Jim Carter Truck Parts

After a life of hauling merchandise, those taken to salvage yards often found a final use. They set on the ground and stored the yard's generators, starters, radios, heaters, and other unique items removed of vehicles that must be protected from the weather. OR They might be left too close to a stream that floods in the spring. In this...

WOW! What is this? It is a car or a truck? Surprise. It is neither. This is an “American made” 1952 Australian UTE! It’s probably the only one of its type in the world. The owner and restorer is John Smith of Tonganoxie, Kansas. We first saw this special vehicle displayed at the Mid-West All Truck Nationals on September 6...

At a recent truck show a 1972 GMC Blazer was so original that several special points should be shown on the vehicle’s unaltered fiber glass top. Two dome lights are on the left interior side. This allows light for passengers on the front and rear seat. These are the same as in the pickup and big trucks above their rear...

A rarely seen view of the Blazer spare tire mount. When you preferred to keep you spare inside for security or just to lower the cost over an outside swing bracket, GM provided this special two foot mount behind the rear seat. It is secured by fasteners to the metal Blazer floor.

During these years there were no differences between the Chevy grilles of each year in the base lower price model (Custom) and the top of the line Super Cheyenne. The reason is simple! High volume reduces high prices! Most Chevrolet trucks in these years used an anodized aluminum grill housing with a plastic insert. In proportion to the mid series...

What a rare pickup! When new the owner paid the extra price to buy a 1 ton pickup, his number one need was a heavy hauler with a larger bed. As the fleet side had not yet been introduced, General Motors made the bed longer and the frame stronger to carry more merchandise. During the Advance Design years (1947 early...

About 15 years ago, Jim Carter Truck Parts, decided to reproduce the “real” GM step plates used in the years of 1947-55.  Though there were hundreds of step plate designs available during the early years, but only one is pure. The 1947-55 Chevrolet/GMC Running Board Safety Treads and was made available by the GM dealers. No lettering exists so they...

When you owned GM ½ ton in the early years and occasionally need to carry a load above the manufactures suggested limits, over-load rear springs were the answer. They were GM installed or aftermarket. When installed they were not part of the rear suspension until the stock springs were overloaded. When the bed lowered due to additional weight, the auxiliary...

We assume the increase population of these little 12 to 15 pound rodents in the past 20 years is due to stricter in-city zoning that does not allow dogs outside without some type of restraint.Beware! Ground hogs (woodchuck) are on the hunt for a dry place out of the rain to call home. They love a dry dirt floor in...

  It’s 1971 and what we all knew was coming it arrived with this new model year. For the first time Chevrolet and GMC light trucks were equipped with front disc brakes (several years after certain models of Chevy cars). To show the world this new addition was available, a special decal was on the left side of the tail...

To help recover from high tooling costs, all car and truck manufacturers attempt to make items that can be used as long as possible. This is a great way for reducing costs per part. Examples of automotive leaders in this field are:The original Volkswagen Beetle bodies were basically the same about 20 years.The longest run metal body is said to...

WOW! Look what you can do with a 1954 Chevy ¾ ton. How impressive. It can stand right alongside of all the short beds and receive equal or more attention.Terry Millsap of Independence, Missouri bought this pickup in 1999 with the intension of a major restoration. With the encouragement of Jerry Willis, a 1953 GMC owner near his home, the...

Did GM make a mistake in designing the rubber grill bar support? The six vertical grill bars are each held in a slot in a lower rubber V-block. It keeps the bars in proper position and protects them from damage when driving over very rough terrain. The problem: Almost all (now 76 year old grills) have their vertical bars ends...

During the recent 2014 annual convention of the American Truck Historical Society in Springfield, Missouri, hundreds of large and small trucks from over the US were in sight! This number is only found at this once a year convention in a different city each year. As people walked through rows of so many older trucks several seemed to be at...

