Seventy-five years is a long time. It's a lifetime for a human being and several lifetimes for any vehicle. Still, every once in a blue moon, Southern California yields an automobile treasure like this incredible, 75 year-old pick-'em-up truck.
Since all depression-era pick-ups saw prolonged, hard use, only to be discarded for late-models, finding a pickup from 1934 that not only survived intact, but was never exposed to inclement weather, was never rusty, never restored, yet is still ready to serve, seems all but impossible. Albeit, here it is, an amazing survivor.
What are the odds?!
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This rare 1934 Chevrolet 1/2-ton "Master" pickup is a genuine Southern California barn truck. Sold new for $465.00 including side-mounted spare wheel, it served Sierra Madre veterinarian Dr. Horace Pinehurst dutifully for decades, back when the San Gabriel Valley was still a mostly rural area. Upon the good Doctor's passing in the late 1970s, his wife couldn't bring herself to part with the truck, and it was put up on blocks for many years.
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Like a train engineer's perfectly aged denim bib overalls, this unique Stovebolt has been allowed to mellow and age with grace for three-quarters of a Century. After acquiring the super rare Thirty-Four, we made sure not to disturb its irreplaceable, "as found" patina. All we did is clean the fuel system and install a fresh set of spark plugs as well as a new 6-Volt battery to make sure the original 206.8 cu.in. straight six runs great. And, yes, it is a proud member of Chevy's Stovebolt engine family, manufactured from 1929 to 1962.
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Underneath, this California pickup looks as dry and clean as you could ever hope for. The strong, pickup-only frame is as good as new.
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A light coat of dust covers the original floor pans and frame rails. Even from this perspective, the wooden bed slats look bitchin'!
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Chevrolet's advertising agency touted the "Master" pickup as "A six for the price of four." The ads showed deliverymen who were able to perform more stops in less time, the lively 60hp overhead valve six power plant making a vast difference to the weakish engines of the competitors. With a GVR of 4,400lbs, the truck's payload was 1,100lbs.
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Truck's cab is in outstandingly fine condition. No accident damage, no rust, virtually perfect wood. Yes, the Chevrolet trucks of the era had not yet embraced all-metal design; making sure you buy a truck with good, dry structural wood is of paramount importance.
Since the Vet always parked his faithful companion inside, the pickup has escaped any and all damage. Even the original glass is still intact. The green paint is old, very old, indeed, but it's beautiful to behold. We didn't touch it and we firmly believe the truck should be kept "as is" forever.
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Details, from left to right:
- Brass headlight rim, glass lens
- Original pinstriping
- Factory air conditioning
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Entering this amazing truck is like stepping back in time.
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The all-original interior with black naugahyde bench and rubber mat is superbly preserved and needs nothing. You could install a new cardboard headliner, perhaps, but is it really needed?
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Rear window details. Note liberal use of wood.
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Ready for a test drive?
So are we, but let's check out the loading dock first!
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Clean, undamaged bed. Birch wood might have been replaced, decades ago.
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Tuesday, March 11 was another lovely day here in San Buenaventura. We turned on the ignition, pressed the floor-mounted starter button, and the little pickup instantly came to life.
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The 3-speed manual transmission is fully synchronized: no double-clutching needed! We took the Chevy to a hilly neighborhood. It performed remarkably well. On uneven roads, the ride might be a bit bouncy above 30mph unless you carry some heavy cargo inside the bed, but that's to be expected; after all, this is an unrestored original. Ancient bias donuts hold air; hydraulic brakes are very good.
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Most importantly, we had fun driving this pickup. Not only is it a fine classic investment, far superior to any paper the banks want to shove down our collective throats, but it is a living slice of Americana, a true witness of 20th Century history. Needless to say, everybody we encountered on our trip just plain LOVED the ol' 34!
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Almost unbelievable: all the gauges work! This truck really doesn't have any bad habits. Sure, there are a few oil drips here and there that come with the territory, but there's no overheating, no stalling, no smoke.
We have located and purchased a correct, teardrop-shaped radiator cap that will be included.
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Dr. Pinehurst's truck is a true "keeper" - we are not inclined to sell it to anybody who wants to alter it beyond a sympathetic restoration; actually, we would much prefer it to be left authentic, undisturbed, displaying its rich patina for generations to come.
In our not-so-humble opinion, this fully functional museum piece needs absolutely nothing. If you are a Pebble Beach concours judge, you might think otherwise. Oh well.
More and more collectors come to realize it: although any vehicle can be restored to "as new" condition with enough time and money, very few cars still exist that are truly original. Those few true survivors are the valuable ones!
Addendum:
We sold this amazing survivor in March 2009.
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