The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Approximate cost to rebuild

Hi I may inherit a family heirloom--which is a 1951 Model 3600 3/4 ton that was my grandfather's. It's been kept in my Uncle's shed for about 15 or 20 years, and hasn't been run it almost that much time. It's dirty but generally appears to be in pretty good shape--faded paint but very little rust, other than on the chrome. My question is, how much should I budget (worst case) to get this thing "running?"

I live in the Washington DC area.

thanks

gleidner

Welcome to the BOLT...from what you say it sounds as if it was running when parked? If so I would check and make sure engine is not stuck. Then do a little clean the plug,points and put some fresh oil and gas in it. It may surprise you. At this point you have spent very little. I would say you need to get the engine running before any "estimate" could be estimated!! The tires for sure and once you check the engine out the brakes should be next. Since its been inside rebuilds on the brake system should be fine and that is not to expensive and readily available. Try to get it started then come back with what you find and further questions. There are quite a few experts at this bolt!! One word of advice to help speed up answers to your question is to do searchs here on the bolt as most questions have been ask before and answer readily available. Also be sure to try and post in the right forum for the quickest answers. Happy Trails.

It depends on how much work you can do or are willing to do. Also helps to have skilled friends. Some things you must do: Flush the block and radiator. You will probably have to recore the radiator. Change as many rubber parts as you can. Clean the fuel tank and lines and install a new filter. New battery and cables. Change the oil. Inspect/replace brakes(very important for your safety). Probably will need new tires. Then the usual tune-up stuff with the ignition. I'd say your at least looking at 1k. After that you will find other things you will need to do and then some things you want to do. Soon you may get hooked like a lot of us here, and it will become a never ending project. I've spent 7k on mine in the past 4 years. I'm not even close to being done. Good luck.

$200.-20K

it all depends on what you want to do w/ her
there will be lots of advise given here and only you can deside what it is you want to do w/ your new truck.
but 85% of the time the project WILL go over budget. you will probably spend ??? over the course of a couple of years so that's the good side of a project like this.
good luck and have fun.


welcome and enjoy your new(???) ride

I strongly warn you to pull and clean out the gas tank before trying to start your truck. My 38 sat a similar amount of time with some gasoline in the tank. A tiny bit drained out when I pulled the feed line. The rest was thick varnish coating the inside of the tank. I poured several gallons of solvent and laquer thinner in the tank to try to clean the old gas out before starting it. After draining the solvents, filtering them to remove any solids and repeating the process several times I poured in some fresh gas and fired her up. After running her long enough to warm her up & do some diagnostics I shut her off feeling quite good about getting her running again after all those years. The next day when I tried to start her again I bent two pushrods because the varnish melted in the tank & mixed with the fresh gas, stuck to & hardeded on the intake valves of two cylinders which stuck them shut. Save youself a lot of headaches and pull the tank now. Clean it and recoat it if necessary.

Many thanks for the excellent advice thus far. I can see this is going to be a very helpful forum. Not sure when I will actually get to put my hands on the truck. My Uncle has implied that he would prefer I move it to my home (the truck is in the midwest, I'm on the East Coast) rather than trying to start it or work on it there. Not sure of his reasons but that might be what I have to do. Perhaps I should inquire first of how I should move this truck 900 miles. Should I use someone that is experienced in this? If so, is there some sort of prep I should do before moving it? As I said it's sat in a garage (the front end has been next to an open garage door).

As far as I know it was running fine when backed in to the garage years ago.

Thanks again.

I have used Showroom Transport several times without too much trouble. 900 miles should be less than $1K to transport. If you shop around you can get deals but make sure you get a set of keys. Once the driver gave my keys to the wrong guy and it took me 2 weeks to get them back.

I would hook up a gas can or remove the tank and clean it and the fuel lines before trying to start. Almost for certain the carburetor will need rebuilt and you might have some oil seals in the engine that leak. Sounds like you have an excellent starting point. Go for it.

As someone on this site has said before about a stovebolt, "If it aint leakin', it's out of oil!"

I posted a message on the Hauling Board. I have a 63 C20 coming to Connecticut around Setember 13th from MO. There is a spot on the trailer. Refer to the message for Exclusive Auto Transporters.
Good Luck!

Thanks for the message about the Hauling Board, but I don't know when I will get the truck. I'll check out your message, though. Anything that I should do to prep the truck for when the time comes?

Pull the plugs and spray each cylinder with wd-40, kroil, pbBlaster, etc. and then dump a mixture of 1/2 automatic tranny fluid and 1/2 deisel fuel down the carb. A quart or so would do it. Just let it sit until you get it home. Air in the tires will help the transport. Check with the transport to see if they charge more for non-running truck first. Hopefully the brakes haven't swollen to the point that the wheels won't turn. That wouldn't go over very good with the transport.

Great advice. Thank you.

It gets expensive very fast. If you follow advice given so far you are well over $2000-> battery, cables, all rubber pieces, tires, ignition, oil, filters, extra set of keys, wd40, deisel fuel, tires, brakes, fuel tank cleaner, recored radiator, transport.

Some guys save every receipt. Some guys like me refuse to accept them to start with.

