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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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| | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,962 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,962 | An old fire truck is beginning to look like the 550 I drove over a half a century ago. I took the axles and the rest of the air brake stuff out of an old LCF parts truck. I mounted a Fontain 5th wheel of the era the way we did it back then. U-bolts and a 2x4 for a cushion. Not DOT legal any more, but I want it to be the way we did it. The fuel tanks are just dummies. 100 gallons of gas would get stale on me. I thought a pickup tank would fit behind the seat, but the larger original tank is several inches taller and the fill neck doesn't fit. The hole in the cab is higher than a pickup and I didn't want to deal with that. I mounted a spun aluminum tank behind the seat. I have to flop the seat forward to fill it, but that's OK. https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...aWRyU1NYNnRCZ09OVElhckdEelNLbXNobjlnTnNnThe tubeless tires are coming off in favor of 10.00x20 tube required like I ran on my old GMC. I bought a trailer from Saunders Leasing in 1967 that had tubeless tires and I have been running tubeless ever since. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2015 Posts: 2,063 Big Bolt Forum Moderator | | Big Bolt Forum Moderator Joined: Dec 2015 Posts: 2,063 | that is sweet! I should find some tanks like that for my 58! | | | | | Joined: Oct 2017 Posts: 54 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2017 Posts: 54 | I like the look of that truck. I hope you do not paint it. I have a 1960 Internatonal B140 all wheel drive that could be a tractor too.
1959 Apache 31
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 3,603 Moderator | | Moderator Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 3,603 | Another Missouri truck being saved!
Cool story and truck.
Don
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck"The Flag Pole"In the Stovebolt Gallery1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most! | | | | | Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 942 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2003 Posts: 942 |
'60-'72 Chev/GMC Fan
GMC 9500 Fan
Detroit Diesel Fan
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | Ken,
What engine and trans?
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,829 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,829 | So, when are you going to plow the Lower 40 with it?
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,962 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,962 | It is a 324 Olds with a New Process 540. My original 550 had a 370. I have a wrecker and a winch truck with a 370 but I am not going to swap them. You can't tell the difference between a 324 and a 370 by looking at them. All 3 of them have 2 speed Eatons. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,829 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,829 | I'm accumulating the bits and pieces to make a "tractor" also- - - -a modern day version of a doodlebug. I'll be using a Mercruiser Marine 4 cylinder engine, a SM 318 3 speed trans, a 1946 truck crash box 4 speed, and a vacuum shift 2 speed rear end with dual wheels. I'll be using a narrowed pickup truck straight axle up front. If I've done my math right, that works out to 32 forward speeds and at least 16 (?) in reverse!
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 3,603 Moderator | | Moderator Joined: Aug 2001 Posts: 3,603 | Jerry
I get 24 forward and 8 reverse in my math.
Foreword, 3 x 4 = 12, 12 x 2= 24
Reverse, 1 x 4 = 4, 4 x2 = 8
Are you testing us?
Great projects for both of you.
Keep the pictures coming.
Don
Last edited by 2-Ton; 11/25/2017 12:29 PM.
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck"The Flag Pole"In the Stovebolt Gallery1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most! | | | | | Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 Crusing in the Passing Lane | | Crusing in the Passing Lane Joined: Jun 2011 Posts: 5,096 | I almost got a fire truck with 370 and 540 like that, must have been a common combination.
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires.
'47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle.
'54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed.
'55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,829 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,829 | How about reverse/reverse as a forward speed, with low/high rear axle options? That's usually the lowest speed of the creeper gears on a doodlebug. There's also a bunch of options with one trans in forward gears, and the other in reverse, plus low/high rear axle choices. There's a lot of ratio overlaps, however..
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
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