The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Hmmm ... 1-tons ... whatcha think?

I just finished this Gallery addition for John L's 1950 GMC 1-ton. Jim Carter had this truck as his Feature Truck on his website for September.

I used some of Jim's comments in the story. AND, if you hadn't seen the index page from Kansas City, Jim was pretty excited to have three Advance Design 1-tons on the show field.

I sent Jim back the link to this forum for the Tons O Fun.

I was just looking for some feeback. Are these 1-tons road hard and put away to SCRAP or are there still enough knocking around? (I know, I know ... there's never enough )

Was just curious.

Tanks,
Peg

Yes, mine is a 51 -3 window 1 ton, 137" w/b fire truck. I believe they were very used through the years. Mine has survived with the original drivetrain, unrestored and there are Probably not too many like that!

Hi Peggy I know of 1 other 50 1 ton 5 window deluxe cab like mine in the Edmonton area, they are few and far between. I picked it up in Southern Saskatchewan last year and as mentioned in the article these were work trucks used to hauling then rebuild and haul more, when we do find one in original condition it truly is a treasure to keep as original as possible.

Three 1-ton A-D/ND pickup trucks at a show?

Were there 600 1/2 ton ad/ND pickup trucks at that show?

200:1 was the ratio for 3104:3804 sales (in a few A-D years)

That is why JC was excited/surprised?

I have 4 3800 series trucks as it seems to have been the truck of choice in this farming community back in the late 1940's and early 50's. All have been purchased within 20 miles of my place. I have 2 1948 trucks, both as parts trucks. I have my pride and joy 1951 one ton with pickup bed purchased from an uncle and refreshed with body work, paint, brakes and a 1958 235 engine and 4:10 rear gear set. I Also have a 1951 one ton with dual wheels ,hoist and grain box and I also have a 1951 panel built on the 3800 series frame. Am I lucky or what?

Wow, 51 ... sounds like you got a good stash then.

Tim, I don't know about the ratio. It was neat to get the new story to help tie that in for me.

Peg

My truck is a 1951 1 Ton and I have a great time driving it. The ride is rougher than a 1/2 Ton but that doesn't bother me. It is true that you don't see that many around. I hear a lot of stories from folks who remember them from childhood on a farm. Those stories really make my day.

sorry I missed the reunion... just didnt have time to get mine completed.. just have wiring to finish but have already driven it around the neighborhood... cant wait to take a trip in it.

Mine is a 1950 chevy 3800 with 9 ft bed and early napco 4x4 drivetrain, 19.5 wheels/tires, 261 .. once I learn to post pics Ill send some in..

definitely be there next year

I didn't realize until just now that I guess a 1-ton is a much different truck than a half-ton.

I guess part of my confusion comes from us having a '49 1.5-ton and a '49 1-ton. From the outside, *to me* they mostly looked the same. Although one was going through a frame-off restoration so for ten years, I wasn't really sure what it was going to look like. Charlie (the red one) has always looked like he does.

Dirtball ... for the not-so-enlightened people like myself, it would be fun to line up our trucks by size. One time, one place, we had them lined up by year. That was cool.

Peg

I love my GMC FC253 1 Ton dually, was a flat bed when I got it but made a custom "Stock Look" box for it. I've had a lot of compliments on it and enjoy driving it. I've heard it all from good to things like "why would you put your time and money into that". Yup, it rides rough, drives like the old truck it is but I love every ride in it. Not trying to please everyone, Just myself.

I wonder if we could get a 2015 truck calendar of 1-tons?

Ohh ... I don't want to think about calendars just yet. Let me get to October at least.

The tons of fun would be cool, tho.

I'll take one!

Yeah, I'll take one too!

I don't see the one-tons around here very often at all, but I happen to have found 2 in the last couple of years. I sold the 54 but still have the 50. I do love the thing, but yeah, it rides rough, is loud and has a way to go before I get it real road worthy. It's fun to work on though, I'll get there.

~Dave

That would be cool Peggy, since I have one now, too.

Gotta get that gallery submission out to you......

Doug,

The Gallery submission would be good.

Well, I'll have to see if I can rummage up 12 of them - whatever stage they are in. We may already have some in our calendar stash.

... in October. Oh man ... that's next week!

Peg

You can help your self to my photo bucket pictures of her before it was torn down.

Mark

How much information you want? I do not have a photo web site as I am just stupid to posting pictures BUT count me in, Maybe August , month of my birthday?

Sure, everyone is welcome ... with a 1-ton. John said there were a few at Winchester this weekend.

1951 - you don't need to post a picture. You'll need a decent shot of it. Here are the details about the photo we'll need. When I say decent, I mean ... not parked between two other cars, or anything like that. Maybe set apart, under a tree, etc.

John can do some Photoshopping on these. We have accumulated some good backgrounds to use ... but that takes a lot longer to make it happen.

I'll try to get something started on this tomorrow. I've already penciled it in on my Stovebolt to-do list.

