The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre New member from Hudson, Qc. Canada... w/ 1953 GMC

Hey all,
finally got her home yesterday... a rough but restorable '53. I have been reading up on these trucks a bunch thanks to this site. There's a lot of great info here. The plan is for a frame up resto-mod.
License plate on the truck says 1975, so that may be close to the last time it ran before it was parked, and whoever worked on it last left the spark plugs out and oil cap off... so the old 216 is seized up pretty good. The frame is excellent and body is decent, except for the front fenders (to be replaced).
I want to keep everything stock except for a drivetrain swap, likely a 350/th350 combo for budget reasons. Here are a few pics, before I start teardown.
Bed is missing in the pics but he threw in a bed from what looks to be a later model, maybe from the 60's so maybe i'll sell it or swap for the correct one.

looks like I'll be testing out my sheetmetal welding skills!

[IMG]http://i513.photobucket.com/albums/t340/Andy4802/1953%20GMC%20pickup/002.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i513.photobucket.com/albums/t340/Andy4802/1953%20GMC%20pickup/004.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i513.photobucket.com/albums/t340/Andy4802/1953%20GMC%20pickup/006.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i513.photobucket.com/albums/t340/Andy4802/1953%20GMC%20pickup/008.jpg[/IMG]

Welcome to the stovebolt,Andy. Thanks for the pics but I can assure you many bolters have started with much worse!! Hang in there and remember, one piece at a time and at least 15 minutes EVERY day on the project will git r done.
We're here to help just ask questions in the most appropiate forum and you'll get answers. Good luck.

Welcome Andy, shame to have the plugs out that long. Are you sure it's a 216? Must be a Canadian truck. Good luck with getting it all back together.

Leo

Hi Leo,

Been doing some more reading... i guess it could be a 228 then?

thanks for the comments guys

That looks like a great project. I am thinking those are Chev fenders on the front. Congratulations on your find.

thanks i am pretty happy with it so far... the fenders are pretty rotten so i am planning on replacing them, but how can you tell that they are from a chevy?

Andy, the Canadian light GMCs had Chevrolet engines in them, don't assume it's a 228.

Andy, about those front fenders, GMCs had the parking lights below the headlights, looks like your fenders have these holes but patched up. The Chevrolets had the lights in the grill.

I just noticed that your oil pressure gauge goes to 60 psi so that would be a gauge for a GMC engine.

I'll take a look at the casting #s when i get a chance... I don't think it's going to matter much, motor is in pretty bad shape... i pulled the valve cover yesterday and found a mouse nest at the back... and LOTS of rust and crud. Looking more and more like a V8 Swap i think...
that's cool about the fender lights and the pressure gauge... I have a feeling I am going to learn a lot from you guys!