Grumpy’s Toy

Jim Batson from Deltona, Florida, is a retired Navy man and a veteran’s employment representative for the state of Florida. New to the truck scene at age 57, this is his first custom, and he did most of the work himself, learning as he went. Inspiration for the project came after seeing a friend’s custom truck. He liked the looks and, since friends told him that trucks were easier for the first-time builder, he jumped in with both feet, deciding it would make the perfect retirement project. The undertaking began in April 1999 and wasn’t completed until March 2005. Looking back, Jim confesses to having some second thoughts about that ease-of-construction notion, and he tells us that somehow along the way he picked up the nickname Grumpy!

Originally looking for just a good daily driver, Jim found the 48 Chevrolet in a friend’s backyard in southeast Missouri, his original home state. After getting it back to Florida, he began the build process by tearing the truck completely apart. It was in rough shape initially, with a fair amount of amateur bodywork that had to be eliminated before he could proceed. Jim is very mechanically oriented and picked up a lot of techniques simply by watching truck shows on TV. However, since more than half the cab was rusted, he realized that if he were going to accomplish this job himself he’d need to go back to school. He enrolled in welding courses at the local community college and soon was cutting off rusted pieces and welding in patch panels like a pro. It didn’t take very long, however, before workspace became an issue, so Jim temporarily called a halt to the project while he built a shop in his backyard and outfitted it with a complete set of tools. I could have paid someone to build this truck with what I’ve spent on the shop and the tools, he says with a smile, but now I can say I did it myself.