The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk How far would you, have you gone to get a truck?

So, I am curious. I found a 51 chevy. The guy is an old farmer and the truck is in a barn, covered in dust. Kinda gets my heart rate up. The guy doesnt get around so well anymore and his answer to questions is to just come look at it. I am not sure his memory is still all that great.How far would you, or have you gone to look at a mystery truck?

I drove about 350 miles to look at my current project and it was well worth it. I guess it all depends on what you are looking for and how bad you want it. Condition was the key facter in my trip

I was lucky enough to have fellow hobbyists near the trucks I bought on the west coast (WA state). How far away is it? Is it near a city (you could hire someone to take a look).

Truth be told, I will more than likely make the trip just out of curiousity. It is only 400 miles give or take. It is certainly a mystery truck, the guy that turned me onto this one said that he "thinks" it is a 5 window. I would love to see it either way. The old man had me when he said it has been in the barn covered in dust for many years. I need another project like I need another hole in the head.
Come to think of it, I drove 1354 miles for the '55 suburban, but it was from family.

It is in far NE Montana, up in the grasslands.

Go for it I have gone 500 miles round trip. Life is an adventure road trips are usually always memorable for good or bad.

I went 300 miles to see a truck I didn't buy, took the car hauler just in case. The one I did buy a year later was the same distance away.

How many other good stories are out there?

Lost, he didn't give you anymore specifics other than it was in a barn, covered in dust? Makes me wonder, is it a rust free jewel because of its storage or a hunk of rust because of the way it sat?
I don't know, sounds like a road trip to me!

I drove from Orlando , Florida to south of Bismark, North Dakota for mine. I combined the trip with a visit to my cousin that now has the farm my dad grew up on. The truck belonged to his neighbor. I had viewed the truck the previous summer.

We drove about 4300 miles round trip. I would do it again!

I found my Suburban in Norwood, CO while on a motorcycle trip. It was being used for yard art and there was an Airstream trailer behind it.

I talked to the guy and I had it bought pending OK from his brother. It fell through. Not enough.

I went back the next summer. As I approached the place I noticed the trailer is there but the truck was gone. I had to stop and ask.

I went through the gate and saw the burb. The story was someone had bought the Airstream so he drove the burb around back. The buyer wanted the burb too but his offer was too low. We talked a while more before I offered him $500 more than the other guy.

He countered with $1000 more. I bought it for double what I thought I had bought it for the year before. And I was 900 miles away from home on my motorcycle.

A few weeks later Mrs. Cletis and I headed back up there with a trailer. It drove on the trailer under it's own power.

So my point is, go check it out on your motorcycle.

I drove 600 miles round trip when I bought my truck. I saw it when I was on vacation, but didn't have enough money (no ATM's back then), so I came back a week later to get it (600 miles each trip). When we bought a second 54 3100, we drove from Central Florida to Kansas and back, bought it sight unseen. I would do it again!
Samantha

Found my truck almost in my back yard (25 miles away)! Then drove
eleven hours round trip for a parts truck in Kansas. A couple months later drove to a little town in northern (way north) Minnasota for a truck that was NOT what the owner stated. Came back emty! Last truck I bought was a three hour round trip twice.
One to look n make the deal, second to bring truck back. Got another canidate about eight blocks from me, sitting 20yrs that I know of! The owner WILL NOT budge! Keeps saying he is going to fix it! Still sitting in the same spot......,guy must have a warped sense of humor!
Anyway, if the guy wants to sell, GO LOOK! You will kick yourself forever if you don't!

I did a round trip of 914 miles to get mine,thankfully someone else had done the hard bit, getting it to the UK.
Being in the UK there's a limit to how far we can drive here anyway,it's easy to run out of dry land.......

Mind you if I had bought my truck from it's original 'home' in So-Cal I would have travelled nearly 12000 miles!

First truck I went to buy was 4 or 5 hours away, found the ad in one of those trader magazines. Sounded great and pictures the guy sent looked good. We took cash and trailer out and back.... was a complete pile of rust, junk.
So be sure what youre going after is worth it to start with. Have a fellow stovebolter thats closer give it a look for you first. Dosnt sound like you have enough to go on yet (I wouldn't without more info).

Now how far have I gone, always from Virginia?
I've driven to Colorado and driven a 72 chevy 1 ton back. My Dad flew and drove my current (modern) car back too come to think of it.
Flew to California and drove a 61 f350 home.
Trailered my 48 from south Dakota.

