Hey everyone! I am still rather new to the forum, and I have a 1951 GMC which I bought back in April of 2020. I bought it from a guy who told me it was a 1951 GMC 1 ton truck. It has a dump bed. It has the 137" wheel base. I have another post in the ads regarding its parking brake: it has the drums on the drive shaft. According to what I have found, this was only placed on 1 1/2 ton and the 2 ton trucks. The engine is supposedly a 235 inline 6. Looking at the serial number information on the forum and other websites, I am getting totally confused. The serial number is 281-22-P-1819. From what I can decipher so far is that it was made in Pontiac and 1819 is the production number.
My question is does anyone know how to make sense of it? I need to know for various reasons, but specifically for parts. Do I have a 1 ton, 1 1/2 ton, or a 2 ton??? The forum has information talking about 3100, 3600, etc. I have no idea what I have! Help!!! Mike
It is on the driver's side. Open the door and there it is. It says "Serial No." and gives this number stamped into the tag. Below it, it offers additional information, like "Certified Net Horsepower" and below that it gives "Maximum Gross Weight." I would show you a photo of it, but I am not techy enough to figure out how to link photos yet.
281-22 is a 1951 GMC series 280, 137 WB and has chassis serial No. range of 1001-1844. 228 motor. P is probably Pontiac MI. I think it is a 1 Ton. The 3100, 3600 and 235 motor are all Chevy talk. You have a GMC.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
Thanks! I am looking at so many websites, I am forgetting to notice if the chart is for Chevy or GMC. However, the information I found said they put the drum brake system on the drive shaft on 1 1/2 tons and 2 tons. That is part of my confusion as well. Do you know where on the frame they stamp the serial number as well?
Don't think yours is stamped, but earlier years were, on the passenger frame, above front axle. Supposedly on the side of the frame. I guess you have a 1 ton with a driveline Ebrake. You are talking a Ebrake handle, right side of gear shift lever, right? I see some 1 Ton Max Gross Weight plates say 8800. Don't know their WB, don't know what a 1.5T says. Maybe the long 137 WB came with driveline brake?
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
Your guess is as good as mine. I appreciate your help! When I look things up, I find conflicting things occasionally. And, as we all know, GM assembly lines were notorious for throwing things together whenever they ran out of a particular part--and made it work no matter the year. My guess is that it is a 1 ton or 1 1/2. I have some parts for brakes that I need to buy, which is why I have been wracking my brain.
Oh, and yes, I am talking about the hand lever-Ebrake on the drive shaft. The gross weight (just checked it) says 11,000.
To link photos, Put the pics in your pic files on your computer and use the attachment manager in lower left of post. Easy to follow. If you don't see "attachment manager", click "Use Full Editor" at bottom. Then it will appear. Pics will help everyone help you. Good clear pics, well lit and all around truck.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
Thanks guys! Brad: That is the type of tag I am getting the info from. I just wanted to know if there was another location. The tag I have is getting hard to read due to age and wear I guess.
Ed: That helps!! Thanks!
Mike B: She has 5 lugs ont he front tires and on the dually backs, she has ten lugs. Her tires are 7.50-20. I will try to post some pictures. I hope it works! Mike
Mike B: She has 5 lugs ont he front tires and on the dually backs, she has ten lugs. Her tires are 7.50-20. I will try to post some pictures. I hope it works! Mike
The wheels/tires also confirm it's a 1-1/2 ton truck...1-ton trucks use 8-lugs while the 1-1/2 and 2-ton had the 5/10 lug on 20" wheels.
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
I'm not sure but your truck should of had a number emblem on the side of the hood above or below the GMC emblem. Something like 100, 150, 350 would give you the model/series tonnage of the the truck.
The tag on the drives side hinge pillar should give you the year/model/series of the truck.
oldgmctrucks.com website is kind of hard to find stuff but just keep clicking on links and you will eventually find more info.. ID page http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0012.html
Again, I have to say thank you to all of you guys for the information! Knowing that it is a 1 1/2 ton definitely helps me get the right parts!!!
Thanks, Frank50! I liked her from the moment I saw the sales ad. She is rather unique in my small, rural town. I have a LOT to do to get her going, but it is going to be worth it!
I'm not sure but your truck should of had a number emblem on the side of the hood above or below the GMC emblem. Something like 100, 150, 350 would give you the model/series tonnage of the the truck.
The tag on the drives side hinge pillar should give you the year/model/series of the truck.
oldgmctrucks.com website is kind of hard to find stuff but just keep clicking on links and you will eventually find more info.. ID page http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0012.html
That website, and those pages, are what I used to decode his truck at the beginning of this post. I declared it a 1T because it is what the documents/website say it is. Mr. Rob English lists the page that includes 280 series as 1/2, 3/4, 1T. I think it was assumed all 1 1/2 T, and up, were on the next page. The rest of the internet seems to say that a 280 series is a 1.5T as Mike and the lug nuts say.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
Mike, Your truck is a "Rare" 1 1/4 ton truck. Not many of those were made. You'll notice it has the same small truck grille, as the 1/2 ton, through 1 ton trucks, with a extra piece attached to the splash panel below the grille, to fill the space between the grille, and the channel bumper. Everything else looks like a 300 series, 1 1/2 ton. The 300 series, and larger trucks, have a larger grille. Here's a 280 series 1 1/4 ton, next to a 300 series 1 1/2 ton. A friend of mine owns these two trucks.
Spanky Hardy Collector Of Fine Old G.M. COE Trucks & Antique Holmes Wreckers
I've been buying, selling, and collecting 47-54 GM trucks, for over 40 years, and have only seen two, 280 series GMC's in person. One of which was For Sale, in my area. I'm still kicking myself, for not buying it.
Spanky Hardy Collector Of Fine Old G.M. COE Trucks & Antique Holmes Wreckers
Mike, Your truck is a "Rare" 1 1/4 ton truck. Not many of those were made. You'll notice it has the same small truck grille, as the 1/2 ton, through 1 ton trucks, with a extra piece attached to the splash panel below the grille, to fill the space between the grille, and the channel bumper. Everything else looks like a 300 series, 1 1/2 ton. The 300 series, and larger trucks, have a larger grille. Here's a 280 series 1 1/4 ton, next to a 300 series 1 1/2 ton. A friend of mine owns these two trucks.
Are the fenders and hood from the 1 1/4 ton the same as the 1 1/2 ton and larger trucks?
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
Thanks guys for all of the help. I did join the GMC forum, and Spanky and another fellow helped me identify her as a 1-1/4 ton truck. I can honestly say that using the internet information and the charts, I would NEVER have figured it out for myself. It is nice to have these two forum communities to help each other out!!!
