Grumpy

About a year ago I bout a 47 Chevy COE 2 ton truck in Southwest CO. I finally got started working on it this year and found out a lot about it. I am the second owner of it. It started out as a grain truck in NE CO until it was parked in 1993. It sat until I bought it last year and when I talked to folks at GM, I found out a few things.
The VIN #'s started with 1001. Mine is 1010, which makes it the 10th COE built that year. It has a 235 cid engine and a 4 speed tranny and a 2 speed rear end.

My youngest helped me get it loaded, and he made the comment "Dad, this thing looks kind of grumpy". Thanks Nick for giving it a name! Grumpy!

I will post pics as I figure out how to do it.

 

I'm green. Nice score.

 

cool score! glad your kid is involved with 'grumpy' & the hobby.

 

I look forward to more plans for the revival and more pictures of progress!

 

Grumpy's a handsome 'ol dude. Great score. What are your plans for it. '47, & '48 GM truck's still had the fuel tanks mounted on the frame rail. '49, & up, fuel tank was in the cab.

 

that things bad ass cool score

 

Thanks all. Grumpy is really cool. The body is free of rust and he is going to be fun. I wrestled with leaving as is or turning him into a car hauler for our 56 Ford F-100 and El Camino. Since my son's are both gone and those are their vehicles, I decided to keep it original with just a few minor tweaks. After all he is the tenth one built of that design.

 

Nice Truck!

 

Now that Grumpy is getting known, Grumpy started living up to his name right off the bat. As I pulled off the fenders and hood, the block slipped out from his back wheel and rolled over my foot. I don't think he liked me tearing stuff off.

 

More pictures of the tear down. The bed is off and the cab came next. I pulled the engine about 3 weeks ago.

 

I rebuilt the 235 cid engine which was in really good shape. The babbitted bearings were still in spec and the bore just needed honing. The head and block were machined and valve job done. The intake and exhaust manifolds were broken into several pieces. I'll have to modify for the updraft carbs.

 

Here is the frame sand blasted.

 

Love old Chevy trucks and especially COE's. Looks like you got a nice family project on your hands! Engine looks great, too.

 

That Green was the standard color of all late-47 to 53 Chevy/GMC trucks. All other colors were special order by fleets or individuals.

 

Thanks Daryl. It is fun.

 

A lot of the green paint is still not bad shape. I know I want to keep it an original color, but I thoughtit's fun though. about one of the blues. Not sure yet.

 

I'm glad to hear that - so many of them get cut up and put on late model chassis, a few should remain original, particularly one as solid and old as this one.

 

grmpy is gona be awsome. cant wait to see more.

 

Thanks Stuart. I wrestled with whether or on to change it. When I found out the history of this one and that it was No. 10, that settled it for me.

 

Thanks Bryce. I sure hope so. It was easy to tear apart. Now time to start going the other way.

 

Got the frame cleaned up and primed.

 

Wow, the title was freakin me out!

Congrats on the truck. Its bitchin

 

Grumpy just seems to fit for some, huh? Maybe it's just great minds run the same direction.

Thanks. I hope to get'er done soon.

 

Well, now the frame is painted and and I'm getting ready for the engine.

 

And now things start going back together! The engine bolted back in.