As vehicle owners begin to use their truck (cars as well) they report to local dealers of developing problems. Many things show up in long field use and not during short laboratory tests. An excellent example is the 4 speed shift lever on the 1947-55 Chevrolet and GMC Cab over Engine “COE”. It was found that wear in the lower...

Jim Winters of Rochester, Minnesota looked two years before he found the vehicle he wanted to restore in his retirement years. He did not want to spend the time and money required for a major rebuilding unless it suited him just right. Many cars and trucks were checked but few gave him that special feeling he wanted. When he saw...

This month we feature one of the nicest 1935 Chevrolet 1/2 ton pickups in the country. At 69 years old, the owner attends his first 12 car shows.All are in upstate New York during 2013. His 1935 received no less than first place in every one in the commercial class. In five of these events he also was awarded "Best of Show" Those attendingstand...

This new Chevrolet Horn design was introduced in 1934. It is attached direct to the 207 six cylinder engine and was so successful there was almost no changes through 1952. As shown in these photos this 1934-36 Chevrolet Horn was attached to a flat foot that secured it to the center of the intake manifold. The long nose directs the...

The most unique feature of the 1960-1961 Chevy / GMC Truck is the design of their hood. It is not in any way similar to the year before. Whether you like it or not, there is no other vehicle with an appearance like this Chevy and GMC Truck. As some areas of vehicle production were known for saving on tooling...

Our feature truck for April represents a very interesting extension from the usually seen 1941-1946 Chevrolet and GMC.  Our featured 1942 Chevrolet 1 ½ ton Model 7117 was made in America in a truck factory assembly line.  Look Closely!  This cab’s tooling also produced the familiar civilian Chevrolets and GMC’s used before and after WWII. The owner and restorer is...

The revised Chevrolet 235 and 261 high pressure inline six cylinder engine (1955 through 1962) was given a much better cooling system than prior years. This was due to a big change in the water pump and how it attached the front of the engine block. The prior 216 and early 235 design pulled coolant out of the engine block...

Owner: Randy Priebe Randy: First show, First Trophy. Here is a little 1949 ½ ton that looks and performs as it left the factory in Janesville Wisconsin. Mariner Blue with the correct 216 six cylinder engine, 3 speed column shift transmission and 6 volt electrical system.It had been used on nearby farm during its first 50 years. The third owner...

With the introduction of the new Cameo in 1955, GM added their most deluxe features as standard equipment.  This “Boulevard Pickup” was to stand out above all others. The following relates to the appearance of the wheel coverings on this special vehicle. 1955 Wheel Cover The wheel covers were not like that on the more standard pickup.  To save tooling...

As the United States entered into the 1950’s, our country’s economic growth was breaking all records. The demand for merchandise from US factories had never been stronger.  For the first time most citizens had at least some disposable income that could be spent on non-essentials. It was then that we began to see a certain segment of our population look...

Examples of the correct seat in the 1964-66 Chevrolet deluxe cab are shown below.  The original brown insert material is almost impossible to locate however our two examples are so close!  The most original seat is # 1.  It wins the show!  However both are excellent examples of how they looked about 55 years ago. Notice in the photos of...

Owner: Tad Shadid Combine a love for vintage vehicles plus a strong support for the “home team” and you have our Feature Truck of the Month. The pickup is a deluxe 1948 Chevy ½ ton rebuilt on its freshly powder coated frame. The exterior was carefully restored just like it left the factory except it is the official color of...

 

The set of 12 mirror polished stainless trims used on the 1947-54 deluxe Chevrolet panel truck. Includes the needed attaching clips. Show quality Part Number TRT400 - set $1,550.00. The long mirror polished stainless trim that secures to the upper front fender of the 1947-54 Chevrolet deluxe panel truck. Securing clips are built into strip. Show quality Part Number TRT402...

The Korean War has ended and copper used in quality chrome plating is now readily available at an acceptable price to commercial buyers. General Motors loses no time introducing a deluxe pickup in both their Chevrolet and GMC lines. Quality chrome plating was required for this project and was now in stock. Other metals have also dropped in price including...

