She looks good in her new barn...

 

That is great, I remember that truck well, read through your update threads many times.

 

congratulations on getting your truck back.that is one beautiful truck-56 chevy-and garage i know how it feels to get your truck back.in 2002 i sold my 51 f1 to a guy about 3 miles away from me.it really hurt to let her go ,but some times things happen.he kept her for 6 yrs.then i got her back and went completely her.i had her for 8 years.then a friend of mine had a heartattack and sold me his 56f100.the only way that i could buy the 56 was to sell the 51.i always wanted a 56 f100,so sadley the 51 had to go.my friend always wanted my 51,so he bought it& it is still here in my town

 

Thanks everyone, I remember when I sold it I thought "why did you sell that truck, you had so much sweat and time into it?" (even my wife told me that I would regret letting her go) so I thought she was gone for good. When it arrived on Sunday I couldn't believe how neglected she looked. Extremely cruddy, she must have sat in the rain and was never washed. The bed was pretty beat up since he used it as a work truck. It had an exhaust leak, one of the brake lights was out, the horn didn't work, and the engine compartment was filthy. I have her pretty well situated now and everything works again, the exhaust leak is fixed, and as I spent the last two days getting her back in shape I feel like I let her down for selling her to someone who considered her "just a work truck". I know she's just steel parts bolted and welded together but maybe a vehicle grows a soul when you take a worn out heap and you spend countless hours making sure everything is put together just right. I'm really proud of this truck. It took all that abuse and still held up well. The '56 Chevy is a stunning car and next to 'Ol Red the F1 looks "home built" but I remember every part of that build and how much time and energy I spent bending lines, soldering and shrink tubing all the wiring, welding brackets, etc, the list of fabrications goes on and on when I built that truck. There's something about doing it yourself (if you have the ability and you have the room, time, money, etc) that can't be described by words. I wouldn't sell her again even if I was offered three times as much as her monetary value. It's so great having 'Ol Red back in that garage.


Wally

 

Nice Garage!

 

what a nice picture. i sure would like to have one of those gas pumps.

 

'Ol Red looks right at home.
I'm so glad you were able to get her back.

 

Last night I finished up revitalizing the paint by rubbing it out with a mild polishing compound. The original owner painted her with rustoleum paint but as long as she stays clean and protected she shines like a base coat clear coat paint job. I'm not looking to make her a show truck just a nice driver that looks good. Next up are the bed slats that need to be sanded and stained again.


Wally

 

Nice truck and garage. I've moved several times in my adult life and it seems like I have to build a garage everywhere I go. I think I've built four of them in the past 20 years or so. Love the red on your truck. I'm a little partial to red myself. Here's my 1953 Target Red Chevy Bel Air Sport Coupe. I've changed the wheels and hubcaps since the bottom photo was taken...

 

Good news on getting it back and best of all in reasonably good shape. Love the garage too you've done a good job on both and the 56. Have fun

 

what was the polishing compound that you used on your truck? my 56 was painted with a combination of red and black rustoleum paint. (1 qt of red & 14 teaspoons of black) .i want to use that polishing compound too.

 

I used Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. I washed the truck with dawn soap then waxed it with some turtle wax but it still looked a little dull and had water stains. I applied the compound by hand and then used a wheel to polish it. Wiped it all down with a soft cotton towel, looks better than ever.


Wally

 

That's very sharp! I just helped a friend sell her husbands '53 but it was all hot rodded. My '56 is Matador Red which looks orange to me.


Wally

 

Although it looks stock, mine is rodded too. Has a 350/700-R4, Nova rear, and 4-wheel disc brakes. I like Matador Red too.

 

I misspoke, the car we sold was a 1952 but that's close enough in my book. The owner has been suffering with Parkinson's for a while and he's in a nursing facility. His wife decided that she should sell the car (since there's little chance he'll get better) and she needed the money for some much needed home repairs. I ended up placing a local ad and in some odd turn of fate the guy who sold it to him in 1999 found the ad and ended up buying the car back. He was in a money jam and was forced to sell it at the time and had been looking to buy the car back over the past two years but didn't know where the car ended up. Everyone was happy after the sale since he got his car back and she felt it went to the right person since she felt bad about selling it under the circumstances. I was just happy to have helped everyone out. Here's the car, updated interior, sbc 350, TH350, and four wheel (non power) disc brakes.


Wally