Have hauled parts from Nevada and on two occasions western IL as well as many shorter trips.

Grigg

Great stories guys. As you may have guessed from my post, the old feller is a little crusty around the edges. I am trying to get more information through the second party. I am enjoying seeing everyones stories as well. Keep them coming. Cletis, you may be right... a trip on the old scooter might be the ticket.

From Dallas to St. Louis using a U-Hall car carrier.

I drove 400 miles over steep mountain passes to haul my 12,000 lb. plus army truck home. White knuckle driving going up and down those 11,000 ft. passes. A wild ride I don't care to repeat.Only trailer brakes made it possible.

Later I drove 600 miles round trip to get the motor for the same truck. Only one pass much lighter load and the rest flat land driving, that was much more fun and I got to do an over night camp out on the way home.

-Mike-

Just got a call, the truck in question is actually a 3/4 ton, not a 5 window, with no bed on it and a spray rig on the back.I would have been sorely disappointed with that one I am afraid. I will find one some day........ Keep the stories coming.

1100 miles one weekend to look / 1100 miles nest weekend with a car trailer to buy

round trip to Orlando/tampa Fla. about 1000 miles. I "almost" pulled the trailer back home empty but the price was right so on the trailer it went.....we pushed it on. Whew. 6 years later its breathing fire and running nice.

Only about 350 miles each way,for my '45 Mack,but I only towed it about 45 miles;then re-wired it and DROVE it home ,pulling my '62 one ton duallie on a tow bar. I'd think twice before doing THAT again. (Probably STILL would do it.) Went to Reno for the Harley on my brother's word that it was great.(It is.)Also brought my '57 GMC LCF dump/flatbed from Reno. Most everything else was from less than 20 miles from home.
Speed

I drove 458 miles one way to pick up my suburban.

Tim

Not a stovebolt, but I drove from south central Tennessee to eastern Pennsylvania to pick up a freebie Gazelle kit car. I met a couple of fellow bolters along the way. When a relay run of a custom china cabinet for some tornado victims by some antique truckers fell apart, I ended up driving to southwestern Vermont and back across Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to deliver the piece. The total trip was around 2500 miles. I did combine some business with pleasure, making contact with one of my custom gunsmithing customers and getting a commission for another rifle buildup along the way. Meeting 51 Ashton and looking at his collection of trucks was a definite high point of the trip. The 25-mile ride in that immaculately-restored GMC and a great lunch was the icing on the cake!
Jerry

I drove 3 hours North to purchase the '59 and then drove home (just told the wife I had an errand to run). Next day I headed back up with the trailer and brought it home. That was the second truck I bought without telling her first - she still loves me, go figure...........

Four years ago in early May, I drove from AZ to MN (just east of Fargo) to pick up my 1950 COE. 3600 miles roundtrip, in one week, by myself. Drove mostly daylight hours. The only mishap was that poor hen pheasant that took out my passenger side mirror of my Silverado, in eastern SD. The folks at the Chevy dealer in Souix Falls were very helpful in the repair, especially after I showed them pictures of what I was going to pick up. I never left the service drive or had to unhook my trailer, they repaired it right there. I had a blast seeing that part of the country.

Kent

I went 73ish miles one way to look at and buy my '65 c10.

-W

i caught a plane to the gold coast about 500 miles north and flew back a happy chev owner in new south wales australia

Well mate, did you fly the truck back home?

I made 4 140 mile one way trips to get the 1969 Panel, but one of those trips was in it driving it home! My wife went along and drove the pick-up home.

2300 miles to get my 4*4 home. Including a wild stop in Gary, Indiana.

we all know chevvys fly but that trip was on a transporter very important cargo they did good job CEVA

1400 miles from Las Vegas NV to Las Cruces NM and back for my 48 Chevy 3100. Pulled it home with a u-haul car dolly. Front drivers tire wouldn't hold air so the strap kept slipping off. Should have rented a full trailer. It worked out, though.

I had the flat tire deal as well. It's always a good idea to take a bit of chain with you on these adventures. I love the U-Hall car hauler full trailer, especially the brake system.

Anywhere in the lower 48.

See Triple Dog Dare below.

About 1400 miles round trip. Miami to Atlanta area for the 55.1 parts truck. With a slight detour mid FL to pick up the 261.