You are at: Home> Gallery Cool Old Truck

Dave Kuhn's 1948 GMC Panel

22 May  03

From Dave      

Well, well where to start? I bought the panel from my fathers friend. he had some rentals and the people couldn't make rent so they gave him the panel for the last months rent of $450.00.  So I gladly pay him the 450.00 for the panel truck. 

It took about 6 hrs to get it to run, if you could call what it was doing as running. It had a 235 that acted like it had a water hose for an exhaust pipe, major holes in the head. Lucky for me I had an extra head.  Well, the new was not much better but it did run and move under it's own power (or lack of it ). It had a bench seat out of a Dodge and the Dodge ram on the hood.  Nobody had cut up the dash or any other part of the truck. It had an 13'", 14", 15", and 16" tire on it. When down the road like a hound dog coming home for dinner.

Tore the poor thing apart, down to the bone.  Ran out of interest and money.  So for about 13 years parts were everywhere.  Found a 56, 2 ton with a rebuilt 261 for $500.00 pulled out the 261 and sold the truck for $500.00 (free motor) not!! the motor was a repaint not a rebuild. (screwed again ).  But it did run o.k. with the help of some head work, big (almost too big) cam, headers and stock intake and carb.  The panel lives!

Behind the 261 is a Borg-Warner close ratio 4 speed then to an 12 bolt 3:73 rear end.  It's an o.k. combo for the 6 .  Need to change the tire to 16" stock wheel and hubcaps with beauty rings, and get rid of the 15" chrome.

I'm working on an 270 GMC (only seem right to have a GMC in a GMC) Have the head done, Howard cam, Fenton case iron headers, Holley 390 4 barrel, next save money for the pistons.  Oh yeah, the motor is 0.60 over stock stroke stock rods.

I painted the panel in the driveway under a plastic dome, stopped it from rusting and looks good at 45 plus mph.  It's the original Forest Green.  But the top is an 48 color called Texas ivory.  What do you all think??  Once the new motor is in and sheet metal is lined up a little nicer.  I'll have it painted again, but I would like input on the color combo.  Keep it all green or keep the combo. PLEASE help!!

I'm also in need of the front gravel guard, it's not the same as my 50 Chevy 1/2 ton.  I was told it was only for 48 GMC.  I have a few pieces of the guard, put not enough to know what the ends looked like.  Any HELP PLEASE!!

The inside is stock in color and stock buckets

Thanks Stovebolt for the great site!!  Again any help would be great.

Dave Kuhn AKA 1/2 ton Dave

Curator "Dave - Original interior?  HOW BOUT SOME PICTURES OF THOSE BUCKETS!?!?"

Last modified: July 26, 2022.