Owner: Paul Owsley The first thing that catches most people’s attention is this nicely restored 1946 Chevy 1/2 ton is the Apple Green paint, an original color on this over 70 year old little pickup.   Its owner is Paul Owsley of Independence, Missouri (a lifelong driver for the Greyhound Bus Co.). For many years he has been the owner...

Within 10 to 15 years the delicate factory three position light switch under dash usually broke.  Replacing this switch on a working truck in the 1940’s was usually not an option.  Now almost 80 years later few owners of these early GM trucks even know the light switch existed.  In most cases the little single filament light bulb and socket...

Since the year 2000, we have posted almost 150 “Feature Trucks of the Month” articles from 1934 to 1972 Chevrolet and GMC. These remain in our website archives on oldchevytrucks.com. This month we are going out of the loop and for this one time only are featuring some special cars of the 1950’s in the mystery country of Cuba. We thought this...

It is a clear September weekend in Pierce, Nebraska.  Over 7,000 people have gathered to be a part of the most unique car auctions in our country’s history.  They had come from most all US States and several countries to be in an open field at the edge of the town between the community golf course and a major size...

To add better night visibility to all Pickups, Big trucks, Suburban’s, and panel trucks, General Motors offered a 4 inch diameter 1940-1953 Accessory GM Reflector as a dealer installed accessory.  With the single small factory taillight, seeing of these vehicles on the road could be difficult especially if their one bulb burned out.  To help correct this problem GM offered a...

What an unusual and almost forgotten Chevrolet Truck option. Most 1964-66 truck enthusiasts have no idea this option was ever available. Paul Bremer of Seward, Nebraska recently discovered a 1964 Chevy ¾ ton in a back row of a salvage yard with the remnants of an option air filter. This was Paul’s first encounter with this option after over 30...

Early GMC’s carried the same texture of interior paint as the Chevrolet trucks. However, to keep the two companies looking different, GMC used a dark gray wrinkle instead of the dark brown used on Chevrolet Trucks. GMC used the wrinkle style paint through 1940 but Chevrolet stopped this type of texture paint at the end of 1938. This unusual texture...

General Motors made it very simple to replace the two small windows in the rear doors of these years. Simply place the rubber seal (now available from full stocking early GM Truck Dealers) around the pre-cut glass.  Press into the inside window opening. Three special clips secure it in place. It could not be easier! See Photos. Oops, one big...

So unusual in today’s world!  When you did not order a radio in your new 1967-72 GM truck, here is what you received. A simple metal plate that pressed into the two holes that usually secured the tuner knobs.  Certainly a very rare item, as later owners have found at least a used radio to place in the dash.

Owner: Mitch Jarvis This little 1969 C-10 pickup drove off the assembly line in Janesville, Wisconsin, sometime in May of that year.  It appears to have been bought for work duties.  Possibly for a government due to almost no options and the orange color.  Its history is a mystery but for sure no upgrades had occurred during its 44 years...

An interesting fact! Their eleven horizontal grill bars are all the same.  Just a subtle way General Motors saved tooling cost on their smaller trucks.  Now you know a total grill can be created from miscellaneous damaged assembles.

Owner is Unknown The Great Depression has reached a level not ever expected. About 25% of the country’s work force is without income. The Chevrolet Motor Company introduces a less expensive automobile (The Standard) to try to stop vehicle sales from their gradual downward spiral. The 1935 1/2 ton pickup is kept as basic as possible to still be rated...

Owner:  Pat Kroeger The United States was experiencing the bad economic years of the 1930’s Great Depression. GMC, the leader of big truck sales, is feeling a market drop with no end in sight. Many of their dealers have either gone out of business or are trying to survive on customer mechanical repairs and selling other products. The GMC Truck...

