The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Me and my '51 Panel deluxe...

I was sure I had done my intro already but I guess I hadn't. Well, here it goes..

After searching far and wide for a panel that didn't look like a heap and wouldn't break the bank I came across this on Craigslist about 30 minutes from my house. Called the guy and set up a deal. Paid a small deposit and committed to buying it in a few months.

After quite a few marital 'discussions' regarding currently open home improvement projects and the fact I lost my job about a month before seeing the post for sale, this guy was super-great enough to hold it in his garage for almost a year. His reasoning... "it's been there since 1977 so what is another year?"

Picked it up for $2700. Clean title.

Here are some pics...

http://imgur.com/a/IDEDE

Hasn't been run or started since at least '77 I'm told.

Aside from what looks like a non-stock radiator (the top of the radiator shroud is weld-cut off) it appears to be otherwise unmolested.

I haven't done anything to it yet but tow it home and push it into the garage. Now it is sitting on the lawn as the centerpiece for our halloween display.

In looking at the wires from the terminal block on the driver's fender it looks like there are quite a few bare wires from deteriorated insulation.

Also he said he started a brake wheel cylinder rebuild that was never completed so that will need to be done since there are no brakes now.

In all honesty, not entirely sure where to start except for trying to turn it over and get it running while I work on the brakes.

Not necessarily in this order I would like to...
- get it running
- do the brakes
- do patch panels
- drive it
- lower the stance
- work on the exterior cosmetics
- work on the interior
- adjust the barn doors so they don't touch and I don't have to slam them

Not setting out to totally restore it yet. I want to get intimately familiar with it first a little at a time (though for such a large vehicle there doesn't seem to be much there)

Lastly, it came with a spare 6cyl and 3spd tranny which he picked up at a city auction many years ago that I haven't picked up yet.

This has been the truck I've been looking at since I decided to get a panel a couple of years ago so this is likely what I will be aiming for at least initially.

http://i.imgur.com/PVZRH5a.jpg

I know that means bagging the truck but if the frame, etc is solid.. I really don't want to hack up the truck.

Haven't seen any original frames bagged so for the foreseeable future I'll likely go with whatever non-extreme lowering I can get away with on the cheap.

Currently selling the deluxe fender trim in the classifieds if anyone is interested.

Keith, welcome to the forum and congrats on getting a vehicle that is getting harder to find inside someone's garage. You will be "at home" here on the bolt. There are several suburban/panel guys here including myself. Drug one home the end of 2005 and just now getting to enjoy it.(Check photobucket below)

Sounds as though you have a plan. The valve cover appears to be of a 235 engine so someone has changed it along the way. Hopefully it will run good and save you some headaches there.

As you probably already know, there is a forum for panels and burbs and many other forums for whatever you questions may be. Work on it a little EVERY day.... at least 15 minutes, and you will be amazed at what gets done. Even if its just looking at a catalog and ordering a few "small cost" items you know you'll need. That is your 15 minutes for the day and keeps you motivated. Take LOTS of pictures along the way. We like them and you'll end up needing them.
We are all here to help. Good luck.

Nice find and a good price, get her running, if it hasn't run in years pull the plugs and squirt some Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders and let it sit in there while changing the oil.
Alvin"s 15 minute rule works.

Welcome Keith, it can be difficult to make a plan but yours seems practical. As Achipmunk mentions, just keep at a bit at a time. I've heard that those deluxe trims can be pricy, hope you can make a deal.

Leo

Looks like a good find. But remember safety first. My 54 on the good side of being a beater so did brakes and engine and steering and drove it for 20 years as is until i could do it they i wanted to. good luck.

Looks like a real good find. Just concentrate on one piece at a time if youre on a budget, like most everyone is.
Basically, follow what Alvin said. Soon, youll find that 15 minits has turned into an hour,,or more. Walk away from it when you need to, that just gives you more time for your next plan of attack.
Good Luck,,,

Thanks for the advice from everyone so far. Finally saw a panel at the local Saturday cruise in and my wife got to see what one looks like in god looking condition. we drove off with her telling me that she's a little more excited about the project now! so, that's a plus.

Safety first is right... before it can go, I want to make sure it can stop so full brake rebuild first including new lines front to back.

Rolling it out on the lawn was an important lesson in lack of stopping power as my wife and I were barely able to stop it at the tree lawn. A few more feet and it would have ended up sideways blocking the street.

Motor looks like a 235 replacement but no real idea what motor it is. The water pump mounts only to the block, not the block and the head and has bolts all the way around the valve cover.

Looks like they had to move the original radiator to the front of the radiator support channel and cut the hood latch over to make room for the top of the radiator so I can only assume that the replacement motor was longer than the original.

Numbers on the right side of the block by the distributor will tell what the engine is.