1959 GMC 100 Fleet
Here is my my 1959 GMC Fleet that was originally a 2WD, 3 on the tree, with a 270 engine. I purchased this pile at an auction around 2010 at St. Martin, Ohio for $600. The bed was sitting on the frame with the grill, gas tank and headlights in it. It did have the doors on the cab with the windshield, no back glass, no seat, with both doors in place and a hood sitting on the front. It had no front fenders but I did get two at the auction separately. I did not know what this truck was when I got it but found out it was a Fleet model.
The truck has a GMC cab with a Chevy dash, GMC logo on the dash glass, HD front bumper, single headlights, and a factory bush type grill. It has the original rebuilt heater and defrost with the correct original GMC horn cap.
The cab was mostly primer, but the firewall original paint was the dark Forest Green or Hunter Green that was used by the US Forestry Service. The Interior Department used the light green. Dash is pretty original.
Everything good or bad on this truck is me. It is a good driver with more conveniences but retained much of the original look inside and outside.
The running gear front axle is from a 1984 K10 on the 1959 frame. The engine is a rebuilt 1971 350 engine with a 700 R4 then a NP208 transfer case. I run 3.73 gears with 32-inch tires. The 84 Front diff automatically raised the front four inches so the rear axle had to be flipped on the axle ('67 12 Bolt). I leveled the back with air shocks. Every suspension bushing is new.
There could be Fleet 1/2 or 3/4-ton NAPCOs but I have yet to see one. In 1958/59 GM would have installed NAPCOs as an option but I think they could still be purchased/installed by the owner.
This truck, cab, and bed are now solid. I replaced door and jam panels, inner/outer door skins, inner/outer lips on the front cab overhang and the rear window opening. Also repaired both fender lower rear and lower back of the cab.
I made two known mistakes. I did not know the small rear glass has a half inch curve so mine is straight on the top with the curve at the bottom. I have a straight glass in it but sometime I may have the new curve glass trimmed a little and try to install. You don't really notice this mistake, but I do.
The other mistake is the driver front door post is 1/4-inch in. I had no metal for a good reference and have never had a '55-59 model. So, when I placed the door, I have a 1/4-inch spacer to space the door out correctly. This is not noticeable at all.
The rear and spare are 1958-59 Hubcaps. The front are 1955-57 Chevy. I only sacrificed one Chevy cap that was extensively dented in the middle. The caps are double wall so one cap made two for both fronts. The '58-59 GMC caps are harder to find.
I just added the West Coast Jr mirrors and the spotlight.
I did not want the truck paint to look new, so it is knocked down with rubbing compound to bring out the silver (a moss green) and dull it.
It is an interesting model and people like looking at it.
DL "42465967" Brooks
