1953 Chevrolet 3100
This is my mid-life crisis. Instead of a Maserati, I bought a 1953 Chevy truck last year. I bought it from a good family friend, whose father bought it slightly used in the 50's and then used it on the farm. I saw it tooling around my home town while I was growing up, usually in second gear. I would venture to say that it has rarely been driven in the winter - I know it sat in the garage in most of those winters in the 70's, and it was last registered around 1982. After that it sat in a shed in Austin, MN, where I found it.
This 1/2 ton truck is in pretty good original shape, original paint, original floor in the bed, original motor, about 65,000 miles. Last summer (2005) after I bought it I parked it in my brother-in-law's extra garage (what a tolerant soul) and went through the brakes and had the head overhauled. I also put in a new radiator, shocks, tires, and recovered the seat. Then I shipped it to our home in Sweden. There is a huge interest here for American cars from the 50's, but these old trucks are still a novelty.
This truck has its share of small problems. The heater spews eau d' mouse. The original wiring is not entirely dependable. The motor is due for a major overhaul. But it starts pretty well, I trust it enough to drive it locally. I prefer keeping this truck in its unrestored condition. It has always been a working truck and it looks the part. It has an honest collection of scratches and dings. I don't have to worry about leaving it out in the rain or getting it dirty or messing up the bed.
Click a picture to zoom in.
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