The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Completed Journals 1959 GMC Shortbox Custom Wideside Deluxe

Hi Bolters!
I'd like to share with you my family owned 1959 GMC Shortbox Custom Wideside Deluxe since 1973.



As the subject line mentions, it was factory built with a 235/3 speed (261 now resides), radio and speaker, chrome gauge package, deluxe heater controls, passenger visor and door panels, head liner, dual mirrors, dual door locks, deluxe upholstery package along with the exterior stainless trim on the box side and around the windows. This was a "businessman's truck" and a far cry from a working farm truck.

My Dad brought this truck home in 1973ish and I helped him sand it down for the brown paint job and we've had it in the family ever since. I drove it to high school in around 1980. (Parking lot stories left out on purpose)
My sister and brother-in-law did a partial lead restore with fresh brown paint in the mid 80's but it went back to dad around 1990 and really hasn't had anything done to it since except regular maintenance, a rear end change to a higher set of gears.

It's still a daily driver but needs some cancer repair and the cab has never been off the frame since it was assembled at the plant. My high school buddy has offered to do the work and am extremely honored to have him do it as he has restored many vehicles before and I know his work and attention to detail is top notch!

I found a local deal on 5 Coker 7.50R 16 107P wide white wall tires and 16" 3 clip rims to really finish it off. I've decided to restore it for a couple of reasons. One, my grandfather and my dad and I have had a real appreciation for original restored vehicles... especially the rare ones. Our stables have had or still do 1930 Chevy 3 window coupe, 1935 Chevy Standard partial resto, 1953 Chevy, 1969 442 and the 59 GMC. Second reason is it's very rare and I'd hate to see this one butchered. Third, it's so very close to original now, it's not much to take it back to original.

The 59 is going back to its original colors of Omaha Orange and Bombay Ivory accent. The front bumper will go chrome (I think) but grill and bezels will go Ivory. The stacks are going to be ancient history too!

The interior brown plaid is going the same demise as the stacks (sorry dad) because the new color scheme is not going to accept the brown plaid. The radio was out getting fixed when this picture was taken thus the glove box door and dash disassembly.

Putting the gas tank under box but will leave the existing filler cap. Carrying a spare standing up in box will not be the best but will have to do unless I can figure out another option like fastening it to the bed wood laying on its side.

Here are some pictures of it while dad drives it before it gets the make over.

Darcy,

Thanks for re-posting the photos. Great looking truck and nice appointments. I'm excited to see pictures when it goes back to Omaha Orange and Bombay Ivory!

Don't know if you like them, but I always thought the GMC Task Force "bullet style" front bumper guards were unique and really had character. Not sure how hard it would be to find an original painted pair...

Bob

Thanks Bob. I'm glad picture link is working.

I haven't seen the bullets on a 59....did see on 58 however.

UPDATE

First off, I have paid to have a concept drawing of the '59.
Concept Drawing
Credit goes to Gerard Bloomaert www.gerardgraffix.com

This last weekend I paid a visit to my dad and we experienced the "hand me down" ritual. I took some pictures of it on the road to my buddie's house. Complete with luggage, spare parts stacked on front seat and the truck box nearly full with three tailgates and the 16" 3 clip rims. Dad and me on "hand me down" day
Some tears were shed and ideas discussed about it's restoration and at the end of the day, it was a great couple of days with my dad as we live 500 miles apart and I don't get to see him often these days. We took it into town for it's first work... a new exhaust system. Dad sure liked his stacks and was a little sad to see them go. He just HAD to BRRAAAPPPP them in the shop after he drove the truck up on the hoist! haha
"Al" did a fantastic job as he's been bending pipe for 30 years. He offered to dry fit various mufflers for us so we could hear it before the final install. Dad and I really liked the Red Devils R4406 muffler/resonator so we decided on them. Dad said they were quieter than his stack straight pipes behind the cab that he's had on since 1973ish. Quiet enough he could even hear the radio while on the highway. now that's saying something! This is the ol' boy taking her home from the shop. Drive home from muffler shop without the stacks
I regret not getting pictures during the muffler work/process but was so caught up in the experience with Dad that I completely forgot. Here's a link to some pictures I took afterwards. Dual exhaust with Red Devil mufflers

Here's a short video of Dad and bride on their last run together (before the restoration) with the new exhaust. New exhaust drive by

The rims are going to get painted Omaha Orange right away so that Ken can mount the Cokers and then run the truck around town to ensure ride height clearances are good to go. Stuffing a 31" tire in the wheel wells is going to look fantastic! We just want to ensure we can drive it home after the truck is completed.
Coker tires and 16" 3 clip rims

CAUTION NOTE: I made the mistake of stacking my Cokers (see the pictures) and as a result, I've carbon printed some white walls with the black rubber tread edge. darn! I'm told impossible to remove.

