The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Do It Yourself (DITY) Gallery 1954 3100 Panel Rescue *

Hi, my name is Scott Feldman and here is my new project.

http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh206/sfeldma/1954%20Chevrolet%203100%20Panel%20Truck/

I live in McMinnville Oregon. I have some filters set up on craigslist to alert me when old trucks get listed and this one poped up this weekend. I've have always liked the 54 grill and one-piece windshield but had never considered a panel. Then this one was posted for sale. So I drove up a mountain with my dad (why are these always in the worse possible spot?) and looked it over. We couldn't see the interior or the back floor because the panel was stuffed full of parts all the way to the roof. The seller had been collecting parts since the 90's and stowing them in the back. He also had a full front clip from a 54 pickup which I also bought because it had the replacement parts for what's bad on this panel, and I know how '54 parts are harder to come by or more expensive. I'm stuck with those beat up rear fenders. The running boards are in the back and have been reworked and primed/painted so I just need to install those. The truck in complete and was running in '94 when he parked it. Apparently, the truck has been to many Grateful Dead concerts back in the day.

It's got the 235 hi-pressure (gauge reads to 50 or 60 psi). 3 speed on the column. 16 inch rims. Roof has no issues (no kid dents, no rust). Under the green moss are signs for a cleaning company.

My goal right now is to give it a bath and put into dry storage. I've got 3 other projects in front of it, so it's going to have to sit a while longer. My dad and I are just finishing a '53 one-ton pickup with 9 ft bed (need to post pictures of that here also). Other two projects are '53 f100s (can I mention that here?) with flathead v8s.

Here's what I'm dreaming for the panel:

http://www.classictrucks.com/features/0609clt_1954_chevy_truck_pass_along_panel/index.html

My brother wants a rig for his surf/kayak/stand-up-paddle board business, so one option is to turn it into a surf wagon for him.

sweet ride

Hey Scott,

Looks like a great project. Be sure to check the panel and burb forums. Lots of great info for you there.

Ned

Nice find,Scott.
Welcome to the best place on the net for these old trucks.
Marty

sfeldma nice find... I have always liked the 54 look too...

I think I saw your 54 back in 85 at a Grateful Dead concert... What a great combination, old Chevy trucks and Grateful Dead concerts...

Hey Scott, welcome. That will be a nice project for sure. I wish you luck.

Leo

Thanks everyone. I took it to the local car wash and sprayed it down. Now I can see the old company logo...looks like a dry cleaning company.

http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh206/sfeldma/1954%20Chevrolet%203100%20Panel%20Truck/

I can't tell what the original color is. The white looks likes it's house paint...was coming off pretty easily under the wash water pressure. Then there is some bright light blue under the white. And then the brown. But the firewall is painted darker blue. So I'm not sure what the original color was.

Looks like you have a half decent seat there, maybe passenger seat too. And it has the rear bullet signal lights. Good score.

It looks like you truck was most likely Transport Blue, a common optional color (Juniper Green was the standard color in 1954).

Here are locations of various engine codes. Most engines found the these trucks are not totally original (and almost all have been rebuilt). Yours is not the original color and does not seem to have 4 slits/vents in the valve cover (as used in 54/55 235 engines).

Nice truck.

One week after buying my 54 Suburban (in 1971), 5 of us went on a 1,000 round trip to Atlanta to see the Grateful Dead.

Spent most of the day removing all the parts and junk from the panel and then sweeping it out. I uploaded new picture of the interior and the pile of stuff that was inside.

http://s257.photobucket.com/albums/hh206/sfeldma/1954%20Chevrolet%203100%20Panel%20Truck/

We made two piles actually. First pile was everything we recognized as parts from AD truck/panel. Second pile was everything else. It was about a 50/50 split between the piles, so I got some good parts to work with or trade. I not sure what to do with the other pile. Anyone need a drive shaft from a '69 olds 442? All kinds of random stuff was in there. The drive shaft was marked, but most is a mystery right now.

The floor was in really good shape and the inside walls look very good. A few dings on the inner rear fenders. The bucket seats are cool. Pretty much shot on the business side.

I would say the truck raised three inches with all that junk out. I peeked underneath and the rear springs have this funky overload spring that fits on top of the axle and under the frame at the high point. It's hard to describe; not sure if it's stock or aftermarket. The gas tank looks newer and my dad remembers the seller mentioning it was replaced. The front end is real tight. No play at all in the steering. The seller said he had new oversized king pins put in and they must have tightened up the other steering components.

Ran out of time to look for the engine markings to figure out what I have. Thanks tclederman for the info/links.

I'm going to end posting here and continue with updates in the panel/burb forum...