The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts GMC vs. Chevy?

Hey guys,

First, I gotta say that this is a great resource for these old trucks. Very Nice! I just added my 54 6400 to the gallery (which I am trying to get started).

Anyway, the reason I call upon you today is something that I saw today. I was driving home from work, and I saw an old flatbed with the tell-tale AD cab design facing away from me beside a 4wd shop. So I pulled over and found that it was a GMC 300 series truck. The body looked good, the glass (other than the right side of the windshield) was intact, it has a chrome grille, 2 speed rear end, etc. Upon closer inspection, the first numbers of the vin were FC 303. From the vin I found it to be a 161" wb truck that came from around 1948.

It looked to be close to my 54, but I don't know how much is interchangable. I saw some differences: no vent windows, different door handles, and 2 extra levers to the transmission (automatic? it didn't seem to have a clutch pedal), grille, and fenders. On the plus side, the cab is in much better shape than mine and it has lots of goodies. What do you guys think?

Thank You,
J.K.

The no vent windows and different door handles sound like common differences between a '48 and a '54 within the Chevy line.

I've often had to look close to tell the difference between a GMC and a Chevy, even with newer models.

I'd guess they are probably just about identical and would probably work.. but thats just a guess.. you'll wanna know for sure before you have the new cab suspended from a tractor and finding out the bolts don't line up.

The cab will interchange but you'll lose your one piece windshield. The transmission would not be an auto from the factory but who knows what may have been installed in the ensuing 50+ years. You may have seen a PTO lever to raise and lower the bed.

There were a few '54 medium-duty GMCs built with Hydramatics. One sold on eBay a few months back. Had some sort of funky factory setup to hook a PTO to the Hydramatic.

The Hydramatic was fairly common in '54 GMC pickups.

Thanks guys, I'll see how much the guy wants for it. If for nothing else than parts, this truck should be pretty nice. As a matter of fact, it may be in better shape than the chevy....we'll see.

If it's better, than the Chevy. I'd most definitely fix the GMC.

Yes, GMCpanel, the Hydramatic was available in '54 GMCs and in '53 GMCs but not in '48 GMC civilian models.
I agree with Spanky. Chevys make excellent parts trucks for GMCs.

Cletis, I got that backwards. I thought the second truck was the '54.

I'll third the motion that Chebbies are great GMC parts trucks.

That must be because the GMC parts wear out first while the Chevys just keep on going!

There were big differences between my '91 GMC Jimmy and a '91 Chevrolet Blazer.

Rims for instance.. wait.. no.. those were the same.

Doors were different.. wait.. no.. those were the same too.

Glass had to be different right? Nope. The glass out of an '87 Blazer fit right in my '91 Jimmy.

Ok, so my Jimmy had a crappy digital dash that was notorious for not lasting more than 10 years.. thats a difference, right??

With the parts so interchangable, it makes me wonder why the heck GM even makes a "GMC Truck" and a "Chevrolet Truck" but I guess it boils down to marketing.

The Camero and the Firebird were pretty much the same car, just different headlights and tail lights.. the Buick Regal, Olds Cutlass, Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix were all the same car, too.

Chevy Chevette and Pontiac T1000.. same car.

I just happen to like the way the Chevrolets look better than GMC, as a general rule.. altho I think I like the new GMC grills better than the new Chevy ones.

I know the '54 (and 1st series '55)had the one-piece curved windshield, unique grill, front fenders and hood(?), as well as the flat rail top on the bed. The '54 GMC seemed to have the same grill and fenders as the older models, but also had the one-piece windshield and bed rails. I put a 270 Jimmy in my '54 chevvy PU and found that while the bellhouse would swap, the front mount missed the frame holes by a good inch or so.

The '54 GMCs used the same fenders and parklights as the '54-'55.1 Chebbies. The innner grille was the same as previous years, the surround was quite different.

Dave, the center piece of the '54 gmc grille is the same as earlier ones but the grille surround pieces are different.

And as you found out the GMC "long motor" is longer. The GMC radiator sits further forward than a Chevy with a filler neck sticking out of the aft side.

Fumblin', by '91 there were few differnces except trim between the Chevy and GMC. And GM has used interchangable body parts on their cars since the early '40s at least.

And for the last several years some "American" cars and trucks and "Japanese" cars and trucks share bodies and come down the same assembly line.

But in the AD series of trucks there were plenty of differences. The GMC using a high oil pressure truck engine while the Chevy used a splash oiled car motor for most of the run being a major one. There were many other small differences such as clamps on the brake lines on GMC and clips on Chevy, thicker frame on GMC, higher amp generators and on and on.

ive seen a 1950 GMC 3/4 in a salvage yard,,Real good frame..most of the 1950 Era Chevy 1/2 tons around here rust out so bad on the driver's side..So i have to say GMC makes(or made) a better frame..also i think GMC is more of a work truck too...although im a Chevy Guy.. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I haven't noticed one brand being any more or less rusted than the other.. i've seen GMC and Chevy trucks rusted so bad you could load the bed thru the side, and i've seen others that looked like they were kept in a museum.

Seems like in the 50's the GMC had a better selection of engines, tho.