Owner: Don Welsh What a rare find!  Don Welsh of Kansas City, Kansas is the proud new owner of a 1953 Chevrolet 1/2 ton panel truck used by the Canadian Army to transport troops.  Its data plate even is stamped "Army" as well as "Made in Canada".  By its appearance inside, it was used to haul soldiers and the long...

A subtle improvement to Chevy and GMC pickup bedsides occurred in 1941.  Prior to this, truck owners that overloaded their pickup bed would sometime cause the sides to bend outward.  Heavy freight such as sand, gravel or a load of lumber placed substantial side pressure on the rear of the bedsides.  The sides were sometimes bent outward and they could...

Owner Howard Jones Wow! They cannot get any rarer than this 1946 Chevrolet 2 ton with Thornton Drive. Of several thousand produced, this appears to be the only one remaining. This 1946 Chevrolet 2 ton has two rear axles turning 8 wheels and tires. The rear axle assembly was produced by the Thornton Tandem Company of Detroit, Michigan. It was...

We recently had a local radiator repair shop clean the rust from an older used 1949-72 Chevrolet/GMC gas tank.  They submerged it in a cleaning acid tank overnight. The price was over $75.00.  WOW!  It was expensive! Several months later we discovered an “old school” method that is a very low cost. Oh well, we live and learn. Thus done as...

Owner: Howard Jones During the recent annual convention of the American Truck Historical Society in Yakama, Washington we noticed that among the 813 registered trucks there was a Chevrolet that may be the only survivor of this design. The vehicle was a 1946 Chevrolet 2 ton with a Thornton dual rear drive. How unusual! This non-General Motors accessory allowed all...

Owner: Joe Miller We are proud to have this very rare 1947 GMC as our feature truck of the month. Manufactured in Pontiac, Michigan from only April through about November 1947, this GMC is one of the few survivors of a 1 ton 9 foot bed pickup. They were bought new for work duties! After years of heavy use and...

Yes, they are different than 1/2 ton!  Though the “C” shaped brace that attaches to the bumper is like the 1/2 ton, the brace from there to the frame is much different.  A curved single heavy brace connects to the frame rail in place of the pair on the 1/2 ton.  Of course, all are of spring steel to prevent...

Owner: Steve Jones If you ever consider restoring a Pre-WWII GM truck, this data should quickly get you in the mood. Just look at what was done to a tired 1939 Chevy 1/2 ton that was bought from a newspaper advertisement. Its many pieces were brought home after years of abuse. It was no longer a usable vehicle. Even more...

Owner:  John “Grizz” Hulbert This was purchased from an eBay ad, here in Illinois. It spent all of its life under shelter as a farm truck. The old farmer couldn't start it one day and took it to another, local farmer who does mechanics work. When the mechanic told the owner that the 336 Pontiac engine had sucked a valve...

When you want to transport your rebuilt 1937 Chevy coupe to more distant shows, what do you use? Barney Hobbs of Damascus, Oregon decided pulling a trailer for this was not acceptable. That feeling along with Barney’s talents in a few restorations resulted in an 18 month project that created this one of a kind car hauler. Just imagine a...

Owner: Bill Knoernschild Look what you can do with an early COE cab and a lot of imagination (an extra supply of money also helps).  This cab sits on a 1984 Chevrolet 1 ton truck chassis, perfectly carries a 1946 ¾ ton pickup bed, and uses 1940-46 rear pickup fenders.  What a nice combination.  We might call it a COE...

The first year of the Chevrolet pickup with a Hydramatic transmission was 1954.  Though it did not find a large percentage of buyers, this truck did open the door for an increasing number of this transmission in the coming years. When sitting in the 1954 Chevrolet truck cab with this new option, some changes are immediately noted. To operate the...

If you like non-original suburbans, you will love this 1947. Seen in a recent advertisement at $115,000. Look at the large quarter panel window!

A nice dealer installed accessory in 1954 was the grille guard. It was easily installed by using the pre-existing bumper bolts. A problem when installed was that it lessened the visibility of the front license plate. Therefore, another change was made during the installation. The license was moved to the center of the front splash apron from the factory position...

