Featured Trucks [unsorted]

While recently sorting through some stored papers we found some older photos of our un-restored 1937 Chevrolet Canopy Express we once owned. What a surprise! We thought these pictures were lost. Our company, Jim Carter Truck Parts, had bought this very rare vehicle from Walt Kutchler of Anaheim, CA during the early 1990’s. Walt was an avid collector of 1937...

Owner: Rod Lentz We met the owner, Rod Lentz of Dillsburg, Pennsylvania at the recent Spring Carlisle Event in April 2012. It was a pleasure hearing of his lifelong enjoyment of owning and restoring older vehicles, especially the 1947-55 Chevrolet Advance Design body style. He became talented in most all mechanical and body repairs. However, he gradually began to think...

As the US economy was making its gradual improvement that began after WWII, truck and car buyers started ordering more options and accessories. To help attract buyers that wanted a little extra, manufacturers such as the GMC truck division, began offering a more deluxe package. It gave no additional working ability to the base model trucks but certainly added eye...

Owner: Norman Smith This month’s feature truck is one of the nation’s finest 1957 Chevrolet Suburbans. We saw it for the first time about 1994, shortly after its total ground-up restoration. It remains in its pristine condition today and still almost looks like the day it left the factory. The owner is Norman Smith of Denver, Colorado. As a lifelong...

It’s the most southern town in the world, Punta Arenas, Chile. During February 2012 we are touring a sheep farm at the edge of the community. The exhibit in an adjacent barn is showing the sheering procedure to remove the one year growth of wool from a large male sheep. After the demonstration, our attention turns to the back of...

Owner: Russell Penniston A one family owned 4x4 Blazer bought new in 1971! George Penniston purchased it to drive to the various job site locations of his construction company. This go anywhere vehicle was necessary to reach off road job sites through mud and snow. George bought it at Parrish Chevrolet in Liberty, MO. It lacked only one option he...

1948 Chevy Truck –“ Heartbeat of America” Owner: Luke Stefanovsky This was my 1st project of this sort after dreaming about it for years. I did not start the restoration, but have finished the interior, exterior, the engine bay, and performed some undercarriage work. Once starting the restoration, I was “all in”! It became a great stress-reliever from the daily...

1937 GMC T-16 Cab Over Engine Owner:  Gary Witmer Original Photo Above In our Feature Truck of the Month series, we try to show the more unusual GM trucks. This is no exception. It falls perfectly into this category. Purchased new in 1937, this GMC T-16 Cab Over Engine truck has stayed in the same family almost 75 years. Bought...

Owner: Cecil White, South Africa We always try to find more unusual GM haulers for our Feature Truck of the Month series.  This design of the 1959 Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickup has probably never been seen in the United States.  You would need to travel to Africa to find another! It was made at the GM assembly plant in Port...

Owner:  Roger Sorenson Such a rare 1/2 ton!  It was made during the “Great Depression” when new vehicle sales were extremely low.  Only a small percentage of the population could buy a new truck or car.  About seven years later when our country became involved in World War II, most all vehicle assembly plants were changed to war material production...

Owner: Unknown Look what a 1 ton pickup can do with the help of their original low geared differential!!!

Owner: Unknown

Jim Carter Truck Parts found these pictures among some papers stored 16 years ago. The owner of this 1941 panel truck is forgotten, however it is understood why these pictures were taken and placed in storage. Even that long ago, a very original ’41 panel was almost never found. In this case, it was the interior that was the attention...

Owner:  Pat Jackson It’s mid 1954 and there is a growing segment of the US that for the first time has some disposable income. This was part of a post Korean War boom that had never been seen before. General Motors recognized this. More automotive options that were available were selling well! Thus, a relative inexpensive gamble was made by...

Owner: Pat O'Brien This rare little ½ ton survived its 75 years mostly because it stayed with one family; it probably never ventured beyond the city limits, and was used mostly by a mechanic that lived in an area of dry air that discouraged metal rust. For the trucks first two years, it was driven by Virginia Swaim to high...

