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Ex-Hershey Garage Find: 1950 Chevrolet Pickup

 

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I really like the look of this garage find, although I’m not sure the connection to Milton Hershey’s descendant makes it worth any more money. The 1950 Chevrolet pickup is located in Hazelton, Pennsylvania and is listed for sale here on eBay, where the opening bid is $4,000 without a reserve. The truck has been in storage for 10 years at the seller’s mother’s house while they were in the military.

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We can tell a couple of things from this shot. Obviously, the truck has actually been off the road since 1994, so it was off for a while before the current seller put it into storage. We can also see evidence of a poor-quality respray (or at least poor masking) with lots of paint overspray on the rubber.

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I’m guessing the turn signals on the front fenders weren’t original, although they do resemble the ones on this truck that Robert recently wrote up. The lights in the grille look similar to pictures of restored trucks but the chrome has been painted black. The seller reports that the truck was running 10 years ago when placed into storage, but no attempt has been made to start it since. They also tell us that it was owned by the grandson of Milton Hershey, founder of the Hershey candy company, and that the 22,000 miles it’s showing may be original. I don’t agree with them on this last point, although it’s possible that in the documentation they have showing the truck’s previous owner we could learn more.

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Like most other vehicles that have been in storage for a long time, the truck has acquired more than a few items both in it or on it. The bed is currently a metal-floored bed, which I suspect is not original, but if you are going to use the truck as it was originally intended, it may be more practical than the pretty but less durable wood. More signs of a quick respray here as well, as the rubber grommet for the filler neck wasn’t removed prior to paint. The corners of the cab do look solid, though, so there is some good news too. Unfortunately, this truck doesn’t have the coveted 5-window “Observation Car Vision” cab.

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Under the hood we have the venerable Chevrolet inline 6, probably in 235 cubic-inch form. The 1950 models featured a redesigned cylinder head for improved torque. I’d want to put a vent intake hose on that blower before driving the truck any distance–I really don’t like engine fumes fed to me while I’m driving. As far as the electrics go, the truck is still set up on a 6 volt system and retains the original start button on the floor. I’m not sure about the price, but if it’s as solid as it looks, it may be a good deal. Let us know what you think in the comments!

 

Comments

  1. Avatar bob

    This truck is actually a ’51 . Note the vent windows in the doors and the pull down outer door handles . Also the engine is a non-original ‘ 54 to ’62 235 c.i.

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    • Avatar Mark S

      I agree Bob newer engine which isn’t a bad thing as the original oil slinging engine are not as good as the later full pressure one’s. The original probably turned a crank bearing on cold start.

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      • Avatar Jamie Staff

        Thanks for the information, Bob & Mark!

        Like 0
  2. Avatar MacVaugh

    Of course, since Milton Hershey couldn’t have children and donated his vast fortune to charity, he could have no grandchildren :).

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    • Avatar Jamie Staff

      Excellent point! Hmmmm….

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  3. Avatar 64 bonneville

    how much do they want for the lawn mower?

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  4. Avatar Matt Tritt

    Frankly, who gives a flying fig about the originality of the (vastly better) 235 or the bezels around the parking lights?? This is a really good looking truck and the turn signals are a universal improvement over the invisible originals. Very few trucks came with electrtic turn signals in 1951 at a time when hand signals were the norm. I can see from the little peek at a rear wheel that this is a 3/4, and the five window cab was rare to non-existent on those models. 55 MPH tops, but so what? Nice truck!

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  5. Avatar jim s

    nice old truck which i would put back to work. but it is at $6101 with more then 7 days to go so it is going to be costly. great find.

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  6. Avatar jimmy

    I’ve seen turn signals on old international trucks. So these lights are probably original and probably an option.

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  7. Avatar Dougm

    I purchased my grandad’s ’53 GMC 3/4 ton 5 window just after getting home from college, 12V battery, coil and bulbs, filled the case with diesel, flushed it for 1/2 hr, fresh oil, filters, king and link pin replacement and away we went, drove the p!!s out of it for 2 years then got stupid and sold it to a farmer, last I heard he was still using it!
    What a tank, I swear it had 1/8″ sheetmetal. Front turn signals were aftermarket tractor lights as most of these spent time hauling implements around the farm roads at sloooooooow speeds. Still kicking myself in the arse about flipping it. Grew up near Hershey, you are correct McVaugh, Milton had no children, perhaps purchased at the Hershey show from Mennonites?, hence the blacked out chrome.

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  8. Avatar Mike

    The Hersey’s could not have kids this is true, Milton’s family were members of Pennsylvania’s Mennonite community. Sometimes the families would take in kids and Grandkids of other relatives and raise them as their own. Kitty died in 1915, and Milton never remarried, but they did help raise some, and back in those days they were considered as Kids and or Grandkids, it today is called the Foster Care System.
    I am a History Buff on top of everything else!!!!

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  9. Avatar Matt Tritt

    It’s a mistake to lump Cheveys and GMC trucks in one bundle, as the latter came with a far superior engine, better springs and more creature comforts. The “Jimmie” 250 straight 6 was often used by hot rodders as they all came with high pressure lubrication and were almost perfectly balanced. You could by plenty of bolt-on speed stuff for those engines because of their popularity. Unfortunately, their popularity was the reason that so few of the trucks are still surviving, since so many were bought just for the engine.

    Like 0

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