During the early years of automotive history, the invention of the dual filament light bulb had not emerged.  Therefore, there was no high and low beam headlight bulb on cars and trucks.  Only one beam existed for night driving. This created a problem with the headlight beam from an on-coming vehicle on the narrow roads in town and country driving. ...

Owner: Clyde McKaba Another rare truck for our Feature Truck of the Month series!! A 1961 GMC is unusual in any body style but this style is now almost non-existent. Imagine this; a 1961 GMC Suburban with factory 4x4! It has the original 305 V-6 engine with stand alone transfer case (not attached to the 4 speed transmission). The owner...

The world famous Chevrolet Cameo and GMC Suburban Carrier are well known by most early truck enthusiasts. They were created due to US citizens having more disposable income after World War II. Demand for houses, appliances, and vehicles were at times more than some factories could produce in a timely manner. In regards to vehicles, General Motors realized that options...

What a rare Suburban! We recently found these photos among some stored papers from 1999. An early 1947 GMC Suburban is rarely seen, so it just had to be placed on our website. This was the last year of the Prewar GMC’s and was carried into the beginning of 1947 through about May. It was owned and restored by Mark...

One of the rarest Chevrolet dealer installed truck accessories of the 1950's.  Charles Callis of Union City, Tennessee recently found this original radiator cover that he installs for shows on his 1953 1/2 ton. Note the Chevrolet logo on the lower right side to prove it's the real thing! It is pictured in the 1949 Chevrolet Salesman's Data Book on...

A totally restored 1937 COE 1 ½ ton on a 131” wheel base truck with attached Holmes #485 tow body from the late 1920’s. Most unusual about this Holmes #485 is the original hand crank system for lifting the cars for towing. There is no PTO on the transmission. This rig was operated by a driver with more muscle than...

In 1939 US auto and truck manufacturers realized the following year would be the introduction of the revolutionary new, we call them "almost" sealed beam headlight bulbs.  These first "almost" seal beams were very unique by the newer standards 15 years later that most of us are acquainted with.  This early sealed beam assembly was much like the later design...

Year/Make 1939 Chevrolet Owner: John H. Sheally II What do you tow your Morgan with ? Year/Make 1939 Chevrolet Owner: John H. Sheally II What do you tow your Morgan with ? Story and Photographs by John H. Sheally II There is something special about driving a 74-year-old truck, built with purpose and pride four years before I was born...

These photos might be of interest to US owners of 1934-35 Chevrolet trucks. The Australian design is very similar however there are just enough differences to catch the attention of the close observer. Examples: The hood sides and doors are quite different. Check the curved door bottoms. Of course, this also makes the cab different. Probably the most unique feature...

What a rare occurrence! At the 2011 America Truck Historical Society Convention in South Bend, Indiana, we at Jim Carter Truck Parts found both a 1936 and a 1937 restored GMC truck with the correct grille — each at different booths. You can go to every truck show for many years and never see even one. Therefore, we just had...

Owner: Paul Bremer It’s 1965 and 10 year old Paul Bremer often rides his bicycle near his home in Seward, Nebraska.  One thing he always admires is the neighbor’s 1961 Deluxe Chevrolet ½ ton.  They had bought it new and wanted the best.  Few 1961 Chevrolet trucks were equipped with this amount of trim and it always caught Paul’s attention. ...

What an unusual idea!  If you have clear coated your bedwood, replace the metal bed strips with dark stained wood. Of course, this is for a pickup not used for hauling, however as the owner said “If you clear coated your bedwood instead of painting it as original, you were not planning to work with it anyway”.

Owner: Kevin Koch There may be no other survivors!  If this is the only 1934 Chevrolet Canopy Express remaining, we are all fortunate to see it in this pristine condition.  It is owned by Kevin Koch of Morgantown, PA.  His Grandfather, Jack Crane of Willow Grove, PA bought this little 1934 in 1974 with the hope of someday giving it...

