The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk History of your truck?

I posted this down in the Interior section in regards to originality of an early '54 and how I had confirmed what was original and what had been changed on my truck and when. Maybe some of you have the hisory of your bolts?

I have tracked the history of this truck back to 1956. I purchased it in September 2011 from a friend who had purchased it in 2005 from a fleet mechanic for the company I used to work for. After my friend purchased it he took the hood and the grill off he started doing some rust removal work on the hood latch panel. He also swapped the rear end for a '55 first, after that he lost intrest in the projest and it sat like that for about 6 years. When I bought it all of the original parts he had pulled where in a storage shed that we cleaned out and loaded in my truck to haul home with the rest of the project.

The fleet mechanic who purchased this truck bought it in Fernley Nevada In 1995 from the man who had purchased the truck from a rancher in Yearington Nevada in 1956. When this gentleman purchased the truck it had been sitting in a driveway in Fernley since 1980 when the master cylinder went out. He pulled and rebuilt the motor, he is a retired Army truck mechanic and had a ton of experience in the service with the Jimmy 6s, sent the carb and distributor out for rebuild and purchased an SM420 open driveshaft trans for it and that was as far as he went with it before his wifes dad died and left them a 1956 Chevy that was already finished so Old Blue (as we call him) went on the back burner. He oiled and wrapped the motor on a stand, stuck the carb and distributor in the attic and in 2005 sold the truck to the guy I bought it from.

When I bought the truck the title for it was still the title from 1956 and it had been signed in the wrong spot so when I went to title it in my name the DMV wouldn't until I sent a registered return recipt letter to the address on the title stating what was wrong with the title and an earsure form to be notorized. What was supposed to happen was the envolpe was supposed to come back as undeliverable, no longer at this address something along those lines instead my phone rang one day. The man who had signed the title wrong was in fact still alive and at that address. He told me he had bought it from a ranch in 1956 and drove it until the master cylinder failed in 1980. At that point he parked it with the intention of fixing it one day, After it had sat for 15 years the fleet mechanic knocked on his door, offered cash for the old truck and hauled it out of there.

I know two of the people in this story very well having worked for that company for 15 years and have spoken to the gentleman in Fernley a couple of times since and sent him photos as his old truck comes back to life. He always thanks me and offers to buy it back for what he sold it for!

Great read, thanks for sharing.

Agree on the read. I've been trying to track my 41' with little luck. It's just a nice add to know its history, and I'd bet a lot of prior owners would love to know what ever happened to "that ole truck". Maybe someone out there can share some insight on a way to do it. The DMV's won't help at all.

Here in Ontario, when you purchase a used vehicle and are transferring it into your name, the DMV gives you a history of all the previous owners. Only the ones that had it registered in Ontario.

I bought my 1950 3600 from the original owners family. The truck was purchased to use at a small mining operation in Eureka, Utah. After being used for many years there it was used as a farm truck on their place in Tooele, Utah about 50 miles away. The truck was used but went unregistered after 1966 and it was parked in the 1980's, one winter the 216 block cracked and it sat next to the barn until I found it. Unknown to me it had become a convalescent center for rats and mice. I purchased the truck for $600 and it came with the original title (which I still have) and this history. When I completed the truck I sent photos back to the family, they were happy to see grandpas truck back on the road in its original blue (he painted it green in the 70's).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/9035376513/in/set-72157631867396207
http://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129152322/in/set-72157631867396207

Great that you know the history of your truck. Mine is not too terribly interesting....
My '52 was originally purchased by Travis County, Texas and used as a road maintenance truck. A Travis County employee purchased the truck from the County and I purchased the truck from his family after it had been sitting in a field for countless years. My truck was all original except for a custom rear bumper added by the County for towing purposes. Original engine and all.

Here's a photo of how the truck sat when I purchased it.

Great restoration pictures Brad - shows the kind of work many of us wish we could do. Especially enjoyed seeing the fine TIG welds you made . Did you make/shape your own patches?? and what are those spacers you used on the rear cab corners you showed. Are they something you buy or do you make them. I'm starting to TIG and your work gives me extra interest in continuing. Anyway, nicely done.

