The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Canadian built AD/ND

I'm looking at possibly buying a 1950 Canadian built GMC but I have a few questions. I know the Oshawa built units used the Chevy 216 instead of the GMC 228, so am I to assume they used the lighter/shorter, Chevy frame too, making these just chevy trucks in GMC trim?
Brian

My 54 gmc 9300 came with the Chevy engine 235.I had a 51 parts truck and it had the 216 .The frame as far as I now is no different than a Chevy frame with possibly differences for the different front grill .

Ribside - I recently acquired an original 1947 Canadian Chevy/GMC Truck Shop manual and a 1948-50 Canadian Chevy/GMC Truck Shop Manual Supplement, which I haven't actually had a chance to delve into yet. When I get a chance I'll try and do a bit of reading in them to see what can be found on your question. Can you provide the Model# from the truck you're looking at? It will help me search through the books.

In the meantime, perhaps some of our other Canadian built GMC Owners will chime in with what they know?

Gdads51,
Yeah, it's a 9314
9= GMC
3= 1/2 ton
1= 116" WB
4= Pickup
Engine= C370137 (Unknown) I suspect C= 216cui and serial #?
Paint Code= 30 (Unknown) I can't find GMC paint codes
Trim Code= 394 (Unknown) I can't find GMC trim codes

I don't know why GM would market GMC's along with Chevys, being they are the same truck, coming off the same line with only the hood, grill, dash trim, and oddly, the GMC radiator being the difference. In the US, one bought a GMC because it had the bigger, better motor and stouter frame. I can only assume GM did this so they didn't have to build a dedicated GMC plant in Canada.

Hy Ribside, I don't know why GM Canada built Canadian GMC light trucks the way they did, possibly no casting capacity for making the better engineered GMC engine. The GMC engine is a bit longer than the Chevy engine, that requires a different frame front crossmember. As far as the American GMC frames being "heavier" I have no way to prove or disprove that statement.

3B,
I was informed the GMC frames used slightly heavier gauge steel.

The Canadian 1948-50 Maintenance Manual Supplement shows both the Canadian Chevrolet and GMC offerings used the same Chevy 216 engine, so it can be presumed that both trucks used the same frame and drivetrain. Your assumptions about why GM of Canada did what they did could be valid, but we'll probably never know for sure.

Your "C370137" engine serial number matches known Canadian serial number formats. Somewhere I read that the "C" designation was given to the "Light Commercial Truck" 216 models, but I've lost the link to where that came from unfortunately.

I too have unfortunately not been able to find information on decoding either the trim or paint codes, yet.

You might find this site useful.
Canadian Cars and Trucks

Gord,
Thanks, I have seen that site and it is chock full of info, unfortunately nothing I found regarding the codes. I'm assuming Trim 394= Deluxe Cab, as the truck in question has corner cab windows. Paint Code 30 may be a dark blue, as that's what shows in the motor bay.
I'm waffling on buying this truck because I want a 'real' GMC with a SM420, not a poser with a 3spd. But it is a nice truck.
Brian

Hy Ribside, corner windows are not an indication of a deluxe cab, deluxe cabs can be found with three windows and five windows, the corner windows were a separate option.

Ah, OK. This truck does not have the signature Deluxe window trim or other doodads, so that make sense.