VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Trucks and Vans 1936 1 1/2 ton Low Roof Semi Lots of Pics

Sam
I have been watching since the first posting but dont add many posts.
Tony

Mike, I had a 1936 Chevy heater in my truck and the bolts and pipes were both vertical. I have since replaced it with a GMC heater. I can send you pictures of the Chevy heater that I had.

Mike,
I have arranged to get some photos from the SFT sent to you. Should be able to get them sent to Sam too. PM his address(s) so I can forward to photographers.

The truck was indeed a hit at Rolla. Never saw it without a crowd around it until it was only old vehicle in the lot (others had left after lunch). Sure seems to run and travel well. Following it through the streets looked to run smoothly despite the inside trailer tire on passenger side to look a little out of round. Don't think it touched the ground.

I know it was an effort to get it to Rolla but well worth it for those of us that had the opportunity to see it.

Probably the BEST thread posted here on "chat"! Read it through early this am and want to thank you guys for persevering with your project when it's difficult obtaining parts. Very, very inspiring to say the least. Anticipation is building ........................ I await further photos and project info!

Hi Mike; Glen here; I have been following all your posts. the truck looks real nice. I also have two heaters for my truck that seem to be like the one you have. one seems to be a little rounder than the other. I to have not decided witch way to install it. good luck GM

Thanks to everyone for posting that you are enjoying the thread, keep them coming.

Thanks so much to Chipper for helping us get a few photos from Rolla. Looks like a bunch of fun was had by all.

I will have my Dad snap some pictures of his heater so we can see what he is talking about. It is getting colder so having some good heat will be nice.

Looks like a very nice day for a "truck show"!!! Guess the editor doesn't know his next "Cover Guy" for the G& D was at this particular show with Freuhauf in tow, eh? Someone should let him know!

I have found with my 37 a heater is not really needed at temps above the upper 30s,once the firewall warms up its usually warm enough in the cab and sometimes I will have to open the cowl vent a little to regulate the temp. Its defrosting or defogging the windshield that is the main problem since they never came with defrost ducts so I have a fan on the steering column,I do have a period GM heater for it which will go in one of these days when I get bored.

Sam
I've been following your thread. Your truck is really cool!!! It's also really neat you and your Dad are working together on it! You're a lucky guy.
Best Regards,
37Blue

Sam,
I just found the thread last week and finally finished reading every post. Thank you for keeping this going, it has been great to follow the progress. Please keep us updated.

If I recall, you mentioned you had a '38. Did that move with you?

Keep the great posts and pics coming.
Justin

Justin, my 38 is in Mo sleeping in my grandparents barn. The long term plan is to convert it into a Suburban.

My Dad called at lunch today, he was finishing up some work at his shop and hoped to have some time to work on his truck.

He also mentioned it was not going to make sense to some that I am going to convert my one ton 38 to a Burb. I was on my phone making the post and did not think about that.

Our real plan is to take My Moms 38 half ton and convert it to a Burb. I am in a wheelchair and the extra cab rom should help me get in and out and have room for my chair and some passengers. It will also have a newer power train with an auto trans while keeping the the look of the truck as stock as possible.

Here are the major pieces.

Sounds great! Thanks again for this thread and the pictures.

Where are you in WI? I moved for Sun Prairie last year, the snow finally wore my wife and I down,

Sam,

I am in Kenosha.

Great idea for the suburban. When I first read this thread, I thought how awesome it would be to convert the 1 ton to wheelchair accessible!

Do you still have the 1 ton '38? What are the plans for that?

~Justin

My truck will just sleep for now.

My Grandfather said that his first born grandson got the 38. I already had a head start on my cousin Cole all I had to do was be a boy. So I have had the truck sense I was born. I drove it as my only vehicle for over a year and then a a second for a long time after that.

I would love to have an express bed for it but they are hard to come by.

Is your truck a one ton?

Sam,

My truck is my grandfather's '37 1/2 ton.

Here is some information about it: '37 Intro

Heading out to Wyoming to pick it up on May 11, 2014.

~Justin

I just read threw your thread, what a great story. The truck is great, it has a look of purpose. What business was Grandpa in?

We have never had any 37 trucks to speak of but I have always thought the were sharp looking.

Thanks Sam,

Grandpa drove truck nearly all his life. Didn't really drive drive Grandma crazy tho'. :)

You know, maybe we need a BIG truck, too.

Howdy Sam! Certainly have enjoyed yours & Mike's posts about the '36!!! (to say the least). Is the 'Burb a '38 as well? Can you post a few more details / photos, please? Have you thought about a "dedicated" '38 Sam's Truck Conversion thread? Think it deserves it's own thread - just my opinion.

The Burb is a project that is a long way off. Some Day when it gets started I will post a new thread about it.

I think that the Suburban body is actually a 37 but it will be a 38 when we are done. I do not have any other pictures of it to share but if I am close over thanks giving I will try to snap a few more. I was a school bus and there is some yellow paint still on it.

We may have a plan for the heater in the 36, my Dad was at his shop today and had a chance to take another look. He took a few pictures for us so when he can upload them I will share.

My Dad is always plugging away on something for the truck and lately he has been hard at work getting a new set of tail lights working.

He got a set of the LED conversions for the truck and hunted down a set of light housings to put them in. For people looking to do this to your car or truck you have to modify the inner housing to get them to fit and going back to bulbs would be a lot of work. He is lucky to have a set of tails that were junk inside so no big loss to cut them up a bit. When done he is hoping to have a light that looks totally stock on the outside while having nice bright lights for safer driving.

He did test them out on a 6v battery and they look fantastic. The current setup leaves a bit to be desired especially in the full sunlight.

He has also been working on floor mat for the the truck. He has a aftermarket mat that he is going to try but it needs to be cut just so. He has made a tinplate that be used to make the final cuts to the mat. Just waiting to have the kick panels installed so we will know where to cut the sides.

The kick panels only seem to attach with nails to the front door post wood. Is there any thing that should hold them at he fire wall? It seems strange that they should just float at he front edge, it seems like it will be easy to mess them up if they get bumped. What are you guys doing about this?

Sam,
Thanks a lot for posting that photo. Now everyone is going to want a couch like mine. They will be pestering me to death wanting to know where I got it.

Mike

I am thinking about LED tail lights on my 37 since the original two small bulbs is not enough during the day,from what I could tell on the 37 the kick panels screwed to the door post and just float in the front unless there is something missing on mine too.

You are right I should have cropped it out.

Jeff, maybe they just float. It seems odd that they would be the way.