Just some trivia I ran across in my GMC stuff while looking for something else this morning.
Last edited by Bill Hanlon; 05/24/20264:31 PM.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
~Charley 1954 Chevy 3100 with 235 “Bud” Follow along in the DITY 1963 Chevy half ton stepside short box 230 1954 GMC 3 ton 302 And several more Chevy camper and work trucks 1979 1987 1996
Apparently, and I doubt if the factory model came with an axle that had a differential in the middle.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Right. I have an old farmer example, don’t think it’s GM, but the improvised axle has a small drum at one end only. . I’m trying to imagine GMC setting up a whole factory to make these. Couldn’t have been a huge market for them.
~Charley 1954 Chevy 3100 with 235 “Bud” Follow along in the DITY 1963 Chevy half ton stepside short box 230 1954 GMC 3 ton 302 And several more Chevy camper and work trucks 1979 1987 1996
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
1939 Packard Standard Eight Coupe (The Phantom) | 1956 Cadillac Coupe de Ville (The Bismarck) | 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe |1966 Ford Mustang (Little Red) | 1969 Pontiac GTO (The Dishpit) I 1979 Ford F-100 | 1976 Ford F-150 (Big Red) | 1995 Ford F-150 (Newt)
Kenneth Crenwelge (GiantMountainClimber) has a home made one cut off of a 150 GMC in his side yard. Brakes were not in use. I liberated a brake spreader from it for another old trucker who was missing one.
Last edited by Bill Hanlon; 05/24/202610:32 PM.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
There's a Jim Carter article about the "Trailabout" that says these were only manufactured for 2 years starting in 1937.
For the bottomless pockets some folks (not me) may have, you can have an Original 1937 Trailabout for the small price tag of $14,500.
I've attached one screenshot from the ad, but there are a whole bunch more pictures in the ad that interested folks may want to take snapshots of to save for historical knowledge.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
I bought this thing earlier this year to turn into a flower stand for my wife. I knew it was a ford and i honestly did look much at it because i didn’t care about it. I knew it would serve the purpose I planned. Then I started looking at it closer and was amazed how close it was to my 49 gmc 150 and how many parts looked identical. Then I realized it was actually all GM underneath with a ford bed just sitting on top. SCORE! Now i have spare rear end, axles, drums. I didn’t pull the cover to look at gears but it would be hilarious if it had 4:11’s in it hahaha. That would be worth 10x what I paid for it. 1st pic is the day I picked it up and next pic is with it all done ready to be loaded up with cut flowers on the road side.
Dan - I did capture the pictures for future reference. Sure would be nice to get a readable shot of the GMC "label". I'll try to contact the seller and see if he would take a better picture of it.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
That would be great to see a better picture of the data plate.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
You may be able to save a reach out to the seller Bill.
Here's a cropped and zoomed in picture of the data plate that I think pretty well shows the details. I see a Model Number of "TT 25 B", Chassis# "683" and axle rating of "1000" lbs.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
Here's an AACA Forums thread that has some pictures of early news articles discussing the GMC Trailabout. Lots of extra details about the trailers including that there were evidently 2 different lengths and 4 different models available.
I wasn't aware of any of this info and thankful that Bill posted about it to share with the community.
Last edited by Gdads51; 05/25/20263:10 AM. Reason: resize pics for better viewing
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
I contacted the seller and asked for a better picture. He seemed very willing, but said it would be a few days before he was back at the trailer.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