I grabbed a few detail interior pictures too! Rust included! Notice the deluxe upgrades?
1959 GMC Deluxe Interior

Ken and his wife Janice (who are restoring it for me) are high school friends of mine and live about 35 miles from the exact spot that Dad purchased the truck some 43 years ago.

EDIT BY MODERATOR: Most photo links are broken, so I added some that were appropriate I could find.

Well we received our new Elm wood for the bed... looks fabulous I think!

I found this very rare elm in Ontario, Canada. It was previously stored in a cabinet makers shop for 25 years, then milled for this era of truck. The man I purchased it from had made enough for two trucks so had an extra set. He even sent along a couple of extra narrow boards.

Elm Bed Wood

Good lookin' truck, Darcy!!! Great story & pictures! !

I received some valuable of information about my truck recently. I contacted George at http://www.vintagevehicleservices.com/ and he reported back to me that:
1) My truck is 1 of 2697 GMC shortbox trucks (both step side and wide side included) that were produced in Canada in 1959
2) The official name description of my truck is "GMC Custom Wideside Pickup"

In light of this new information I will change the Subject title of this thread.

I also learned that in Canada, in 1959 only did GMC offer the bedside stainless (along with Chevy). Chevy Apache trucks in the US were only offered this trim exclusively from what I've learned. Chevy Apache trucks are referred to as "Fleetside" not the GMC cousins.

I recently acquired a used tailgate and wanted to see just how much body work had been done to it so I ground off most of the filler and then rolled some black RustOleum to keep it from rusting and to help show it's imperfections. You'll notice that the PO had welded a flat panel over the center. That will be removed if I decide to use it.

The jury it still out...

Used tailgate inspection

I've decided to mount some back up lights and after cruising eBay and Google Images and the forum, I've decided to run the 60 to 66 style. NOS ones are going to be big dollars but I've seen repop for $40 each.

Back up lights switch

A bracket to mount the $10 push switch, some wire and I'll have back up lights for $100!

Fuel tank relocation research lead me to the 1970 Ford Mustang 22 gallon tank. It looks like a mild modification and will run about $200. The other option with zero modifications needed is the L shaped custom for about $700 CDN. Comes with everything including no grief. Fuel tank options

Today the truck went in the shop which marks the official start date. Dec 5, 2015.

Looks like Ken took off some brown paint on the box side looking for the original Bombay Ivory and found some.
Truck enters restoration shop officially today

I'm looking forward to seeing the next pictures of it coming apart. Here it sits waiting patiently. Waiting and ready for frame off restoration.

More pictures coming soon.

Sorry for the lack of updates recently. We are going to see some changes and updates coming shortly. My buddy Ken, who's doing the work just retired so now has time to work on it.

I've come to the realization that I am going to have to buy a brand new tailgate or a very cherry used one... so a new one it is as I don't think a used cherry one exists any more.

The Mar K kit with latches and brackets looks to me like a great setup... no chains!

I took some 0000 steel wool and some Vim and an old toothbrush for 10 minutes on this hubcap.
Came out pretty good I'd say. Could use a little more detailing and maybe some polish too.
Hubcaps before and after

Received some pictures today of the truck coming apart.

Looks like I'm going to need some patch panels. We'll know more once it comes back from the media blaster.

Hoping the floor is not as bad as it looks but not holding my breath!

Howdy Darcy. Great family truck that you are saving. Will you have it driveable by early June for History Road at the Reynolds
museum. We are hoping to take our 1955 one ton, It would be great to meet another Alberta Bolter.
Happy wrenching, Howie

Sorry Howie, not 2016 but 2017 looks pretty good! I've got my fingers crossed for a serious 2017 mileage year!

