My trailer puller was totaled in an accident about ten days ago. I had long planned to build a '54 GMC 1-ton dually as a trailer puller and now I need either to tackle that project soon or buy something else for trailer pulling.
I've been able to pull a loaded trailer 75+ uphill and want to keep that kind of performance. My driveway is a bit steep and not paved, and I need to be able to climb it even when loaded. The wrecked truck was a nice '89 so it had many amenities but wasn't the luxury wagon you’d get today. I want something comfortable to ride in, easy to operate, and with at least the basics of heat and defrost, and adding a nice stereo system and even air conditioning are things I’d think about. Modern seating is a must for a guy with a bad back.
I prefer automatic transmissions and gasoline motors. I have a couple Chevy 454s and a Cadillac 500 on hand. I’ll probably use a 454 because I have two of those that have run clean and strong recently, the Cadillac has been sitting without running for five years. The wrecked truck was four-wheel-drive and I liked that, but won’t work too hard to build another one.
My trailer is rated at 7,000 but I’d like to be able to pull a 10,000 pound trailer and doing so safely is very important to me.
There are several ways I can approach this project and I’m looking for comments and suggestions. Assume I’m either qualified for the required tasks, or will hire someone who is.
Approach one: Strip the bent body from the wrecked K3500, drop the ’54 GMC body on, and know I’m starting with a 10,000 pound rated tow vehicle and therefore would still have that capacity. Aside from being a lot of work, and assuming the frame isn’t bent this seems like a good way to get everything I’ve described from a running gear and capacity standpoint. The K3500 has a 155 inch wheel base, and the front track means offset wheels and fender modifications.
Approach two: Put the ’54 GMC body parts on a ’72 C20 frame. Use a GM 14 bolt rear. This is 127 inch wheel base, and though still too wide, not nearly as much. With the right wheel choice no body mods would be needed.
Approach three: Put the ’72 C20 IFS and the 14 bolt on the 137 inch ’54 GMC frame. Add power steering and crossmembers for the motor and transmission of choice.
Approach four: Put disk brakes on the stock ’54 1-ton axle and the 14 bolt GM rear on the ’54 GMC frame. Add power steering and brakes.
Variation on approaches three and four are to use a 4400 frame instead of the 1-ton frame, probably shortening the frame to the 1-ton (137 inch) length. The advantage of the 4400 frame is the larger cross section of the frame, making it a bit stouter.
Clearly approach four is the least radical and that might be a good reason to start there. That’s only a good idea if the result is a truck that can pull my trailer, either the 7,000 pound trailer I have today or the 10,000 pound trailer I want.
Thoughts? Comments? Laughter? What do you think?
