Roadside Assistance: 1949 Chevy Wrecker
This 1949 Chevy wrecker is a former Colorado truck that made its way to Texas some time ago. Always living in arid climates has helped it stay fairly well preserved, though the seller’s inability to get to the project resulted in vandals knocking out the window glass. Still, the period details are what sell this one with the cool, old-school dealer graphics on the doors making this a candidate for a mechanical-only restoration. Find it here on eBay with bidding under $1K and the reserve unmet.
I looked for a Triangle Chevrolet dealership in Colorado, but the only one that popped up was in Florida. While I’m sure this dealer is long gone (or operating under a different name), I get a kick out of thinking they operated pre-cursor to the modern day roadside assistance program. While OnStar may not have been an option, I’m sure this wrecker could have pulled damn near anything out of the brush. The rear fenders look rough but the body is holding up well for years of ourdoor storage.
The interior – well, that’s another story. This is the ugly side of dry, sunny climates like Colorado and Texas. The seat cushion will just need to be yanked out and replaced, along with whatever brambles are poking their way up through the cabin. The seller pulled this Chevy out of Trinidad, Colorado, which is practically on the New Mexico line. It makes you wonder how many stranded travelers (and only Chevrolet owners, please) this rig pulled to safety or out of the desert heat.
The towing apparatus has clearly seen better days, and the irony isn’t lost that this tow rig will need to be flat-bedded home. The seller indicates he’s had a few “close calls” with potential bidders who didn’t follow through; if the reserve is low, I suppose some potential owners could have surprised themselves with a winning bid and no means of getting it home. This won’t be cheap to restore, but hopefully preserving the perfectly weathered exterior cuts down on some potential costs. How would you restore it?
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Comments
While I am not a fan of patina this one needs to be left alone. Get it in good mechanical order fix the inside and the wrecker then drive it. It will have the look of the old rough and tough work truck which is exactly what it was.
My second favorite old truck style next to the Nash featured a week or so ago. Or maybe third behind the old Studebakers.
Could be fourth if I count the International…
Cool truck regardless. Good find.
I would definitely restore this one although I might be tempted to keep one of the doors and find a substitute. I would also be tempted to duplicate the signage, providing I was to restore it to full wrecker status. However, the wrecker part looks like it’s seen better days so I would likely retire it and use the bed as a custom pickup. Just make sure the old splasher engine is up to snuff and have a good time with it.
I just don’t know what to do with this. On one hand, it’s really outdated, as far a towing rig( besides, I don’t know about you, but my towing cars home days are over) and that rear bed is attractive enough on it’s own, but on the other hand, as a restored period correct tow truck, a life saver for many, I bet, it would be nice all redone. Trucks like this are relatively cheap to restore ( as opposed to say, a ’66 Lincoln) and it wouldn’t take much. Bound to run out of these examples pretty soon.
The writing on the door does it for me. Area specific…! Imagine calling that guy for a tow at 3:30 am, feb 29th. Just walked 2 miles and found a pay phone, Help !!!
Not too much into the truck but I’ll bet I’d like to have some of the cars it has towed in its day.
The junk yards are emptying fast . Move on, nothing to see here.
I found where there was a Triangle Chevrolet in Trinidad, Colorado (709 Commercial Street), phone number 303-846-3364. Google maps street view shows that there still is 24 hour towing at that address!
Call ’em up and let ’em know. They might want to buy their truck back.
I’d restore it outwardly except I’d loose the wrecker unit but as Geomechs said I’d keep the bed. I’d upgrade to front disc brakes or even go all the way and put 4 wheel disc brakes in. Sorry Geomech but I’d loose the splashier engine in favor of a cumins and modern 5 speed. I’d also install power steering. I’d soften up the suspension maybe go independent up front. This could with a fifth wheel be pulling car around only to shows instead of shops.
I bought a nearly identical wrecker in 1980, from a small town in western Minnesota. Over the years I parted it out, still have the wrecker body and the Sasgen Derrick Co. swinging boom. Also saved the doors with the AAA signage and single digit phone no. (7!) and the owner’s name under the window. Would love to roll back time and visit the days when it was new, but don’t know if I’d want to live without some of the modern technologies ( no Barn Finds)😀