Hey guys, the truck is coming apart and lots of rust is not surprising. The media blaster is going to have his opportunity soon to show us just how much good metal is left behind.
I'm wondering if I'll need to buy a whole new floor or not.

Surgery under way! Some pieces are stubborn as expected. Media blasting is in the near future.

https://goo.gl/photos/y3Wt5qD7rJn45cfm6

Hopefully, most of it will come back from the media blasters... hard to tell of course at this point.

I grabbed a can of Upol High 5 primer and a Spray Max custom fill can of Omaha Orange and sprayed an extra glove box door to see if I like the color. The glove box door is a great piece to spray and see because it has a flat piece and a curved piece.

The picture here does NOT represent the true color of the Omaha Orange... it appears far too bright and not even close to the color as I see it with my naked eye.

Omaha Orange and Upol High 5 primer on glove box door

Actually, I like the color you see here better than the actual color that I see on the glove box door so I am considering straying from the original color formula...

The picture looks like late 60's Hugger Orange to me...I like it!

Mike B

I like it, too. And I like Omaha Orange. You just don't see it a lot. You can search (from the menu bar, not the forum search) our site for "Omaha Orange" and see the few that are in here. ... a few of them are your threads Footstomper!

More pieces coming off!
The 16" rim was dressed up with 16" Coker 7.50 R tires to ensure ride height has enough clearance to turn the big boys around a corner! Success!! Now they come off, to allow for further tear down.

No glass in cab makes great air conditioning!

So I picked up this 1955 donor. Rebuilt motor and suspension including all sheet metal work on the cab.
https://goo.gl/photos/Dcs6phbvqric7GTNA

So I painted a grill piece and had a paint failure that I thought I would share.
https://goo.gl/photos/ae6XDFkMB9QpyuA69

this is Original Orange in a rustoleum spray can.
It wrinkled because I sanded some runs and didn't prime before new paint... the old paint didn't like the new paint without primer in between. Oh well... I got to see the color!

I recently purchased pretty much everything we'll need to get the truck done. Bumpers to paint to upholstery to wiring harness etc. I loaded it all up in my truck and loaded the donor onto the car dolly and off we went.

Polished up the gauges and decided they were just fine for the finished results.

The engine picture shows my father's handy work when he brazed an extra exhaust manifold port to run dual exhaust. He made this about 40 years ago... back in the 1970's.

Cool, I also have a 59 GMC fleet to restore. Probaably wil start on it in a year or so.

Donor fenders are on for alignment and fit.

Media blasting and some sand blasting has cleaned up the cab and front clip. The hood is so perfect, you'd think it was brand new! Fenders need some work, but aren't too bad. Notice the lead work on the back of the cab? Someone with master lead skills replaced the roof and did a remarkable job!!

Foot stomper
FYI
Many TF cabs were leaded as part of the factory build process.
I have seen it in 55.1, 57, 58 cabs.
delky dave in wyo

I agree. This particular one shows more clues it wasn't factory but still a very good job was done for sure.

More epoxy primer. Lusid TNEX is pretty easy to spray and really covers nicely in two coats.

More blasting, priming and now some welding. Lower hinge pocket needed some cage nuts installed and cab corners needed some stitch welds too. Closed up the hinge pillars too.

Did some detailing on some emblems with Autosol metal polish. Turned out pretty good but nothing can be done about the pitting short of replating... so that's what's getting done.

NOTE BY MODERATOR: After photos missing.

Cab mostly done and now mounted on the frame.

Looking good FootStomper. Nice looking work.

Got handy with my stainless. Having never worked with it before I think I did pretty good.

Test fit the replacement fenders and ended up deciding to use the originals as they fit far better. The door gap was a deciding factor as you will see in the attached image.

The rear diff got freshened up with Rustoleum Roc Prime and Sierra waterborne primer and paint. Sprayed very nice!

The split exhaust manifold my dad made got a bead blast then the Eastwood hot application cast iron paint treatment.

Summer is closing here in Alberta so getting back to the truck.
Sheet metal is done and we are getting into some painting now.

I like color with a little "color" to it. You da man.

High build primer sprayed out on front fenders and grill.

