The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Restarting a sleeping '47 GMC 1 ton....

Hello - new to the website/forum and have found the discussions to be extremely helpful. I recently purchased my first stovebolt - a bit of an impulse buy but now I'm hooked. It is a 47 GMC 1-ton (first series) with a 228 engine and duallys that I acquired from the original owner/family who drove it into his garage 15-20 years ago (he can't remember when) and hasn't touched it since. A bit of a time capsule since remarkably it has been garaged its entire life and everything appears to be in original condition (paint, engine, wiring, interior, etc.) with the exception of the wheels which strangely appear to be 6-lug 16" Budd type wheels with six hand holes on the front - he said he recallss this is how they got it from the GMC dealer but this doesen't seem to jive with what anything i have been reading in the forums so will need to do more digging. I'm anxious to see if I can get it running and after doing research on the web would assume at a minimum i need to do the folowing (in no particular order):

Drain and clean gas tank
Replace engine oil and filter
New plugs
New fuel filter
New Battery
Drain and refill radiator

With the above thought I would have some shot that it would come to life but not sure if there are any other bits of advice out there on restarting sitting vehicles to increase chance of success or minimize damage?

Many thanks!

Add new points, cap, rotor, plug wires. You may want to bypass the gas lines because if they had gas sitting in them it could have turned to tar by ow and theres no easy way to clean them out. Plus even if new gas could get through them, that will soften and eventually clean them out but chances are pretty good that will put that gunk on the valves and youll either break rocker arms (I know this personally ) or bend pushrods.

So another thing would be to pull the valve cover and spray wd40 all over the valves and tap them with a sledge softly and make sure they are all free moving.

Can you turn the engine over? Check the wiring first to make sure its not frayed or broken otherwise it may be good to bypass that also. Look at the coil and old battery to try and get an idea if its ever been converted to 12 volts, or if its still 6 volt.

Gmcs of that year had positive ground, so the wirings a little backwards.

Someone else? What am I forgetting???

Welcome to the board and remember we want pictures!!!

Jeff

Carb. kit?

Before I did all the above( My 65 wrecker had been sitting under a tree for fifteen years ) I took out the spark plugs and put marvel mystery oil in each cyl. and turned it over by hand several times in the course of a week.. Then i did everything that was mentioned above I cleaned and coated my gas tank and made new metal gas lines new pump. etc -etc I spent three weeks getting it ready to fire up. It turned over twice and it was running and purring like a kitten. (carb kit -points-condenser- wires plugs -cap- oil -filter radiator recored- hoses thermostat-) You wont be sorry that you took your time and did it right the first time. No chasing gremlins this way. Enjoy.

Marvel is good, or just mix a little tranny fluid and diesel down the spark plug holes. High detergent and solvent to break loose the cylinders and make sure that they are lubed! And definitely check the valves, would hate to have one of those stuck the first time you try to turn it! If the motor does not turn by hand give the 'snake oil' a few days (even a week) to work its magic and do not try to force the engine to turn! You will end up with scored cylinders if you do.
Good Luck,
Gator
>|--|~

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice and sorry for the delay in getting some pics. I spent the weekend moving the GMC "garage find" on a rollback about 250 miles to its new home in CT. Apparently the first time its been outdoors in maybe 30 years or so. (the neigbors began to gather since some remembered the truck when they were kids....) Original owner (Mr. Pollock) ended up having the original tools, manuals, etc. so a nice surprise. I guess I was wrong about the wheels since they are original and there are photos of them in the owners manual Didn't realize they made the 6-lugg budds in 1947 but guess so. Also thought it should have the bakelite knobs throughout the interior but again the manual shows a mixture of brown/black knobs with white lettering and the bakelite type (?.) Spent yesterday afternoon doing some initial cleaning of the decades of dust/grime that had gathered on the inside and out. Still have lots of work to do but the original paint is beginning to shine so thought I would post the first batch of photos! Pulled the plugs and put a capful of Marvel Mystery Oil in each as advised. Haven't tried to hand crank it yet - thoght I would follow the advice and wait a week or so. Looks like the engine was dealer "repowered" noted by the sticker when i started to wipe done the engine bay. I think they may have replaced the top half of the engine at some point.

Hope the link to the photos works (first 3 photos in the old garage):

http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow/562725168xWULFk

Thanks again for al the responses. Will keep you posted on whether it will run...

Regards,
Ray

SWEET That is a good looking truck - I see why you bought it.

Welcome to the 'Bolt.

Your "new" truck is really, REALLY a show-stopper.

that appears to be in phenomenal codition. like the passenger side lettering

WOW!!!! What a find!! Don't do a thing to that body!
One of the other guys on here has a collection of door art photos. He'll love to get both sides of your truck.

Good luck getting it running! Till you get the gas tank cleaned, you could try running a rubber fuel line hose from the fuel pump to a gas can or plastic jug for a temporary arrangement. That should be enough to get it running for now.