I looked at a 1959 GMC pickup today, it had single headlights. After an internet search, I found that this was called a "fleet option" front end. Anyone heard of it? Is it rare? I've never seen one before....
I"ve seen a few over the years, saw one maybe last fall? at a swap meet in Tucson. Chevy dash, funky grille and bumper, etc. Not very common, but I don't think they're as rare as the "standard" 59 GMC, which you never see either.
All the odd GMCs you can shake a stick at: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1729968&postcount=13 I like the five window cabs!
Found some info.... The old GMC page calls it extremely rare and misunderstood....I can't get it to copy and paste, though....It's says the number of fleet option trucks remaining is well under 100... http://www.oldgmctrucks.com/page0380.html The gal desperately wants it out of her yard, maybe I should help her out...it's a v8 4 speed 1/2 ton truck that was running and driving not long ago.....I'd probably better take a trailer tomorrow.
I generally disregard the "there's only ___ remaining " stuff, but for less than $1000 bucks, and considering I was kind of hunting for a 55 chevy truck, maybe I'd better jump on it.....I do know that it was running and driving in the past 5 years, and although it's pretty rough, I really wanted a beater truck to haul junk and yard stuff anyway....having a fairly rare beater truck sounds even better.
That was the fleet option and it was a lower cost thing. Did 59s still run the Pontiac mill or did they change over to Chevy by then? Yes!!!! Get the truck, Abomb. You won't regret it.
They had dual headlight type fenders with a filler panel for a single headlight, and a stamped steel grille with sort of expanded metal mesh. News to me about having a Chevrolet dash though, but the GMC dash looked like it belonged in a boat. 55-59 Chevrolet-GMC trucks; they should start making them again, along with the tri-five Chevrolets. It would definitely put Chevrolet back on top. Butch/56sedandelivery.
Personally, I prefer the GMC dash over the Chevy in the TF trucks. But, the cool thing is that the GMC Fleet option trucks have a Chevy instrument panel with a GMC logo instead of the bowtie. As far as I know these only came with the Fleet option trucks and should be pretty rare.
The GM Fleet Option trucks of that era (Chevy had them too) were not necessarily low production run models. Those Fleet Options were developed for exactly what they say.... large fleets who didn't want to have to carry two different sets of headlight bulbs, etc., and since they helped GM reduce costs, they also helped them in the competitive bidding process which helped them get more fleet business. The largest users of fleet optioned trucks in that era were municipalities, utilities, the military, and Coca Cola. The fact that they aren't seen so much these days is less because they were rare, but rather because the fleets beat the crap out of them and ran them until they died back in the day. Still a very cool ppiece.
You can buy almost every part of the cab now repopped in taiwan, as well as the front metal, bed parts, etc. I guess you just need to make a chassis or find one. There are still a LOT of these trucks around in the southwest.
i remember back in 81' looking at one and the guy selling it was telling me it was factory single headlight and mesh grille and i'm thinking "bullshit dude"! then years later at a swapmeet found a factory manual on one and thought now i should have bought it because it was a napco 4x4 conversion also. told a buddie about it and he still has it.
Well, it's taken awhile, but it's coming home this weekend. My wife sort of put her foot down, and insisted I sell something first ( like 3 antique tagged vehicles is 1 to many ??? ), so my little VW powered dunebuggy went down the road tonight. Anyway, I can hardly stand to wait, but I've got a lot of work to do tomorrow, mow, pick up a battery that fits a 1959 GMC, mow at my rental house, get a new fuel filter that fits a 1959 GMC, mow some more, get some carb cleaner and other basic get it running supplies, and probably do 1 or more other honey do's.....Sunday, Sunday, Sunday....be there !!!!
Like that push bumper on it! The pics look like the left front fender around the headlight had been bashed in, but on the front shot of the truck it looks fine. The cab lights look to be asymetrical, at least the left and right most. Another custom characteristic of the truck. Now if it only had a dual range hydramatic, I would be there before you and get it! Hey that is a very big FIND! Good luck! Oh, and remember to MOW!
I like the headlights on the black one, they blend in better. Go read your trophy post, I left you a note.
Well, it's home....I can't get the fuel valve figured out, it's got an extra tank under the bed, with a valve under the seat, and I can't get fuel to the pump. I put a gallon can under the hood and took it for a ride around the block a couple times though. I think I'll take out the original tank and re-plumb the rear mounted one, so I have some storage behind the seat.
Now yer talkin! Good score. Fleet Option trucks also have a block-off plate over the interior light fixture.
There's one of those on Craigslist up here in flagstaff, cool truck! When I first saw the grille on one I thought that someone had made it, not that it came stock.
I saw one of these in a junkyard in Kansas last spring. I thought it had a homemade grille in it but the yard owner said it was a fleet truck that came from the telephone company. V/8
I don't suppose you'd tell me the name and location of that junkyard ???? Please I haven't really been able to do anything to it yet, I've got a pile of new parts and no spare time, damnit.....I hate it when that happens.
I have one of these 1959 gmc fleet option pickups and it is my daily driver.In all actuality it is the rarest of all gmc pickups ever produced,to include the Napco truck that gmc put out.This "fleet option" truck is much rarer than the Napco version of the gmc trucks,and there are way fewer than 100 of them that have survived,and they are on 1/2 ton pickups only....I myself when buying this truck thought the front end was aftermarket and made by someone at their home.After further research,I then found out this wasn't the case,and in fact was an original front end to include the single headlight,and the grill on front.The front headlights even look "garage made" for you see the "stovebolts" holding the sheetmetal inserts holding the headlight in,and indeed looks homemade.I have A catalog that has every part on this truck available,and at great prices.It has diagrams of every piece on this truck,nice and clear ones at that,to include every bolt and washer it took to build this truck. I have also seen where one sold not long ago for 42K,and it wasn't but about 1/2 way restored.I lov e my truck and have kept it all original and refuse to change anything on it,such as different engines,trannies,or any aftermarket parts what soever. I even refuse to change the steering over to power steering,which would make this beast much easier to turn from a dead start,but hey..I don't mind the extra effort at all as long as I can keep it original. Presently A man has offered me a 1942 lincoln that has been restored,plus 20K on the side.You may say I'm crazy for not jumping on it,but I really love this pickup.I have tossed this offer over and over in my brain,and I'm not really hurting for money or anything..but so tempting not to jump on that offer,sure makes it hard to sleep at nights ...
I'm driving mine now, not quite my daily driver, but at least 50% of the time driver. Mine is not unmolested, so I don't have a problem with hotrodding it a little more. It already has a v8 chevy in it, and I'm okay with that.... Still needs some spring work, as it has a little lean built in to the passenger side, if I can level it up, I'll bolt on some new shocks and be happy. Winter is definately coming, and the heater delete thing is going to be a problem in NW Kansas, so, anyone got a good suggestion for an aftermarket heater, possibly with defrost ?
The Jalopy Journal
