Bill Mailman is a seasoned heavy-duty mechanic who is the man behind an ambitious 1947 Chevy 4000 pickup truck resto mod build.
Bill bought the truck many years ago after he discovered it on a farm property.
Jim Sutherland
The ‘47 Chevy truck was a bigger and heavier version pickup with a long box designed to haul heavy loads on a farm. The old pickup was worked hard and eventually retired on the farm to an uncertain future battling weather and time.
Bill toyed with the idea of retaining the Chevy’s original powertrain but realized a tired engine linked to a tired manual transmission would limit his range of road adventures. Additionally, Bill had a 350 Chevy small block and decided to use it in the ‘47 Chevy truck.
He added a 700 R-4 automatic overdrive transmission and dropped the rear end gear ratio to a more highway-friendly 3:73 so he would not beat up the 350 transplant engine with excessive RPMs.
The addition of the newer transmission required cutting into the truck’s original firewall because of its size, but Bill knows his stuff and was not intimidated by the process.
Other upgrades include front disc brakes with a dual master cylinder to enhance the ’47 Chevy’s stopping power because 300 horsepower was a lot of new ponies under the 79-year-old pickup’s hood.
Bill also enhanced the truck’s paint scheme when he chose a bold red-over-black combination because “I’m not a one-color guy”, in his words. He added that his striking two-tone combination “makes people look”.
As mentioned earlier, a 1947 Chevy 4000 pickup is a big truck and much larger than a typical light truck from that era, consequently Bill’s vintage ride stands out in a crowd at a car show.
Bill’s Chevy 4000 has plenty of windows in its cab and was nicknamed a “5-window” because of the extra glass, a very desirable feature on Chevy trucks from that era.
Bill chose an unconventional path for his truck bed and custom-built a checker plate floor that looks cool and has a practical side because it is bullet-proof, so he can haul stuff if the situation warrants it.
He moved the gas tank to the rear of the truck to allow more room for the dual exhaust system under the truck. Bill also redesigned the Chevy pickup’s taillight system and added a custom LED lighting package located in his custom bumper, as well as installing lights in the truck box tubes for added visibility.
The custom stock racks on the Chevy truck’s bed are also a very stylish addition to Bill’s resto mod vision for his pickup, while the antique trunk in the bed gives plenty of extra storage space for Bill and his passengers.
Bill lives about a mile and a half off asphalt but chooses to drive the route rather than trailer his ‘47 Chevy or, as he calls it, “putting along” until Bill reaches the pavement.
The entire resto mod project took about three years, according to Bill, and he took a very hands-on approach to it. Bill liked telling his kids that he wasn’t worried about the money because he was “spending their inheritance”.
Proof positive Bill is a talented car guy with a wicked sense of humor.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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