This is the story of "Fred" -- a 1953 GMC 3/4-ton, deluxe cab, long bed. Fred was a display truck for the grocery store I manage ("Honeybees") for over the last five years. Fred fell into my lap when the grocery store lost the space where he was parked. Before that, he was a single family owner on a ranch nearby but hadn't been registered since 1991. The truck is in great shape with just surface rust to deal with. I think the 70 years of mud, grease, oil, wasp nests and grime preserved him well!
I am in the process of replacing worn out and missing parts and upgrading where I think it makes sense, but essentially leaving the truck intact as the picture show. I have stripped the frame, primed and painted it with POR-15. I won't be repainting any sheet metal as I love the patina.
The truck's name is Fred to pay homage to the original owner who bought him in 1953, or so I am told.
Personally, this is the biggest project I have taken on. My experience is with Jeeps (I have two I maintain, break, fix and repeat). So far, many of my questions have been found here in the Stovebolt forum so I thank you all in advance for maintaining a valuable resource for all of us to peruse.
With this update here is my progress. Many of you, whether you know it or not, have been very helpful to me.
At some point in Fred's life, it had a '59 235 installed with a head from '54/'55. SM420 with granny low 4 speed transmission. The 15" split wheel 8 lug wheels will be replaced. The truck had no wiring harness, no gas tank and all fluids had been drained.
I am in the process of the tear down and my plan is, and has been, to start from the front and work my way to the rear. There has been plenty of scraping, washing, de-greasing, scraping, sanding and painting along the way. I used POR-15 on the frames and front suspension parts, brushed on Bill Hirsch paint and even sourced a Carter YF that I cleaned up and rebuilt.
Before I tore down the truck, I was able to get the 235 to roar back to life for the first time in years, if not decades. Compression test showed 155-160 in all 6 cylinders so I am leaving as is for now.
Pics are worth 1000 words so here is the last picture I have before the dismantling, along with the various stages of taking it apart, painting and putting back together.
This is the story of "Fred" -- a 1953 GMC 3/4-ton, deluxe cab, long bed. Fred was a display truck for the grocery store I manage ("Honeybees") for over the last five years. Fred fell into my lap when the grocery store lost the space where he was parked. Before that, he was a single family owner on a ranch nearby but hadn't been registered since 1991. The truck is in great shape with just surface rust to deal with. I think the 70 years of mud, grease, oil, wasp nests and grime preserved him well!
