1/2 ton

Our special truck this month is a 1948 Chevrolet Deluxe ½ Ton owned and 95% restored by John Young of Alameda, California. Almost all of the restoration was done in his 2 car home attached garage. This became a 4 year project out of sight of the neighborhood while the two family cars set outside! When using the word “restoration”...

A very unique year for General Motors trucks. This was a split year! Two different body styles were displayed at different times at the dealerships. They are referred to as the 1955 First and 1955 Second Series. Why did this happen? Many have said: It is easy, Follow the Money! With limited changes in Chevrolet cars since 1949, it was...

Owner: Bill Sanders If you like the 70 year old body designs with the “creature comforts” of a modern vehicle, our feature truck this month might really catch you attention. It may appear very old but on a freeway it can reach a speed far above the legal limits! This eye catching stand out in a crowd 1942 Chevy pickup...

Here is a Feature Truck of the Month that was truly saved from the salvage yard. It had been outside deteriorating over 20 years behind the out of business Dellwood Dairy in Copiague New York (on Long Island). Because of some mechanical problems it had been left in the back lot of the abandon dairy. Now enters Vinny Tumminia of...

When light trucks appeared on the scene about 100 years ago, they were created for only one reason: WORK. This remained their primary use through at least the 1960’s. Move up another 55 years and today we find the majority of light trucks purchased for another reason: FUN, PLEASURE, and TRANSPORTING PEOPLE. Even the traditional 8 foot ½ ton bed...

The early GM ½ tons roll along relatively well on today’s highways considering the roads they were designed for 50 to 60 years ago. As highways became better Chevrolet and GMC added extra horse power six cylinder engines (each model had its own inline six cylinder) to satisfy the demands of many buyers. Even with this improvement the ½ tons...

We had heard of this special GMC over the years but had not personally talked to the owner or seen the various photos showing it in detail. The owner and person responsible for this creation is Bill Miles of Ashland, Massachusetts. After several conversations with Bill, we knew this pickup should have been a part of our Feature Truck series...

This is one of the better examples of an Advance Design “Deluxe” pickup. General Motors offered this extra above the standard model. As extra money was limited during these years, most settled for the no frill model. After all, pickup trucks were for work duties. Spending extra income (which most did not have) was not spent by buyers that were...

What an “attitude change” for this ½ ton! It moved from a stock long bed fleetside to a nice custom short stepside ½ ton in about 3 months! The owner and responsible person for the work is John Toon of Sugar Creek, Missouri. As his first major truck transformation, we feel he has created a very different “breed of cat”...

What a one of a kind early 1947 Chevy ½ ton! Joe Haney of Independence, Missouri decided to use his skills to create an older Chevy pickup that would be nothing like anyone had ever seen. At the same time he would keep the project to a level that would be within his budget. Fortunately, Joe’s mechanical talents and love...

What a Deal! When the term “Only One in the World” is used in the automotive world, this special 1959 Chevrolet ½ ton Fleetside short bed should be near the top of the list. There is none like this one! The owner and creator is Sam Caudle of Independence, Missouri. Using GM as the original designer, Sam became a subcontractor...

We just had to make an exception! Normally our monthly feature is to help show our readers what the new truck was when they first left the dealers showroom. However, this unrestored 1936 Chevrolet low cab ½ ton changed our direction. In our 35 years in business we have never seen an 80 year old work truck so unaltered. Yes...

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...

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: 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...

General Motors was coming out of the wire wheel era by 1936. This as well as wood spokes had been a standard with most cars and light trucks since the beginning at the turn of the century. The new stamped steel wheels on Chevrolet 1/2 tons were easier to produce, and was less susceptible to side damage on rough terrain...

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...

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...

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!

During a recent trip to Buenos Aires, this Argentina built 1971 Chevrolet ½ ton was seen beside a downtown street. Its unique features causes us to take a strong second look. The more we observed this clean little short bed, the more we saw features that were special to this South American Chevy. The driver was not available so we...

The Australian 1937-38 Chevrolet trucks are much like those in the U.S., however on close observation, one can certainly see unique differences. This United States relative is obviously GM but not quite the same. These Down-Under truck's final assembly point was in the Holden plant in New South Wales, Australia. (Holden is a branch for GM in that country.) Much...

