The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Roll Call for 1-ton-ers

If you own a 1 ton, let us know who you are.

I'm David, and I bought my 1948 1 ton just over a month ago.

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John - thanks for providing a forum for 1 ton specific issues/discussion.
I know there will be a few 3/4 ton owners join in, but misery loves company.

Both of mine are 1 Tons. The only issues I can think of that are different than the other trucks are the large 14 Inch brake drums and finding a better geared rear end for a little more top end.

One ton panel in progress, it is faceless and heartless for now.

I'm in! The 1-ton trucks have become my primary passion.

'55 1st GMC 1-ton with a '72 C20 IFS, 14-bolt rear, Cadillac 500 and a TH400. Unfinished and scattered all over my shop but as soon as I quit browsing the web I'll be back in the shop working on it today.
'54 GMC 1-ton dually with a tired 248 and mariginally usuable Hydra-Matic. Terrible brakes and needs upholstery.
'51 Chevy 1-ton panel probable donor truck for a future project.
'49 Chevy 1-ton mostly parted out but still on the back burner. I keep thinking about one of those rat rod pickups with duals.

'89 Chevy 1-ton four-wheel-drive with a 454/TH400. Not a Stovebolt and basically totaled and lots of parts sold off it, but another 1-ton all the same.

Me too. The Stovebolt.com flagship is a 1-Ton The truck in the column to the left (the graphic about photo posting in the forums) is our unrestored '49 1-Ton pickup. It's also the truck on the homepage graphic.

Our 3800 in the Gallery

Welcome!
John

I'm all in! I've wanted an AD Pickup since I was 17 when my Dad stopped me from buying one. I lusted over a 55 Task Force parked behind my house during college, and I finally bought my first AD truck last year,....a 1951 3800 Flatbed Dually. I wasn't going to keep it at first, but I have grown to love it because it is so unique and uncommon,...I just can't wait to get it on the road! Thanks John, for giving us 1 ton misfits a place to go.

I've got one, a 52 1 ton pickup.
Here's a picture from a little road trip we took in June 2004.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2992098450080251109Zixjca

It was given to me about the time of my 17th birthday, I got it running and stopping and drove it to school and anywhere else I wanted to go for a few years. Some time in there I rebuilt and replaced the non original 235 with another one.

Just before the road trip I replaced axles for ones with disc brakes, and added PS and a hydrobooster for the brakes.

Currently it's sitting in the field with no axles at all, as they are now under my 2 ton.

In the next few months I'll move it into a shipping container for safe keeping. My eventual plans are for newer single wheel axles with disc brakes and 8R19.5 tires again. Then a Cummins 4BT and some sort of overdrive transmission.
Just found some good used rear fenders. Will make new bed sides when the time comes. Still need to find a decent cab, possibly fenders.

Grigg

I have a1955 first series one ton dually that I got three years ago it has a factory flatbed on it. The wood in the bed is gone but the metal is there

I have a '58 1 ton NAPCO 4x4 with single rear wheels. It was known as "Rescue 8" for the Croton Falls fire department in New York; they bought it new from Brady-Stannard Chevrolet in June of 1958. It has a factory PTO winch and 21,000 original miles. It has some rust issues, but runs like a top. I'll have to send in some pic's for the gallery one of these days.

Geeorge

My 1958 ton GMC was bought new by my great uncle.He gave it too me in the early 1990s and I let it get away from me so we could buy our first home.He past away about 10 years ago and I always said I would get it back.Last June I went to the guy who I had give her up to and asked him if he would sell her to me.After a few minutes he told me that if he wasnt 80 years old I wouldnt be getting it back yet.$1000 later and she was back home.Greatest thing is that he never transferred the title,I have an original 58 title still in my great uncles name.The truck has a wood grain bed on it and has 43000+ original miles.

Mine is a 1948 1 ton with single wheels and a flat bed.I'v had it about two years now and I still need to get a picture uploaded now that I got it back on the road.

I have two 3085 panels from 1975, one for the body and one for the chassis. I'm about a year away from making them one great panel.

I have a '59 1-ton motorhome. It started life as a panel truck. It has a 261 and SM-420.

http://rides.webshots.com/album/20935983bSvwMPCmkb

Loooks like I have the oldest one. 1941 1 Ton from N. Dakota.

The bed was still good due to the fact that it had been used to pull a hay baler. In fact everthing was there to restore but I wanted a safer truck with higher cruising speed and safer brakes.