Last week we got lots done on the truck. I took a few days off work and went to work on it with my buddy Ken. Used white high build primer, sprayed the box tubs, grill support panel, under the hood and then painted them. I sanded with 320 the Varathane into the elm and am I ever impressed with the natural colors it brought out in the wood. Took the steering column out, parke brake lever too. The rim tire combination looks good and am happy with the result. The box was very difficult to take apart. Every nut and bolt had to cut off. The stainless bedside trim needs a fair bit of work too and the chevron and spears need to be re chromed. We installed the visor too.
Various Pictures of recent work.

Ken laid out some color on the doors last night! He can really lay it on nice! His bodywork looks perfect and I know he's not painting until it is perfect!
I took a stab at refinishing the bedside stainless this weekend. There's one spot that is quite bad. I think it got bent backwards (outwards) at some point. The picture here is before and after my work today. It's ready now for sanding with finer grits up to 2000 then the rouge and buffing wheel will finish it. I spent about two hours on it to get to this this point.

Took a few more days to go out to work on the truck with Ken. We were able to paint the bottom of the cab black and painted the firewall orange. Then three of us lifted it back onto the frame for the last time!

We hooked up all the brake lines, bled the brakes, set up the drums and checked for leaks. Brakes are now ready to stop the truck.

I dumped in a jug of oil into the motor, primed the carb and fired it up for the very first time. We had to monkey with the timing and the distributor placement but in the end, it fired and ran for about 3 seconds as we didn't have a fuel line hooked up, no coolant and no oil filter, but we now know it runs! I fully expected it too as it's a brand new rebuild and had never been fired before! We did discover an exhaust manifold leak at #6 so it's going to go in to get planed.

The seat went into the upholstery shop too. They are going to make a headliner with the same fabric and make new upholstered door panels too.

Took the side trim chevron and speers in for rechrome too.

It's sure is getting close so my wife I are getting excited!

Working on the bedside stainless today. Starting with 220, then 400 as you see it here. After the 400, I sanded it with 600, 800 and then 1000 today.
Tomorrow I will finish it with 1500 then 2000 before hitting it with green rouge and the buffing wheel.

Here's some finished pictures of the bedside stainless.

More work will happen this week after Christmas.

Finished sanding and polishing the bedside stainless. In all, I must have spent 80 hours or more refinishing all the stainless trim including the deluxe cab trim.
My son gave me a book on GMC's for Christmas.

Here are a number of pictures to view.
GMC book and stainless finished

Next step is wiring... fun times ahead!

Here's a picture of the truck with the painted firewall resting on the frame.

Just needed to say how nice the project is looking. It makes my unrestored 55 look tacky.

A few of us will possibly attend the big show at the Reynolds in June. I would like to meet you and admire your truck.

The finish line is close. Nice job.
Howie

Thanks for the accolades Howie!
I am confident it will be on the road in May so would love to meet up with you and the others in June at Reynolds.

I am gathering wiring supplies and intel currently as I hope to get it wired shortly. Another trip back to Regina is going to happen sooner than later to get this done!

Cab interior is now painted along with the grill.
Next steps are more masking and paint the outside of the cab.
Ken must have spent at least 6 hours masking and three hours painting just to paint the inside of the cab alone!! Tons of work and perfectionist attention to detail needed in two toning a cab! It's not for the faint of heart!!

Cab is masked off now for HB primer, then color is next!
Pictures are going to be hard to get from now on because Ken is getting close to cutting me off from seeing anymore. He wants to keep me in the dark as to how it all looks until I actually get to pick it up.
I have ordered a wiring harness from "Seth" on Facebook who claims it's a plug and play original replacement. It has signal light wiring, generator and amp gauge provisions. I was making plans to go and wire the truck next week with the Haywire kit but now it seems I don't need to since Ken will be able to wire it himself with the "Seth" kit.
Might get a few bodywork pictures on the bed but that is likely all I'm going to get...

Well, got more pictures! Ken was busy yesterday painting the cab! What do you guys think of my color choice?

Nice to see it coming back together. Better than the Brown.
I am looking forward to seeing it this spring. Will it now have a key start?

I have the same building just no insulation. Mine is 40 x 48 and did not have the funds to combat the cold.
but will need to as I now have a new condensing boiler for the hydronic heat.
Must keep those Chevys warm.

Keep up the good work Darcy.

