pickup

As it is today. When Kevin first bought it. This Feature Truck of the Month is a very attractive, almost 75-year-old 1953 Chevrolet ½-ton. It looks very above average! Only a person who is very knowledgeable about this series of the older Chevy pickup would know it has something special out of sight. This can cause the driver to get...

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...

Bill’s son and new owner, Mike Vavrina It’s amazing what a person can do to a 1971 Chevy C-10 ½ ton 6 cylinder, 3 speed column shift, drive to work many, many, many years and later change its total personality. It’s only possible if its owner has major mechanical skills plus some disposable income saved back with this project in...

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...

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...

It’s 1977 and young Greg Bowden is in high school and driving a newly purchased 1955 Chevrolet Step bed pickup. He soon realizes that his first hope, to restore it to new condition, would be out of the question considering his limited income and his college years coming soon. It needed so much plus the body rust continued to get...

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...

The owner of this month’s Featured Truck is Calvin Weaver of Churchville, Maryland. This 1954 has been in his family almost 60 years! Calvin’s father purchased it in the early 1960’s from a local farmer because he needed a pickup in his masonry business. As his father used it every day carrying masonry products, he began to really like this...

In today’s world, most every early Chevrolet ½ ton has now developed it’s own unique features. Few are exactly like they came from the factory over a half a century ago. Their past owners have added changes just to keep them running. However, in recent years these trucks have been altered in appearance, for safety or for keeping up with...

What a great example of the mid 1950’s when the United States’ population began (for the first time) to have a little extra disposable income. Our Featured Truck of the Month, a 1954 Chevrolet Deluxe ½ ton pickup is an example of this developing change. The first owner obviously wanted a little more than just a pickup truck to park...

If you are a regular reader of our Truck of the Month series, you know we attempt to present the more unusual. These vehicles are rarely seen at car and truck shows or even in specialty magazines.  This month’s feature truck is so rare; it is possibly the only example still in existence.  Its photo recently arrived in our company...

Owner: David Griffin Suddenly, while moving with traffic, directly in front of our vehicle on a major interstate highway, was a very attractive 1969 Chevrolet ½ ton short bed pickup. We also watched other drivers and we could see it was certainly an eye catcher to them. The biggest surprise was that it was soon parking in the same building...

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...

This special Advance Design pickup has come a long way from its early life on a Mid-Missouri farm. Owned and restored by Dale Jacobs of Dallas, Texas, this 1949 GMC ¾ ton has been down to the frame and came out just a little nicer than new. It’s the old story. It looked very nice and ran just as well...

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!

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

The parking light assembly on the 1941 Chevrolet and GMC Pick-up Trucks was placed on top of the headlight bucket. From 1942 through 1947, GM used a much less expensive park light housing on civilian trucks.

The next time you can't find a nut to fit a special bolt, try making your own by filling an oversized nut with epoxy cement and molding the threads. Seat the nut in modeling clay before pouring in the epoxy. Grease the bolt, then screw it down through the epoxy into the clay. Wait a day, unscrew the bolt from...

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...

What a unique invention. When you have a 1947 through 1959 single rear wheel 3/4 or 1 ton GM truck and need more pulling power, this is the answer. American ingenuity at its best! This new steel center hub extension includes eight long bolts to reach the original wheel studs. This holds the factory wheel in place and then provides...

It is very important where to drill the hole for the new radio antenna. The results of making a slight mistake will stay in your mind for many years to come! Radios during these 1947-54 Advance Design years were never installed at the factory. This was done by the authorized GM Dealer. In the box that contained the new radio...

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...

In the Chevrolet truck assembly plant in Petone, New Zealand near the capital city of Wellington, a bed was not part of the pickup. This was in the 1930's through mid 1940's. The reason was to keep cost lower and to sell more trucks. The two rear fenders were wired flat to the frame for the new owner's future use...

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...

The 1967-1972 - What's That Noise? Gaining speed after you turn onto the highway, your GM truck (1967-1972), moves toward a cruising speed equal to the surrounding traffic. As your engine reaches about 2,000 rpm you suddenly hear a low hum up front. It does not stop as the truck speed increases. If you lower the windows, play the radio...

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...

Article courtesy of Rob English (rob@oldgmctrucks.com) The issue of multiple piece rims and safety comes up frequently. There seems to be a quick rush to judgment about any rim that has more than one piece, and while certain types of multiple piece rims have indeed been outlawed and are no longer made, many others are not only still in service...

The 1955 year put Chevrolet on top! All stops were removed in announcing and continual advertising of the totally redesigned passenger car and their first V-8 engine. Television, radio, news papers and dealers regularly told the public that Chevrolets best year had arrived. It was not good timing to also begin an equal advertising campaign for the totally new truck...

