A 'virtual garage' of antique Chevy & GMC trucks from around the World

1950 GMC Pickup Truck

19 December 2007
# 2157

From Jonathan :

           Hello all. I picked this 1950 G M C (with a 248 engine) up from a little old man out in the country. I had just left my job and we had moved to Fresno. Almost two months to the day, I went to tour the country and just drive. I came to a fork in the road. Turn right or left? I turned right and about a half mile up the road, there was the truck. The owner had just gotten out of it. I thought he probably didn't want to sell it. I thought it wouldn't hurt to talk to him about it. We talked a while and he said he needed to talk to his wife. He went in the house. When he came back out, he said his wife said "Let it go."

           He had it as a low rider ~~ 14" rims and 1.5 inches off the ground. You couldn't drive it fast because the gear ratio made the engine rev high. You had to drive slow and be careful over train tracks.

           I asked about taking it for a test drive. He was a bit uncertain. He had let another guy drive it who had just flown over the tracks. He was worried he was going to tear it up. I told him I use to have a 1948 and then he was willing to let me drive it. He said he didn't want to let it go, but his wife wanted him to turn it loose. Here's a before picture.

           I had to get rid of the rims and gave them back to PO. I bought some original rims and put those on. It's all original with a 4-speed granny box. I added the 5th wheel spare tire holder. I found the visor at a swap meet.

           I thought I'd never find a truck like my '48 but 20 year later, here we are! I couldn't find one for a reasonable price. This one was running and working. I had to reupholster, work on the interior, and some minor body work. My kids (I have twin boys) picked the colors. One picked red and one picked white. The actual colors are Lexus Pearl and Bangle Red. I did the color scheme. The tailgate was my idea. Around the bed was original already. I did the bed posts and visor and flash plates. All the trimming inside is red.

           Driver's side rear ~ driver's side interior ~ passenger's side interior

           I plan to add a new grille guard before ... or after ... Christmas! Here's the before picture.

           I drive it often but it's not my daily driver. The folks at work are waiting to see it but they'll have to wait until the weather is nice again.

           My wife put it back together after I took it all apart. My wife had driven around with me in my old '48 in the Bay area. When I found this and told her about it, she said "Get it!" We both went and looked at it one more time and took a ride. And she said "I think this is it."

           This project took about two and a half years. It's been a LABOR of LUV.

Jonathan & Gwendolyn

           I like that brass bed looking grille guard -- are you selling it? Now rides in the country will be better appreciated in that old GMC truck as you get to slow down and enjoy the drive. Aaahh, ode to have a classic truck. You'll be glad it's a truck so you can haul home all those up and coming truck show trophies that I know you'll win with your truck. ~~ Mike "Burgandybolt" Allen, Stovebolt Welcome (Panel) Wagon

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