Owners: Scott and Betty Golding of Stratton, Nebraska Is this the rare of the rare? Just when you think they were all gone, up comes a real Canopy Express of the 1939-46 body design. Our 'Feature Truck of the Month' section usually shows restored GM trucks, but we just had to show this almost forgotten body style even though it...

Owner: Dirk Spence A magic show unlike anything you've ever seen! Equally important to GM truck people is that all of this has been totally transformed on a 1945 Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton truck. The truck owner and professional magician is Dirk Spence of Tinley, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago). It all began in 1980 when Dirk was given a...

Owner: John Thompson This 1946 Chevy short bed from Pittsburg, Kansas, may look stock, however, it's anything but! It is a blend of the character of the pre-war vehicles mixed with today's technology. When I bought the truck it was almost all stock but it was in pieces strewn between 3 garage stalls. The truck is all steel and had...

Year/Make 1953 ChevroletOwner: Dave and Pat Moore This month's feature truck is a 1953 Chevy ½ ton by Dave and Pat Moore ofKansas City, KS. Dave is our company technical advisor and talks to hundreds ofpeople each week helping with the many questions that come his way. Dave is a 'hands-on' person and has personally done repairs and upgrades onmany...

Year/Make 1953 Chevrolet Owner: Richard & Lorie Baranek On my side of the story! from "Broadway Bob" at Auto Rehab. It was a project that took almost 1 1/2 years to complete. I started working on it from in a small 20x20 garage attached to my house . I was in the process of building a new 40x50 garage...

WILLY THE 36 CHEVY I found my 36 Chevy pickup in the 1980's on highway 41 somewhere south of Chicago. It was running but had a big crack in the block, so to drive it I had to carry a bucket of water with me. My love of the 36 pickup goes back to 1948 when I was four and...

Owner: Jim Brallier The total restoration of this 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe 1/2 ton came to be because of a "match made in heaven". Jim Brallier of Clearville, PA has this special truck because several things came together just right. He always had a desire to restore an older truck. He was retired after a full career specializing in vehicle mechanical...

We just couldn't resist placing this approximately 1956 Opel as this month's feature truck. Did you actually think General Motors discarded the famous Advance Design 1947-55 truck cab tooling?

This month we feature a pick up that is used just the way GM intended. It is still a work truck and at 65 years old it is used daily in the greater Kansas City, Missouri, area. The owner is Dennis Odell of Independence, MO. The truck is a 1946 Chevrolet half ton.

During the recent Mid-West All Truck National's in Riverside, Missouri, a very special truck was on display. It had been brought to the show in an enclosed trailer from Virginia.The owner is George VanOrden of Fulks Run, Virginia and the vehicle is a 1955 Chevrolet Suburban with a NAPCO 4x4 system. His personal history, leading to this restored Suburban, is a story by itself. He spent his youth in this mountain section of Virginia only 10 miles from his current home. The interest in 4x4 trucks was early in life as these type trucks were regularly seen on the rough mountain roads in his county. It is not surprising George decided to restore a 4x4 after his retirement after 20 years in the U.S. Marines.

It's a great day for a car show! This is one of those rare Saturday cruise shows when the temperature, a light breeze, and no rain make it a picture perfect day. A few hundred vehicles, antique and street rods, fill the parking spots gather around the old city square.

Coca Cola's big yellow delivery truck can been seen for a long way.

The owner is Jim Adams of Pleasanton, California! He has carefully rebuilt this 1946 Chevy 1/2 ton as one that would have been seen in the 1950's. The big difference is that he created it as a high-performance vehicle of 50 years ago during his high school years. For the few that had money in those more difficult times, this is what many wanted to build.

1953 Chevrolet 2 Ton

A recently restored 1953 Chevrolet 1/2 ton! This is a perfect example of a "good old truck", brought back from the dead. The owner is Colin Murphy of Summerset, South Dakota. he had an interest to restore an older GM pickup for years. It all came together when a friend offered Colin this little 1/2 ton that was setting behind a storage building in Cheyenne WY.Because of the dry air in Wyoming, even an older vehicle never in a garage has limited body rust. The picture of when he found his truck, six years ago, shows it disassembled but its solid cab had great potential. Colin says he still found two other pickups to use as parts donors. We might say three made one!