Owner: Butch Voigt This month’s Feature Truck certainly follows our trend of finding the more unusual among early Chevrolet and GMC vehicles.  This may be the only survivor of a 1951 Chevrolet 1 ton with a 16 passenger body. Chevrolet provided the 131” wheel base chassis with fenders, hood, grille, etc. See photo. The passenger part was made by the Carpenter Body...

Butch was able to provide many photos during the frame up restoration. The following will show many details of the complete restoration. Disassembly Many body repairs Priming is underway New paint Mechanicals are perfect Miscellaneous The ultimate detail! The inside decal is remade – perfect

One of our good customers, Scott Phaneuf of Hatfield, MA recently purchased a NOS (New Old Stock) GM tool bag with all the correct tools. It was found in a San Diego dealership back storeroom. Somehow it had not been thrown away over these many years. In earlier years canvas tool bags were with the vehicle when new at no...

Owner: Scott Phaneuf It all began over 30 years ago about 60 miles from Boston, Massachusetts. Scott Phaneuf had begun to accumulate a few rental houses. He had started looking for a pickup truck to help move larger remodeling supplies. Nothing fancy was needed, just a less expensive pickup for hauling lumber, sheetrock, trash, etc. Then it happened! After checking...

Owner: Ed Brouillet It’s 1935! With the encouragement of the US Army, the first Chevrolet Suburban is introduced. The Army wanted an enclosed vehicle to carry officers with a driver at their military bases. Of course, it would be a boost to Chevrolet for people to see they were doing so well during the Great Depression that they could even...

The full rear quarter panels for the 1947-55 Chevy/GMC Suburban were made all the same at the metal stamping manufacturer.  To save money these panels were not made different if the Suburban was to have the double doors or the tailgate style opening in the rear. Thus, when the Suburban was provided with a lift and tailgate combination the 4...

Owners:  Richard and Dolores Diestler It has become a top Wisconsin show truck in less than 2 years!  Twelve shows and eleven trophies. After that came one of the areas largest car and truck shows in Antigo, Wisconsin. Three hundred vehicles and this truck received first place!  You can’t do much better than this!  This show truck is driven to...

On an early Monday morning a customer, Mike Riley of Kansas City stopped by our shop to obtain some older Chevy truck parts needed during the past weekend. As I followed him to his mid-1980’s Chevrolet pickup he brought my attention to his new white paint job. He read about a home garage procedure on the internet and decided to...

Before 1954 on 1/2 tons, the frame rails were given a large arch as they passed over the rear axle housing. With a broken leaf spring or overloading the bed with too much weight, the frame rails will lower many inches before contacting an axle bumper. It was a system that worked for over 20 years on 1/2 tons when...

When finding a 1946 and older Chevy/GMC truck cab, identification may be difficult to some. Here is a quick way to come very close to the correct year. The stamped stiffeners on the firewall tell the story. 1936-38 No Stiffeners  1939-40-Two Vertical Stiffeners 1941-46 Cross Design Stiffeners

A customer recently came to our shop with a big smile about his discovery on the changeover for his 1937 Chevy 1/2 ton. He had changed his engine to either a V8 or a 235 six-cylinder. The closed drive shaft system had to be removed! After researching the local salvage yards, he discovered the perfect replacement. On a 2005 Chevrolet...

Warning:  When installing an updated duel chambered master cylinder under the floor of an older GM truck, a brake line modification may be necessary. It is not acceptable to allow the modified brake line to touch or be very close to the exhaust pipe.  During long trips, the exhaust heat can cause a rise in the brake fluid temperature to...

Make Your Own Flatbed: Needed are some logs without bark and a table saw. Cut in half and add tongue and groove. You have a truck flatbed! Maybe even better than hauling heavy merchandise on an original 1 ½ or 2 ton!

