The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1951 gmc pickup

I'm new to this forum. I'm from west TN. I have an old 51 GMC truck I drove on the farm while I was a kid. About three weeks ago, I went and got it to do a complete restoration.

Right now I have everything off the frame and am about to have the frame sandblasted and painted. I need some help on this.

After sitting in the field for about 46 years, the bottom of the cab is real rusted out and I am going to be needing some parts for this project. I am going to do this by myself and I have been real sick for a while but never the less this would have made my Daddy so proud.

The truck doesn't have a serial number but on the engine, the number is A248I45293. Can anybody help me with this.

Tnks,
Moonshine Mike

That is a 248 cu. in. Engine, stock, the A indicates it was probably rebuilt ar some time. Parts are available.

Ed

That is not a stock engine for a '51 pickup. Is it a larger truck?

There should be a tag inside the driver door frame, forward side. A pickup would have had a 228 engine from the factory. Yours has been replaced.

You might want to look at tubeless rims, 16" for a start. If you plan big loads, 19.5 or 17.5". Modern GMC and Chevy have those rims. Make sure center registration ID is correct for your truck.

Ed

mcannon, the majority of the members on this site are not 20 somethings. We appreciate capital letters and punctuation marks. Makes your posts easier to read. Please refrain from stringing together your sentences and thoughts. Your presence here is appreciated and you will find many helpful people. Just remember your English classes in school and all will be well.

I am very sorry about my posting "withou english" i have been very sick lately and want to apoligze but this was my dads old truck and i want to make it pretty again. i will try real hard to do things alot better, pls help me to do better, Thank You, Mike Cannon. (West Tn.)

Moonshine Mike,

Here is a little more information about your engine serial number: A248I45293

The "A" indicates the following about your 248 cu inch engine (which, as posted above by cletis, was not the standard engine on smaller GMCs in 1951):

The "A" preface in the Engine Serial Number indicates that the original engine, from the factory had these "non-standard" characteristics:
- Cylinder bore was +.005 over/bigger than the standard bore.
- Main journals and rod journales were -.010 under the original diameter.

Do you have any ID information from a title or registration?

What size tires?

No sweat Mike! Lots of people on this site ready and willing to help you get your dad's old truck pretty again. Jerry (Hotrod Lincoln) probably doesn't live too far from you. He has a wealth of knowledge on everything mechanical and then some.
There are several different forums on this site dedicated to each aspect of these trucks. You will get better responses by posting specific questions in each of those forums.
Carl

One of the greatest MLB broadcasters of all times was Dizzy Dean and his English/grammar was atrocious so just post any way you can and we will decipher it. I did a very rough 51 GMC 40 years ago and the only part that was a problem finding was the stainless strip above the speaker grill that has "GENERAL MOTORS TRUCK" on it. The owner used it in his plumbing business to make the rounds to check on all his crews which added up to 200K miles over 10 years or so. At that time he brought it back for a rebuilt engine and some a/c work. Still looked good (picture).
http://s32.photobucket.com/user/coilover/media/51GMC011-1.jpg.html

I don't have the title. Mother has no idea after Dad died. He never put tags on it. She said it stayed on the big farm and never got off the farm but I am working on this matter. Thank you for the info. mcannon

Thank YOu so much.

I am trying real hard to work on this truck. I would like to thank everbody for your help and information. again Thank yoou, Moonshine Mike

In most states you can file for a lost title; much easier than any other process. Talk to your DMV.

Thank you very much Evan

If you're doing an off-the-frame restoration, be sure to take plenty of pictures as you disassemble things, and keep all the nuts and bolts for specific areas in labeled containers. There's nothing more frustrating than a pile of parts and a 5-gallon bucket of bolts when it's time to reassemble a project!
Jerry

Just thought i would ask a few questions, just got my motor and transmission off the frame i am going to go throught the motor, but is ther any thing ineed to know about this project just remember this is my first one and i want it right , i am haveing a very hard time finding any rims of any kind that will fit this truck Pls let me know if you can help me in any way. Thank You, Moonshine Mike