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GMC project

Janicholson

Janicholson

Well-known Member
51 3600 series 3/4 heavy duty 270cid with 4 speed, 17 inch wheels no rust. I am redoing the wiring to make it reliable and safe. All the original wires are just cracked and falling apart. It runs very well with 60K miles or so. Jim
a251955.jpg

a251956.jpg
 
The GMC were to have a better engine than the Chevy of that era. I think it was because of the full oil pressure to the rods in the GMC. That was back before they were all the same parts and just different emblems slapped onto them !
 
I have owned it from 1983. I bought it sight unseen for 100 bucks. Driven from AZ to CA to CO to MT to MN to IN then hauled it back from IN on a Uhaul car carrier due to the electrical system issues. it has new brakes all around. It will be fine. Jim
 
Saw a TV show yesterday on Direct TV, called "ROADKILL" two guys have to "Rescue" a vehicle from a junkyard and have 3 days to tune it up enough to drive from around San Francisco to LA. They found a '51 GMC half ton. Wiring was a rats nest, brakes were a total disaster, no stop or tail lights, headlights were their halogen work lights nylon tie strapped to the grill run by a small Honda generator in the back. They made it almost half way and discovered why the truck was junked. Rod & Main bearings were shot. 40 psi cold oil pressure became Zero at about 150 degrees water temp.

I heard the guys say something about a 302-6 with a turbo and EFI once they trailered it to LA. It's amazing to me there's still trucks that age to restore.

Dad's first pickup was a '48 F-2 Ford, then He had a '54 F-250 with a tired Y-block for a couple years, Then the truck I wish I could find, '56 F-350 SRW pickup, 9 ft step side box, 17 inch rubber, 292 Y-block. I saw either it's twin, or Dad's truck itself about 20 years after he sold it about 110 miles away. All the dents were gone if it was Dad's old truck.

Your GMC looks in great shape. I'd recommeend you check out '60-'66 GMC website but your truck is too old. I spent a LOT of time riding shotgun in GMC V-6 powered semi tractors hauling livestock as a young boy.
 
Nothing like a cloth and lacquer wire harness. The mice love them too. Have fun but be very careful taking 66 year old stuff apart. I am 67 years old so I know all about stuff falling apart. Those new harnesses are all wire coded so take your time and do it right. Does it still have the key in the passenger door handle lock? Real cool, you turn the key and then the handle just clicks and flops around.
 
The key still works in the passenger door.
The wiring is being replaced with a Jim made harness. I am using new fuse (blade type) and terminal strips. It will be stock 6v, but far more reliable than original. It is a dump truck, so it is already non stock. Finding the paper terminal strips seemed just wrong compared to Cinch Jones and AMP materials. Jim
 
The roadkill GMC was parked after running poorly. When they went back for it they found a problem , the exhaust pipe was kinked shut. If they'ed found it earlier, probably would have run all the way home!
 
(quoted from post at 13:16:21 12/29/17) Zero F right now, heading to -16 tonight. Kinda cool, but central MN is that way. Jim
Click to expand...
We're -17F right now (5:30pm) -- Supposed to get to -26 tonight, and a HIGH tomorrow of -17! Our high today was -10F.
 
I really like the look of those trucks. Used to have a 1953 Chevy 3800 one ton panel truck. Lots of iron in that thing.
 
That is a dump? You mean some kind of after market deal? Looking at it you can't tell. Need a couple more photos then. Love old trucks. Real transmissions, choke for the carb, a lot of them had a trottle knob too . Straight 6 chevy engine has that kinda bruppp brupp sound.
 
The original bed had no wood in the floor. While getting ready to replace the wood and metal strips, I found a 4+X8foot sheet of 3/16steel. The rear bumper support (on it when purchased) was easily made into a pivot for two thick wall 3X2" stringers and 1X2 Juniors on 12" centers. The bed tilts using a 3" X 14" cylinder from just behind the diff, to a point about 1/3 of the way forwarn on the stringers. Finders elevate with the box. Jim
 
6 inch heavy channel iron. It came with it. It is welded to the original bumper struts, so it is not welded to the frame horns. It is tough, A drunk went around it while it was parked in town. he turned too short (in a 68 chevy fleetside PU) he caught the wheel opening on the channel and it ripped the entire fender from there back off of the truck. The police caught him by matching parts missing with p[arts found. Jim
 
Can't beat that 270. That truck must fly. Most of those were in the big trucks.

The wiring can't be too complicated, at least there are no air bags.
 

If it don't work out

http://www.mongosgarage.com/tech/s10/frameswap/swapinfo.htm

My niece has my dads 48 5 window for sale $5000 if anyone's interested. Rust/dent free its been in a shed for the last 30 plus years... My BIL sold the bed :shock:

Those trucks are about as EZ as it gets to work on and make a ell of a EZ vehicle to make a street rod out of. You don't lack for room anywhere even when driving them the cab has plenty of room..
 
My 58 GMC grain truck has the 270 in it. What a great engine. The head on mine is cracked in the number 3 exhaust port. When you start it she burns off water until it warms the head and then it seals up. It's been that way for years and hauled hundreds of loads of wheat and beans that way. I just drove mine today but it was a balmy 16 degrees when I did chores. Mine has just over 77k miles on it.
 
man i like those trucks! dad had a 52 GMC 1/2 ton. that is the first truck i can remember riding in in the early sixties. 6 volt battery under passenger floor boards, foot starter, neat guages,gas tank behind the seat, poor heater, he sure used to brag that truck up. he used to say those god dam fords got to spin over fast to start ,... i go in my GMC and u barely see the fan turning so slow and she starts. glad u keeping it 6 volt! they are a tough truck. our nieghbour here also had that 3/4 ton in the same time period. his son just sold it here couple years ago. ooohh! just thought of the other nieghbour here had a 51 1/2 ton. he used to drive by our gate at about 20 miles per hr. so i would wait on my bicycle by the gate when i would see him coming. the peel out of the driveway and try and race him. one time i was right beside him and he saw me and stepped on the gas, haa but i was still right behind him. that truck was really nice. driven slow by short old guy. he had a 40 cockshutt tractor also and worked in low gear on the field. then on his auction sale it sold and the buyer left in high gear and i laughed , as i said that is the first time i saw that tractor go so fast. that was in the 1970's. but nice truck jim!
 
Very cool old truck! My first vehicle was a 51 Chevy 3/4 ton long bed. 216 Babbitt beater 6 and granny geared 4 speed. That's one I wish I had kept! Wasn't nearly as nice as that one.

Rick
 
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