Howie

Well my Dad picked that brown back in the early 70's. Is actually a very nice brown as far as brown goes... I wanted to stick to more original orange but didn't like Omaha Orange so strayed a little... haha
The stomp start is definitely going to stay! That's all part of the experience. Push Button start from the 50's... ahead of it's time!

I actually found a stock replacement wiring harness! Ken is plugging it in with a few questions but overall it's going very well. The VIN and ID plates are installed too!
I am finding it hard to believe that we are at the rebuilding stage!

I'd like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my grandfather shown here restoring his 1927 Chrysler in the mid 1980's, when he was in his mid 80's (born in 1899). My family has a long history of vehicle restoration and I know he would approve!

Good for you Darcy. Your Grandfather has been smiling down on your project
and providing the inspiration to do such a good job.
I hope the 29 Chrysler is somehow still in the family.

In the early 60s I learned to drive in my aunts 53 Ranchwagon. It had a start button.
Thinking of that old Ford every time I see a add for a modern auto with "push button start"
And if I remember correctly the car actually needed to be manually steered into a parking spot.

Stainless trim is being installed, radio, heater and vent controls too!
Engine wiring and fuel line are coming along nicely also.
Ken has been busting his arse on this truck and I know he's doing a great job!

No, the Chrysler and the 27 Model A he restored have been sold.
Dad still has the 30 Chevrolet 3 Window pictured here, my cousin has Grandpa's 1953 Chev and the 59 GMC shown here makes for enough Shier cars. I let the '69 442 go to make room in the garage (and the bank account) for the truck. The yellow and blue GMC trucks are gone too. The 55 Cameo is also sold.

Can't keep them all.

I love those cars with the old solid steel wheels. One of these days...........!

Cokers, rims and new hub caps are now installed.
The new engine ran like crap with the old style yellow spark plug wires so new black ones fixed that problem! "Runs like a top!"
For the very first time, Ken dropped into low gear and it moved under it's own power! Reverse worked just a nicely too! Yahoo!!!

Tires turning down the road... first cruise!!

So this past week I drove 500 miles to work on the truck with Ken for a few days. We got lots done!
I spent a few hours working on repairing the steering wheel cracks with Fusor 100EZ and a dremel.

I Vee'd out all the cracks with my Dremel tool and the bit shown in the picture below. It worked perfectly and I would highly recommend this tool for this job!

Fusor 100EZ is a beautiful plastic bonding material that has a 40 minute work time. Because of the long working time, I was able to only use one static mixer by squeezing out a tiny bit of adhesive at a time onto some masking paper and used my gloved finger to smear and push it into the grooved out cracks. I used the static mixer to mix the product as per manufacturer's instructions. I kept applying product as it started to set up as it sunk into the cracks. I made sure I had built up enough product to be sure that when I sanded and Dremelled the excess material off, I could smooth over the cracks and not have any low spots.

I turned out real nice!

Headliner material was installed by the upholstery professional. Not shown in the pictures, but plenty used, was the special headliner spray adhesive. I wouldn't dream of attempting this job and plenty of extra hands are very helpful.

Ken and I F'd with the back window and got it in with a lot of soap, grunt and swear words! Not an easy job but we persisted! The lock strip tool was a huge help and made the job possible... I can't imagine putting it in without it!

Door glass went in too! I had worked on a 55 Cameo last summer where I replaced the broken windows but was a little rusty about the steps to putting everything back in... but the steps are first to drop in the vent window but not screw it into place, then drop in the roll up window, then get the roll up in the tracks and then you can screw in the vent window.

Dash cluster installation went pretty good. The new dash plates installed easily but the oil pressure line is a little too short so that challenged us a little. All in all, it went in nicely.

The passenger door got installed along with the front fenders. Really starting to take shape now!!

Filler panel and left front fender were next. The filler panel was a donor from a Chevrolet so we had to drill 4 holes to accommodate the GMC grill. Put the headlights in and plugged them in to test the wiring... success!

NOS park lights installed in the grill and are ready to install on the truck along with the re-chromed 9310 emblem.

After drilling the 4 extra holes, the grill mounted without any challenges except for a 2 hour f'n around challenge with what we thought was a wiring issue but turned out to be a faulty 1157 bulb!!! ARRRGGGHHH
The hood got installed as well. Still some adjustments to be made at this point.

The new repop bumper and chrome headlight bezel fitment was really good!