No, I haven't had a chance yet. We got a snow storm last night and the guy who has the truck owns a snow removal company so he's going to be putting in long hours for the next couple of days. I am going to try to check it out later this week.

 

Well, I finally got a chance to check out the '53 panel. The owner has it stored in a couple of different buildings on his property. I took a digital camera with me but the truck and it's parts were buried in the buildings and there wasn't enough light or room to take decent pictures.

The truck is in pretty good shape, especially being in this part of the country. The body itself is pretty solid. The rear wheel lips have be repaired with the lip area of a set of pickup rear fenders, from what I saw it looks like it was done very well. The rear, inner wheels were missing. Some minor pin hole in the front corner of the cab where the fenders bolt on, you don't see this area once the fenders are on. The front clip has been welded together to make a tilt front end but is off of the truck. I don't think there was any mechanism made to tilt the clip. The front clip looks like it was sand blasted and lightly primed but there isn't much surface rust at all. There is some minor rust outs in the front corners of the hood. He has the doors, front and back, up in the rafters of one of the sheds. He said they were solid but I could see some rust in the area where the outer skin folds over the inner panels of the door but it looks like just surface rust. He has all the glass. The truck still needs body work but I don't think it will all that much to finish.

The 454 Ch**y looks complete with dual carb high rise manifold but doesn't have the carbs. The engine is mounted in the truck. The engine was rebuilt 20+ years ago but hasn't been run in that time.

The worse part is the steering. The owner said it needs to be reworked. As it is now, he said when you hit a crack in the road it pulls to one side. It looks like it should be completely redone. He did install disc brakes in the front and a 12" GM rear.

 

So, what are you going to do, Bob?


Ilya

 

If I didn't already have two trucks torn apart in my shop now and one needing work at home I would probably jump on it for my own project. Also, if I wasn't so busy at work now I would buy it to part out or resale it, I just don't know if that would be feasible.

The main reason I posted the update is to let anyone know who might be interested to get in contact with me, off board, and I'll give you the seller's information. It looks like it wouldn't be a bad project. I think he has more in it that the $2000 he wants for it. If someone in the upper midwest is interested in it I'll get with the owner again and take pictures and email them. Just concider the rarety of this truck in this area and the cost to have one shipped from another part of the country.