Our special truck this month is a 1948 Chevrolet Deluxe ½ Ton owned and 95% restored by John Young of Alameda, California. Almost all of the restoration was done in his 2 car home attached garage. This became a 4 year project out of sight of the neighborhood while the two family cars set outside!
When using the word “restoration” it means “total”! Completely disassembled to the bare frame while the parts, if used later, were stored in the other half of the garage.
John said to himself, “I am not a genius but I know much about Chevy Pickup mechanicals AND there is so much data on the internet that can be “my teacher”. He must be close to a genius rating, because it now appears as if an experienced restoration shop did all the work. It will be like building an “oversize model kit”!
If there is any question about John’s talents, read this:
He did all the body work in his home garage! Yes, the pickup was basically a limited rust California vehicle, but he repaired the numerous dings and dents the pickup had accumulated over 70 years.
This is the most surprising! He wanted the original Swifts Red color to be applied as at the factory. Not 2 stage (Base coat, clear coat paint) as most all vehicles today, but in single stage enamel! If you ever get a run by applying too much paint, you must wait until the total part is dry, sand it back to the smooth surface and spray again. We did not ask John how many times this happened, not to mention if any dust entered the drying paint.
Note: All the garage is covered by plastic sheets.
Parts are drying in the “made over spray booth!”
Even a BIGGER Surprise:
It was sprayed in his 2 car garage! He mentioned that “everything” was covered with plastic sheets. Thus, there is no evidence this ever happened with the plastic removed.
The Results:
The finished product of John’s ½ ton restoration is very close to how it came off the assembly line. Three speed transmission and the steering column shift plus the original closed driveshaft leading to the correct 4:11 ratio differential.
There is a slight change not noticeable to most. He exchanged the pickup’s very tired 216 engine with a 1956 235 cubic inch six cylinder. They fit much the same as the 216 but the 235 is high pressure with much more horsepower.
Yes, he kept its 6 volt system. CHECK THE LAST PARAGRAPH. There was no loss keeping it the original 6 volt. Certainly saved much unnecessary expense.
How did all this begin for John?
This was like so many in their 50’s that own an early Chevy Pickup as their “pride and joy.” They remember owning a Chevy Pickup daily driver in their early years. Even then they were beginning to attract attention and that was just a plus for many. John owned a 1947 and later a 1954 Advance Design Chevy ½ ton that was at different times his daily driver before his children came on the scene. These were sold, but they always stayed in his memory as part of his younger life.
One day much later, on an exercise walk, he saw this (NOT visible to a passing motorist) 1948 beside a house. A FOR SALE sign the size of a business card was in the window. It was a mostly rust free well used ½ ton. The owner said $1800.00 and John offered $1600.00. When the wife came to the door and said, “You better take the $1600.00”, the owner no longer had bargaining power! He took John’s offer.
It was not John’s time for a restoration. There were many other responsibilities with his family! It sat for 15 years until it was time to make it into a new pickup as described above. With all this time he could think just how he would restore it. So much studying made the project easier when the time came.
Coming Shows: This pickup was completed a few months ago. The warmer California weather relates to more local car and truck shows for most of the year. John is looking forward to meeting many early Chevy/GMC owners. There will be so many interesting conversations and new friends coming!
SIX VOLT TRUCK AND CAR OWNERS. A MUST READ!
One of the more common reasons for slow engine turnover using an original six volt system is under size battery cables. Most of today's auto parts stores only stock the smaller diameter 12 volt design. Unknowing owners mistakenly replace their original worn cables with shiny new ones that are as much as half the diameter as needed. In Addition the owner may not know he needs two ground cables: One from the battery to the frame and one from a starter mounting bolt to the frame.
Six volt starters require twice the electrical flow to operate properly. Don't blame your six volt system for slow unacceptable starter motor speed! Many restorers go to the expense of changing their 6 volt system to 12 volts. They feel their original system was inferior and believe what they did was necessary. The problem could have been corrected with just adding the three proper cables.
REMEMBER: Millions of cars and trucks were made with 6 volt electrical systems each year. If they had not operated correctly they would have come with 12 volt systems!
During the Mid 1950’s a 12 volt system was introduced because so many electrical items were used such as: power windows, electric locks, air conditioning, rear window defroster and the list goes on.
