The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1954 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manual, Quality???

I suppose the subject of general over all maintenance of you Stovebolt would fall under
the category of General Truck Talk.
So as the heading implies, I’m finding the quality of this reproduction manual somewhat
less than top shelf. I’ve got a couple of the 1948-51 shop manuals and the illustrations are
very clear, almost as clear as the original manuals. But the illustrations in the ‘54 manual
appear to be way over exposed to the point where some of them are so dark that they are
mere outlines of the object portrayed. Has anyone else noticed this????

And while I’m on the subject of reproduction manuals/brochures I shouldn’t leave out the
Chevrolet Service New published by Chevy Acres in Brillion, WI., I’d give them an A++.
I’ve seen the originals at swap meets and the reproductions are as good if not better than
the originals, and I’ve got almost all of them in my reference library
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Hi Denny,

Yes, I agree 100%. A while ago our fearless leader Peggy asked about the best way to get a restoration packet. Just for fun I compared the quality of the 54 service manual with the printed copy of a 55 first resto pack from Chevy with the online versions available. Same dark illustrations in every case. Unfortunately I have never seen an original.

Now, an A++ from you carries quite a bit of weight. Does this Chevy Acres out fit have information for us truck lovers? Thanks very much for the lead.

Sure Peter, everyone of the vendors that we use here list Chevy Service News in their literature sections. A few pages were issued every month to the service departments back in the day. Lots of info on upgrades and the latest service procedures released by the factory.

Yes, the restoration packs were made with the old Zerox copy machines and are of pretty poor quality also.
Denny G

Denny,

I bought a reproduction 1954 Shop Manual about 13 years ago. It has acceptable quality illustrations (about as good as the microfiche 1954 Shop Manual that I bought about 30 years ago). The best version of the Shop Manual that I have is an almost new original manual that I bought on eBay over 10 years ago.

As you most likely know, you have to make the seller confirm VIA EBAY MESSAGING BEFORE YOUR BID that the listed manual is an original. Many eBay sellers are stupid, and just as many are unethical (liars, that is) - I have found that you have better luck in getting what you want off eBay by making a seller describe the item in an eBay communication (not a response in email).

The 1954 Chevrolet Service News (and other 47-55 issues) that I got from Jim Carter several years ago and it matches up pretty well to the original 1954 CSNs that I bought off eBay several years ago.

I have a reproduction 54 service manual as well an original of each. I never sat down and compared the two. My originals I think came out of a dealership and were well used and show much wear.

Yeah Greg, but I bet in spite of the greasy finger prints, you can still see the nuts and bolts
in the pictures instead of just a black silhouette of the block where the cylinder is
supposed to be.
Those original manuals are usually way to pricey for me Tim. I always look thru the book
vendors at swap meets but it seems like the standard going price for an original shop
manual is upwards of a hundred bucks. I bought an original 1947-72 ½ thru1 ton Chassis
and Body Parts Catalog when I first brought the old gal home. It was as Greg described,
well worn, pages yellowed with feathered edges and being loose leaf was bound together
with a ACCO prong fastener. Loose leaf also meant there was no way of telling if it was all
there. I got the guy down form ninety bucks to seventy five but that was the bottom.
The point I was trying to make was, that the publishers got it right on the early reprinted
shop manual but lost it on the ‘54.
However, it beats the heck out of not having anything at all and even though the illustrations
are for crap, the prints not and it still makes for good reading.
DG

1954 Chevrolet Truck Shop Manuals in very good condition have sold on eBay in the past year for under $40 (yes, double the price of a reproduction manual).

I have rarely found anything at a swap meet that was better priced (and in better condition) than what can be bought on eBay (if you are patient and careful). In fact, I have tried to haggle with swap meet vendors, using eBay price-examples, and the swap met vendors often go ballistic. Competition is a wonderful thing, and it is easy to keep smiling and to walk away from a swap meet vendor (I do not like to complain or argue - I simply look for the good deal).

Denny, I would like to post scans of a reproduction image and an original image. If you let me know the page and figure number of a bad reproduction image, I scan it and the original image.

Well that wouldn’t be a bad price for an original shop manual. I've never look on
evil bay for one. Actually I'm perfectly happy with a reproduction manual but the
'54 manual is just poorly done.

I couldn’t single out any one illustration in particular Tim, in fact every one of the
illustrations in the manual as I have mentioned several times already, are not
much more then a silhouette with almost all of the detail missing. I just needed
something to complain about yesterday and I just happened to be comparing
something from both manuals when the thought hit me about what a poor copy
job they did.
DG

Many years ago and actually buying Mopar service manuals, I bought from a seller named Irv Bishko. He was very good and sold an excellent product. I have since noticed him as an ebay seller. I don't know if he still has an excellent source for the original manuals or if all this time in business has pushed him to reproductions but if he tells you it is the real deal, my comment on his quality service stands as a high recommendation from me if that means anything to anyone.

I have picked up several manuals for my truck project however I have found this website to be helpful to look at manuals without purchasing them. You can download them as well.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/

You bet blanch, top notch, grade A, number one, and free. But please remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch. Keith never solicits for support but he does need a little help in the way of a donation every once in a while to keep the doors of the archive open. Same thing with the bolt, someone has to pay the bills every month.
I've found TOCMP and the 'Bolt to be invaluable over the past half dozen years and never could have gotten up to speed as fast as I did with out them.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL