The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Why big trucks?

I was thinking while driving Big Green back from the in-laws tonight about why I have a big bolt. Man it sure would be easier to own a "normal" size truck. But that's not it. I think the big trucks have a whole different character to them. Green is now 61 years old and his ( yes big bolts are referred to as males in my world ) almost animalistic desire to live and work are amazing. Personally I like the look of the big trucks better, the ability to really work them helps too. I make my living with my truck and drive it daily. Even if I'm not working with him, I prefer to drive it over my late model ram or the wife's jetta. I love the dents, rust, scratches and peeling paint. I love the quirks, cracked glass and little miracles that seem to happen when something trivial is repaired like dash lights or turn signals. I guess what I'm getting at is, why do you own a big bolt? What drives us to keep working on them and scouring the land and Internet for parts that are much harder to find? You have heard a few if my reasons. What are yours?

i wanted an old firetruck so i could play with water. i got one and work it and drive it to where i work it. i needed a dump truck because i got tired of shoveling from the back of my pick up. i got one and threw the shovel away. its not a big bolt but a one ton dually. its my little big truck. simply put, i got one and i just had to have it

There are a couple reasons I decided to build a big bolt. I have always like the looks of the 55-59 low cab forward trucks. I never really had a reason to have one so when the wife wanted to get a big 5th wheel camper, it seem like the logical choice for a tow vehicle. I needed a dually anyhow and after looking at the price tag on a new ones, I knew I could build something way cooler for about half the money. Another reason is that I would have to borrow my brothers 1 ton anytime I need to move a big piece of equipment or vehicle.

I fell in love with Big Chevy Trucks when I was small, & used to stay with my grandparents. At the time, they were heating their home with coal, & would order it from a local Coal Co. The coal delivery truck that would deliver the coal was a 1951 Chevrolet COE(I later found this same truck in a Salvage yard after I was grown up). When they converted to fuel oil, the delivery truck was a 1955 Chevrolet LCF fuel truck. I loved those two old trucks. I found the '55 LCF about 10 years ago on a Farm, but it had been flipped over on it's side, so the trans. could be removed, & badly damaged. So I was biten by the bug, at an early age. Even though my dad gave me a 1951 Chevy 1/2 ton, when I was 12, that I fixed up, the Big Bolts were always what I thrived for. Started buying them, as soon as I could. My first big bolt was a low milage 1949 Chevrolet 4400 series flatbed, that i bought when I was 22 years old. Then a couple of years later,I found my first fixable COE. From that point, until recently, I was out of control buying them. So now some, 28, or 29 COE's, & 8 LCF's later, here I am.

I bought my 48 two ton to haul my 1955 Super 55 tractor. I saw a tractor on the back of an old International at a tractor show once and loved the idea of old trucks hauling old tractors. I tolerate my newer vehicles I own, and use their AC and better brakes, but they lack in character. Plus I feel good learning how to fix them up. Every day I work on my truck I discover something new.

Great stuff guys. Spanky, I love the old COE's and LCF trucks also! My pop had an old 52 2 ton to haul wood with when I was 5 or 6 years old, guess it's an impressionable age. Super55, your right on the money about the way it feels when you fix something. Keep it coming!
Joe

I had/have a 1 ton and wanted to build a more capable diesel truck, the 2 ton is a much better starting point for that.

Grigg

I have always been fascinated by trucks. I drove a pickup to school in the 50's and bought my first truck tractor at age 20 when I was a sophomore in college. I have owned trucks ever since. I don't drive much myself anymore. However, I am on my way to Lincoln, NE to pick up a trailer. My daughter and son in law brought one of their British friends by over the weekend because he wanted to ride in a truck. I explained to him the Chevy HD2500 I drive is a pickup and the Internationals in our fleet are trucks. He was fascinated that American trucks have walk in sleepers. European trucks are short cab overs. I have several GMCs similar to my first one and I would probably buy another if I should run across one.

it was love at 1st sight for me! Knew I had to have her!!! My truck is definitely a lady!

Hy guys, I too have been fascinated by trucks practically my whole life, my oldest sister married a truck driver when I was eight. Before that the trucks and equipment on grandpas wheat farm got me going. I volunteered at our transportation museum, when we had one, and had many an interesting story told to me by retired truckers. I always thought it was such a shame to see the trucks out behind warehouses, or parked in fields, to slowly deteriorate, once they were no longer considered worthy of repair to keep on the road. Trying to do my bit to preserve a bit of history I have managed to save approximately eighty trucks, to save them from that fate. I have most of them in a 12000 square foot building. If your looking for a project, or would like to view my rust exhibit, just "E" mail or PM me.

I've always had a love to big iron. I palyed with Buddy L and Tonka trucks as a small boy. I got my first old car when I was 14, it was a Black 1948 Dodge 4-door Sedan Flat-6 w/Fluid Drive 3-speed and a Fulton Sun Visor.

I got into trucks when my son turned 13 (16 years ago) and we got him a '56 3100 (father son project), I had just done cars until then (1935 Chevy Master Coupe and 1964 Galaxie 500 Fast Back). I liked his truck so much I got me a 57 6100 Dump Truck which I traded for my 56 Tow Truck...

Mike B... still playing with trucks!

My earlest memories of vehicles were my Dads 1945 and then later a 1948 Chevrolet flatbed dumps. He ran a swamill and later a feed mill and hauled anything he could to make a dollar. He sold the last one before I got my license. I always wanted a big chevrolet but other things were more important. After retirement I bought a firetruck as a hobby.

I am too old to mess with them but have fond memories of the wreckers I have ran.The first was a 1934 chev with a Manly wrecker boom and it was manly because you cranked the winch. Next was a 1948 chev with 235 loadmaster and a Holmes twin boom wrecker body. I spent many lonely,snowy,nights with that old girl and she never let me down.After one very tricky recovery of a coal truck ready to slide off a cliff I was the talk of the town,for 15 minutes anyhow.The older I get the better I was LOL

Rosie was my first fire truck - a pumper first, a Chevy second. Now, I'm a Chevy guy. Fire trucks are somehow different than any other trucks - the looks you get, the equipment on them, spraying water . . .it's just good clean fun.

Now, any bigbolt turns my head. I hope I never come across an available Big bolt that's either a tanker or a garbage truck, 'cause I don't think I could say no.

(really?!!! why in god's name would I be interested in a garbage truck?!!! There's no accounting for taste . . . )



-Michael

"Brutus" is my first big bolt, which I purchased just this last fall. I must admit this truck is growing on me. I like the feeling while driving down the road that if somebody gets in my way, they get run over...........It's great standing at the gas station pumping $150 worth of fuel into the tank.........The extra weight of the truck will come in handy when I run down my neighbors large dog..............It's really noisy inside the cab when driving, this is great because I cannot hear the wife........The suspension is very stiff so when I hit a bump my "rear end" gets a break from sitting when it get's thrown from the seat.............It's fun to swerve out of my lane just to see the look on somebodys face driving the compact car next to me................If I cannot get the barn door open, I'll just drive thru it..............Sometimes I park it next to my Chevy S10 just to give it ego.....................

Okay, I'm just kidding. Kind of..............

My old truck reminds me of being a kid on the farm. It sits in a shed out of site and sometime when I haven't seen it in a while I will think to myself "I ought to sell that old thing it just takes up space and I don't have the money to fix it the way I want to". Then I go out and take a look or give it a drive and fall in love with it all over again. The darn thing just make me feel good!

Actually,my first big bolt wasn't a bolt-it was a '51 Ford 1-1/2 ton flatbed I bought just because it was cheep and big enough to tow a school bus I promised my landlord I'd get rid of for him. From the time I drove it home though,I was hooked on big trucks. I owned that one for several years,and after I sold it I got it back 9 years later,only to sell it again when I had to relocate. I owned a '45 Mack for a good while,and got my first big GMC while in Reno getting the Mack ready to drive back to Elko. That '57 F350 2 ton dump/flatbed was free,so it eventually followed me home. Recently,I was able to trade a '74 Ford F-250 straight across for a '54 GMC 350 "remnants-of-flatbed". That's what I'm working on now,and as time goes on,and just as it always happens when I get a new project,I keep finding,and getting told about more trucks like mine.
I guess,if I'm being honest about it,I'm into big trucks for a few reasons: I like having a truck that can carry more weight than all my friends' trucks put together. I like being able to see over most of the traffic when I drive through town. I like the "Intimidation Factor" that gets me more space around my truck in heavy traffic and sometimes causes the cross traffic to stop at a Green light,not sure if I can stop for my Red light. I like driving a truck that I know I won't see another one of anywhere I go. I like the WOW factor-people wave,give thumbs up,smile and nod when they see an old truck like this going down the road.
I think the main reason,besides just really liking BIG trucks,it they're easy to get. Most people have a rough time selling 'em because most old truck buyers don't have room,or THINK they don't have room for one. Since they don't have the inherent collectability of a half ton,they're more likely to follow me home. In fact there's one about 10 miles North East of here I need to go ask about.....

I have been renovating a Victorian house and found I really needed a truck for hauling. I went to the local car lot to see what they had. I'm guessing the dealer stereotyped me a bit because he showed me a crew cab truck with a 5 foot bed that he called "a minivan with a truck bed."

I ended up looking on Craigslist for a truck and found an old farm truck. I took my 4-year-old with me to see the truck and it was obvious from his excitment that I would have to have a good reason not to get the truck. It had a few dents and dings but was in solid mechanical condition and the price was right. The "new water pump and fuel tank cleaning that wont take anytime at all...." repairs that I was planning has evolved into "I can pound out some of those dents and give it a new coat of paint and some new upholstery..." I figure I can make this truck a looker and still not spend anything close to the $17,000 they wanted for the "mini-van with a truck bed."

I grew up with big trucks around the farms where I was a hand.Always liked the big ones as you "owned the road". When mine is done I'm going to be hauling tractors to the county fair. (the smaller ones )


Ken

Just came naturally. Growing up spent a lot of time with my maternal grandparents. He had always been selfemployed trucking, farming, working on the water, buying and selling cars. The farm was filled with trucks and cars which my cousins and I played on and in. Made many trips in a 47 loadmaster Tractor without ever leaving the hedgerow.Would go with Grandfather on the water the smaller boats powered by 6 cylinder chevys, bigger ones by GM diesels 6-53's. When he decided to go back trucking in 73 with a detroit powered 69 freightliner then a 71 also detroit powered, I went also. My grandfather he thought best way to learn was by doing and starting early we grandkids were involved with repairs under supervision. Guess I was naturally inclinded to collect trucks. Got my first heavy truck driving job on my 20th birthday it will be 30 years and 4 million miles +/- next month, don't regret it. Chevrolets have been good to me and just enjoy the bigger stuff. After my grandfather passed I found the hood side pieces from his 38 in the attic they will eventually go on mine

I bought 12 acres about 5 years ago and thought needed a farm type truck to take care of my 5 chickens. That is what I told my wife. Oh and they are really cheap, at least to buy.

I wish mine was cheap. I bought it off of ebay and the seller was very generous on the condition. It was suppose to be turn key everything done. It was turn key to my bank account. I love the truck because at least the work I am doing I know it is going to be right. I'm doing a frame off and have already done all the brakes (lines, cylinders, relined shoes, hydro-vac), bearings, king pins, radiator, rebuilt carb, repaired the manifold, new exhaust, new lights, new wiring harness, new rims, new tires, new gas lines, refaced the gauges and bought new where required, and working on the sheet metal now.

I have always liked trucks. When I was 16, I started driving the wrecker for our garage. It was a 1951 Chevrole6 6500. We also had the Conoco bulk plant and had a 1949 Chevrolet and a 1953 Chevrolet for delivery trucks. I started driving these when I was 18. I always liked the bigger trucks and still do
Jim

I have always loved trucks. For one thing, they meant "country/farm", and I've always been more of a country gal than a city one.
Second, for most of my growing up years, I dreamed of being a truck driver. I know, odd, but hey, I love big trucks!
My favorite years of trucks are late thirties - early fifties. Dig those big fenders!
So, when I spotted "Hank Sr" (my '37 1-1/2 ton flatbed dually) sitting neglected on the other end of my then "new" town, I knew immediately that I would buy that truck! Took me nine years to make the purchase, but well worth it! Best buy I ever made! I own two other trucks, but he's my favorite!

I bought my '52 6400 to use as a local car hauler. I've been a truck driver since I got out of high school and have almost 2 million miles under my butt, most of them as local. I bought my first rig in '85 and have owned 5 semis over the last 26 years and still have a '92 Pete 379 that I've owned for 17 years. It had 348k on it when I bought it and now has 1.2 million miles. I've been thru 21 of the 48 states with that truck.
The flat bed on the '52 is just long enough to hold my '67 Camaro SS and I will be adding a hitch to pull my 18" car trailer with my '66 Chevelle SS on it to local shows. I'm certain the 6400 will draw a crowd all of it's own. Everything is put away for the winter right now, but I will take pics when it all comes out in the Spring and I start the refurbishing work that I have planned for it.

looking forward to the pics of the truck AND cars

Somehow I was always attracted to things that accomplish work. Trucks tractors engines, etc. Cars just get you from one point to another and I seldom get interested on one.
I`m already looking for the next project. Have to catch up to Spanky!



http://s1112.photobucket.com/albums/k488/johndrabik/?sort=ascending

http://s913.photobucket.com/albums/ac339/Lilbro60/?action=view&current=53ChevyBEAST007.jpg
I get alot of looks like this

None of my vehicles are "show" quality. Just a bunch of "in progress" stuff. Here are links to all 3.
[IMG]http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/46996/2556325640100567145S600x600Q85.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://inlinethumb20.webshots.com/47443/2452584790100567145S500x500Q85.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/49795/2488432400100567145S500x500Q85.jpg[/IMG]

Always like them since a young kid, but got really hooked when I started driving them. Just by good luck, most of what I got to drive were either Chevys or GMC's.

Bill

Awesome pics everyone! I love that most are still working their trucks!

I guess I will give my reason for loving trucks. I have always been around trucks and tow trucks. I even came home from the hospital in a wrecker (79 chevy with a holmes) and I have always liked the 40s and 50s Chevys and GMCs. So when I started to look for a way to advertise for my company I went looking for one. Now I have an ever growing collection of wreckers and other old trucks and I am only a young kid.(22 years old) I just love being the only one at the car show in a wrecker. Big trucks are just cooler and nobody but us wants them. That is fine more for me.

Thanks
Brad

Im totally fine with nobody wanting the big trucks also. Although u feel like the big truck market will take off sometime in the future. Gather up up while you can and enjoy them before everyone has one! I don't care if it only maxes out at 55. I don't care if it rides rough and is harder to park, I dint care if it doesn't have slot of power. I love my freaking big bolt! Made in America! By Americans! To work and last forever! Hoorah!
Joe

For me... only a BIG bolt to haul beer!

Joe I would have to agree with you. Made in America by Americans to work and last for ever.
Jim

Because ...

John, where can I get one of those bumper stickers. I searched the site but could not find them.
Shane

I've always been attracted to big trucks as well. I grew up on a farm and there were always big trucks coming on the place--one that picked up the milk, one that brought fuel and gas, also corn shellers and feed mills mounted on trucks, plus the occasional dump truck or wrecker. As the farms got larger, the farmers began getting their own grain trucks, and by that time I was old enough to get to drive one once in a while. There's just something about driving a larger truck and shifting that 4 speed or 5 speed that you can't experience anywhere else. That's also why I like 4 speed trannies in pickups, although my current pickup doesn't have one.

In the hooooooooya shop:

http://www.cafepress.com/mystovebolt/6296111

Shane, Super has it. Thanks Super! If anyone wants a version of that sticker with an AD or a 60-66 front, just let me know.

John