At the age of 8 I watched this 55 chevy as we drove by every weekend. At 10 it had a for sale sign. Somehow I convinced my dad to stop. He made me sign a contract saying I would still want it when I turned 16. 35 years later I still have it. Even drove it across the country. And now it lives in phoenix I’m the second owner. Has just over 100k miles.
This is my very first vehicle, When I say I’ve been a car guy my entire life I mean it! I purchased this back in 1977 or 1978, having been born in 1971 it safe to say I was a kid! My father was restoring a 1951 Dodge Wayfarer Sportabout convertible at the time and was looking for engine parts when he found this 1951 Dodge “Job Rated” panel truck. When we went to look at it the parts that he was weren’t there so he wasn’t going to buy it, so I asked Dad how much they wanted for it? He says “$35” so I pull out my wallet and tell Dad “I’ve got $40, is that enough for me to buy it” and that was that, "My" panel was picked up and brought home the next weekend!
I never did get it running but I learned a lot about mechanics working on it all by myself for several years, if it unbolted or unscrewed it was a part at least once! I was maybe ten when I pulled the engine apart to find no piston or rod in the #4 hole, supposedly the panel was driven from Toronto where it was in service as a bread truck, to New Brunswick...about a 1000 miles..... I bet it wasn’t a very fast drive with only 5 pistons and a block of wood plugging the empty cylinder!
the little guy is me 🙂
My brother and I found this car in 1974 (in my Father's salvage yard) and he convinced me to buy it since I had just received my driver's permit. (HISTORY: This car was originally purchased in 1946 by local WWII veterans/members for a fund raiser to raffle off for one dollar ticket(s). This raffle/drawing was used to raise money to construct a building for the recently organized (1946) American Legion Post. This building is still being used and maintained today. Cars were difficult to get in 1946 and this was the first Ford automobile to come to Gretna, Virginia (my home town) at the conclusion of WW II). "The 46" was my high school daily driver and it has remained with me ever since ... almost like a part of my family. In 2010, with help from local "car guys" it was restored to its present condition. and was a part of my two daughter's weddings.
