1947 GMC FC152 3/4-Ton
Although I have worked on many Chevys of this vintage, this is my first pre-'73 GMC. "Ol' Bess" was named by the previous owner in Idyllwild, CA, driven for about 6 or 7 years, then parked for the last 14 or 15 years. She just arrived via transport in North Carolina, yesterday. She originated in Wisconsin, where she must have sat for many years. Solid, mostly rust free, non-running, no service brakes (thankfully, the parking brake works), and a wiring harness that is beyond its useful life (prime reason she's not currently running). Ol' Bess has many bumps and bruises, passenger door held shut with a leather thong, and no tailgate (there is channel welded on the box that must have held a couple boards slid in to serve as a make-shift tailgate). What a great project!
The plan is not to restore, but to make a safe, serviceable, nice truck that appears stock and will be a fun driver for trips to the garden and hardware stores, and perhaps some cruising. Maybe some light restoration will make sense, such as adding a correct tailgate. We shall see!