Peg

I have a 1941 1 ton long bed that is my daily driver. It came out of North Dakota and was used to pull a hay baler. I purchased it completely stock but once I got it on the road and discovered that top speed was 45 mph with a very low rear end ratio I upgraded the complete drive train to a SB350 engine, 700R4 transmission and 3.73 rear end. Resulted in 70 mph at 2,000 rpm. Disk brakes on the front so I have a great hiway cruiser.

Murray,

Impressive. Yes, we put a new rear in our's since we were slowing everyone down on the convoys. We've kept the original since there was nothing wrong with it.

Send us a good picture of it! ([email protected])

Peg

Mine got a ratio change, too, to 4.10. I don't know what rpm it turns yet at highway speeds, but I do know that 60 mph is now easy, where she was screaming before at 50 mph; so much that I'd never take it up that fast without a good load aboard. I've also gone to a 1981 250 c.i. inline engine recently, and what I have now is a truck that will easily keep up a highway speed, and is relatively smooth and quiet with 235/85R16 tires, and OEM brakes - which are adequate even when fully loaded.

Eventually, I might add the Gear Vendors overdrive unit to the SM420 transmission to bring the engine's speed down further on the highway, as I intend to drive the heck out of this thingy for several decades, yet, until I get too old.

Peggy, I just submitted a picture of my one ton. I hope it passes your muster and can qualify for the 1 ton calender.Thanks

Jerry,

The 1-ton looks great. And the update to the Gallery will be good. I think starting next week I can concentrate on this. John and I have had a long discussion on several Stovebolt related issues ... and this was one. Thank goodness for the holiday on Monday, and hopefully good weather for farm work, short days, cold days, etc. ... I should get more done!



Peg

Okay, I just added Doyle "doyle19503800" Osborne's 1950 Chevrolet 1-Ton in the Gallery. What a find. Doyle is the first registered owner of this truck, that sat for 47 years on blocks. Not sure which picture we'll have for his for the calendar. May have to stage another.

But we are getting there.

This will be cool. Once we get a pile in there, I'll have to let Jim Carter know he's got some reading to do!

Peg

Okay ... just got Fred Nixon's 1-ton GMC in the Gallery. Waiting for good weather for him to get a good picture.

Still working on these ....

Peg

i have a 48 ton, serial #5fsj3502 5 window pickup with power takeoff. was purchased as a 3803 medium duty chassis with cab. the farmer went to canada to get the truck with the pto. when i bought the truck in 02, it had about 12000 miles on the truck, the 215 had more drips than i did, and had 4 coats of green over the original rapid red. about the only thing i have changed, other than color, is the engine. it now has a 261block/235head engine from an engine we had at the farm. and when i die, my grand children will get a great old truck.

ps - i had a second 48 ton 3 window pickup that a friend just had to have. so, off it went, and the person in charge got off my back about all the trucks i have.

A "1-ton" calendar sounds great. If you run short on candidates, some pictures of my '47 green machine should be in the gallery.

I have been sorting thru the calendar submissions that came in starting last March. I have to put all the data on the file so we remember who's it is, what it is, where it came from, etc. From there, John usually does the "setting" for the picture.

I hope to finish those in the in box and get a "count" of the number of 1-tons we have so far. I know John also has one stashed away from a friend in PA. That one is on his calendar. Once, I get an idea of how many I have, I'll post it here.

I really hope I have most of the day to work Stovebolt. That's on the work schedule - but you all know how that goes!

GMCJoe ... I'll check your's too. I'm sure the size in the Gallery will be too small. Hopefully, the one in the PB account will be big enough!

This is toooooooo fun. Tons O fun I should say, eh?

Peg

Peggy, I submit my '38 1 Ton for the calendar. click

Wayne,

Wow, the truck looks great. Love the signage. Any chance you can pull her in or near a field (not sure how many grain fields are in FL) for a better "pose?" That bed on there looks great. Maybe angle her a bit so we can get a good shot of the bed and the side of the truck, with the sign!

Peg

Peg, I have a field close to me. I'll shoot some photos tomorrow.

Excellent. Over the weekend, I'll list the ones I have ready so far.

Peg

Here are a few shots: click

Oh Wayne, these are real good! Good "spacing" around the truck, too for cropping. Good job!

Peg

I had 4 1 ton duallys, the 52 nitro truck, 61 fire/brush truck, 64 flat/grain bed, and a 70 flatbed. I recently sold the 52 even though I really didn't want to.

52 pic
http://i62.tinypic.com/aoxugn.jpg

Added 6 new photos to gallery (first 6) maybe one might work.

Great effort all! If you want to submit a photo for the calendar, *please* pick your best shot ( or two ) and submit it to [email protected] as a high resolution .jpg file. We need a lot of good submissions! (Maybe we'll have two calendars ... )

Thanks!

John

I have a good new Christmas picture...gotta get it in...