The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 1948 GMC 1 Ton aux box

Hey all,

I have a 1948 GMC 253 flat bed old farm truck.

Paid $200.00 for the truck out of a cattle field in Cottonwood CA.

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/gilman_mike_1948_03.htm

No engine, but gear box and exhaust were still in place.

Hauled it home and a stuffed a 1956 GMC 248 CID L6 into it.

Now I have acquired a Watson 3 speed Aux box, that bolts directly to the back-end of the SM420.

http://s1253.photobucket.com/user/GMCPic/library/Gear%20Box?sort=3&page=1

My truck has 8.00x18 rear dual wheels and 7.50x17 on the front.

I am installing the Aux Box to the truck so I will have 9 speeds forward. Oh yeah the box is under, direct and overdrive. It splits each gear in the SM420. Removed Clark 5 Speed.

I was just looking for and over-drive when someone offered me the Watson Auxiliary trans.

I had never even heard of a Watson before, but it should work great.

The shifter come up through the floor plate just to the left and rear of the SM420. Slick...

Now working on the drive line.

That sure sounds like fun!

"Watson" is new to me also, but, sounds like a cool find.

Nice thing about the larger Trucks, they had open Drive Lines, and, you can change things or add things a lot easier than with the closed Drive Line set ups.

Before I decided to install the Watson gear box, I did some research on the Watson.

Watson was the designer and supplier of the gear box to all the local truck manufacturers in California in the 40s and early 50s.

They located in Richmond CA and Emeryville CA.

But the gear boxes were manufactured by Browne-Lipp for Watson.

They were designed to be used on light to medium duty trucks with a horse power limit of under 200 HP.

I found another Watson gear box I purchased for $300.00, but it is not a direct-coupled box. It is like most Aux Boxes and mounts in place of the drive-line carrier bearing.

I am going to install it in my 1950 GMC 2ton truck.

Gears to spare wweeeeee:)

I am liking the Watson gearbox.
I have never heard of such a thing.
Do you have any info on what they came on? How would you source such a thing?
Have you researched replacement parts yet?