Prior to the mid-1930's, the two truck divisions of General Motors, Chevrolet and GMC, were mostly independent companies. If you wanted a 1-1/2 ton and smaller truck, Chevrolet (since 1918) could provide the model just right for your needs. If you needed a 2-ton and larger, GMC was the division to contact. They had been a large truck specialist even...

Even before the 1920's, light commercial hauling using panel trucks had found a loyal growing customer base. With increasing numbers of small businesses and the population gradually moving to the cities, the panel truck found a place in our society. By the 1930's, most all truck manufacturers had designed a panel body to fit on their existing pickup truck chassis...

During the great depression of the 1930's, almost half of the automakers ceased business forever. Most remaining manufacturers modified their vehicles and advertising techniques to appeal to a very conservative buyer. With limited disposable income the few people willing to purchase a car or truck were very careful. To help boost or at least hold sales steady, the Chevrolet Division...

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.

Ad for 1946 Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton dually

  With the introduction of the new small block V-8's in 1955 Chevrolet trucks, modified sheet metal was created to help in cooling. The new truck design came standard with the proven 235 inline six cylinder but when an optional V-8 was added, cooling modifications were necessary. The short length V-8's cooling fan was too far from the radiator and...

Just imagine a truck designed strictly for work duties that has survived almost 70 years! In 1936, our country was still feeling the effects of the "Great Depression". When you spent your money for a 1 1/2 ton truck, it had to pay it's way. Therefore, few big trucks like this 1936 have survived. They were worked from the first day of delivery!

What a rare panel truck! This little 1934 Chevrolet is almost a "one of a kind". With it being under construction, we just had to share these pictures.

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.

  We often get requests for a formula to make the Advance Design pickups more freeway friendly. Their original ring and pinion gears were created to make the truck's six cylinder work well with a load and also keep up with the 1950's traffic on gravel roads and two lane paved highways. Though a higher speed reproduction ring and pinion...

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.

Here is a great example of a ground up restoration of a 1951 Chevrolet 3/4 ton. The project is being done by Line Creek Restorations in Northmoor, Missouri near Kansas City, 1-816-946-6000. When the project is finished, it will be a new truck!

The Trials and Tribulations of Installing a GMC 302 engine into a 1950 3/4 ton Chevrolet Pick Up by Joel Baumbaugh   Background: About 5 years ago I "upgraded" the engine in my truck from a 216 to a 235. Lately I have felt that I wanted/needed a little more torque (especially while the bed is full of something heavy...

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.

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.

During the early years of auto and truck design, most vehicles came with their windshields capable of tipping outward. This helped poorly insulated cabs to be more bearable during hot weather. Extra outside air would be forced into the cab and replaced some of the hot air radiating from the bare sheet metal firewall. This idea was good but not...

  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 wheel covers were not like that on the more standard pickup. To save tooling costs on this limited production model, GM used the wheel cover on the 1955 Chevrolet Belair...

  For those not requiring the original seat cushions on their 1955-59 Task Force truck, a roomy comfortable substitute is available. This unit is from a 1988 body style Chevrolet or GMC truck and is almost a bolt-in. The legs or side brackets on this newer seat comes attached to the cushions from a used truck and sets nicely by the...

Locating a pair of seat cushions for the 1939-46 truck has become very difficult in recent years. These early trucks increased popularity is the main reason for the shortage. Even when a pair of cushions are located the asking price often does not justify the purchase because of the age damage to the springs and frame of the lower cushion...

By the 1960-61 years, the V-8 emblems on Chevrolet were not placed on the truck's doors or fender but were only on the nose of the hood. They were shaped different when the truck came with a 283 V-8 instead of the standard 235 six cylinder. The V-8 front emblems have become very difficult to locate. Most remaining trucks show...

  One of the rarest emblems of the mid-1950's is the 1956 Chevrolet Hydramatic front fender trim. A small percentage of '56 Chevrolet pickups were equipped with the Hydramatic, so many enthusiasts have never seen this item. At a glance it looks like the one used with the non-automatic and thus it is often over-looked. This is a very in...

During the 1947-1955 years, no less than four different front hood emblems were used during regular production on the Chevrolet 3000 series trucks. Though all can be made to interchange during this 7 1/2 year series; for the perfectionist, there are only certain types for certain years. In 1947, the 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton Chevrolet trucks began production by displaying a...

  By 1954, the Korean War shortages were history. More trim and chrome plating began to show up in trucks and cars. The Chevrolet and GMC truck divisions both introduced a deluxe model for their pickups during mid-year 1954. Hopes were to appeal to the emerging buyers with more disposable income. The deluxe model of these two trucks shared most...

It's 1954 and the Korean War is now history. The wholesale price of non-ferrous metal such as chrome, stainless steel, nickel and copper are dropping. American have more disposable income and are beginning to ask for deluxe accessories on their trucks instead of just for the family sedan. Of the many accessories introduced in 1954, the full wheel cover was...

