This old Chevy truck might look like it was parked in a field and forgotten, but that isn’t actually the case. It might have been outside, but this truck definitely wasn’t forgotten. According to the seller, this truck has been used regularly for its entire life, so the mechanical systems have been well maintained to keep it road worthy. It has surface rust, but it actually looks to be extremely solid. You can find it here on eBay in Cavalier, North Dakota with a current bid of $5,200 and no reserve.
Whether you’ve been hunting for a work truck, a restoration project or a starting point for a custom build, this truck would be a great place to start. The cab has a cool look that would work for a rat rod style build. While the lack of rust decay in the cab corners means it would also be a good candidate for full restoration if that’s the route you’d prefer. The next owner is going to have some big decisions to make!
The original inline six is still going nicely and is said to run “as smooth as a Swiss watch” and doesn’t smoke. It won’t get you anywhere in a real hurry, but it will get you there. Supposedly, this truck has been used every summer for the past 72 years and has been serviced to keep it running in top shape. It’s looking a little greasy in this photo, but that’s not surprising for an old work truck and could be remedied with some new gaskets and a good cleaning.
I really don’t know what I would do with this truck. Part of me thinks it should be left as is, it’s survived this long so why mess with a good thing. While the other part thinks it should be fully restored. So what do you think? Should this one be preserved, restored or tastefully modified?
The best thing for this old girl is to keep her maintained and keep her working.
I thought you were talking about my old girlfriend.
I made the mistake of letting my wife retire.
We were!
Leave her just the way she is. A lot of character, I’d leave the shovel also. After I commented I checked out the ebay ad. I think I may throw a bid or 2 in
For a truck to look THIS good after 72 years service in a tough northern climate, nothing shy of a miracle. Maybe freshen her up a bit, decent set of tires, maybe a repaint.. This shouldn’t succumb to a street rod, or restomod. Not many originals left
Oh my God! I love this truck! I’d just keep
up the maintainance, teach my family
how to drive it, and enjoy this truck for
what it is–a true survivor that’s ready,
willing, and able to work.
I’m with the others – leave this truck pretty much, as is, maintain it and add some new tires, as Dovi suggests, and then just enjoy it.
Absolutely love the scoop shovel on the side. Drove a couple of those growing up, doing work for other farmers. May not be pretties gal and the ball, but one of the most durable.
Hope it stays as it is
Really neat old truck, love it!
And leave it as is, even the winter rubber!
And by the way this one is Canadian!!!
Looks like the original rear fenders went the way of the dinosaur and someone glued some off an old Dodge in their place. I guess you have to use what’s available. My ‘38 Binder got a pair of fenders made from a couple of pickle barrels. If this truck came my way it would get the driver-quality restoration and I would go to the ends of the earth to find a set of fenders. Then it would be put to work/play.
Thanks geomechs – I was wondering what those fenders were from. I knew some things had been changed on the rear of this cool beast.
The lister stated he has the original fenders, said that these were put on when a hoist was installed. Also stated that the hoist works perfectly. I think that’s a nice feature.
Check the eBay listing. The original rear fenders and tailgate come with the truck. They’re shown in a photo on the eBay listing.
Now that’s a plus. I’m sure that trying to find a pair of originals would be about as difficult as winning the lottery twice in a row with the same set of numbers.
I’ve used galvanized basement window wells as rear fenders.
Leave this beauty just like it is, with whatever it needs to keep it driveable, and drive it.
This the epitomy of a working farm truck from days long gone. I’m a 70 year old Canadian prairie farm boy (?) every farm for miles around had something similar as a daily work vehicle.
Change the oil, re-gap the plugs, file the points, clean the gas line filter ocassionally and they would never quit.
I’ve shoveled a lot of wheat with a shovel like that, leave it where it is, thats where it belongs.
We’d use it to haul fuel to the implements in the field, cattle and pigs to market, grain to the elevator, manure from the barn to the manure pile and a hundred other chores.
On Saturday before supper we’d clean off the worst of the week’s dirt (manure, mud, grease, oil and gawd knows what else). After supper we’d use it go to our little town where the men would head straight to the beer parlour, women to the store for groceries and kids to the movie.
Trucks like this served every need a farm family could have back in the day.
Wow, this brought back a lot of memories, please excuse an old fart re-living the past.
Always loved the horns on the old vehicles are half the size of the engine.
I never really cared for the “Advanced Design” trucks, these had so much more style. A great find, except, of course, the price a bit steep for what you’ll have to do to it to make it driveable. Looks like a 3/4 ton rear axle, so gears are probably in the high 4’s or low 5’s. That red line on the speedo @ 50 on up, is there for a reason. And an old stovebolt that doesn’t smoke? Ha, yeah, good one, but adding oil to an old 6 cylinder was just part of driving it, no biggie. This old gal’s corn hauling days are over, but I’d keep the hydraulics, and put a flatbed or original pickup box( that dumps). Can’t be many left like this, although, still a lot of barns out there.
Big ten four on Ian’s post.Dad had the same truck only a 2 ton. Hauled a lot of wheat 2 miles to the elevator long before I was even old enough to get the farm permit drivers license at 14.
As pointed out from the seller in the ad, not all farm trucks are beat to death and used year round. Mostly used during the growing and harvesting seasons, it probably sat in a barn all winter long for its entire life. Sitting out during the rest of the year to give it its patina! (I just had to say that…)
Very cool old truck….well before my time…a real piece of American history!
Please no rat rod!
This looks so solid that a total restore would be the way to go! Except take that feed box off and turn it back into what a beautiful early pickup should look like! I don’t even like that breed of pickups! I do recognize art tho!
earn it’s keep frm the bin to the feed trough a few yrs, just as is…then a restore (take off box, put on fenders’n gait, power wash/degrees, detail’n paint). Might B more’n a few yrs @ that price tho…so it off to the flipper/rodder.
Ended: Jun 17, 2018 , 9:15PM
Winning bid:US $6,968.68
[ 38 bids ]
I think someone got a good deal at that money. Worth every dime of it.