Consequently I am running a stock Chevy 350 700R4 transmission and 3.73 rear end. Front brakes are disc and rear brakes are drum.

From 10 ft away it will look stock with the 4 NOS fenders I found over the past 3 years. This truck looks like a overgrown 1/2 ton PU with a 134" wheelbase.

Chassis and running gear is complete and now waiting for a painted cab so I can start wiring and interior finishing. By the time that is done all the other sheet metal and cab should be ready to bolt on.

Dave Murray
murraydave@aol.com

Ok, been lurking long enough. First, thanks to John (semper fi)for this excellent site!

65 Chevy 1 ton duals, 2 wheel drive with 64,000 original miles. PO had put a 427 4 barrel in her without changing anything else. Clean except minor rust along the floor pan. I have a '98 Trans Am that will donate its LS1 and I'll scrounge up a NV4500 or NV5500. Love to shift.And I will provide photos, I've enjoyed looking at everybody else's sooooo much.

I just got the frame back from the sandblaster, rust converter under rustoleum black satin. Looks good.

I have a 70s era Dana 70 in 3.7:1 dual drum going under the rear

I plan to put a later model chevy spindle/disk/hub on the front. My question is when did Chevy start putting disks on 1 tons? 74?-87? Pre antilock preferrable. Can anybody help with info? Thanks. Dave

1959 one ton Chevy panel (235/SM-420/bucket seats). by the way, what does the chinese restaurant use for a delivery vehicle? a one-ton truck! (won-ton, get it?)

Sempers Dave and welcome aboard. Lots of Marines on the site and now three of us in here!

John

1-Ton fan here.

Still have:

'64 C-30 Dual Wheel SWB Stake Body
'65 C-30 Dual Wheel SWB Stake Body
'68 C-30 Dual Wheel SWB Flatbed Dump

Had:

'67 C-30 Dual Wheel LWB Flatbed Dump.

Bill

I know of a '72 dually with disks on front. '71 may have been the first year.

On your '65 you can probably just unbolt the crossmember, maybe modify a few holes, and bolt the later one on, all the way up to an '87. I'm not sure when anti-lock brakes became standard on trucks but I believe my '89 1-ton only had anti-lock only on the rear.

Just curious, are anti-lock brakes a reason not to swap an axle? Will the brakes not function if you don't use the anti lock system?
Or in other words, can you use a later axle/crossmember if it fits, and choose not to use the anti-lock system?

Grigg

I imagine it depends on how they are implemented. On the newer old stuff I've played with the sensor is on the transmission instead of the axle and it just would not matter.

But I know in some cars the sensor is mounted on the axle and could complicate things. I think ABS Corvettes have hub mounted sensors, not that you'd use Corvette stuff on a 1-ton...

OK, so why is pre anti-lock preferred?
As I see it the sensor won't keep it from rolling or stopping, just throw them away or clip the wires and continue on as if it never had anti-lock brakes.
Other than some hardware that you don't want or might not need are there any other differences between the anti-lock and normal axles?

Grigg

Alright! Lots of One Tons. I like this. I swear I'll do a gallery thing.
I'm stock, 6V and all. In fact thanks to Truckernix's help, I even have a radio in there!

I have never had such a work truck. Huge capacity. Good mileage, 16mpg. And enough speed for my needs, cruises at 45 mph.

I've been hoping Won Ton would respond because I don't know why he cared...

I agree there is little reason to be worried about the hardware, certainly not on a truck where none of it is on the axle.

I bought a '57 one-ton grain truck from the Nat'l Wildlife Service on an on-line auction. It hasn't run in 4 years but it's in excellent condition with only 28k miles on it. During it's working life, it was only used on a wildlife refuge about an hour from me to haul wheat for trapping wood ducks(hence the low miles). My original plan was to use the cab and front clip on another project but I can't bring myself to tear it apart. I'm going to restore it as-is except for removing the bedsides and replacing with something a little more low-profile. The shop manual says that 1-tons are supposed to have 5.14 rear gears but I believe mine has 4.57. That should make it a little easier to get down the highway. I'll be checking in for advice from time to time and reading up on other bolter's projects.

I have what will eventually be a 1959 1 Ton 4x4 Dually powered by a Duramax Diesel. I have the engine, Dana 60 front and Dana 70 rear axles (4.10) as well as a NP 205 Transfer Case. Have yet to decide on either a Alison or 4L80E transmission.