Prior to the 1960's, trucks were used as work vehicles. On Friday nights, most were parked for the weekend and the family sedan was the transportation vehicle. It was a conservative era when you bought only basic necessities. A $5.00 grocery purchase was more than most could carry. Finding white wall tires on a truck (even a car) would have...

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.

  Chevrolet's 1/2 ton and car 3 speed overdrive transmission was optional equipment installed on the assembly line during the 1950's. The reduction of engine RPM's in high gear resulted in less wear on the drive train as well as additional speed on level roads. Today, this is still important but of increased importance is better fuel economy. The standard...

Have you ever crawled under a pickup for sale looking for damage? You then turned it down because some rust was coming through the floor. Well, check this! David Cross of Stillwater, Minnesota found this 1957 Chevrolet 1/2 ton and ignored the signs of major rust. What is now a show quality truck would normally have been crushed by a recycler.

This mid-Missouri 1937 Chevrolet 1/2 ton is owned by Tim Koch of Jefferson City. He chose this restoration shop to do the total project because of their reputation for quality as one of the best! The name Herrons Customs Paint is mentioned at so many local shows, it was worth Tim Koch talking to the owner and viewing his shop. The vehicles under rebuilding convinced Tim this was the company to do the restoration of his 1937 Chevy truck.

This is my latest project a 1937 GMC 1/2 ton pickup. Not exactly original but a personal preference. The previous owner had owned the truck for over 30 years and finally parted with it. It had been restored many years ago but was in need of a lot of repair to shoddy bodywork and I have added many upgrades.

During the early years of GM truck production, many examples exist which relate to their vehicles being designed more for work. Changing a trim part for appearance reasons was usually secondary if it resulted in unnecessary expense. Often parts were used that had already been on GM automobiles. This eliminated expensive new tooling costs and kept GM truck prices in...

  During the 1940's through 1950's placing pin stripes on automobile wheels occurred on most all brands. It was an inexpensive touch that added a little flair to the appearance of a new wheel. The stripe could be added quickly with a machine on a rotating wheel. The factory didn't need a human as on the body stripes. GM was...

The term artillery wheel is a nickname adapted from a scalloped type wheel often seen on US military vehicles in World War I. The similar appearance at a distance to GM's scalloped steel wheels quickly gave them the name artillery. On GM trucks, this style was first used during 1934-36 as a stock six bolt 1/2 ton 17 inch wheel...

From 1934 to 1959 GM 1/2 tons came from the factory with a tie rod assembly that extended side to side to almost touch the front wheels. With everything stock, the tie rod sits about 3/4 inch from the inside of both original six hole wheels and all fits just right. A problem exists when someone attempts to add a...

The big news for GMC in 1936 was the introduction of their first 1/2 ton pickup. Though GMC shared cabs with Chevrolet trucks, the visual exterior differences were mostly noticeable in front of the hood. The GMC grill was totally redesigned and did not resemble the Chevrolet truck. This unique grill was modified little between 1936 through 1938 but the...

The placement of rear axle bumpers by GM on 1/2 tons proved to be an important feature. Owners can often load cargo over recommended weights, their shock absorbers may lose their resistance, and there is the existence of uneven road surfaces. All this can make axle bumpers very important. During the hauling of freight, these bumpers occasionally stop metal to...

  Leaf spring width on 1/2 ton pickups remained at 1 3/4 inches until the introduction of the two inch width on the Task Force 1/2 tons in mid 1955. The early narrow springs worked well considering the engine horsepower and weight limitations of the 1/2 tons. The two inch springs became standard equipment on the rear of the 3/4...

The straight axle ½ ton GM pickups (1959 and older) were built tough! They served their purpose as the best in work vehicles for over 30 years. Other than an occasional kingpin replacement, they were almost 'bullet proof'. In today's world, the reasons for owning an older truck, has generally changed. Most have been retired from work responsibilities and have...

Mechanical components on trucks were usually kept for many years by GM. Unless an improvement was needed, there was no need to change a proven design. An excellent example of this is the rear ½ ton axle bumper. The design was used from 1929 through 1946 on Chevrolet and GMC ½ tons. A rubber bumper is held down on the...

