GM

It is doubtful you will ever see a “daily driver” pickup any more unusual than this! A person in our office jokingly said, “How many drivers accidentally rear-ended a vehicle in traffic as they first saw this strange pickup?” Jim Lund of Agency, Iowa, owns it. It began life as a 1971 GMC ¾-ton Fleetside pickup before its appearance was...

As an early truck enthusiast, Ray Geweke found this rare 1938 Chevy ¾ ton pickup near Fargo, ND, and pulled it to his Wisconsin home in 1981. Its total restoration was begun many years later! Ray had time to find many new original parts and made it look like it did when new about 88 years ago! There were major...

The proud owner and restorer is Raymond Muehling of Amarillo, TX. Raymond’s Story:  I purchased this truck in 1991 as a project for the price of $450.00, the restoration took six years and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.  The wife hit a guard rail with it during the process and got thrown out the door and earned the...

The 1946 to early 1947 trucks had been carry-overs from the pre-war 1941 design. General Motors wisdom knew not to offer redesigned vehicles immediately after the war. They understood sales would be great (often a 6 month wait) so why not use pre-war tooling and sell the older 1941 trucks and title them 1946? GM waited and enjoyed the income...

The horn location on the intake manifold of the Chevrolet 216 six cylinder changed position with the addition of the accessory oil filter. This oil filter was attached to the front of the intake manifold. A special shaped horn bracket was necessary to move the horn forward away from the filter. This bracket was included in the box with the...

In our 20 years posting Featured Truck series we have only listed a few 1938 Chevy USA made ½ tons. (January 2020) The 1938 Chevy trucks are much rarer than the other two years in this series, the 1937 and 1939. This is due to 1938 labor strikes that at times stopped production in most of the GM plants. It...

By the mid 1950”s GM began to show signs of lowering some of the injuries in a vehicle accident. This was not from Government regulations but rather a selling point to help market their new vehicles. Highways were becoming better and speed could be increased. One of the first improvements on Chevy/GMC trucks was to lower the center of the...

Setting in Fresh Snow after the Restoration Keep it in the family! You do not find many over 65 year old pickups that were bought new by the father and today the proud owner is his son. (This is now Milt Packard of Hampstead, North Carolina.) Its appearance was kept almost identical as new during Milt’s major restoration in 2014...

For the GM truck perfectionist! Just in case you like to read about the GM truck’s fine details, here is one! The die cast part of the window crank-up handles were near identical for almost 20 years. After all, it was a truck. During these years, most customers bought them for work duties. The occasional changes were in their small...

This month’s GM Feature Truck is the only one in existence because it was hand built from so many pre-existent GM parts. There were no beginning rules to go by! If it gave great eye appeal and would fit together safely, it was a candidate for this final “one of a kind” creation of a General Motors Truck. The proud...

In our many years writing the Feature Truck of the Month Series we have never seen a restored truck of the above year and design. We were impressed! This attractive almost 80 year old truck, originally sold for work duties, is one of the few survivors. It is owned and completely restored by Curtis Robinette in the city of Rocky...

As with so many other items on these early trucks, there were also changes in the ignition switches. Both Chevrolet and GMC shared several switch changes during this seven-year series. In the beginning (1947-1948), a unique three-position ignition cylinder and housing was introduced. This was a first for GM trucks. It related to a country with limited crime and a...

We recently discovered this drawing by Bryant Stewart. He is the number one early GM truck artist in the country. He realized this truck is probably the only remaining example. Thus, a drawing was in order! The Canopy Express was used during the days of the one car family and the “lady of the house” was usually at home. This...

This was posted June 2020. It's popularity made it worth a repeat. Our regular readers of the Feature Truck of the Month Series know we try to find early GM trucks that are just a little different for an article. Our choice this month certainly fills these qualifications. A 1953 GMC ½ ton owned and totally restored by Allan Fisher...

Our Feature Truck for December was discovered in front of our local shop decorated for Christmas! It was perfect for the season. No doubt this restored 1953 GMC ¾ Ton is an “attention getter” not just in local traffic, but with the decorations even the pedestrians stop and smile. The owners are Jack and Lana Williams of Independence, Missouri. It...

As trucks were primarily for work during the Advance Design years, the use of elaborate factory wheel decoration was out of the question. The object was to produce a quality work vehicle at a competitive price. Adding extras to a standard truck raised the cost and added nothing to its hauling ability. Basic chrome moon type hub caps were installed...

A war will always cause changes on the home front. Here is an example. Copper is an important layer in chrome plating. Because of the increase of ammunition production during the war, the price of this material (supply and demand world-wide) could only raise! During those years, the pickup truck was usually for work only. Thus, GM decided it would...