For those interested, there are pics in the gallery or here: http://community.webshots.com/user/Lane9999

Lane

OK I gotta jump in here and add My .2 cents.
1952 3800 pickup all still original except for the locked up 261 under the hood.
She,s all there but a little rough
Best of all it was free from a friend,just had to go get it out of Killington Vt.
1950 3800 pickup that I got out of Athens Ohio as a parts truck.
P O took the eng/trans and pickup box for his truck.
I got the complete rolling chassis,cab and nose,with a near mint set of running boards.
400.00 and a U haul later.....
regards

I have been working on a 53 one ton Humpback panel , over the winter I cut in new metal down both sides and around the back corners . Many thanks to Ray Stanley !! ]
It is a weird looking truck and I have not been able to find /view another .

http://s376.photobucket.com/albums/...=1f812a1423n33o83pb8b480adf7395c241b.jpg

I also have a 49 one ton panel that I offered here a while back with no takers... but in reflection I think I will find someone who needs the cab and make a trailer to pull behind the HBack
[ I know that is sacrilegious ]

http://s376.photobucket.com/albums/oo203/OldoginMd/?action=view&current=DSC00006.jpg

Dan in Maryland
Soon to be in Michigan

Well, I finally found the 1 Ton hangout! Mine is a 1951 Canadian GMC 1 Ton, with single wheels. It still runs a 216 and has a 4.10 pumpkin from a 1971 3/4 Ton. My truck has the antique insurance on it so I don't haul anything with it.

Wow, a lot of 1-tons out there. Mine's a 47 with a newer engine (1948 235) and newer paint (circa 1965 - brushed on, but has a nice distressed look), I redid the upholstery a few years ago along with the rear end gear (swapped the 5:12 for a 3:90). Now I'm looking to replace the split rims on the back and maybe someday tighten up the steering (except I know that'd take the challenge out of it). Sort of a daily driver. The forecast can't call for any rain with those toy vacuum wipers. Paid a farmer $500 for it because "it runs purrfect!" Then paid another $100 to have it towed out of his field. But I've never looked back!

Wilber

Add another one :-) 1952 3804 Love these trucks

Grigg and OldSub,
Sorry about the sloooow answer time but I sometimes go a few days with no tech.

Grigg, thanks for asking an obvious question that I had overlooked. I assumed that there was something computer related about the spindles or calipers (front 2wd).

OldSub, I think you recommended just unbolting the front cross member and bolting up the newer one with disk brakes. I looked at my frame today and understand the unbolting part. I haven't gotten close enough to a disk brake-designed one to see if they match. But that is what you were saying, right? I did download the image of your 72 IFS and enlarged it as much as I could and it looks like a match.

BTW I've been reading both you guys for quite awhile. I appreciate everything I've learned.

That is exactly what I'm saying. There are just 14 bolts holding that IFS crossmember in place. Three on each side through the bottom of the frame, and four on each side through the side of the frame.

Some years some of the hole sizes are different, but I think you'll find you need to enlarge holes in your frame to make it work, which is just as simple as running a slightly larger drill bit through the holes.

Saying its only 14 bolts may be misleading. Its a lot of work, and will require supporting the motor if it isn't already out.

Thanks for the kind words, I'm always glad someone finds my posts worth reading. Even if just for entertainment value...

New guy here with a '48 tonner. Just joined in to get more specific help with our unique one tons. Great to see ya'all out there!

Here's mine. 1948 3800 Pickup
I have had it since '89 bout only got serious in '06. My 14 year old son and I have been taking it to shows and driving it on weekends regularly. I recently put a stereo in it with Ipod connections so it is even more enjoyable for the both of us.
Tailgater

- What a great looking truck !!

Hey there folks. I am a proud owner of a 49 one ton that was purchased from my wifes grandfather last August. It has a 235ci motor and also a dump bed. Glad to see a place for the tonners.

Ok 46 one ton here, First series 47 Deco, flat bed stake,18inch duels, hucks brakes
Also I'm second owner.

Glad to see there is a group honoring the 1-ton. I have a 1953 that is on my homemade rotisserie taking off the undercoating and trying to decide what to put on the cab bottom to protect it for a long long time. I made patch panels and have them welded in next I have to deal with the back corners. I have single rear wheels but I favor building a flatbed instead of the original bed. My son thinks I should put the original bed back on it. What do most of you think? This is my first 1-Ton , I've had 3 2-Tons , 1 -1/2-Ton m and 1- 3/4Ton. I've had many adventures with the 2tons including driving a fully loaded one up the Alcan highway. Can't wait to have adventures with my one ton.