Here's the freshly rebuilt 235 ready to slide back into the engine compartment. I had checked with Ross at R.M.S. in Thorold, to see if he knew of a newer block. He just happened to have this clean 235 out of a first series '55 pickup that he had sold to Norm West of Blue Sky Glass. Somewhere's around 45,000 orginal miles on it, so there was virtually no wear when it was torn down and spec'd.

I replaced all the seals, bearings and various plugs, honed the cylinder walls, then fitted a set of chrome rings. Meanwhile, I sent the head out for new valves, hardened valve seats and to have .010" milled off, after I had ported and polished it to match the Fenton headers and Offy intake. I replaced the fibre timing gears with cut steel ones and used the valve train parts from a 261. Being a Canadian motor out of the Oshawa plant, this motor came stock with hydraulic lifter. The one thing I wish I had done that needs to be done while an engine is in its "bare-block" state is drill out the oil passages so that I could have added an oil filter without loosing oil pressure.

The Offenhauser intake, Fenton exhaust, Wayne polished aluminum valve and side covers and short water pump came from Patrick's in Arizona. Langdon's in Michigan also stocks these parts. Check the "links" page for contact info on these and other sources.

Since this picture was taken, I've added Tom Langdon's water cooling plate under the intake manifold, as well as his HEI ignition system. I cannot recommend these two items highly enough if you want smooth running and freedom from maintaining igntion points. I've also replaced those little air cleaners with a set of K&N # E2430 air filters; these really make a difference, not only in power but also in gas mileage.

This motor really moves this truck around town or on the highway. It's a much easier swap than going to a V-8, it's different and there ain't nothin' like the sound of a sweet six !

Here are some shots of the Chevy Panel in the body shop at Kyle Cronk's Collision Tech 20 in Fisherville Ontario. It's really hard to get decent photos in a crowded body shop, but when it was up on this hoist, I managed to get some good shots.

The truck had been pretty much disassembled, body-wise. In undertaking this project, we decided against taking the actual 'body-off' the frame restoration for two reasons: 1/ the size of the thing and how to support it properly once off and realigning it back on the frame, we had heard some horror stories about these, and 2/ the underside had only minor surface rust to contend with, and having this nice hoist, we could get at every little nook and cranny underneath. Everything was sandblasted, primed and painted. Basically, everything that could come apart we took off; all the doors, fenders, front clip and hood were removed, repaired, then fitted and refitted several times to keep things aligned and get everything right. Kyle's crew wanted to get panel-fit as good, or better than factory.

All the old lead filler was removed from the various factory seams as this stuff doesn't react well with modern finishes. Wherever corrosion was found, the tin was cut well away, and a new patch formed and welded in place. Two-part epoxy primer sealed everything up, minimal filler was used as everything was pretty well cherried out at the bare-metal stage.

All the panels, fender inners and outers, etc. were epoxy primed and colour coated on both sides, left to cure, then carefully re-assembled.

One note: some of the special replacement reproduction sheetmetal parts didn't fit as well as they were supposed to, so be forewarned, it took a lot of work to get the floor panels, inner and outer cowls to fit properly. And despite many recommendations to treat the entire front clip as a unit when re-installing it, we found it simpler and more accurate to put it back together one piece at a time right on the truck.

Just out of sheer luck, Kyle's shop suffered a small fire just one week before this truck went in, and then completely burnt to the ground one week after it was out .... phew!

Paint colour code Dupont B8253 Dark Juniper.

The panel is originally from the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area and originally belonged to an Amish wallpaper hanger, according to the guy I purchased the truck from. I trailered the Chevy up to Canada in 1989.

The truck was basically in good condition, with it's original 216 c.i. straight six engine and 3 speed transmission, but 37 years of wear and tear showed in scratches, dents, leaks and drips. There was a bit of rust where condensation collected in the rockers and lower body cavities. The truck was driveable, but the brakes and steering were redone for safety reasons. Over the next few years, a sort of 'rolling restoration' took place, replacing parts as I found them, upgrading the wiring, glass, chrome, etc.

By '98 the trusty old 216 was getting pretty tired, so over the winter of 1999, I swapped it out for a low mileage 235 out of a '55, rebuilt from the bare block up. The head was ported and polished and milled .010 for increased compression, with hardened valve seats fitted and heavier valves springs and rockers, etc., out of a 261. Vintage speed equipment was sourced to "hop-up" the straight six 'fifties' style. Fenton split headers give a real nice sound through dual pipes. The Offenhauser dual carb intake is fitted with a Langdon water heating plate for even running. A Langdon HEI distributor replaces the old points and condenser unit. Horsepower is estimated at 170, up from the 112 stock ponies. Scroll down for pictures of the motor and more notes on rebuilding it.

In 2000, I bit the bullet and went for the total frame up restoration
The body was stripped and repaired with steel. Epoxy primer coated everything, topped with urethane colour coat in "Dark Juniper Green", Dupont # B8253, with clear coat over that. See below for some detail shots and more notes on body work and restoration. Note the stock colour for '52 was "Forester Green", the '53 Juniper Green is a slightly darker and a lot richer, check the photos at the left.

Instead of the replacement cardboard interior panels, I fitted commercial carpet runner over foam-core, foiled -backed insulation throughout the interior. This keeps the truck cooler and quieter. I left the painted ribs exposed in the rear for a nice contrast. A set of Juliano's shoulder belts add a degree of safety. In 2005, I installed a JVC CD player in a neat little hide-away, flip-down rig under the dash.

Sixteen inch radial tires (LT215/85x16) are fitted to the stock rims, and with new gas shocks, give a real nice ride. Electric wipers replace the slow vacuum jobs.

This truck is a real driver and can be found at cruise nights and shows all around Ontario and the N.E. States.

E-mail me at preisiger@execulink.com or call 905-528-9350

A Little bit 'o' history: After the article in the February/March issue of Vintage Truck appeared, I received a letter forwarded by the publisher of the magazine from someone in Maryland. The writer indicated his father-in-law had once been a wall-paper hanger in Lancaster County and had purchased a new light green Chevy Panel in '52. After a few e-mails back and forth, we're 99% certain this is one and the same truck. His father-in-law was the amish paperhanger in the village of Leola, Pennsylvania, population about 250, so how many tradesmen of this description would have purchased a new Chevy Panel and bolted on ladder racks to the sides, in a village that small? When the truck was restored, we discovered it was originally the light Seacrest Green and we had to fill the holes where the ladder rack bolts went through. The paper hanger sold the truck to one R.A. Stevens of Leola on February 22, 1977, and this is the guy that I purchased the panel from... we attempted a title search with the PA Motor Vehicle Department, but they no longer keep records back that far.
It was originally titled in Pennsylvania June 15, 1952, title # L09646461. Serial number is 14KPJ11019.