1958 GMC Civil Defense NAPCO

	Owned by Sam Thompson "Sam T" Bolter # 13000 Salem, Illinois Talking about this truck in the DITY Gallery

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From Sam :

This Task Force GMC started life as a Civil Defense truck. Then a local fire department used it for dive rescue. It was eventually sold, and that is when I started chasing it. After a six year long search, I found it in running condition. Everything worked except the brakes.

I bought it and brought it home. I work cross country pipeline and only get to work on it when I am home from a job. I spent about four years hunting for parts before I even started working on it. As most of you may know,  panels are the hardest to work on because from the driver's door back, you can't find parts. So hence the long time to get it back on the road.

I've done some updating so I can utilize it both as a daily driver and somewhat of a show truck. Rather than a "frame off restoration," this is a "body on work over." New parts include fenders, doors, lower door pillar hinge points, and new rocker panel / steps. I also replaced the front springs with 11 leaf HD GMC units, a new power steering assembly, and power brakes. The axles are from a 1976 1/2-ton GMC, that the Fire Department that had it years ago. Someone ran over a stump and trashed the front axle and they replaced it with some Blazer axles. I acquired the newer axles and tires and put them under my panel. Then I rewired it myself with "lots of Crown Royal to help".

Other work already completed includes new seals in the transfer case. The original 270 6 cylinder has been replaced with a mild 327 complete with HEI, standard cast iron headers, SM-465 transmission with a GM 12" clutch kit. Did I mention "lots of Crown Royal"?

For the interior, I installed a newly chromed original dash panel with S&W gages, and an original tach that I had Williamson Instrument re-work. I also had to strip about 3/4" of carpet glue off the rear floor. Did I say anything about "a lot of Crown Royal"?

I then installed 3/4" of sound deadening foam on the walls and roof, and then I cut 1/8" aluminum tread plate and used it for the side walls and rear door panels.

The exhaust is a combination of 2 1/2" stainless steel pipes, with Flowmasters. The guys that rent one end of my shop did all of the paint and body work. By this time the good folks at Crown Royal had to put on an extra shift to just keep up with my renters and myself. After seven years and about $15,000 and the local liquor store's kid through college, it's on the road.

Its five O-clock somewhere.

Sam T.

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