When it was new, my GMC was a water truck on the Altoona PA fairgrounds. It sat under a big oak tree for many years until the second owner bought it. It didn't have license plate on it until the 1970's. The second owner did a basic restoration and painted it in the same colors and scheme as it was when new. He also put two speed GMC rear end in it, shortened it, and made a fifth wheel out of it.

One of Roy Asbahr's most special and unique vehicles is a just completed 1949 Chevrolet Suburban. After a 1 1/2 year restoration, it looks showroom new. Roy is a perfectionist in vehicle restoration and this is one of his best yet! The body and paint work was performed by Larry Swiggart.

This is a very unique one of a kind 1951 Chevrolet Tilt A Whirl style Carnival Amusement ride. This vehicle was used back in the day to go around the streets of New York to give rides for 5 cents to the kids who could not afford to go to a regular carnival or amusement park. Unbelievable history for what this truck represents. Basically it rode around and stopped for kids just like the ice cream trucks of today do.

Although my family was in the coal business in Washington,D.C. for many years, and for a brief time I drove a tow truck for a living, my truck passion didn't bloom until after I restored my 1946 Chevrolet Cab-Over (COE) and joined ATHS.

I am Udi Cain, a war veteran from Israel. I love the USA and feel that Israel and USA are like one.

Strange but true! This 1964 Chevy 1/2 ton is a rolling autograph book. Due a patriotic feeling, owner Mike Light of Independence, MO decided to use his primered truck to collect the signatures of war veterans and active military.

During 1972, a unique Chevrolet promotional pickup was introduced for a limited time in 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton models. This truck was designated the 'Highlander'. Unfortunately, it did not have side emblems or related name plates that would cause people to remember this special model. On the actual truck the word Highlander was only listed on the glove box...

In recent years seeing the unusual Chevrolet Longhorn or similar GMC Custom Camper (1968-1972) has become a very rare occurrence. These oversize pickups, with 8 1/2 ft. bed floors, were built for work and thus there is a very limited survival rate. Most seen today started life as they were advertised carrying a vacation camper. They were usually more taken...

Look what a 216 six cylinder can do with a low speed rear end!

Life for this 1951 Chevrolet Model 5100 began at the GM assembly plant in Kansas City . Soon after, it was delivered to its new home at a small Chevrolet dealer in Lydon , Kansas . About this time it was also equipped with a new wrecker body (manufactured by W.T. Stringfellow and Co., Nashville , Tennessee ) and made ready for duties as a GM dealership tow truck.

So you wish to hear about my 1939 Chevrolet, grain bed, ton and a half tow truck. Well folks it is what I call a “REAL TRUCK”. This baby was built to work and be tough. Quality was important to vehicle builders of the pre-war era.

The truck (a 1936 1/2 Chevy high cab) was the very first truck that Mr. Hess himself drove around Woodbridge, NJ in the early days. In those days it was not gasoline he hauled, it was primarily heating fuel oil. The truck remained in service up into the early fifties at which time it underwent a partial overhaul. When I met the truck it had spent the last twenty something years in the HOVIC (Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corp) plant in the US Virgin Islands being used as a prop.

Its early 1947 and the U.S. has been struggling over a year to get factories back to producing domestic goods for the new post World War II economy. Car and truck hungry customers are expecting a year’s wait for each new vehicle ordered.

This is my 1948 Chevy 6100 Series, 2 ton short dump truck. I used it for remodeling business in Ledyard, CT. The truck has been in use by me for 8 years. After purchasing it, I have sought to keep her looking as original as possible. This is a long term project.

Ad for 1946 Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton dually

Almost unchanged in 45 years! The second owner repainted the two doors to cover the town lettering, then added the "Moblegas" decals. Yes, the hubcaps, bumpers, and grill back splash bars are still the correct gray color due to 1953 Korean War shortages.

Wow! Now this is a real work truck. Used almost daily, it was bought from the original owner in 1985. This 1967 Chevrolet 1 ½ ton is a true heavy hauler. It's original 283 V-8, 4 speed transmission, single speed rear end, and high output heater remains in place.