Dale

I pulled my 49 3100 out of a barn in Oct of 2012 loaded it on a rented trailer and hauled it to my home shop. How it got the is pretty interesting.
It was purchased new from a dealer/salesman named Major by a farmer named Glee. Glee didn't have enough money to buy it straight out so he gave Major cash for about 2/3rd's the price and they shook hands on Glee makeing payments on the remainder.
Glee had 3 sons who all learned to drive in this truck. Sometime along the way Glee and family moved to the big city and took the truck with them as they still kept some cattle and a garden on their old farm.
IN the 60's when Glee would load up family members to go pick fresh produce, my future Mrs would ride in the bed along w/her Mother and her mothers sister who was Glee's wife for ride to the "country" to collect up fresh produce.
Around about 69 Glee parked the truck in his basement garage for some long forgotten reason where it stayed until his passing in 97. His son's them moved it to Major's son's barn. WHy was it moved to Major's son's barn? Ends up Majors granddaughter met and married Glee's grandson. Small world I rekon.
To keep family in-fighting to a minimum the truck was titled to the great grand diaughter of both Glee and Major. Seems there were several cousins that were about to come to blows over whom should get it.
She had no desire for an old non running truck so it sat forgotten in that barn until OCt of 2012 when they told me about it when they were checking out another project car I had in my shop. So I purchased it from the great granddaughter of the two men that had made the first original deal to sell/buy it brand new
Funny, I gave her more for it in a non-running condition than her great grandfather Glee had given her other great grandfather Major for it brand new
One day I plan a frame off restore but since I got it running, it's now my nery enjoyble weekend cruiser.
I gacve Glee's last remaining son a ride in it over the past Thanksgiving holiday and he remarked that it rode and sounded like it did back in the day. We wer both very glad that I ended up with this 3100 .
Dave

Dale those little thumb clamps are the best $10 I ever spent at Harbor Freight they made those fits really nice. I bought my patches mostly from ClassicParts.com and the tig welder made it easy to control heat and warpage on most panels. I did every patch and weld on the truck with it.

Found my 37 in the paper.It was behine a barn on a horse farm and they wanted it gone.Owner was young and it had sat out a few years and not ran in lots more.Bought it first time seeing it and loaded it two days after as was on motorcycle when looking at it.He got it out of state in sad shape non runner and hauled it to Ky.were it just sat.My 38 was orginal and the guy I got it from got it at estate sale of orginal owner.It had not sat long but out side most its life.Got it running but gas tank,glass,and seat needed replacing.Allready had my 37 and got the 38 around 1980.Then got a 36 Ford for oner of my motorcycles.All well worth saving but just looking at them was good enough as long as the 37 took me around.The 38 was only one I had the history on.Sold the 38 and 36 a few years back but miss just seeing them when going in the barn.Love the 30s in cars and trucks.

1950 half ton, gone but not forgotten. The mayor of Blacksburg, S.C. bought it new and when he wanted to trade it my wife's grandfather, Marion, purchased it. After he could no longer drive I purchased it from him and drove it until a plant closing forced me to sell it.

My 1937 half ton was purchased from Calvin who had intended to restore it. Never happened and in 1994 I purchased it. It would run but that is about all I can say for it. Drove it half way home puttering along before it died... I ran a title check but S.C. could only give me one other owner. Besides that all I found was the corner of an envelop with a guys name on it in Marion,N.C. which, I think is where it originated.

The 1952 panel was purchased from John P. down in Tampa/Orlando area. I pulled a trailer from here in S.C. but after seeing it I figured it was to much for me..... but didn't want to pull the trailer back empty. I learned on this that a picture can hide a thousand sin's! John had found the ORIGINAL owners which used it as a delivery panel at an Ace Hardware store in Fonda, Iowa. He had actually been in touch with some of the family and gave them information but I never heard from them. After Ace finished using it I think from the old signage on the side panel, that it was used at a Fina Service Station but could never confirm any of that information. The door had Ace Hardware, O'brien and Neavin, Phone 6141 Fonda on it.
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/LutherParris/52Panel/000_0030.jpg
Anyone live in Fonda??

So, not much know about my rides but the journey has been fun and I've met a LOT of friends and Stovebolters that are top notch. Thank you guys.

