie was behind and under the seat: Four very very large empty containers of brake fluid. Guess now I know why I am having H rebuilding the brakes. Don't think its had a brake job since 57. Also know why,,they probably couldn't afford it. Just the brakes have used up all my "truck" money I had in the fruit jar.

original locking gas cap w/o key, 18 inch metal cutting wheel,bottle of used brake fluid, 6 inches of rat poop, live rat, glove box door latch piece, the list could go on and on and on......

Book of matches and a roach clip

First C50 is a '72, bought from a construction business that was closing, the cab had the usual assortment of used truck parts, a box and a half of .22 shells, about a dollar in change, a tee shirt and three adjustable wrenches, and a partial can of brake fluid-standard equipment? Under the hood I found a new Mr Goodwrench 350 with less than 1,000 miles on it, under the truck I found a PTO driven hydraulic pump to a fully functional bed hoist, and 2 speed rear axle. I bought it for $500, jump started it and drove it home, unfortunately the cab made Swiss cheese look solid, which put me on the search for a decent cab.
Enter the '71 C50, found on a ladies' property, I asked about it and she said I could buy it for $400 if I would bring back the two wheel utility trailer in the bed. The truck was a roofing company truck that was left on her property. Vandals had broken the door windows and clearance lights, the cab had a small tree growing up through the running board, engine is a 350, 4 spd after wiping off the tree stains and mildew the body is straight and almost totally rust free. In the cab I found two 30 ton hydraulic bottle jacks, one 12 ton hydralic bottle jack, several 15' chains, three 3" cargo straps and 5 cargo strap winches,the usual assortment of used parts and hardware. When I towed it home I started to remove the trailer, and finding it had a flat tire, I thought I would inflate it, while putting air in th tire I was thinking that the tire was badly weather checked-BLAM- it blew out making me think I had been shot in the face with a shotgun, WEAR SAFETY GLASSES WHEN INFLATING TIRES!After dragging th etrailer off the truck I found enough new vinyl siding to put siding on a chicken house I had just built. Under the vinyl siding was $517 worth of copper sheeting which I sold to a recycler, I bought a new tire, had it mounted and took the trailer bak to the lady I bought the truck from.

Dads shoulder holster and pistol,two white shirts( in plastic bags) chewed by mice,a leaded pipe with leather handle also chewed up and a bottle of Soda called UPPER 10 lemon -lime still not opened.

I recently purchased a very nice 54 with less than 54K miles. When I removed the gas tank to clean it out, I found the following UNDER the bottom seat. A crank style bumper jack, 30" high with three legs, A tool box with plenty of old tools inside, couple of old ropes and a dried up first aid kit.

In my barn find 49 3100, a can of ole Cas Walkers salve, a rusty flat 9/16ths wrench, a toy water pistol, an old bottle opener, about 100 electric fence staples and a meat hook.
Not to mention enough mouse, rat and whatever else bedding to fill 1/3rd of a 13 gal garbage bag!
Just about got all the smell out, never thought gas,oil and new paint would smell so good
Dave

old winchester amo box for a glove box.

I got my 51 chevy 3100 from a friend. It was parked on her property in Arizona where it sat for many years. I had it shipped to Maine and among other things I replaced some brake parts. When I pulled off one of the rear drums I found a small snake,whole but dried up,wrapped around the star adjuster.There are no adjusting slots in the backing plate or drum.The only way that guy could have gotten in there was through a round hole in the hub that lines up with another hole in the drum.Must have just squeezed itself in there and couldn't figure out how to get back out.The snake,which is about a foot long,is in a glass display case on my bar.---Jack

I lifted the seat out of my 1953 and the entire area was filled with leaves, twigs, paper, misc crap. So I pulled up the trash can and began putting the stuff in the trash can.

Well, the RAT who lived there didn't appreciate my sense of cleanliness and hissed at me on his way out of the truck. Scared the * out of me. Never forget it. Glad he didn't bite me. I would have had to bite him back.

I had some fuzzy dice, Davidoff cigarillos and some dealer literature for the ordering catalouge. I guess they made as many as 6 and 8 door vehicles for commercial purchase! With that it was pretty well cleaned up, guy before me did a lot of the ugly interior discoveries I'm sure:D

In my '58 Jimmy I found old paper registrations and the original owners manual in the glove box. I drove it for about a year before I stripped the interior out of it. I found a couple of old pennies from the 60's and a ticket stub for a drive-in theater in San Diego.

However, my biggest surprise find was when I pulled the carpet out and discovered that the old buckets seats that someone installed had been lag bolted to a frame made of 2x4 lumber, which in turn was lag bolted to the floor. Oh yeah, the seat belts were lag bolted to the same wooden frame! Lovely!

The PO apparently had a love affair with lag bolts, sheet metal screws and wire nuts. They were holding just about everything together.

All kinds of stuff. My truck has a cool story..owned by the same man from 53 until he passed last December. He was an operating engineer after coming home from WW2 and this truck went all over the country with him on big pipeline and infrastructure jobs.

The truck was registered in MO but have old turnpike tickets from PA and OH. This bolt got around! I think there's pics in my photobucket you can access from my signature.

Also a Union Contract pocket booklet from the 59-60. A subscription envelope to "Pipeline Construction Magazine." Old registration papers. Oil change sticker on door post from '68 that look brand new. Unopened master cylinder repair kit under the seat.

Oh, and plenty of fossilized mud dauber nests

Union booklet

Turnpike tickets

neat story... sweet truck!

-W

In the glove box of my 54 3100 with 56K miles, I found a 45 year old first aid kit (small metal can, slightly rusted) and old gauze. Under the seat I found a period correct tri-pod bumper jack in excellent condition.

In my 1949 3100 series 1/2 ton pickup I found a woman's compact mirror and door handle washer in the passenger side defrost vent. I also found a bunch of small nuts and washers under the floor mat.

Rust and Body filler where it should NOT be, and in way too large amounts... nothing of interest unfortunately.

When I was removing the gas tank in my 37 I found a unused receipt from the company that bought it new and a still in the wrapper the Watchtower that was mailed to my aunt and dated 1958 the last year the truck was driven on the road.