Old Chevy Truck, worth the effort?

[Seahawk]

These guys are the experts: Stovebolt -- Old GM - GMC - Chevy Trucks!

John is a great guy and a friend of mine.

Worth joining and asking a lot of questions.

Good luck!

[BeyGon]

it has push button doors, louvers instead of a flapper vent on the side, not a 54 grill and a two piece windshield, it is 51 to 53.
I have a pink slip for one.

[GH85Carrera]

Back 30 years ago I knew a guy that drove around in an old truck like that. Or it looked like that. He kept the "patina" and essentially put that body on a mini-van chassis. He had the old truck at his parents farm and his neighbor had a minivan that a tree fell on and partially crushed it and totaled it. He put them together and had a old farm truck that had power steering and brakes and AC and ABS and the modern running gear. It was a really well done truck and he did it way before the current trend of resto-rods.

Whatever you do please done "slam it down" and put 20 inch wheels on it.

[Mark Henry]

Originally Posted by Dantilla

My first truck was a '48. Identical to yours, but mine was not a 5-window.

Every time you're at the gas station, someone will come up, look over the truck, and tell you the story of their dad's/uncle's/grampa's truck. Or the one they used to have, and they wish they still had it.

I painted mine in a friend's garage. Kept the 216 6-cylinder and 3-on-the-tree. Drum brakes, vacuum wipers. Very cool.

Do it.

My kids 16 year old BF is building a '48.

[wdfifteen]

If I had this opportunity I would:

Drag it out and have a good look at the frame. If it's badly rusted, part it out or sell it.
Then rotate all the wheels, rotate kinkpins - see if anything is rusted up.
Try to turn the engine with a wrench on the crank pulley nut. If it turns yayyy!! If it doesn't consider $4000 in parts and machine shop work to rebuild it.
Put a battery in it and crank it over, listen for funny noises.
Take oil pan off, look at bearings, scrape 5 pounds of gunk out of the oil pan.
If bearings will last a while, put oil in it, install new points and plugs, pour gas down the carb and see if you can get it to run.
If it will run, rebuild carb.
Replace wheel cylinders, master cylinder, and brake lines. Buy new tires. Wash the paint down real well and brush on a coat of linseed oil.
Drive it.
Check steering gear and kingpins. Repair as needed.
Drive it like you stole it. Under $2k if everything goes right.

I'm only 50 miles away. PM me if you need help.

[Dantilla]

When I bought my '48, as the seller was signing over the title, he said:

"By the way, her name is Lucille. The old 216s are notorious for leaking oil at the rear main seal"

Loose seal=Lucille

[asphaltgambler]

Lot's of good advice above - I've been down this exact road many times over. It is possible to get it running / driveable baring no major problems with engine for $5k if you do all the work and are wiling to invest a serious chunk of time...................even with that optimistic forcast the total investment of time and money is likely much greater.

You have to establish the maximum amount of money and time you're willing to risk before starting the project. Then only to give it away.

[nota]

take it off the frame and replace with modern bits on a newer truck's frame

quicker cheaper and way better then the old bits restored
and actually safer too

[scotricker]

All it takes is time and money, and patience, and skills.. I think it's worth it.

[HardDrive]

Anyone know if it would have a 6 or a 12 volt system?

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Anyone know if it would have a 6 or a 12 volt system?

6 volt
Edit. Chevys were negative ground.

[obrut]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLmt_VmPwKE&list=PL12C0C916CECEA3BC&index=34

Eerily similar...