The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Archived Journals 1952 GMC 1/2 ton Project - starting with a basket case

Wow, that's some very nice work! Looks great!

Actually pulled the beast out of the shop on its own power. Have to work a little more on the brakes before a test drive.

Brought the bed into the shop, already found a major issue. Very altered bed. Going to have to get creative to be able to ever mount it. I knew someone put a metal floor in it but never looked at the under side

Glad to see you back at it. Your truck looks amazing and congrats on moving her on her own power,

For those looking for a little follow up on the bed dilemma, Paul has a great thread started in Making a Stovebolt Bed, "Done with the cab; ready to start the bed: questions begin!" Great input with lots of photos!

I wish I had before pictures of the doors but I sure like the after pictures. The guy that did my upholstery made door panels for me and then upholstered them. I made door pulls out of 3/4 inch steel tube, they are very sturdy

Oh wow. I do like those door pulls. I have to pull on the door *somewhere* and not use the window or regular handle to open the door. It'd be neat to have a pull up top, too, to help me pull into the truck.

I ended up having to get another used running board because one that came with the truck was so roached out I could not use it. I got so tired of messing with surface rust, so I took the two running boards to a guy who sandblasted them and then powder coated them. I scored four brand new tires on Chevy rims from a guy who pulled them off of a Jimmy, for 300 bucks, I left the tires on sanded the crap out of the wheels and then painted them with a single stage enamel, the same enamel I used on the grill and trim. I was able to polish up all the lug nuts and reuse them

Yes, that pull is very useful helping get up into the truck

Mounted the front bumper today. The bumper was broken at the far right mounting hole, cracked completely off. I cut 4 inches off of the good end and welded it to the broken end and reshaped the cut end. Having to drill a hole through that bumper was tuff, I don't know if it was the steel and weld combined or what. Got through it with a$15 1/2 inch carbide tipped masonry bit.
The bumper is 4 inches short on both ends, still looks good I think.
Need to come up with some sort of apron now.

That bumper looks good. Not surprising you had trouble drilling it. Original bumpers are high carbon (spring) steel and are tougher than woodpecker lips (to hijack one of Jerry's expressions )