  It was during the 1967-72 years that General Motors began offering more style to their pickup truck line. Though most still considered a truck as a work vehicle, a growing segment of pickup buyers were being strongly influenced by trim and accessories that even rivaled many automobiles. For the first time on GM fleetside pickups, decorative trim became available...

Due to the abuse given trucks when they once considered only for work, many body components today are damaged beyond repair. During the restoration of your 1947-1955, if you would rather not use a running board splash apron from a parts supplier, there is an alternative. Locate a piece of new flat metal the correct gauge and size of your...

From 1941 through 1953 the GM pickup bed sides are the same, however, a major design change began in 1954. This new bed side design with very few modifications continued to the end of the true step beds in 1987. The unique feature of only the 1954 through 1955 mid series bed sides is the flowing grooves that fit the...

It is quite surprising to realize that for 20 years auto and truck makers did not make a simple needed change to their vehicle front fenders. Somehow major car and truck companies picked 1936 as the year it would be introduced. Did they all get together and make the decision, was it government encouragement, or ____? The addition was side...

  How did this happen? Strange but true. The 1971-1972 right front Chevrolet pickup fender has one of its two 350 emblem holes punched incorrectly. This causes the horizontal emblem to slope down at the rear. The left fender is correct. The person that owns this all original 1972 truck states that all 1971-1972 Chevrolet trucks have this unusual feature...

During the 1947-1955 years, pickup's front and rear bumpers are different due to the shape of the body. Unfortunately, the front can be fit on the rear during restorations.

  The convenience of reaching cargo is ideal in a step bed pickup. The step between the cab and rear fender provides a place for the loader's feet while reaching into the bed. Thus, this pickup is referred to as a 'step bed.' With the introduction of the fleetside box in the late 1950's, there was no step. Placing cargo...

  Without the rubber covering over the metal running boards like GM cars, trucks immediately show scratches from the driver's shoes. This is frustrating to the restorer who has placed so much effort in repairing and painting these boards to pristine condition. Fortunately, a solution exists! The original running board safety treads have been reproduced. These treads were a GM...

  During the 1947-1955 Advance Design years three different stock running boards on pickups and panel trucks were produced. Features such as width, number of ribs, thickness of metal, and length of under-braces are the same. When placed together, a difference in length is obvious. The longest unit was used on the 1 ton pickup and panel trucks with 134...

  As more restorers become interested in the 1954-1955 Chevrolet truck, the demand for the correct factory accessories has increased demand. Trucks during these early years were used mostly for work and many owners ordered no accessories. Even the heater was often added later. Though locating a restored or restorable factory radio is a difficult task, there is another source...

One of the most unusual features of the 1967-1972 series of trucks is the unique placement of the 1969-1972 Chevrolet Blazer and GMC Jimmy radio speaker. Unlike the pickup, Suburban, and large trucks; the radio speaker is not under the top of the dash. In fact, the dash does not even have grille slots to allow sound to come from...

In 1940, GM began offering a slightly wider bed on their Chevrolet pickups. This width increased from about 46 3/8" to 48 1/2".

During the beginning of the Advance Design years (1947-1949) new Chevrolet Suburbans were sold in one color combination; Channel Green (light) on the lower body and Fathom green (dark) on the upper. Unless the customer paid extra for a specific paint such as for school bus use or a commercial paint color for a company, the two tone green was...

When observing un-restored GM trucks of the 1947-1955 era, one will notice the majority of these vehicles were originally dark green. An explanation is simple. Green was their standard color! If you did not specify one of the other approximately eleven non-extra cost colors, your truck would be delivered green. The standard color of trucks had been thought of as...

In evaluating the available paint colors on 1946 and older GM commercial vehicles, one should keep in mind the general attitude toward pickups and large trucks during that era. Unlike today, customers bought and owned trucks for work! After five o'clock and on weekends most trucks were parked and the family sedan became the driver. This relates not only to...

After seventy years, authentic car and truck restorations are very difficult. With the limited survival of the 1936 GMC (the year of the company's first ½ ton) this truck is especially difficult to restore just right. Some literature has survived but what we see is usually in black and white. The question is the grill housing color of this rare...

Serious early truck restorers often ask 'What is the interior color of the original cab sheet metal parts, versus the exterior color?' The answer for the 1934-46 trucks is simple. The removable panels from the cab interior were always the inside color. If a component was welded in as part of the cab structure, it was sprayed the exterior color...

When observing un-restored GM trucks of the 1930-55 era, one will notice the majority of these vehicles were originally dark green. An explanation is simple. Green was their standard color! If you did not specify one of the other approximately eleven non-extra cost colors, your truck would be delivered green. The standard color of truck had been thought of as...

  During the 1955-1959 Chevrolet Task-Force truck years, the panel body style remained very popular. To help sales continue to grow, a two tone paint scheme was offered. This option was used for the business customer that planned on having their logo applied to the panel. A wide band on the sides and back was painted Bombay Ivory*. This two...

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.

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...

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.

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.

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 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.