(currently looking for my next project. May be a 1 ton panel, 1 ton dually,.... and hopefully a 56 Chev. 2 dr. coupe that is still owned by the original owner. My panel and pickup need a SISTER

My 46 has some history as well.My best friend in High school said he wanted a old beater truck.His dad worked out of town a lot,and one day came home with a 46 GMC.He and his dad began to go to work on it.They worked on it when his dad was home. not working out of town.His dad was a sheetmetal worker,as was one of the best I have ever known.They made a lot of new parts and panles for it.In the fall after we graduated,my friend was killed in a car wreck.His dad Jack ask me to come and get the truck.I said jack that is your and Tims truck,you need to keep it.He said you are right it is my and Tims and he is not here anymore and I want you to have it. If you don't take it,Hilltop [a local junk yard] will come and get it.I have had the truck since 1983.I could not bring myself to work on it until this year.The truck became very rough over the years,so I found another one [chevy] and between the 2 I hope to have a nice old truck some time soon.

Just to poke in here for a quick second. THIS is the kind of info we are trying to save with the Gallery stories. And especially as the truck is passed on to the next person.

Good reads. Some of you I may be in touch with soon to add to the Gallery. If you have that much passion about your truck, we need your story SAVED in the Gallery pages!

Peggy M

Hi Brad, I am interested in what thumb clamps are used for. Do you have a picture? Steve

I found the original owner and the second owner of my truck by carefully removing several layers of paint on the sides of the bed. Farmers used to paint their names on the sides of their pickups in Illinois. The original owner bought in at the Chevrolet dealer in Marion, Ill. It was used on their farm for quite a while, hauling things including cows. His scariest moment driving it was when it went off a levy bridge! Both he and the truck survived. Some of their children learned to drive in it. He sold it to another farmer in the next town over, who kept it for a while. After that it was sold to the guy I bought it from in Cobden, Ill. I bought it in 1976 and have had it since. I paid $125 for it - the guy's wife was getting ready to have a baby and they needed the money. I've got all three of the previous owners names, and fortunately they all kept it in pretty good shape, including fairly decent repairs after it went off the bridge. The frame had suffered due to frequent overloading and rust rot behind the cab, but thanks to a fellow Bolter, it has a nice solid frame now.
Samantha

I envy you guys. I've been trying to learn more about my truck for years.

My wife bought our truck from a woman who had a produce company and used the truck as a promotional vehicle. She told us that it was restored in Calif and transported to Florida. But the restorer's marriage went south when he moved to Florida and he lost the truck.

He did a really good job of sourcing parts and putting most of them in the right place. I often comment on his good work ... and then I find things that weren't completed or that are just plain stupid. That work was obviously done when he was rushing the job during the divorce.

I've contacted the woman and her family numerous times to learn more of the history. They won't discuss the topic. Makes me wonder if she was the wife in the divorce???

- Lonnie

All I can tell you about the history of my trucks (three of them, I can't stop buying them) is that they were rode hard and put away wet.
Carl

My '51 lived most of his life on a farm in Pueblo, Colorado and was passed down from father to son. He was bought by a remodeler (the same as me) in 2003 who used it in his business. When the economy went sour in 2008 he moved to South Carolina and when things got worse I subsequently found it on eBay. He reluctantly sold it to me (I was too far away to visit) and I had it shipped to the Great White North.
He is finally on the road after 3 years of restoration and he is now my pride and joy.
The PO and I still keep in touch occasionally via email. It is kind of like divorced parents who always have the child as a common bond.
I never understood how Stovebolters became so attached to their rides - until I became one!

Was at a cruise in 1977, and while there this BIG fella comes up to me and asks me where I bought the truck. I told him and he says I thought so, I know this truck. I asked him how he knew it and he told me that he and a buddy were down in texas and bought a 1949 merc, bought my 57, put a hitch on it and flat towed the merc back to canada. True? I have no idea, but, one of these days I'll do a little digging

I wish I knew some history of mine. I bought it at an estate sale from a collector, and it was one of many projects he had and his family wasn't interested in his projects. Oh well, I know the history from this point on.

My 37 was bought new by Fedders supply in Franklin Ohio and my great uncle bought it in the late 40s or early 50s to use on the farm,I do not know if he bought it off the company or someone else had it in between. He drove it on the road up to 58 when the brakes went out and then just on the farm until he let the block freeze up and crack then it sat in the shed for a few years then got pushed out in the woods,my dad got it off him shortly before he died and then I got it. I did find out it was built at the Norwood Ohio plant in march 37.