Here is my latest project, a 1955 GMC that I got for free and am now restoring it so that I can drive it! It was fun getting this truck because the lady that gave it to me let me go through the old garage thats behind it and take whatever I wanted. The garage had a bunch of cool stuff in it like some model A fenders, hood, wheels, piano from 1915, and a bunch of old unopened oil cans. I had a trailer full of stuff! Anyways here are some pics of my truck!
Free ? I must be living in the wrong place. We can't even get rusted out junk in NY for free. Nice project !
So, is the body, with the exception of the grill of course, the exact same as chevy? For that matter, is the chassis/suspension the same as chevy? i know the engines weren't.
If the 55 is like my 58, the GMC sales blurb states that some components such as crossmembers and the rear axle are beefed up oner the Chevy. Body panels, I believe, will interchange.
And a big window at that!! For looks I would dump the spare tire fender. Put a grannry tranny in it and use it like man!!
Thanks guys! Yea the only thing that is really different is the dash. Everything else is pretty much the same.
That is a very interesting truck in your avatar schwerko! What was that like a 1 ton and you put a stepside bed on it? Looks cool!
Good luck, stick with it , i bailed on mine and have regrets. it was rust free from the west and decided to let it go . Intentions were to mount it on a 4x4 chassis that had 44's. The chassis was done and was immaculate. I thought the GMC knarly-ness would lend to a big truck. sold everything off for profits and new ventures, have some cool pics as reminders. Good luck with yours, those trucks are different and you either like em or hate em, they will grow on you though!
The parts that are different are the engine, grille, dash, rear diff, and front crossmember. At least that's how it is on my '58.
Man ,what a nice truck to start with.Shortbed,big window cab ,FREE ,what a deal .Cant wait to see progress on it ...
Two things that hard to comprehend, FREE, and how could something be sunk in the ground that bad have no rot ! Those two things do NOT exist here, nice looking truck by the way.
It does have a little rot on the cabcorners, bottom of doors and the kick panels on the cab but thats pretty much it! I was suprised when I pulled it out because the cab was full of mice and pine needles and the floor is almost perfect.
somebody's been under the hood prior to your acquisition. sbc with a four barrel - not original I don't think.
If it was a V-8 truck the GMC's used a Pontiac V-8 in those years but everyone probably already knew that one
Yea its a later 283 with a TH400 and someone made some awsome motor mounts for it. They had a chain going from the motor to the frame to keep it from twisting the mounts and the trans wasn't even bolted down in the back so it was pretty crooked in there. I was VERY suprised when I took the pan off the motor though. It was very clean inside and it looks to have been rebuilt recently and not been driven very much prior to sitting. Given that there was mice in the intake (bunch of peanut shells in there) the motor fired right up after 30 yrs of sitting and ran great! Although the trans cooler lines were cracked and fluid was being slung all over the place from the fan.
Here's a update! Got the frame blasted and painted and rolling again! Now I need to put my brakes back together than drop the motor and trans back in.
Man what a find...my first truck was a 55 GMC longbed that I converted to shortbed...I pulled the ol Jimmy 6 ( i was a teen and didn't know any better ) and in went a AMC 401/727 out of a 70' Police Interceptor/Matador...Please keep us updated and thanks for posting pics of that unforgettable grille.
Motor is in! Now I need to finish up the brakes, blast and paint some more little parts and do the exhaust.