1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Hey Guys - Man it feels like years since I've posted on here! I've been super busy living in California and pursing music (Y'all can check out my music at www.shanehenry.com) - anyways I recently stumbled across this amazing 1955 chevy pickup BARN find. I purchased it from the great grandson and it was bought new by his great grandpa and used as a work truck for 16 years and then it was parked in a barn in 1971. I pulled it out of this barn and have been working on it the past 3 months. My goal is just to preserve it as is - its so rare to find one with original paint still in decent shape these days. Anyways - let me know what you guys think!

Cheers,
Shane

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Here's more images! I got it home, cleaned it up, repaired the lower fender and cab corners got it running. I even found the grandpas original work jacket behind the seat... insane! I'm having issues with it overheating - I've changed the water pump, had the radiator cleaned and also changed out the thermostat - I think there is rust and build up in the engine- does anyone know how to flush it out?

-Shane

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

More Images! Cab Corner repair, wheels powder coated and a set of coker whitewalls and gave it a gentle wash - careful not to remove anything other than the dust that has been sitting on it for 45 years!.. More images to come.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Great find!!

:uhmk:

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

awesome!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Nice find. Cool that it clearly has history.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Very nice find, and nice work cleaning it up and fixing the rust! You might find an older radiator shop and see if they can remove the tanks and rod your core. Flushing it may not get all the gunk out from setting for 45 years.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

WOW!!! Nice find Shane.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

An amazing find. Was it on Craigslist or did you stumble across it?

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

very cool find.
Kim

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Hey Doug -

I found it via craigslist - however the post was only a text post and had no images. I took a chance on driving out the see the truck and it paid off!

- Do you guys have any ideas on how to flush out the engine block? It's overheating after it runs for about 5-10 minutes. I've replaced the water pump and radiator is completely rebuilt. I think theres rust and build up in the engine from sitting for all those years.

thoughts?
-Shane

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

That certainly was worth the trip out to see the truck!

Shane, here are some discussion points on engine cooling system flushing...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=642833

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Nice score..good looking truck as well

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Hey Guys -

Any threads or advice on how to match patina? I had to repair the cab corners and lower fender areas on the truck and I want to blend them back in rather than just leave them in primer.

gonna finish up my cab corner on the passenger side this weekend! Happy Thanksgiving!

-Shane

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

I really like this truck.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

That is a great find Shane!!
For the patina paint, I try to paint it the original color over a base coat, grey or "rust red" primer, and carefully sand it down with scotch brite. The more time you put in it, the more it looks real.
Try it on a different piece first, it isn't that hard ;)

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

nice snag there .... congrats

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Best of luck with the truck and your music, I like your guitar and voice.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

I'm so jealous right now. Awesome truck !!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

man What a score!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Happy New Year ALL! I haven't posted in a while! I recently had my 1955 truck re-wired and new exhaust installed. it's now officially a tagged/insured road worthy pickup. Its been a joy to drive around and turn so many heads. The original 235/3 speed runs like a champ.. What do you guys think?

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

I missed your original post. Oh man, this truck is so cool. I love it! Since you're in OKC, check this out: http://www.hotrodhundred.com/oklahoma-city.html

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Wow , I missed it too ,what a cool looking truck .

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Still looks awesome.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

That is awesome how well preserved it is. Great news it's being driven and you can enjoy it!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

LOVE your truck. Personally, I would give it a very light color sand with like 2000 grit and polish/wax it. Obviously, avoid removing the door graphics.

If you go through to the factory primer, so much the better. Then it’ll have TRUE “patina” - a word I hate because most guys treat decades of neglect and rust as sacred instead of appreciating an original paint job maintained over decades of time. Which is what I consider real patina.

Great that you had it re-wired and ran new exhaust. Hope you find your heating problem. I assume by now you’ve tried every chemical available at your local NAPA or parts store?

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Shane

People only dream about a find like you came across, Looking good.

On the heating issue look on youtube to see if someone has fixed this problem.

Where did you get the front fender brace?

Why did such a nice young lady chose you?

Keep on keepin on



Nut Case

:haha::haha::haha:

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

I worked for an old school mechanic when I was in college. He had a variety of tricks for overheating engines. The best was just reverse flushing the block. The holes in your radiator, heater core, and head gasket are quite small. it doesn't take much to plug things up.

Take a look at this video and all the garbage coming out of the block.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JllvVHKo07U

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

BTW- Love the truck. It's the coolest truck I've seen in a long time.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

thank you guys so much! I used the truck in my music video for my holiday song this year.. check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8xjyyHp180

I've never heard of back flushing. I'm going to check this out now. Thanks guys!!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Love the TRUCK and wife and I really love your MUSIC keep it up.

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Shane, very impressive video! Truck looked really cool there...

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

wow!!!...what a video...obviously not your first...very cool

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

The truck looked awesome in the video, and very nice vid and singing!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Nice looking find, good use of it in your video!

Re: 1955 Chevy Barn Find!
 

Truck looks great. Nice video