If you search “1951 Chevrolet” on the Barn Finds website, you’ll find several trucks that look very much like the one featured here. These trucks are very sought after and seem to continue to be found, rescued, and sold. This one can be found here on eBay with a current bid of $3,800. Located in Audubon, Minnesota, there isn’t any information in the ad regarding the history of the truck, which makes me think the seller may be flipping it. Either way, let’s take a closer look at this truck and see what you think.
The engine looks fairly original, but you can tell it hasn’t been too neglected. There is a new fuel filter in place and the wiring doesn’t look like it’s been subjected to rodent activity. The distributor cap, belt and upper radiator hose look decent as well. The seller says that it runs and drives, but they haven’t driven it much due to needing brakes.
The ad says the seat has been reupholstered, but other than that, the interior looks original. You can see some daylight coming through the floor, but hopefully, it isn’t too bad. There’s no carpet or rubber mat to hold the moisture against the metal, which is probably a good thing.
You can see some shine on the fenders and cab corner. I’m guessing the truck has probably been waxed, which is a good way to protect patina like this. If the new owner isn’t going to paint it for a while, a couple coats of wax will protect it. It could also be shot with a few coats of clear. Let us know if you think the patina look is here to stay or if it is fading…pun intended!
Clean up, fix up, drive it!
And then as time permits, fix the bodywork, paint in some classic colors or even combination like green body, black fenders. Enamel single stage, tractor paints, all that is easy to do in the driveway and have FUN.
It’s not waxed it’s clean and in the sun. And I’m with Vegaman Dan.
Hard to believe I paid $50 for a truck identical to this in 1982.
Pretty good patina, not perfect. Hopefully the price gets high enough to where it goes to someone that appreciates the patina. It’s been painted by nature.
I’ll ask again; where are all the Fords with patina like this????
Floor starter?
This would definitely have a floor starter when it left the factory. Likely still does based on it’s appearance.
SOLD-$6,900.
That’s a helluva platinum gilded patina in my book…
I hate patina….this is the worst fad.
Patina is just Rust. I’ll be glad when the fad is over.
You’ll be glad when I’m dead. What you guys don’t seem to understand is a truck like this, fully “painted” like you hillbillies do, will hide all the bad bodywork and actually promote this truck rotting out. It always amazes me that “Barn Find” readers aren’t hot rodders at all, just stick-up-the-XXX old cranks.
Haha exactly. To each their own, but a survivor with great patina- especially a truck, shows history and tells a story so to speak. A lot of the older guys are the ones who don’t get it and want everything to look showroom. Anybody can make a car look like that and it’s boring. I guess they want everything to look like how they remember it as a kid. I find it kind of ironic though that the younger gens appreciate the survivors.
Very nice! I think if this one was to head my way, it would get the cleaning, driving treatment then it would get a gradual fix up properly treatment. The 216 would stay. This one would be super classy with a good paint job in that original blue. Sorry but no one has been able to convince me; that’s surface rust, no more, no less…
So, somebody should just GIVE it to you?
Different strokes for different folks. I like the patina fad myself, but sometimes a repaint is in order. No need to call people names here. Like the sign on the wall at my favorite bar says, be nice or go home lol.
This hobby has room for everyone, just keep an open mind please.
Geomechs wasn’t asking someone to give it to him, he was just saying what he would do if it were his truck. Relax Dave, enjoy the hobby!
Looks sweet but I’d have to restore it back to showroom cause I’m sick of the patina thing!!!
Good Morning Mr. Douglass. I come by today to sell you an old truck that is busting with patina.
Mr. Haney, How much for the old truck with the rust all over it?
Mr. Douglass the patina makes the truck worth double what a perfect paint job would cost.
Then Mr. Haney how about I sell you the truck that I bought from the Ziffles, they let Arnold stay inside it in the winter, it has lots of patina, inside and out.
Mr. Douglass I did not think that you liked patina so much. I do not, I like to buy cheap rusted junk for cheap then fix it, paint it and get 4 times my investment instead of double. What about the patina Mr. Douglass? The patina is still under the paint, it will only take 60 years for it to come back.
Mr. Douglass can I buy the truck from you when you are finished painting it?
No Mr. Haney you have a truck with patina already.
Had a couple.5 windows back in the day, this poor old fella was sitting somewhere with its windows down and snow filling the cab………and everywhere else!
Amazing what folks are asking for a little babbit pounding rust. :)
I’m a little confused regarding this truck, as I am not sure it is totally original. The cab picture shows a floor shifter .. .they would not be in a 1/2 ton truck but minimally a 3/4 ton. OK. But then I believe the engine would have been a 235 in a 3/4 .. and this is a 216. Also, the spare wheel is on the passanger side … thought they were only mounted on the left side with gas spout on the right! Truck does look like a good starting truck .. but many new parts needed!
You got a floor shift in any truck with a 4 speed tranny and there were many half tons thus equipped. Same with 216 engine, base engine for ALL light duty trucks.
Most definitely the 4 speed was optional, even in the 3/4 ton, although very few 3/4 tons were ever so-equipped. The 216 was the primary workhorse all the way to the 2-ton where the 235 was standard. The 235 was optional in the 1 1/2 ton but wasn’t available in anything lighter…