Our 1942 1 1/2 ton Chevrolet Fire Truck Was delivered to the DeLand Naval Air Station, February, 1942.

Finding a forgotten 60 year old stored vehicle to restore is very unlikely in today's world. They have been already found and junked or are in the hands of a new owner. The most unusual exception is our feature truck of the month.

As luck would have it, I found this rare 1967 Chevrolet C30 pickup on eBay just 80 miles from home. I saw a reference to GM having built pickups with a nine foot stepside bed in an old dealer brochure. Surprised, I punched "9 foot box" into an eBay search, and this truck popped up. When I went to look at it, I knew I had to have it. I told the seller to pull it off eBay, as it was MINE!

I am glad that you have shown an interest in my pickup. It was purchased from a local theater in 1964 they used it to carry a billboard in the back. After purchase it was used to carry feed and seed on the farm. After purchase of a newer pickup my Dad's employee used it to carry fuel and supplies to a bull dozer until the engine was beginning to fail.

Now, this is just like they used to be! A 1938 Chevy 1/2 ton rebuilt, beginning with the bare frame and made to look as it was on the dealer showroom over 70 years ago.

This is my original 1952 Chevy truck with only 83.783 miles on it. The truck was sold in Rush City, Minnesota at Schneider Chevrolet, which is no longer in business. It was kept in the area by Leroy Lindstrom. I bought it at a garage sale in 2007, just the way it sits, for $2500.00. I had to redo the box wood and put on a new muffler but every thing else is original. It still has the 6 volt system, six cylinder, and three on the tree.

Hello to all! Here is our 1967 C10 with a 1993 step side bed. This is owner built with a 305 tune port 700R4 trans from a 1988 Trans Am. It has a tilt column, Dolphin gauges, billet gauge panel and glove box, classic under dash AC, hidden hitch, front and rear roll pans, Ansen wheels, and lots more.

I was volunteering for my church, working the graveyard security shift, at a fireworks tent. The 11pm-7am shift was an opportunity to visit with a couple of men from our church, share a few stories etc. We got to talking and I told my new friend I had been searching a long time for a specific, Chevy, truck...

During the 1940's and 1950's a few body companies created their own design of truck not offered by the chassis manufacturer. In this case the Campbell Co. made their own "station wagon" body to fill a need of a small number of buyers. its all wood construction and 3 or 4 side doors made a very attractive package. It was similar to the GM all metal Suburban with 2 doors.

Regular readers of this section know we tend to give credit to trucks that are the more unusual. This month is no exception.

Charlie has owned this truck for over 30 years, since he was 12 years old. He bought it with paper route money. His parents said "What are you gonna do with that truck" he said "gonna drive it". And he did just that after scraping out the oil pan and replacing the fuel tank.

What a traffic stopping combination! When this pair hits the road, even the non-truck enthusiasts take note. The proud owners are Bill and Ken Wedelaar in Midland Park, New Jersey. Bill and Ken have a local auto electric shop and the restoration of these trucks has been their hobby when time became available.

Now that our 1939 has had it's restoration completed we thought we would send you some photos of the finished product.

This 1951 GMC advance design half ton is owned by Tom Pryor of Kansas City, Missouri. Found four years ago in Clinton Missouri it was originally an Iowa farm truck. The previous owners had started a very poor attempt at restoration, sanding the old paint with little body repair then applying primer, the truck then sat in the outside elements were surface rust took over on every panel of the truck. The wood bed was rotten, electrical non-existent and field mice had taken over the interior.

Years ago when I lived in Washington State, I had a 1950 Chevrolet 3100 that I restored/rebuilt customized from the frame up. It was my hunting and fishing truck and I loved it. During a time when I was getting ready to build an addition to my house here in California, I got talked into selling my 50.

It's 1937 and the Great Depression has affected all households. Sales of new cars and trucks have dropped and most manufacturers have permanently shut their doors. The struggling survivors must add ways to stay above the level of bankruptcy.

My truck began life as a 1972 3/4 ton Custom chassis cab with a 350, heavy-duty camper suspension and four on the floor. I purchased it new in November 1971, and by February 1972, I installed a camper body on it. It remained this way until 1995 when the camper body was no longer reliable, having developed some fatal leaks causing some structural weaknesses. It was no longer practical or economical to keep it as a camper. I was faced with the dilemma of what to do with it.

