Years-Long Project Restores A 1934 Chevy

Years-Long Project Restores A 1934 Chevy “My goal when I started working on restoring a 1934 Chevrolet 1 1/2-ton flatbed was to bring it back to as good as or better than new condition from the assembly line,” says Minnesotan Quint Hanson. “I didn’t realize when I started it was going to take nearly 30 years!” A neighbor offered Hanson half ownership of the flatbed in exchange for storing it at his shop. After the neighbor passed away, Hanson became the full owner and decided it was time to pursue his dream of restoring it. “One day, a picture of the truck, completely restored, came into my mind, and I took that as a green light to get going. My first step was to rebuild the decrepit 207-cu. in. 6-cyl. engine,” Hanson says. He spoke with several backyard mechanics who were “obviously in over their heads.” Eventually, he hired Clyde Wilson from a business in Brainerd, Minn., near his home. “Finding parts for a truck built during the Depression was incredibly difficult,” Hanson says. “Wilson located a used engine, and I found two heads at Bob Marx Parts in eastern Wisconsin. We also acquired items from Jim Carter Truck Parts in Independence, Mo., and I actually found parts in salvage yards. The engine was completely rebuilt with rebored cylinders, new pistons, rings, valves, springs, main bearings and other parts.” Hanson learned from his parts research that the basic engine started in 1929 at 194 cu. in. and grew to 216 cu. in. by 1953. The trusty 6-cyl. was used in cars and light trucks in the U.S. and overseas for 24 years. Hanson chose Larry Karpen and his crew at Hickory Lake Auto near Aitkin, another business near his home, to rebuild the chassis and body. “They took everything apart to remove the rust and rebuilt what needed repair,” Hanson says. “It took them nearly a year, including redoing all the wiring.” Quint’s wife chose the restored truck’s colors, which Karpen formulated to specifications for 1934 models. The original truck was a wooden flatbed with stake pockets. Hanson chose to build a custom wooden bed and rack himself, using specifications from the General Motors Heritage Center website. His friend, Dick Nubson, designed and blueprinted the layout. Logger John Benson supplied the white oak logs, and sawyer Jeff Avelsgard cut them to size. “Jeff dried the wood for a year, and I took the boards to my shop and dried them for another year before cutting, fitting, drilling holes and bolting it together,” Hanson says. Satisfied with the quality, fit and tightness, he completely disassembled it, sanded each piece to a smooth finish, and applied three coats of high-quality polyurethane. Hanson also credits the Aitkin Tire Shop and Al’s Welding and Sandblasting for their assistance with his restoration. “Throughout the project, with whoever worked on it, I emphasized that the finished work had to be as close to original specifications as possible,” Hanson says. “We had two manuals to go by, and yes, it took hundreds of hours and several years, but I’m definitely satisfied with the outcome and all the quality work by the vendors who helped. The hardest part to find was an original horn, which took 10 years to locate.” Hanson says he enjoys driving the truck, which runs very well. He’s had offers from people who want to buy it, but he hasn’t yet decided when he’ll sell it, to whom it will go, or at what price. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Quint Hanson, 27406 Coffee Lake Rd., Deerwood, Minn. 56444.

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