The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Identifying potential '51 AD issues - please help!

Hey all,
I need to solicit more advice here from all you stovebolt wizards out there. I'm headed up to the mountains to go camping and thought I'd drop by Yuba City to check out this truck on my way up: Photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/nrdesieyes/1951Chevy12Ton5WindowYubaCity?feat=directlink The truck is a titled (PNO) titled (PNO) 1951 Chevy 5-window with a 283, which is not currently running, and original tranny with 4 on the floor. It's being advertised as a GMC because all the chrome chevy parts have been switched out for GMC alternatives - hubs, steering wheel horn button cap, hood emblems, etc. Besides these pieces, the current owner thinks that the motor is the only substantial mod that has been made to the truck, but I don't have a good feeling for how knowledgeable he is about AD trucks specifically. I'm guessing the super straight body has been bondo'd substantially, but it's straight none the less. I notice a pretty crappy paint job and wonder what it's covering up. Needs new wood for the bed, a gas tank, and interior finish work at minimum,
and that steering column wiring looks pretty suspicious... does that look familiar to anyone? Can anybody guess what's going on there? Do you all notice anything else I should be suspicious of right off the bat? Many thanks to all!! Nick

That one looks pretty good. Take along a magnet, you can find bondo with it.

The wiring on the steering column is typical of the vintage turn signals and nothing to fret over.

If it runs, the price seems pretty fair. If in non-running condition I'd start working him down with cash talk. You should be able to get it for around $2,000 if it is totally non-operable. There will probably be brake work to do before you can drive it.

Vern,
Thanks for the reply. The magnet trick is brilliant; I'll use it tomorrow for sure.
Thanks again for the advice.
Best,
Nick

Hi Nick,

From the limited information the pics give here are a few other thoughts. It has a fresh air heater (is it badged Chevy or GMC), and it is a five window. Both good things in my book.

The floors look pretty good in the pics. Do you see any rust? How about rust in the cab corners, front of rear fenders, bottom of front fenders (the usual suspects in other words).

The truck is missing a garnish molding above defroster outlets and a splash apron between front bumper and grill. The spare tire is mounted in a non stock location. Did a PO hack the right fender to make it fit?

How do the body panels line up? Hood to fender, grill, and doors may not fit if the truck has been in a major collision. Right running board is pretty rough.

Let us know what you decide and good luck.

Hi Eileen,
Awesome advice!! Thanks a ton. I will check the fresh air heater for Chevy vs. GMC, the cab corners and fender bottoms for rust, the floors, the line-up and fit of the body panels, and the spare tire mount location for a hack job. Thanks so much!!
Best,
N

That doesn't necessarily work and don't ask me how I know.

Seeing that radio would of made my pupils pukker a little

as stated above

Take a real good look at both inside kick panels like in this pic of my truck. Those ripples next to the parking brake pedal indicate rust

With the seat out you can inspect the cab corners real good from the inside.

and check out the door pillars. Trucks that have been sitting for a long time tend to collect dirt and mud there and rust out
Don’t let my pics scare you rust in those areas are common and very repairable
Overall that truck looks cool from the pictures, Inspect it well, check out the title and what vin number is on it. Is it the door pillar tag number?

I wouldnt worry to much about all that electrical. If you get it youll end up pulling it all out for safety reasons.

Good Luck

$50 paint thickness magnet would also help find body filler?

Putting a V8 in these trucks usually causes interference with the steering box, unless it has been changed. Check this area over pretty thoroughly, to make sure nothing has been cobbled in this area.

BINGO

BINGO!!! You win the prize. A spacer was welded onto the frame to put in the V8, and the insides of both fenders were cut to make way for the spacers. Then the steering column was moved over about 3 inches to the outside. The body otherwise was pretty good, but considering the V8 wasn't running and I'd likely be replacing with a stovebolt if I couldn't get it running, I just couldn't justify the hack job that had been done to the truck to get the V8 into it. So I passed on it today. Thanks to all for your input, it helped out immensely!!

Nothing that's been done to that truck can't be easily undone. I would have gladly started with that one rather than the POS I had foisted on me. It looks pretty rust free which is the benchmark for finding a project truck.

Well, rust free is a relative term, I guess... 3 of 4 cab corners were rotted through. For the mean time, the current owner is going to hold on to it and I can always make an offer on it in the future if nothing better comes up. I found this truck in week #1 of my search, so I'm not worried that there aren't any better restoration candidates out there in the central valley of CA... not worried yet, anyway...

As an aside, my 47 also has a V8 in it, that was installed by a PO. Some of the same "surgeries" were performed on it. While it is not pretty to look at, it really hasn't affected the operation of the truck, except that the tire will rub the steering box on a hard left turn. But for what I'm using it for, it's something I can live with.
But everyone has to make that determination for himself.

Yep, it's true. I too would likely be completely fine with it for my planned uses - loading up firewood, dump runs, mulch runs, moving stuff for work, etc. We'll see - the truck is there and doesn't seem to be going anywhere fast. If I don't find another suitable candidate, I'll track it down again and make an offer. I'm in no rush.