The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Am I nuts? Building a '38 Chevy 1/2 ton..

I bought a '39 GMC cab awhile back, mostly just to snag the seat, fuel tank, wiper motor, door hardware, and the windshield frame to put in my '46 half ton.

Originally, I was going to just pull the parts I wanted, then let the previous owner send it to the crusher.. but I decided i'd bring it home and pick parts at my leisure.

Well I got it home finally, sat it next to the '46 2 ton.. and now the brain starts turning.. what if I were to piece together a '38 Chevy 1/2 ton? Slap together the body parts on something like an S10 frame??

Cab pic 1
Cab pic 2

Cab is solid and rust free.. it's got a dent in the roof from some farmer standing on it, but other than that is dent free.

Logic says I should just yank the parts off I need then roll it into the gully.. but the other half says, "Man! Build a '39!!"

You're crazy to wreck that cab before you do that give it to somebody or put it on ebay. That stuff is getting harder and harder to find

Heck...buy an S-10. Take your time and build it up. You have plenty of room on your ranch, don't you? If I had all of that room, I would have 'bolts all over the place!!!

If you have the time and patience to piece it together, GO FOR IT!

Ain't no way I'd junk that cab, but if you decide you don't want it, I'm sure some of us in the rust belt would love to have it. Besides, you need another project, can't ever have too many, unless you talk to my wife!

Rob

nice truck fumblin....all it needs is a little work :p

I thought you were nuts anyway.

But you're really nuts if you roll it into the gulley.

Fumblin46

That is a solid cab!! From what others have said, I think you have gotten the message. If you don't want to use it, I guarantee, someone else will. I personally love the cab style. Please don't send this beautiful cab to the recycler.

Nice little fixer upper you got. No way you can send it to the crusher. Good luck S-10 frame sounds good

I'm for rolling it into the gully. How 'bout we take a vote?

:rolleyes:

I've got a little Hot Rod Pickup on my future TO-DO list. I know where a 39/40? GMC cab is in the woods. Its the one with the crank out (form the bottom) windshield. I say save it , use it!
Buddy

Use it in a 39, or sell it/give it away.

That's my vote.

Rolling it down the gully would be bad...

The cab of my 42 was only 3/4s there when I started.That cab is way too good to junk

Well the problem with a cab like that is everybody wants it, but nobody wants to get it, or pay to have it shipped.

When you do happen to find a guy who might pay $500 for it, they live so far away, that it would cost 'em $1000 to get it shipped.

The more I think about it, the less I feel interested in building a whole other truck.. at least not untill I get my two '46's up and running 100% since the cash i'd spend on buying a donor S10 and collecting the additional body parts for the '39 would go along way to getting the 2 ton bed up to snuff, or go twards my garage fund.

It's not hurting anything sitting there I don't guess.. so i'll put it up on a pallet or two and pick parts off it till somebody comes along who needs a '39 cab.

There's a '40 2 ton across town, I told the wife I could get that, and use this cab to make it a king cab.. lol.. how often do you see a 2 ton '40 GMC king cab?

Ahh but thats just sick and wrong!

Or is it?

never junk anything!... Give it to ME!

Cliff59

can you spell RATROD?
i just got a 46 GMC truck, and im still trying to find a spot thats not rusted through. i know what i was feelin, but what was i thinkin.
and your right about the shipping cost.unless someones close, its way too costly.

wait, i have an idea
the next bolt cab relay. if each bolter will haul it 50 miles twards me. i bet it could be delivered to me by x-mas......way to go santa.

If you need to ask you are crazy. Keep it. I'm up to 11 and think you can never have enough trucks!

Fumblin46,
yep, yer nuts. Fortunately you are in the right place... with the rest of us. If it's not in the way, I say leave it around.. let folks know it's available.

-W

Frank you have the right idea. It will cost little or nothing to just let it sit. The cab alone does not take up much room. Set it on a pallet, spray it down with some type of rust inhibitor and throw a tarp over it. Something else may come along that could be a perfect match for a cool project. Or it may come in handy as trading stock for '46 parts.