GM’s first year for optional “rear” air conditioning! Thus, on the 1967-72 Suburban series, this is a one year only design. Prior to 1972, the Suburban’s from GM and some aftermarket companies sold a long unit “down the center” of the interior above the two rear row of seats. (The original in dash unit also operated.) No doubt tall people...

With the success of the Chevrolet Cameo from 1955 to 1958, General Motors realized that there was a demand for extras on working ½ ton pickups that were usually found on passenger cars. This occurred as Americans had more extra income than ever before about the mid 1950’s. As this continued, GM introduced ½ and ¾ ton pickups with the...

We have not featured a large GM truck for such a long time. When we saw this 1953 Chevrolet 2-ton, it was the time! A 6400 series was the largest Chevy had available that year. Its gross weight ranges from 16,000 to 20,000 pounds depending on the tire size. The wheel base is164”. The proud owners are Larry and Kitty...

As most of our readers know, for this series, we look for trucks that are the more unusual. For this month, we found a vehicle that is correct for this category!  Here is almost a “one of a kind” early 1947 Chevrolet Suburban. (Yes, there was an early and late body design for this year.) Here is an example as...

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...

These commercial vehicles (the Panel Truck and Canopy Express) were designed by GM for local delivery purposes. They usually came with a seat for one delivery driver. A second passenger was not needed so the company that bought the new vehicle saved the cost of a passenger seat. Yes, the passenger seat on the panel truck was a factory option...

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...

After 25 years providing the Feature Truck of the Month series, we have found this beautifully restored 1937 Chevrolet ½ ton nicely dressed for Christmas. The proud owner is Janna Chevalier of Bellingham, Washington (about 20 miles from the Canadian border). She purchased the pickup from the owner of a Texaco Service Station in her town. This person had given...

After 23 years writing monthly articles for our customers, it was decided to do something a little different. We were recently sent these two photos and a nice description of a customer’s better than new Chevrolet 216 six cylinder engine. All was put together for enthusiasts to get up close and see all at its very best. Hope you enjoy...

As with most older GM trucks in our Feature Truck Series, this month’s special was a vehicle bought new for hauling. The ¾-tons were more heavy-duty than a ½-ton, so often these rural trucks were used until their repair needs finally overcame the price of just buying another, often a used truck. In rural areas, these were sometimes parked beside...

Beginning in 1941 many of the GM long wheelbase (usually 1 ½ and 2 tons) trucks did not use cables to reach the rear brakes and hold the vehicle in its parked position. Debris from the tires could shorten the life of the under bed cables. Another method was created. A drum at the rear of the 4 speed transmission...

It’s 1966 and the new requirement of the US Department of Transportation becomes law. This requires all new cars and pickups to be equipped with backup lights. Though this may have been for safety (warning a passing vehicle that a backing vehicle is in reverse mode) it created extra expense for vehicle manufacturers. Those that had already designed their future...

On our Feature Truck of the Month for February 2023 we described a method of attaching the larger original ¾ and 1 Ton hubcaps to a modern non-split 8 bolt wheel. Unheard of by Jim Carter Truck Parts until Glen Black of Lacey’s Springs, Alabama. He would not take no for an answer. He found a way to attach the...

Feature Truck of the Month from August 2021: For this month’s feature truck we combine the talents of Linda and Doyle Groat, both loving older GM vehicles, and the discovery that they owned a very rare 1972 Chevrolet Suburban Highlander. This mix has resulted in their great memories among the special older vehicles owned, their restoration experiences, attending many car/truck...

With the introduction of any new vehicle, sometimes corrections must be quickly made that were missed during their design. We discover that even the more knowledgeable followers of the Advanced Design pickups and big trucks are not aware there were two different designs of “door handle remotes”. Generally Unknown Fact: The 1947-48 the doors, were opened by pushing the inside...

What an excellent example of how General Motors saves tooling cost in pickup production. Not cars! Over one million ½ ton hub caps were produced in these three years. Their tooling for Chevy and GMC was almost the same. ONLY the small red logo in the center was added with a different stamping. Another example:  New Truck buyer’s wants are...

It has been increasingly difficult to find local tire changing shops to inflate older truck tires above a ½ ton rating. Most came from the factory with multi-piece split rim wheels. On these older trucks, one outer edge of the wheel must be removed to add a tire. Whether to replace an old tire for a new, or repair an...

Jim Carter Truck Parts, in our Feature Truck of the Month series, we try to find examples that are just a little different. This month’s 1941 Panel truck certainly fits in this category! Jeff Stires of Conway, Arkansas is the proud owner and builder of this unusual ½ ton Panel truck. At first glance, it appears to be another great...

There seems to be controversy on the GM Original pickup bumper guards being the same for all six years. We at Jim Carter Truck Parts can only assume the rumor became strong when only the 1967-70 all chrome plated bumper guards were available. Waiting customer’s with 1971-72 pickups could only obtain the 1967-70 design so this is what they used...

