1953 GMC and 1951 Chevy COE

Owned by Koos Diedel Netherlands

From Koos :

Hello Stovebolt!

I have finished with the building of my 1951 Chevy COE truck. I thought it would be nice to add a finished photo.

The truck is sitting on a 1972 GMC 1/2-ton pickup chassis with airbags on all four corners.

My goal was to lower the cab so much that the front bumper would hit the ground. To do so, I hade to put the engine 80cm back and 20cm lower in the chassis, and put in airbags on all four corners. Even with that done, I still needed to place the cab floor 7cm up in cab to clear the engine.

For more legroom, I have put the fire wall 12cm forward (to the front of truck).

The engine is a 1972 Buick 455 with TH400. The rear axle is a 1979 Pontiac with disc brakes and 1 on 2.27 gear.

Other parts are a 1976 Nova tilt steering column, shortened 12cm; Volvo 850 seats; aftermarket electric door windows and window wipers; 2 Vinair 480 compressors with two 30 liter aluminum tanks; Chevy van fuel tank and steering box; Dodge w200 3row radiator.

The bed Is home made. [ View from the back ] The wood for the bed laid all winter on the roof of my garage to get the old look. [ Another view from the side ]

I am still working on the truck. I'm making a heater in the cab and I want to make a nice old logo on the doors.

I have more pictures on the truck on Webshots. On this site you can see photos from the finest truck. Also I have made a small film that I put on Youtube.

04 January 2002

From Koos:

Hello Stovebolt, I am Koos Diedel and I live in the Netherlands.

In 2001, returning from vacation in the USA, I brought home with me from my vacation a 1951 Chevy COE and a 1953 GMC COE Truck cab. I plan to put the Chevy cab on a 1972 GMC 1/2-ton pickup chassis and later on make from the GMC cab a crewcab.

Here they are pictured together.

Greetings from a proud owner.

Koos Diedel

(So, when Koos is all done ... what do we call this ?? - editor)

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