* 1948 Chevrolet * 6 volt system, all original, floor starter * 1972 blazer wheels (so I could run radial tires) * Factory 4 speed

This truck has been in my family for nearly fifty years. my dad purchased it from a local GMC dealer in our hometown in western Wisconsin and we are the third owners. The truck was purchased new by the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, next by a farmer in a neighboring community, and then by my dad. We used it on our small farm, hauling can milk to the local creamery, trips to the feed mill, and in the fields at planting and harvest time.

In the search for unusual trucks to place in our monthly feature, we came to a stop when we found this 1949 Chevrolet ½ ton. Though not restored original, it looks on the outside much like what would have been seen on the road in the early 1950’s.

This 1953 GMC 1/2 ton is certainly one of the more special trucks we see at today's shows. It not only is of interest to people now but would have been a definite attention getter in the 1950's. Jerry Willis of Independence, MO bought this farm truck un-restored in 1995 and is the third owner. He found it in South Missouri so it had not experienced winter road salt. It was a great candidate for restoration.

This months feature truck is one of the better examples of a correct 1957 Chevrolet Cameo. Its a limited production 1/2 ton that was sold four years in the 1950's. They are now rarely seen. GM added many extras to their 1/2 ton pickup and came up with this very deluxe truck. This "Boulevard Truck" drew customers into dealer showrooms and yet could be used by a new owner for light hauling.

Our 54 Chevy truck was won in a raffle in July, 1997. We were en-route to Cherokee, N.C. and saw a sign for a car show in Maggie Valley. So we went to the car show. Linda saw this truck and bought two tickets. They had one more show to attend and would announce the winner in August.

When I purchased the truck 3 years ago the engine had been rebuilt ( a 1960 235 inline 6) and installed and a feeble attempt had been made on the body work. The interior had to be completely de-rusted. The bed sides that came with the truck were not usable in my estimation so I purchased new bedsides, bed front and tailgate from Jim Carter.

This month we feature one of the most unique eye catching Advance Design 1/2 tons in the country. On daily runs it is a real traffic stopper. At car shows it is surrounded by curious admirers and trophies seem to be a regular occurrence.

This old girl is on her 3rd SB305 engine, hauled a ton of sand last week on the leaf springs. It has found a second life hauling the boy scout trailer around. She is equipped with leaf springs, power steering, power brakes, tilt steering wheel, Eldebrock 550 cfm electric choke carburetor, five bolt wheels, and a factory tachometer.

I purchased my 1971 Chevrolet 1/2 ton Cheyenne in the spring of 2002. My intentions were to do a patch up backyard restoration. I soon discovered that not only was it going to be a full restoration but a frame off restoration due to a lot more unforeseen rust and body damage.

Have you ever seen one of these? Few were produced, almost none have survived.

Not only is this 1937 GMC T-14 very unusual but it is one of the only remaining examples of a pure original in existence. It is a part of history and will remain un-restored.

A one of a kind truck! Yet, it is displayed regularly and is a part of local parades and drives.

This cab and early fleetside bed combination was available only during 1958 and 1959 but to get the bedside trim you had to wait with the last year. This was a time when trucks were usually bought for work and styling was far down the priority list. Therefore, one can appreciate the rarity of this month’s feature truck.

First I would like to thank all of you for great service and quality parts.

You can’t get more unusual than 1 of 1. This is how Ralph Wescott of Largo, FL describes his 1957 GMC Palomino. General Motors built only one! It was produced to draw attention to their truck display at the New York Autorama show in 1957.

Having grown up in a family that always had delivery trucks, usually sedan deliveries I have always loved trucks. The first truck I remember was a black 48 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery. Ten a 50,52,54 and than we went to wagons.

Here's a recent photo of my 1961 Chevy Apache 1/2 ton, 98% on-frame restoration. Original 235 6cyl "Blue Flame" engine, Power Glide tranny.

