1940

We hope this article provides you with interesting data on one of the rarest early Chevrolet ½ ton trucks. They are a part of our country’s history during the 1930’s through the mid 1950’s. These little ½ tons ( with only a seat for the driver), provided a convenient method of selling groceries and related items to residential neighborhoods that...

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...

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...

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...

The introduction of factory sealed beam headlights came to the automotive industry in 1940. It was then necessary to create park light assemblies. (They could no longer be incorporated in the bulb and reflector style headlight as before). To some, the first 1940 GM assemblies were simply "add-ons", maybe a quick design due to the fast industry acceptance of the...

The 1939-1940 Chevrolet and GMC grilles may look the same when they are seen separately, however they are not! By sharing fenders, hood top, headlight stands, etc. , the grilles overall dimensions had to be the same. To keep each marquee individual, GM made the grilles different. When the two are compared side by side, what a difference! 1939-1940 GMC...

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.

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.”