1951 GMC 3 window half ton

[Old Jimmy]

/Users/CathysMacBook/Pictures/iPhoto Library/Originals/2002/Jan 2, 2002/P1010099_4.JPG
I acquired this truck in 1979. It had fresh paint on it, rubber back carpet glued to the floor, ceiling, floors and doors. It also had a Texas inspection sticker on the windshield from 1972. Ran OK, but, had a burnt out clutch. I replaced the clutch and it drove perty nice. I drove it from time to time in nice weather.
It sat for some years in my brothers barn and a couple of years outside.
I built a nice pole barn about 8 years ago and decided to build the 51 into a street rod type truck. I've been working on it for about 2 years.
I've been visiting this site for quite awhile and gained a lot of knowledge from you guys, Thanks. It took me a long time to figure out how to add pictures, I hope it works.

[Old Jimmy]

The pictures didn't work. I'm trying to pull them from iphoto. I'll have to ask my grandkids how to do this. I'll have to get back to ya. Jeff

[Old Jimmy]

Here's some photos, I hope.

Yippee, it worked.

[DeanTX]

Nice old truck. What are your plans for it?

[iowaboynca]

Gotta love those GMCs!

[Old Jimmy]

My plans for the 51 GMC are:

1. Use original frame.

2. Install IFS system with P/S.

3. I've built a 1978 SBC 350 I saved from an old truck I had. It's been bored
.60 over. I totally rebuilt it adding new aluminum heads, full roller rockers, edelbrock performer intake, 1406 carb, and finned tall valve covers. I ran it on the engine stand, runs nice.

4. I picked up a 1995 S10 4X4 pickup with a 4.3 liter v6. It has a nice serpentine belt accessory drive system with p/s pump, a/c pump, and alternator. Looks like it will bolt right on my SBC.

5. The rear end will be a S10 10 bolt with 342 ratio or 372 ratio. I have both.

6. The steering column from s10 may be used.

7. Fuel tank/cell will be mounted under the bed. I don't want it in the cab.

8. I'm hoping to get the body straight enough to put a nice paint job on it.

Here's some more photos.

[Katrina/10]

I like it!

[DeanTX]

Please keep updating with pics. I'm doing a '51 Chevy also on a Sonoma 4x4 chassis. Had to lengthen it 9". I like the fully boxed frame and adjustable torsion bars for the front. Gonna use a Vortec SBC with factory front serpentine as well.

I got a lot of good info on 4x4 swaps here from looking at msaintg's build. Check it out if you haven't seen it.

[Old Jimmy]

I started this project about 2 years ago. Here's some more pictures of what I found under the rubber back carpet that was glued in everywhere.

[Old Jimmy]

Here's some photos of cab mounted on rotisserie. I framed up the door openings to try maintain measurements. I also made up a beam to bolt the front cab mounts to.I also added a brace in front of the fire wall to hold things in place. I did one side at a time. I cut out the right rear cab corners, running board, floor, inner and outer cowls.

[Advanced Design]

This is getting serious now...great looking cab support / rotisserie. Tagging along.

[DeanTX]

I have rotisserie envy issues! Looks like a lot of progress though.

[Sim6]

Looks like s great start with good plans.
Jeff

[Old Jimmy]

Thanks for the nice comments. Here's some more photos. The first one is of my heating system for my shop. I live near Lake Michigan and the winter winds really cold and dump a lot of snow. The next photos are of the bottom of the A pillar. The patch piece didn't come with the hinge receiver so I had to reuse it.
The bottom of it was rusted off. I reconstructed that piece and welded it in.
Getting this lower A pillar welded on in the exact location was challenging.

[Old Jimmy]

I have a little progress to report.

I rebuilt all the door hinges. There was a nice "how to" on the Stovebolt site.

I hung the pass door to get my gaps I doubled up paint sticks to get the gap.

Then I tacked in the bottum of the A pillar

Next I installed the kick panel. This panel did not fit very well near the floor.
Lots of hammering and bending.

Next I installed the cowl panel (temporary].

I lucked out, the door gaps look perty nice.

[lv2tri2]

Looks like a good project, with a plan and progress.

[Advanced Design]

Nice work, that came out well.

[DeanTX]

That is good luck on the door gaps. I usually struggle with them for a long time with trial and error. Of my hinges only one needed rebuild but I spent probably two hours on it. They are too expensive to replace with new ones, plus I've read about lots of fitment issues with the repros.

[joedoh]

ugh rust repair! I am only buying california cabs from now on

[Old Jimmy]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I mentioned earlier I started this project about 2 years. Last year I got side tracked. I went to a farm auction because they had a lot of guns for sale. The guns went way too high, but, they had a tractor project that seemed like a good deal. I bought a 1948 John Deere Model M.

The man that was restoring it had rebuilt the engine, trans, and replaced all seals.

It also came with new front and rear tires, and a new radiator. All the sheet metal was in a pile. The man who was restoring it passed away.

The auctioneer said "all you have to do is put it together". Hardly, a lot of missing stuff. It looked like some one walked on the hood and it was flattened out. I searched the tractor yards on different sites for sheet metal and straightened it as best as possible.

I figured I could get up to speed with my paint & body skills on this tractor.
I didn't take any before pictures, but, here are some pictures of the finished job.

It's not very fast, but it will pull a descent wheelie.

Thanks for looking, Jeff

[Advanced Design]

Good looking little M!

[youngrodder]

Nice project....Good to see another AD from MI.
I agree about the need of a good heat source in MI. I added one to my garage 2 yrs ago.

Nice progress

Marc

[Old Jimmy]

Hey guys, a little more progress.

I was having trouble getting the right kick panel to fit to the new rocker panel, tow board, and a pillar. I finally cut about 3" off the the kick panel. I was then
able to bend and pound it into shape to fit. Then welded it in. It's not perty, but I feel this is an important area for structural integrity. My welds are piling up too high and causing me to spend too much time with a grinder. I'll turn the heat up and see if I can flatten it out, without burning thru. My welder is a Millermatic 250 and I'm using .035 wire. Maybe someone else is using this welder and has it dialed in. I'd appreciate some info for optimum adjustment.
Here's a few more pic's.

Thanks, Jeff

[gale]

I fabricated a rotisserie to work on my '54 and couldn't believe how far I missed the center of gravity. I needed a hoist to turn it over. Wasn't a big problem since I fabricated it in the first place, I just cut it apart and made a new guess at the CG. Sure is handy to be able to rotate the cab. At 90 degrees I can stand up straight and work areas that were overhead.

[Boom]

I preferred using .023 wire when I weld sheet metal. I usually run the speed slower than other people I have worked with as well.