I found this truck in Fall City, WA and it is now in Soldotna, Alaska. I shipped the truck From Tacoma Wa to Anchorage Alaska on Totem Ocean Trailer Express (TOTE). I have driven it about 500 miles since I bought it.

During the early 1930’s the US Army strongly encouraged General Motors to develop a light weight people hauler for their military needs. GM’s answer to this is what they called a Suburban. The finished product was placed on a ½ ton truck chassis. This allowed GM to use most of the existing items from their pickup.

This truck restoration took a considerable amount of time due to the repair of a lot of body rust. Thanks to the availability of parts from your company and the skilled work at the body shop I am pleased to say that the body is all steel (no fiberglass or bondo). All of the material received from Jim Carter was correct and of good quality.

Here are some of the before and after pictures of my 1955 First Series Chevrolet Truck, complete August, 2006.

This 1951 GMC is a family original. My father bought it new from the local GMC dealer in Fort Benton, Montana and has stayed with us ever since. For years this pickup was used to drive from town, to our farm and back daily.

In Feb 2005 I purchased my 1941 Chevrolet pickup off web site DealsonWheels.com. The truck was located in Sacramento, California. I live north of Seattle so I purchased a one way plane ticket to California. Upon arrival, two days later, I finally get to see the 41, stuffed in a small garage with boxes all around.

Maych is a 1972 GMC Sierra Grande 1/2 ton pickup. He is named for my father, Martin Hamilton Patterson. I was 2 years old when my father died in an automobile accident, so I never really knew him. But for as long as I can remember, when friends or relatives spoke of my father they would always call him Maych.

I bought my 1936 GMC T-14 from the second owner in Arizona in 2003. It was restored in 1989 by the original owner who bought it in June of 1936 and the truck has been in Arizona since new until I bought and had it shipped to Florida.

A few months after the introduction of their 1954 trucks, GM announced a new model with more deluxe features. Korean was shortages were over and the average American had more disposable income. Buyers were already ordering the many options on automobiles, so General Motors knew at least a small market existed for a well appointed pickup truck.

The attached photos are of my 1949 Chevrolet Thrift Master Panel Delivery Truck. It was restored/ modified about twelve years ago but still looks pretty darn good thanks to the quality parts that Jim Carter supplies. This truck sits on a Chevelle front clip and differential.

Featured this month is a rare 65 year old truck was saved from an unknown destiny almost 35 years ago. The survival rate of this style 1940 Chevrolet pickup is very low because they are rated 3/4 ton. Heavier demands were placed on almost all non-1/2 ton pickups and most were just “used up.”

I would like to submit a picture of my 1934 Chevy 1 1/2 ton truck for your feature trucks gallery. It has been a Pennsylvania truck since new. It started life as a produce truck in Dallas Pennsylvania, about 6 miles from where we live.

I recently obtained this 69 C20 as an inheritance. The previous owner bought parts from Jim Carter Classic Truck Parts. It's all original with a 350 and automatic. I'll be redoing the interior as soon as I get previous projects complete.

I purchased my 39 Chevy in 1973 for 500$US. I drove it in original condition for several years. After 3 wives, it has been the only thing I could hold onto. I used it for wood hauling, then with a 600 gal. tank, for water, then in the 80's, it went mining with me, serving well hauling gold ore down a treacherous road.

I bought my 1938 Chevy truck at an estate sale in Lindsborg, Kansas on October 4,2002. Since that time I have performed a frame off restoration on the truck. The frame and body panels were all blasted to bare metal, and the repainted to their original colors.

I'm Sending you a picture of my husbands truck. It is a 1928 Chevrolet Parcel Delivery. He did all the restoration himself. It took about 5 years and a lot of traveling to find parts. We take in our local parades. We would like to know if you or anyone has seen a truck like this!!

I have owned this truck since 1970, using it for fun and everyday use. Jim Carter's used parts have been a life saver for this old baby. All of the restoration has been only to maintain, repair or replace with original or original-reproduction parts.

When I started this truck in 2000 the first thing I did was send for a Jim Carter catalog, after seeing the ad in Hemmings. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with the truck when I started. This was the second 1954. The first one had been wrecked and had a pieced together frame so it became a parts truck.