1947-53 GM Truck Cab – These Were Continued Into the 1960’s The Advance Design GM 1947-55 Chevy/GMC trucks broke all previous sales records in the U.S. The truck hungry buyers after the WWII shortages bought the AD trucks as fast as the many US factories could produce them. The local town dealers loved their popularity and related purchases. If any...

Most of us that appreciate seeing older trucks soon learn that the range of condition has several levels. All are great to see on the road as a daily driver as well as one that rarely leaves the garage. Owners usually find their “comfort level” of what they want in their old truck combined with the finances they want to...

During the mid-1950’s General Motors begin seeing the trend of increased demand for 4 wheel drive trucks. Not to miss a good opportunity they decided to offer this option in 1957. As it would require several years to develop their own 4x4 system plus the back road testing, GM “temporarily” used the best of the pre-existing systems. They bought kits...

Jim Winter’s 1941 Panel Truck As an aid to delivery drivers working after dark, GM provided an overhead “reading light” on the headliner bow between the front seats. (Same place with or without the accessory right side seat) Its on-off switch is on the wood plank panel metal protector at the left of the driver’s shoulder. CARGO LIGHT: Because only...

Its 1955 and Chevrolet trucks and cars offer their first small block V-8, a light weight with 265 cubic inches. (Not counting their short lived V-8 in 1917-18). This series of V-8’s, along with the high pressure inline 235 six cylinder (1954-62), are probably the most successful engines in the General Motor’s history up to that time. With proper maintenance...

This was the end of the series! It is said the 1957 year would have ended production for this “Boulevard” pickup. Their unique bed was why they continued about 6 months into the next production year. GM either had too many complete beds in stock or they were locked into a contract with the outside bed producer. Either way, GM...

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...

What a surprise! After 35 years in the old GM truck business we discover there was a custom trailer hitch made just for the 1955-58 Chevrolet Cameo and GMC Suburban Carrier. Installs with no damage to these rare classic GM trucks. The assembly is secured by placing only two approximately ¾ inch bolt holes in the frame rail under the...

This large grommet is so hidden, most owners have no idea it exists. It is exclusive to the 1947-55 (Advance Design) Suburban, panel truck and Canopy Express. Because the body is so much wider than a step side pickup the full add pipe must be longer. The body also has an inner as well as outer panel. The inner panel...

General Motor’s method of saving tooling cost on commercial vehicles shows up in the production of these tail light assemblies. By the mid 50’s years the increase demand for turn signals, two taillights were required on the panel truck and Suburban’s. GM built them right and left, installed in the body, at the factory for the first time. These were...

The 1931-1932 Chevrolet cars were equipped with chrome plated oval taillights. Their attractive design added to the overall appearance of the new passenger car. This was to help attract potential customers that were experiencing some of the worst years of the Great Depression. Surprise! We find that GM reused parts of these car lights again on the 1934-1939 Chevrolet Trucks...

Almost all of the headlights during at least the mid to late 1930’s had double filament bulbs. They were 32cp (candle power) on either the low or high beam setting. This made replacing the burned out bulb a “no brainer”. You just pushed the bulb in the receiving socket and gave it a slight turn. This locked the bulb in...

A hidden lens retaining bracket was originally on all 1941 Chevrolet / GMC trucks. It holds the glass frosted lens firmly against the front of the park light housing. After it’s over 80 plus years, the lens gasket has deteriorated, water has entered the housing, and this stamped steel bracket is rusted beyond use. Thus, so many 1941 truck owners...

The famous 1947-55 Advance Design Trucks were so popular in the US that GM just could not let them go. Overseas factories used this basic US tooling for their version of the Advance Design trucks. This continued for many years after they had been discontinued on US assembly lines. Look at some of these trucks in other countries using GM’s...

  The 1967 Chevrolet is sometimes referred to as the first that really attracted the buyer that did not need a truck just for work. It was a one of the first GM trucks that related to the country’s growing interest in pickups as a daily driver or a substitute as a first or second family vehicle. The cab and...

A redesigned dash was placed in the 1954 GMC. It was totally changed from the 1947-53 dash which had been in place six years. Due to this new design there was a place to install the radio but not its speaker! The next best location for the speaker was in the headliner between the driver and passenger. The GM engineering...

LOOK WHAT JUST BECAME AVAILABLE FROM JIM CARTER TRUCK PARTS! I have not seen new since the late 1930’s. These one year only emblems. Attached to the hood sides of the 1937 GMC ½ through 1 ½ ton. Anodized silver aluminum with black background. Just like GM made them. The final touch to draw attention by anyone that admires older...

