From our Tech Tip Section

• Installing rear and front window rubber and stainless steel trim -- Jim "tools94" Slootmaker and wife Johanna replaced the rubber on their 5-window
• Installing window bead on your old truck -- Right tool for the job makes it easy -- by John T. Smith
• String Method to Install Truck Windows -- Another useful tip by Ken "Bartamos" Law
• Windshield Gasket Replacement for pre-War GM trucks -- What you need and what you do -- by Mike Reese
• Windshield Rubber -- Replacing it ALONE - Sietze Slinkman explains how he did it in his Task Force Stovebolt
• Vent Window Rebuild -- Jay did his '54 and give us his step-by-step instructions -- by Jay "Houston54" Barrington
• Windshield Repair '39 - '46 -- How to restore crank-out windshield assemblies -- By Whitney S. Haist
• Windshield Crank Rebuild -- Got a crank-out windshield? Here's where you learn how to rebuid the crank regulator -- by Kip "Kip's41" Bonds
• Window (side) Glass Removal - for Advance Design trucks
• Window (side) Regulator Help -- Hard to roll the windows up or down? Here's an EASY fix -- By Tab

24 June 2013 Update
# 2443

Owned by David Smith "dsmith" Bolter # 18861 Fairview, Tennessee

1951 GMC 1-Ton Flatbed Dually

Talking about this truck in the forum

More pictures of my old truck
The "build" in progress

From David:

I just wanted to share a few more details of where my progress is with my truck (be sure to check the pictures link above -- I have over 175 pictures of the truck restoration in progress ... the last few we show of the truck actually working over Memorial Day!). It has been a while since I first wrote my original Gallery submission.

I have done quite a bit of work including installing an aluminum radiator, electric fan and shroud.

I have also done the body work and paint but my skills are lacking.  I am satisfied with the results and actually expected it to look worse but my plan for the truck is to be a driver not a show truck.

I built my own paint booth in the shop using plastic and painted it myself. This was the second truck I have ever painted. The first one was about six years ago and all the knowledge I learned the first time had left the memory banks. So, in essence, this is my second first time to paint a truck. 

My Dad has recently retired from driving a truck and is now volunteering at a local body shop to gain some additional knowledge and to get help with his truck.  I really wished he had retired a few years earlier so that I would have some experience to work with. 

I have installed all the glass including new weather stripping around the doors. The Tech Tips and forums really aided my installation of the glass.  I would have been completely lost without the different write-ups on this site.

I am in the process of re-wiring the truck. I have purchased LED running lights and signals and currently trying to get the turn signal switch wired.  I plan to have it wired by the end of the week.

My bed is in the shop waiting to be wire brushed and painted.

Thanks for the opportunity to share. 

David

Thanks for the great update, all the pictures in your album, and the comment about the Tech Tips and forums. Not sure which ones helped, but I thought I'd at least list some of the window ones here on your page, if someone else is looking for help. Great update - thanks for sending it (and sorry for the delay). ~ Editor

05 October 2008
# 2443

From David :

I have a 1951 GMC 1-ton flatbed dually that I am working on. I bought this truck about six years ago and my original plan was to build it back like it was when new.  Since then, I found that this is a very difficult process which requires a lot of research and the parts are hard to find.

Here are early pictures of the truck with the stakebed ~ front / rear.

The biggest reason I decided against a restoration was the fact that this truck will only run about 40 or 45 mph down hill. My Father had a 1978 Chevrolet C-30 that he used to pull a 36’ stock trailer for several years. He eventually bought a Kenworth to haul the cattle and the one ton truck was sold to my Uncle.

My Uncle put only about 5,000 miles on the fresh 454 in the eight years he had it. I decided to buy the truck from my Uncle and use it for the donor frame, motor, trans, rear -- basically the entire running gear. Since then, I have removed the 1978 cab and installed the 1951.  The way I had to do it was to keep the finders in tact with the cab while I fitted the cab to the frame.  My main concern was for the wheels to be center under the fenders.

I measured and measured to make sure everything lined up, then built the cab and radiator supports. The 454 is rather large and the way the motor and transmission are mounted in the newer model frame in relation to the wheels, made the motor further towards the front of the truck than the original frame would have.

This is not a real big problem since there are electric fans and short shaft water pumps (which the engine already had). The face of the water pump pulley ended up being about 3/4" from the backside of the radiator.  I currently have the original radiator in the truck and I am looking for a new one. I want to make sure the 454 stays cool.  I have been calling several different vendors about the radiators and everyone says that their's will keep it cool. I don’t know how much I trust their salesmen.  I have asked for flow and cooling data but they don’t understand. I will continue the search.

One of the good things about using the '78 running gear is the fact that you have power steering and power brakes. The pedal system also works great on the AD trucks because of the distance the dash is away from the fire wall -- the whole assembly will just basically bolt in. 

I am using the hydra-boost braking system from the '78 truck and the power steering.  I have had a difficult time with the power steering which came not from the pieces fitting together but from a lack of knowledge and experience.  I was connecting the steering linkage and decided to drill a hole through the input shaft off the power steering gear box to the hold the u-joint.  This is a bad idea -- the input shaft is a two piece shaft that holds the guts to the rotary valve inside the gear box.  This hole I drilled allowed the fluid to be pumped out.

I found another rotary valve but now I only have power steering to the left. I am going to have to buy a new gear box.

The fuel tank that I am using is from an S-10 Blazer. I have it installed inside the frame behind the rear wheels.  I have run new fuel lines and the motor starts and runs great.

I do not have glass so I cannot get the truck on the road yet so I just putt around in the yard.

Right now I am sanding all the paint and rust off the body and just piddling with it here and there. Once I get the paint off and the new radiator, then I will determine the color and get started painting.  I am thinking of a dark midnight blue. 

I am a little new to the forum world and have done most of my research through the trial and error method.  I think this is a great place to get a lot of experience and knowledge at your disposal in a relatively short amount of time.  I hope I will have a little to add to the site.  The information I have read in the forums thus far and the Gallery stories are great.  Keep up the good work.

Here are some additional photos in Webshots of my truck and my Father’s 1946 Chevy. Slideshow of the '51 and '46.

David A. Smith

       Well, welcome to the site. You have contributed already by providing such a great description for the Gallery. Might help a lot of other folks who are doing similar research, or looking for ideas for their trucks! Keep us posted. ~ Editor

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