Good luck.

If you are experienced and have the knowledge and tools already, and the engine turns over and happens to be in good enough shape, $200 to $1000 to get it roadworthy and $800 to $1500 if it rolls and tires hold air from the midwest to the coast.

Look for a cheap (not enclosed) transport that may have an opening and you aren't in a hurry. Sometimes if time is not a factor, they may have a truck that doesn't have a full load and will haul it for less money. You have to be available when they call this way, but it can save quite a bit.

If you have to hire it all done, find a truck that is a driver already becasue it won't be cheap at all.

One thing to remember - You don't have to spend everything at one time. Figure out what you have to do and purchase the parts/supplies you need for that and only that. No need to buy everything all at one once - you won't have time to put it on anyways.
My guess is you are going to spend $1,000 minimum.
Spread out over a whole year that isn't too bad.

When you are done, you will find it very satisfying to drive an old truck. People ask me about mine every time I stop to get gas, go to the store etc.

In other words - don't let the budget stop you
Just Do It!

_________________________

Guy

_________________________

'67 C-10 283/350

Check with U-haul or Cheap Rents about a car trailer and get to visit the family and bring it home yourself.

Again, my thanks to everyone.

Reading the responses, I was surprised that most seem optimistic that I will be able to get it running as cheaply as they've said. No one has mentioned that it is likely I'll have to have a complete engine overhaul. Is this not likely? Can these trucks sit idle for all these years and then not have to have valves, rings, etc? I realize it "all depends," but just thought I'd ask. If I can get the truck running under its own power for 2 or 3 thousand I will be very happy. Of course, I realize that this will just the beginning of many more thousands to get it lookin and runnin "good all over."

You will hear lots of stories on this site about barn finds and even field planters that run fine with just a little lube and clean. That is the beauty of a stovebolt! and don't count every nickle, you will get discouraged

Bring it over to my place and we'll get it going and you can drive it home for $1000 or less.

I faced the same dilemma not too long ago and found out that a non-running truck from NM to DC would cost around 1,000.00 to get it hauled. I think it was an extra 250 for non-running. The cheapest way turned out to be a rented car trailer and truck.

Like everyone has said, it might be cheaper than you think to get running- there is no way to tell until you get into it.

The easiest way to make your decision between hauling and fixing is to start looking at the truck.

I'd say begin with numbering the plug wires, pulling the plugs, squirting a generous amount of PB blaster into the cylinders and letting them sit for a day or two. While the lube is soaking, take the battery to a autoparts store, get it charged and tested. If it ain't good, replace it with a cheap battery, chances are you'll be upgrading when you really get into the electrical system. Then pull the starter and try to turn the engine using the teeth on the flywheel and a screw driver. If the engine turns, move onto step two.

step two- Put the battery and starter back,change the fuel filter and/or add one to the fuel line between the pump and carb, disconnect the fuel line from under the cab and hook it up to a gascan full of gas (you may need a length of hose for this). Clean and regap the plugs. Check the coolant level, replace the thermostat. Check the oil level and top off with some NON-DETERGENT 30 weight oil. Turn the engine over a few times and see if it'll cough, sputter or what. If you can get it running great, DONT DRIVE IT, move onto step 3.

Step 3, check out the brakes. Motion in a vehicle ain't good if you can't turn or stop safely. If your brakes check out okay (fluid in master, all brake components in good shape and working), congratulations, go onto step four.

Step 4, check out your suspension and steering components, these old trucks have something like 24 lube points. Shocks or leaf springs might be broken and tie rods, etc... might be in bad shape. There are some adjustments that can be made to this stuff, but at some point it might not be safe enough to drive without a costly repair. If you've gotten this far and everything is still a go, pull the gas tank and have it boiled out at a radiator shop ($30). Any sediment in the tank is gonna jam your fuel lines or varnish your engine and you can't drive to DC using a gas can as the tank.

Step 5- check your lights, charging sytem and wiring for shorts, etc... You may have a hard time finding 6v bulbs if the truck hasn't been converted to 12 v. Replace the belts on the engine, check out the hoses and buy a couple of spares, flush and refill the cooling system and change the oil, check the fluid in the tranny and differential, tune up the engine (Cap, rotor, points, plugs, possibly a carb rebuild) you are drivin to DC!

Step 6- Check all the tires and get an alignment. Older bias ply tires go out of round when they've been sitting too long. They might heat up and go back into round when you drive them or they might just get replaced with one of those $200 sets that'll hold you through the roadtrip and rebuild process back in DC.

Step 7. Title transfer, vehicle inspection, insurance and registration. The state will probably require an inspection after 20 years of non-use and transfer of ownership. They might require horn, wipers. Also, even though turn signals were not oem some states require 'em anyhow.

Now... if your uncle doesn't want you to work on the truck and thinks you'll be safer hauling it, he might have a point. 20 years of non-use on steering, engine, brakes, etc... is a long time for rust to set in, grease to harden, rings to rust to the cylinder walls, etc... A 3600 with a straight body and non-running engine would cost you at least the $1,000 hauling would cost, never mind what it would cost if you got it running and then broke down half way home. Dragging it yourself behind a rented truck on a rented trailer might still cost you $1,000 in meals, hotel, gas, rental, etc.... but could be an adventure! If you do haul, get a title and bill of sale for ($1.00) from your uncle. If he doesn't have a title, it might be easier for him to get one wherever he is than for you to get one in MD.