  When the 1954 Chevrolet deluxe pickup was introduced (about two months into the production year) they came with a different design arm rest not used before. It wasn’t even found on the assembly line produced standard 1954-55 pickups! Because the door panels and painted interiors of this new deluxe cab had four color choices, GM realized they could not...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

It’s 1938 and the GMC division of General Motors is entering its third year of small truck production.  Prior to 1936, the GMC line consisted of only larger trucks normally bought by Farms and businesses, for heavy hauling.  The Great Depression was in full swing and GMC needed more sales to add to their financial bottom line.  To help sales...

To correct the concern about seat belts not being readily available, GM added a few extras during these years. On the outer side of bucket and bench seats a sheath and spring operated roller kept the belt clean and out of sight when not being used. It kept this belt always in the same place when needed. On the center...

In the days when car and truck owners as well as mechanics did maintenance, GM made these responsibilities much less complicated.  An excellent example was the screen below the engine oil pump. Due to no oil filters and no detergent additive in the motor oil (to keep dirt in suspension), the oil pump screen was necessary.  Tiny dirt particles settled...

These years are the 'last of the breed'! Due to the increasing popularity of the new G-series van, panel truck sales had continued to suffer since the mid 1960's. By 1970, General Motors panel truck production came to a halt. GM did not even wait until the end of the body series in 1972! This 'enclosed body on a pickup...

Ever wonder why GM pickup rear bumpers became an option for so many years? Jim Carter Truck Parts wanted to know also. Here are the facts:Beginning in 1951 these bumpers became an extra cost option and remained this way for so many years on most pickup models. The reason relates to pickups being mostly for work. Though protecting the bed...

General Motors right hand drive trucks, though unusual in the United States, have always been very popular in specific countries such as Britain, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia. These vehicles were not produced in the U.S. but came from GM's large assembly plant in Oshawa, Ontario. Due to reversed dash boards, the change in steering components, differences in starter...

And now we've seen it all! A real example of American ingenuity. Designed by an aftermarket company to keep an over tightened valve cover from leaking motor oil down the engine sides.  A metal band is pushed over and around the base of the valve cover.  Brass U-brackets are then secured by the two valve cover studs.  This creates equal...

The Problem The closed drive shaft ( on GM 1/2 ton, 1937-54) is supported at the front by two bushings. As these wear egg shaped over many miles, the drive shaft begins to move up and down. This ruins the grease seal and causes the u-joint to begin rubbing the "bell" that covers it. Thus noise and vibration! Finally, with...

  Beginning in 1951, the rear bumper became an option on both Chevrolet and GMC pickups. This required a change in the standard left tail light bracket. The tail light assembly was now unprotected without the bumper. GM created a new bracket design that brought the tail light slightly ahead of the rear edge of the stake pocket. In this...

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...

Two major changes occurred in 6 volt General Motors sealed beam bulbs (are actually not sealed beams) since they were first installed on vehicle assembly lines in 1940. The perfectionist restoring his truck to exact original specifications must have the correct headlights for his year. In very competitive judging, it’s these details that can make a difference. No doubt, replacement...

  During the late-1950's GM car and truck manufacturers begin to install optional V-8 engines in their vehicles. To set the vehicles apart from their six cylinders, V-8 emblems were designed to attract outsiders. This GMC front fender V-8 emblem above was used during 1955 through 1957. The GMC letters were on both six and V-8 trucks. The pictured Hydramatic...

What's this bad rap some people give the GM pickups with in-cab gas tanks? For 35 years GM protected these tanks from collisions by double wall reinforced cab metal, doors, and seat riser frames. The 1937-46 pickups even secured the tank under the seat and surrounded it on three sides by the welded to floor heavy gauge metal seat riser...

  As with many other items on the Advance Design Series trucks, there were also changes in the ignition switches. Both Chevrolet and GMC shared their several switch changes during the seven year series. In the beginning (1947-1948) a unique three position ignition cylinder and housing was introduced. This was a first for GM trucks. It related to a country...

  One of the more asked questions on the 1941-46 GM trucks is regarding horn contact parts. Most have been damaged over the years and new owners are unsure how they were originally assembled. Below, is a diagram from a 1940's GM Master Parts Catalog and gives an excellent view of the parts used in the assembly. Most items are...

Many of the tech articles on this web site emphasis's the subtle ways that truck parts were made economically by GM. Truck often received Chevrolet car items that were used the year before. Sometimes even other GM brands sent their older items to be placed on assembly line trucks. Of all the ways GM saved money on truck parts, none...

Early Shock Absorbers Trucks of the Advanced Design years were often exposed to the rough terrain of local gravel roads as well as the dirt ruts on the farm. Quality, long life shock absorbers were a necessity. Therefore, this series of trucks in 1947-49 continued with a proven design of shocks carried over from the earlier vehicles. The highly successful...

The new Task-Force truck design was introduced in mid 1955. For some reason the panel truck carried the same left tail light as the Advance Design used from 1947 through mid 1955. This is strange as the new body was designed to hold a right and left tail light.