  An original drawing of a 1949 Chevrolet Suburban from their sales brochure. Shown with its rated seven passengers. NOTE: The lady driver emphasizes that it does not drive like a truck! (The hotel employee is probably wondering how he will place the suit cases and golf clubs in the space behind the third seat) Suburban Seating With the increased...

The 1934-36 half ton Chevrolet truck body style always placed their 17' spare in the right fender. Even the Chevrolet car normally used the right side when only one side mount was added. In mid 1936, GMC entered the ½ ton market for the first time. This light truck shared most all sheet metal and chassis components with Chevrolet except...

  One of the most unusual and rare options for the 1947-1955 1/2 tons are 'wide running boards'. The adjacent picture is from the 1949 Chevrolet Salesman's Data Book. The photos below are of used original boards recently found at an Oklahoma swap meet. They consist of 'short' running boards as used on all flatbed ¾ and 1 ton trucks...

Its the annual convention of the American Truck Historical Society. This year, 2010, it is in Pleasanton, California. Over 700 trucks of all sizes and makes gather at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. In a far grassy corner is a sub group of local early GMC owners. Most seem to be acquainted and use this show as a reason to renew old friendships. There are few "trailer queen" trucks in this group, just dependable daily drivers. Most owners know how to repair the occasional problems that are a part of driving a 50 year old truck.

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.

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...

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This is the restored 1950 Chevy 1/2 ton, 3100 series, my grandfather bought to use on his farm. It now has just over 15K original miles with the factory Firestone's still on the truck. Everything is as it came from the dealer, with the exception of the wood in the bed, the exhaust system, and the paint.

This 1959 Chevy 1/2 ton step-side pickup was purchased in Santa Barbara, California from an estate containing 20+ cars and trucks. It was found sitting behind a 1955 Chevy "business coupe" with cement and old rubble in front of the garage door which had to be removed with a tractor.

This is our 1956 Chevy 1/2 Ton pick up. We parted out an 1988 Iroc for the 305 TPI motor and 700R4 Transmission. We used 71 Camaro clip disc brakes and 72 Trans Am disc brake on the rear. This is truly, a home built HOT ROD. All design, fabrication, body work and paint were done at home, in our garage, by the owner. All handles and emblems were shaved.

Here is my 1956 1/2 ton Chevy. It was a three year project. The truck was a complete frame off restoration. Frame has been powder coated as well as all the suspension pieces. The engine has been bored 0.030" over, Milled the block and head to get 9:1 compression.

This 1950 GMC longbed 1/2 ton was restored by Dusty Destler, 17, and his father, Dave. Dusty's first vehicle, he bought it when 14, and he and Dave restored it this last two years. Dusty drove it to high school his senior year, and now is off to college. It's his daily driver.

Enclosed is my 1/2 ton 1935 Chevrolet Light Delivery Pickup as they used to call them. It is a truck found in a barn outside of Eugene, Oregon. The chassis was outside and the rest of the truck was in buckets and/or hanging on the walls and from rafters.

I have begun to restore my 41 Chevy 1/2 ton with parts from Jim Carter Classic Truck Parts, An oldie but a goodie, I worry that I will do harm to the value by changing things too much, The shop manual I ordered from Jim Carter has proven to be a valuable asset to the restoration of this truck.

I bought my truck several years ago and have been using Jim carters for parts since then. We bought the disc brake kit from you as well as the wood for the bed, and a few other parts here and there. The truck has a 350 Chevy motor power disc brakes with a 79 olds cutlass rear end. We have won two second place trophies so far. I still have a ways to go though.

This is my 1946 GMC 1/2 ton pickup. It is designated Model EC-101. I purchased this truck two years ago from the man who restored the truck with the exception of the bed. He had built a wooden bed from pressure-treated pine. Fortunately, he had the original metal bed, which has its original all-metal floor; and it was in surprisingly good condition. I had a body shop sand blast the bed and my local vo-tech school did the paint work. I was given several old Jim Carter Truck Parts catalogs with the truck and found out quickly that Jim Carter is an amazing resource for owners of these trucks. I purchased the rear fenders from Jim Carter and they are clearly the best fiberglass parts I have ever seen.

This month we feature a very special truck. It is no doubt one of the few pristine examples of a pure 1952-1953 Chevrolet 1/2 ton in the U.S. today.