Welcome to the Bolt and Congratulations on the truck!

Wow! I've gotten so much great advice from this forum! Many thanks, again. Now, if only I can get my hands on that beautiful old truck....

Bigmadaddy: You just made me feel a lot better. I had never taken a motor apart and put it back together before, but I decided to try it on my big bolt. I took it to a machine shop and they did all the really hard stuff, brought it home, put it together, and so far it runs fine. I do have some small oil leaks, which really dissapointed me a lot, but maybe I'm being too picky. Anyway, they are small, and I'm not about to take it apart to try to fix them. allen

Is there a good manual available for a 51 model 3600 3/4 ton? Something that has an Illustrated Parts Breakdown on the vehicle chassis and engine?

I suggest buying the manual and a 'factory assembly manual' Both are indispensible.

I strongly reccomend Tom Brownell's book "How to Restore Chevy Trucks" (AMAZON, BORDERS...)

Most of the common vendors of truck parts sell the manuals, sometimes you can find them on e-bay or online- Here's a link that'll head you in the right direction.

http://chevy.tocmp.com/chevyresources.htm

The common vendors with websites you can find through google are:

AMERICAN CLASSIC (the host of this website)
Jim Carter
Chevy Duty (now known as classic parts)
LMC
Chevs of the 40s.

For speciality stuff, like cams, headers, etc...
Patrick's
Langdon's stovebolt
Clifford's

For restoration parts-
Bowtie bits
obsolete chevy

For brake and suspension upgrades
CPP
Chassis engineering

You can still get many of the parts at NAPA and other Friendly Local Area Parts Stores (FLAPS)

Most of the stuff the different vendors sells is the same and the only difference is the price and shipping charges. It pays to shop around. It also pays to make a list and wait for a sale.

Good luck!

Hello- Why not haul it yourself. I brought my '51 GMC half ton from Tulsa Ok to Upper Mich (1100 miles) an a car dolly that I built. I just made sure that the rear end was full of gear lube ( the rear wheel bearings get their lube from there) I also put a couple of good tires on the rear. It followed like a dream. I have trailered vehicles from there and tow barred a '60 stepside back. The dolly worked best by far. Just my .02 cents worth. What ever you do, don't pass it up. As far as getting it running, maybe you will get lucky. My '53 Chev. 3100 sat in a farmer's field for 15 years. I brought it home, ran the fuel line to a gas can, changed oil, put in a new set of points and fired it up. It does leak a little oil. I also redid the brakes from the master cylinder to the drums. (cheap insurance)I also rebuilt the carb. At that point, I put it on the road. Half the fun of having it is working on it and driving it at the same time. My new engine (292 .30 over) is done and will be going in this winter. Good luck Don

Hello- Why not haul it yourself. I brought my '51 GMC half ton from Tulsa Ok to Upper Mich (1100 miles) an a car dolly that I built. I just made sure that the rear end was full of gear lube ( the rear wheel bearings get their lube from there) I also put a couple of good tires on the rear. It followed like a dream. I have trailered vehicles from there and tow barred a '60 stepside back. The dolly worked best by far. Just my .02 cents worth. What ever you do, don't pass it up. As far as getting it running, maybe you will get lucky. My '53 Chev. 3100 sat in a farmer's field for 15 years. I brought it home, ran the fuel line to a gas can, changed oil, put in a new set of points and fired it up. It does leak a little oil. I also redid the brakes from the master cylinder to the drums. (cheap insurance)I also rebuilt the carb. At that point, I put it on the road. Half the fun of having it is working on it and driving it at the same time. My new engine (292 .30 over) is done and will be going in this winter. Good luck Don

This is an open end question. Do you intend to do the work yourself? If so just how much work will you do yourself? I am a mechanic by profession, I don't do all the work my self. Things like engine o/h and transmission o/h I leave to the machine shop or transmission guy.
I do the pull and put (remove and install)my self. Things like carburator o/h, starter o/h, generator o/h, brakes, suspension, and electrics I do myself.
I will disassemble and assemble all the body parts for body work and painting but the actual body work and painting will be done by body and paint guys.
So what you are asking realy depends on how much you can do yourself.
To pay someone to do the job complete (if all the parts are there and useable) you may spend 10 to 15 K.
The 41 I am doing for a doctor freind now is going to run him about 9K but it had been done (poorly) about 20 years ago.

If you want to make a hobby out of a good running great looking truck it's hard to spend more than most spend on any other big boys toys & hobbies.

If you want a nice looking dependable daily driver consider what they cost at new car lots today.

Thanks, Kelly

53 3100
http://www.cravy.com/53-3100/LadyAfterRats.jpg

Wow. Many thanks for the great advice from everyone and the links to useful websites. I feel like once I get the truck I'll be able to act like I almost know what I'm doing....