It seems like nice old farm trucks are coming out of the woodwork like crazy lately. This 1953 Chevrolet from Garden City, Kansas is no exception. It can be found here on eBay with a current bid of around $7,000. According to the ad this truck has been in Kansas its whole life. It has a little bit of rust, but the faded green paint and patina is pretty striking. Take a closer look at this great old truck.
The interior is missing a few components but doesn’t look too bad overall. The seller doesn’t mention what condition the seat is in underneath the saddle blanket cover. You can see a piece of sheet metal on the floor which the seller says is a patch panel that has been riveted in. The owner has put about 100 miles on the truck, which is a good sign.
You can tell there have been some maintenance items done to the engine. The ad says the 235 cubic inch inline 6 starts, runs, and drives. I’m guessing the truck may have been sitting for a while due to the new fuel filter being grafted in-line before the carburetor. With some new tires and some brake work, the seller thinks it could easily be a daily driver.
As mentioned before, there are a few spots of rust that have eaten through the sheet metal in portions of the cab, but overall, they don’t look too bad. The fenders and running board look solid and the seller says the lower cowl area seems solid as well. This truck should make a great project and I think the bidding reflects that opinion. How high do you think the bidding will go?
Still out there! Nice truck to take home and fix up. I like the truck and it would look nice in my shop. Of course I’d give it the whole treatment. I’m sure that engine’s a transplant; this would’ve still had the 216 babbitt-pounder although 235s with full pressure lube were finding their way into regular production late in the ’53 run. The Corvette was introduced in ’53 and it had a 235. Can you imagine a Vette with a Babbitt-Pounder and 12 psi oil pressure? I might add that this one is still running a 30 psi gauge which would’ve shown some real impressive readings with the 235. One other interesting thing: that green color on the valve cover looks like the same color that mid-50s Canadian-built car engines were painted. I saw a lot of them along the border but Kansas seems a long way away. Maybe it picked one up in the tornado?
And Dorothy was driving by that time so that’s possible, geomechs! 😂 & again I agree with you-give the whole makeover and drive it.
LOL! I’m sure I heard a little dog barking too…
I’ve had a couple of 54 chevy pick ups and they both had the 235, so I did some quick research….
https://www.enginefacts.com/chevrolet235/
“One interesting fact about the 235 inline 6 is that it was the engine that was used in the first Corvettes that were produced in 1953 and ran up through 1955. This same engine was also used in GM trucks from 1954 to 1962.”
Removed from ebay…
In 1953 the Chevrolet straight shift cars had babbitt rod bearings and the power glide automatic cars got inserted rod bearings. Oil pressure in both left a lot to be desired. In 1954 straight and automatics got inserts.