The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1957 GMC - What's is this? Update: kudu stabilizer

Im working on the cab of my 57 GMC and im just wondering what this is on the upper cowl. Theres four bolt bolts sticking out and theres some kind of face plate that are on the upper cowl. I looked inside the cowl vent and saw that the bolt were pressed in from the inside.
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb422/gumbi18/1957%20GMC%20half%20ton/068.jpg
http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb422/gumbi18/1957%20GMC%20half%20ton/069.jpg
I looked in the factory assembly manual but never found it. There wasnt anything bolted onto it before disassembly except the ground for the battery.
Thanks
Cody

It looks like something the PO put up there, not a factory job.

I'm going to guess that it is the mounting location for something called a "kuba stabilizer". I've got a late 55 cab that was titled as a 56, which has these stabilizers on it. These were new for the 56 model year from what I've found. The lower mounts for these were on top of the frame rail over the front cross member. I don't know if these were on the 57s though.

So I'm assuming i don't need it? It doesn't look like a botched job by the PO by looking at the way its mounted and made that's why I ask. But if it's not needed I plan on cutting the bolt out and not put it back on...

I'm crappy with this computer stuff, but if you go to a thread on page 3 of the general truck discussion you will find a thread "serial numbers", on page one of the thread is a response from tclederman, with a link for "that are unique to 55 or to 56 Blue Chip GMC trucks", check the booklet on the 56s on the left of the page, go to page 13 and it shows what you might be missing

Here is a link to the page rbs56 is talking about.
manuals


Tim

It is factory installed. The two smaller bolts on the outside hold the reinforcing plate in position. The two larger bolts in the center are where two large tubular braces bolt on. The braces connect from the top of the cowl to the frame at the front motor mount. There are two smaller bar braces also. My 57 100 has these braces, and the reinforcing plate. Ed G.

Here is the page from the "NEW FOR 1956 GMC Models and Features" brochure that shows and describes the "kudu stabilizer" (note the spelling) .

Tim, you come up with the most random bits of knowledge and the factory documentation or publications to back it up. Please keep it up!



Jeff

Cody. There's a guy here in Richmond that has a 56 GMC and it has both of those on it. Looks wierd and I can see some taking them off because they look like they would get in the way of installing a V8. His has the kudu bar and the shock on the end of the axel. I'd hate to have to put in king pins on that axel.Larry

looks like the horn rack of a kudu, which is prolly where they got the name.

Interesting.

-W

The picture in the sales brochure shows that Kudu Stabilizer "rack" in place with a V-8 engine (I would guess - maybe a V-6?).

Interesting, thanks everybody for the info. I see the reasoning for the stabilizers, but being that I dont have them and im not necessarily going for completely stock, I dont think they're going back on.

That bar from the way it mounts looks kind of like it was there to take care of some of the weight of the cab front. It started on the firewall and ended on the frame near the radiator.Larryw