Owned by Troy "Red63" Bolter # 33124 Alabama

1951 GMC 453 Series 3-Ton Army Truck

More pictures of my old truck

Follow the discussion about this truck in the BIG BOLTS forum

From Troy :

I came across a good deal ... I think. It's a 1951 GMC 3-ton (19000 GVW) truck with a 14 foot flat bed.

This big old truck was sitting in the field on an old farm just down the road from our farm. It had been there for a few years and I had my eye on it all along. I finally went over and talked to the owner. He was very reasonable, you might say!

The truck is pretty solid with the exception of the the lower right cab corner and driver's side floor board.

It looks like the original motor and the owner says he thinks mileage is correct at 53,502 miles.

The tires, wheels and frame look real good as does all glass except passenger side door.

It's been sitting several years but the motor turns over and it was running when last parked.

The truck is painted in military olive drab green, inside and out and was an old Army truck from U.S. Army Redstone Arsenal, a military base adjacent to NASA in Huntsville, AL. It still has all the military markings on it. There is a chrome ID plate in the door jam that has the regular Redstone Army information. A friend of mine who is in the Army, said it may have been used as a troop carrier since it had the canvas tie-downs on the sides.

After doing some checking, I was surprised it was a THREE ton (thought maybe that or a 2-ton).

The farmer (previous owner) told me that once he had gotten his backhoe stuck in the field and he couldn't get it out with his tractor. So, he called for a wrecker. Well, the wrecker also got stuck. So, they tried the GMC ... it pulled the wrecker and the backhoe out. AND ... that same wrecker is the one that brought the GMC to its new home here! (That is cool! That would have been a great picture to get ... of course, maybe from a passerby. Sounded like everyone was busy! ~ Editor)

Needless to say, the fellow who owned the wrecker was a little upset that he didn't get his hands on the GMC ... he didn't know it was for sale. Well, perhaps no one really did ... until the deal was done! The owner only wanted $400 for it, which I was reminded, was less than it would be worth as scrap!

So, there was room on the farm - besides the 1963 Chevy c60 and the 1957 Buick Special!

Another very neat fact about this GMC ... it was built in the same General Motors factory in Michigan where my Dad and Granddad worked! It probably came off the same assembly line where they had been working. I grew up in Michigan. Folks were transferred to GM Decatur, Alabama and that's how we ended up here - but back on the family farm.

I will replace the wood on the flat bed. I need to get the brakes done and then she'll be ready to go. Come spring, I'll be available to pull folks out of muddy Alabama farm fields! (A commendable kindness, sir ... not to mention, fun! ~ Editor)

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