My new '51 tonner

[fourspeedwagon]

Just got a pretty decent 1 ton GMC today. Runs good and drives fine too. I recently sold my old (newer) flatbed pickup and found it hard to live without one. This should fit the bill nicely and satisfy both my need for a truck and my want for something early. I was happy to find that it has been an occasional use truck that was never left to degrade. When I went to look at it the guy said "it's out back by the barn, I just hauled a load of hay with it". Was a small town feed and seed company truck that didn't get too roughed up by hard farm labor. PO thought the engine was a 228- I need to do some research because I'm not certain what it should have, but it is a GMC engine. PTO driven dump works nice, so that'll be handy. Plans are for new glass (most is cracked) and a passenger door handle R&R and to put it to use. It won't be a hot rod, just a gentleman's farm truck.

[Daze57]

Good lookin GMC. V v nice

[mr48chev]

Good looking truck. That is one old truck your neighbors are going to like seeing around once they figure out it can actually haul stuff like loads of bark and pea gravel and top soil for projects and is self unloading.

With a set of side racks it will make you the envy of everyone shoveling out the back of his truck at the dump or transfer station too. And the there is always that hauling off the accumulated scrap iron for a bit of cash for the project kitty.

The you can wash it up and throw a few bails of straw on the back and take everyone for a hay ride. All kinds of possibilities for that one including wheeling into the local cruise nights.

[fourspeedwagon]

Thanks guys. That's the plan (well, not the neighbor part..) but I've already got a bin of steel that needs to go and I've got a few junipers that need to be taken out to the pasture. I will most likely use the dump just for the fun of it.
Mr48, if you wander up the highway just a bit you might even see it- I'm right off the Old Highway at Donald.

[Truck Guy99]

Sweet rig! What's the plan besides windows? Work horse? Restoration? I like how it looks now. That's going to be the talk of the town.
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[fourspeedwagon]

Hi Truck Guy- Light resto/upkeep is the plan. Cleaning and painting etc. but it really runs nice and will be used as a truck. Took me a while to locate a 1 ton with enough character, the dump bed was a bonus- always wanted something with it but wasn't willing to buck up and pay for hydraulics.
The feed store owner/manager must've gotten a label maker for Christmas in the 70's. There are little lables stuck all over with oil change dates and a reminder that the speedo is 10 mph low all over it. The PO thought it was cool so he left them. He swore that oil had been changed since the 4/11/74 date that was indicated

[meter swinger]

That will be the coolest work truck around.
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[mechanixman]

Great to see another old truck still being put to use.
It looks pretty slick.

[65Ch3v3LL3]

Sweet truck. Fellow GMC 1 ton owner here. Glad to see more of these trucks being used and kept as a 1 ton.

[Katrina/10]

That is a fine looking rig! I think the engine could be a 248, what year is the truck?

[fourspeedwagon]

Gary- it's a 1951. Sounds like they are pretty easy to "decode".

There seems to be several things that are different about these trucks but its not the easiest to find info on. Anybody have a suggestion for GMC specific information? Thanks
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[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by fourspeedwagon

Gary- it's a 1951. Sounds like they are pretty easy to "decode".

There seems to be several things that are different about these trucks but its not the easiest to find info on. Anybody have a suggestion for GMC specific information? Thanks
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That's what I thought, same year as mine, but mine's a half ton. I don't know of a GMC specific source of information, the main differences I know of are the engine and front sheet metal. The owner's manual does have some good maintenance info on the 200 and 300 series trucks.

[Trekster]

That is cool. I love it. Mine does not have a dump but a flat bed sure comes in handy.

[fourspeedwagon]

That, is a clean looking 50 there trekster. Very nice. In my early years I thought flatbeds were stupid. All you stuff will just slide off, right? When I actually stated hauling things I learned quick though.
The dump bed was what put me over the top on this truck and I knew I wanted it.
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[fourspeedwagon]

The stamp by the distributor indicates it is a 228. Is it powerful enough that it'll be fine if I change the rear gears to get a few more mph out on the open road?

Also, I'll attach a shot of the door jamb tag. I'm unclear about what the middle set of digits means.
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[fourspeedwagon]

Well, I drove her about 15 miles yesterday, did pretty good and had a bit more top end than I expected- 55 out on the highway didn't feel too scary. The only mishap was the passenger door flopping open on the first big left turn- that will have to be the first thing on the list. Gonna have to look around for a 6 volt tachometer too, I'm curious to see what it's doing.
The PO gave me a small pile of bits to go with it too. Door panels, some weatherstripping, an 8 volt generator and a couple books. An Owner's and Driver's Manual for 1951 GMC and another larger book that I don't recall the name of but a Service Manual type book.