63 K20 Brush Truck

[rs74]

Hello everyone, I am currently working on buying my old 63 K20 back. A little back story on it. This truck was bought by my hometown fire department and sent off to be upfitted with everything. It served for a long time up until around 2008 I believe. The Mayor at the time (also retired police chief) and actually now re-elected currently bought the truck through a bid process. His grandfather had been the one who I believe ordered the truck new. I ended up buying it and stored it for a couple of years. I ended up selling it due to not having the funds to do anything with it. It was bought from a fellow in Georgia for the wheels that he needed to finish a restoration he had going on.

Fast forward almost 10 years and I am working with him to bring it back home. I have had the fire chief ask me about this truck maybe wanting it and also the previous owner (Mayor/Police Chief) wanting it back due to sentimental reasons about his grandfather. Not real sure what the plans are for it if I actually keep it around. I have been looking for a 64-66 short bed C10 and it brought this old truck back up in my mind so here I am. Anyway it will need some work once it gets here. Along with the wheels the tailgate was taken off for a Napco restoration he was working on. I will be looking to find some 16" steel wheels to put back on since I really don't want to mess with the 17" split wheels. I had a line on a cardinal red stepside bed for sale but that was a while back. I need to see if he still has it so I would have the fenders to put back on this bed since it still has the original bed on it minus the fenders.

I am not real sure what engine came in this originally. I know I was told that the department blew the original engine up within the first few months and Chevrolet sent them what I was told high output 283 to put in it. The truck only has a little over 19,000 miles on it. I like the equipment on the truck but if I keep it around I will probably pull all of that off and return it back to a pickup. It will need the lower front fenders fixed like most all others that rust in that spot. The grill and surround will need replaced since they were cut on when the equipment was put on. It has a ton of plumbing that will have to come off as well. This is one heave ol girl in stock form let alone all the equipment. Enough jabbering. Here is some pics of it back when I had it years ago and the last three is how it currently sits in Georgia. He is getting it running for me and putting the bed back together so it can be driven onto a transport.

[rs74]

Pics

[rs74]

More

[rs74]

yet more

[rs74]

and the last of them. So far anyways.

[Clyde65]

I lust this truck!

[Brad54]

MAaaaaaan I LOVE those bed tool box sides!
Shame they're going all the way back up to Illinois--I'm in Georgia!
That'd be awesome to put on a bed as a pull-behind utility trailer.

[rs74]

Originally Posted by Brad54

MAaaaaaan I LOVE those bed tool box sides!
Shame they're going all the way back up to Illinois--I'm in Georgia!
That'd be awesome to put on a bed as a pull-behind utility trailer.

Depending what I do with this truck I have had the thoughts of hanging the boxes on the wall in my shop for storage. There are still a lot of unknowns yet until I get it back in my possession and figure out what I am doing with it.

[rs74]

Just got word today that he got it running. I think he had to rebuild the carb first. He messaged me today and told me that the water pump is leaking which is no big deal but also it has no brakes for some reason. I know they worked when I sold it to him but that was almost ten years ago. He is wondering if the master cylinder is froze up. Said he had to use the emergency brake to move it around. Waiting to hear from the shipping company since I got the news about the brakes. They may have to find a truck that has winch capabilities to load and unload.

[63burban]

Haulers are sissys, I bought a truck from Colorado 2 years ago. The only way the truck driver and the previous owner knew how to start it was by pouring gas in the carb. Neither one knew the truck had a choke and the driver had no clue what the choke did. I freaked him out when it started right up for me.
Brakes are just as bad, we had a 51 GMC pickup and a 46 ton and a half Chevy on the farm, neither had brakes and we used them to haul and pull wagons all the time. Hauled loads of grain and hay with the 46.
Our neighbors has a 47 Ford ton and a half they used for hauling beets, corn and hay. The truck had no hood and a Hot little flathead with a cam, Offenhouser heads and two carb, no brakes.

[plmadding]

I am amazed at how regular driving without brakes was for many farmers with these old trucks. My grandpa told several stories of losing brakes in his 66 C20 pulling a load and just kept going.