I really wanted my grandma's 1953 four speed, but she sold it to a guy who used it to haul firewood. When I found this one 20 years ago in the Spokane want ads, I drove up to Colville WA to check it out. He said he's bought it from an estate sale from the original owner to make a street rod, but it was in such good shape he couldn't bear to cut it up. So I drove it home the 120 miles, adding two quarts of oil. When the engine finally gave up, I pulled it for overhaul, started replacing the rotted out bed, then got it painted and restored. I kept driving it to work, on calls around the county, and finally in the last few years in parades. But I'm not using her, so some one else should take over.There have never been any rust issues. I didn't smooth out all the bed rail dents or the tailgate when I had her repainted. The doors tend to stick a bit, passenger worse than drivers side, but I think that's an easy fix.I converted her to 12 volts (generator, not alternator) and installed a ground isolating switch on the battery. New ignition switch. The radiator was leaking a couple years ago, so it's a new one now. I also installed an oil filter; there wasn't one originally.A few years back I had a problem with the transmission, it got stuck between gears. The shop fixed it for me, but they said I should be looking for a new one. I found one in an old junk yard in the East County, so I pulled it off and it's included in the sale, with the original manual and the 6 volt wiper motor. I have some other stuff to throw in. I hope you like old trucks like this. I will sure miss it.That picture with the cat on the hood is from before I redid the paint. He would get up there for the heat after I got back from work. After the paint job I've kept her in a garage.
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