To keep General Motors truck costs down, Chevrolet and GMC ½ through 2 ton shared many components during the late 1930’s through the 1950’s. However, when it came to the grille, the focal point of the truck, changes had to be very noticeable. The truck designers were limited in creating a new grille as both makes would still have almost...

Owner: Mike Reese A 70 Year Old GMC Saved From The Crusher! This 1940 GMC 1 ½ ton had been retired along with its original owner, a farmer near Grand Rapids, Michigan for many, many years. It had been placed in a barn with badly damaged fenders, grille and related front items. The bed was beyond repair. If it was...

Attached are some pictures of the correct 1947-1955 GM panel truck seats. The right side was a factory option. This would be special ordered if the owner was planning on two passengers. Though they have been recovered with cloth instead of factory “leatherette”, they are correct in all other ways. What is interesting is how GM made the optional right...

Forgotten by most is the gasoline V-12 engine made by the GMC Division of General Motors in the mid 1960’s. This very large one piece engine block was made for GMC’s largest trucks. Examples of these vehicles were water carrying fire trucks and off road vehicles such as quarry trucks, which hauled tons of rock. As can be imagined, the...

Owners: John and Michele Dunkirk We have always assumed that less than 100 Advance Design Canopy Express trucks remain. If you ever see one restored or not restored, you should stop and take note. They are a part of our nation’s history. They carried groceries in neighborhoods with one car families during the years they were built. The husbands drove...

Though some things were shared between GMC and Chevrolet trucks, General Motors made sure many items remained very different during the early years.  GMC preferred few things to be similar to Chevrolet. Their customers needed to see an almost stand-alone truck with the higher price of the GMC. One very obvious difference is the change in the taillight and bracket. There is...

What an ingenious way to keep a tail light in view! General Motors realized that with the tail gate in the lowered position the center tail light still had to be seen by the following traffic. At times the gate will stay lowered when longer freight is carried. Therefore, the 5” round light is attached to a swing bracket. This...

My 1955 GMC 100 was locally purchased in 1995 immediately after buying the '62 Airstream which resided for decades in a Minnesota field. As these trucks were designed, developed, and built to be work trucks, this one would continue to be so. A few months were spent designing the Jimmy so that it could be a strong, safe, and reliable...

Leaving your truck, car, or most all gasoline operated equipment in storage is asking for trouble!  Many of us, as hobbyists, collect more cars and trucks than we will drive at least monthly.  They sit in the back of your garage or are stored across town in a friend’s garage, barn, etc. Three to five years later when it is...

During 2012 National Convention of the American Truck Historical Society, we met some real truck enthusiasts that had traveled to the show from Brazil. One was, Antonio Sergio Hurtago, an owner of an older American truck museum in San Paulo. Jim Carter Truck Parts was given a very interesting current 12 month calendar from this museum. The most surprising page featured a...

Owner: Paul Flammang It’s another era in our country. We were just coming out of the Great Depression. Employment was on the upswing and car sales were better than since the 1920’s. Families with a little more income began to move away from the downtown centers and new neighborhoods were developing at the edge of cities. Public transportation began serving...

For the first time in truck manufacturing General Motors made a heater available at the factory for Task Force trucks in the 1955-59 years. Yes, the dealer could still add a heater if you requested after the new truck purchase. Here, we feature the GMC heater dash panel for these years. In the photo, the deluxe fresh air controls have...

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...

We ask our readers: What is the correct color for the letters and numbers for the 1947-53 Chevrolet truck dash gauges? Were they white? Have they slightly yellowed after 50 years and now have a more cream color? Our company has made the decals both with white and slight yellow hue. We had assumed the originals have slightly yellowed with...

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...

During the April 2012 Portland, Oregon swap meet, we noticed a very unusual feature on a 1972 Chevrolet ¾ ton. Five GM optional clearance lights were set on the front of the cab above the windshield. The surprise was the inverted dimples stamped at the factory. Amber plastic lenses are secured here. See photo. Could this mean you received a...

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...