My 51 GMC 100 Build...

[Smokejohnson]

If u find one for GMC let me know. All I can find is Chevy.

[Cole_lol]

Yes Sir, I will let you know when and if I find one. What does the front end of yours look like? How was your grill attached if you dont mind me asking.

[Smokejohnson]

Originally Posted by Cole_lol

Yes Sir, I will let you know when and if I find one. What does the front end of yours look like? How was your grill attached if you dont mind me asking.

Mine was all apart when I got it so it's kinda like a puzzle for me.
There are 2 things welded to the front of the frame that don't look like they belong there. Here's a pic

[BigSix302]

I took some pictures of my front clip as well as a52 grill I have. I think the grill gives the best view of how it mounts compared to yours. The clip shots are harder to see.

[Cole_lol]

Only If mine was that easy. My grille and fenders so I am told are from a 1947-1948 GMC wich they changed in 1949. All im hopeing now is that I can clean up my innerfenders good and its looking like I can and from what I see my fenders are the same too. But Ill have to build a gravle guard I guess to tie them all togerther. Wonder how all thats going to work

[Kid]

Cole, On my 51 GMC, the grill assy. is bolted to the inner fender sheet metal, 3 bolts going aft on each side, & 2 bolts at top going down thru the grill surround & into the nut inserts of the grill, just fwd of the hood latch. Hope this helps.

[Cole_lol]

Ok guys I just want to say Thanks for all your help I really do appreciate it and im sure im sounding crazy when I keep pounding this in haha. But I read and saw how they did it according to the manual and what not but I just dont see how thats possible. I dont see anything that lines up with the inner or outer fenders to attace the grill assembly too. Now im wondering if they just jimmied it to get it to look right and that could be the case. But here is a crude mock up of how it should be connected but I just dont see how...

On the last picture here you see the hole that I am talking about that the bar goes thru and connects to the top of the grill that I showd in my next post.

[Cole_lol]

Heres another picture of how the grill was held on prior to me takein them off. The parts that are circled are bars that go thru a hole on the inner fender and connect to the top of the grill with one bolt.

I just dont understand how it is so much diffrent from eveyone elses.

[Cole_lol]

heres the pics of the mock up not sure what happend i think thye went away when i edited it

[solidaxel]

I think what you have is Chevy inner frnders and that is the difference where the grill mounts to the inner fender. I can see a "L" shaped bracket on the right side of the photo that is looking at the back side of the grill by the bent bar, and I can't tell if there are three holes in the bracket that bolts to the inner fender. As far as I remember on my 55 1st GMC those 6 bolts are all that holds the chrome grill in place

[Cole_lol]

Well guys I think I found my answer. Its crazy becasue I think I have a 1947-1948 GMC grille wich is diffrent from a 1949-1954 GMC Grille.

This is what I found from the www.oldgmctrucks.com webside

'47-'48 GMCs (light duty) used a completely diffrent inner fender setup and grille structure similar to big truck construction, they used a prop rod to support the grille assembly and then a rubber diaphragm gasket throught the front of the inner fender to seal the opeining. These grilles also only have 3 bars.

That explains why they welded the steel to the frame because at those years the frame was extended to hold the bottom of the grille and the bars went thru the inner frame and connected to the top of the grille for support.

Now the question is going to be, if I need inner fenders how do I go about replaceing them.

As it turns out my truck is a MIX of GMC trucks I guess that can be bad but im going to hope to turn it into something good. And if in doubt I can switch the inner fenders and the grill to be of the 1951 style.

Sorry for pounding this and thanks for all your help and maybe we all learned alittle more. HAHA

Cole

[Daniel U]

Nice little bit of trivia

[Cole_lol]

I call it a slight bit of irritation because I could not figure it out and it was just not makeing sence. Only thing i need to know now is how much diffrent is it haha.

[BigSix302]

Hey Cole I just read thru this and if you are going to use a later GMC Grill you will need to get later inner fenders. You can use any Chevy or GMC inner fender from 49 to 54. The inners are the same between the two models. There have been a couple of GMC grills on the big auction sight in the last couple of weeks. They seem to come up fairly regularly. I have a complete front clip setting off the truck if you want pictures. I can get some. Your other choice is to use what you have and just make it look better for your own tastes. Not many folks are going to crawl down and look under there and then have the nads to tell you it is not stock or whatever. Let me know back on the pics and maybe I can still get them this evening.

[NEALS49]

Hey Cole, looking good may be I will get motivated (but I dont it) Looks like you are getting some good pics of your build keep it up. My pics are what keeps me going to judge how I am getting along. Been good talking to you on messenger also.

[Cole_lol]

Well guys, Here is a simple question. But what is the easyest way to remove the rivits that hold the cross members and running boards and what not off. I have been useing a drill but that tends to go thru my bits really fast and takes forever haha. Any suggestions?

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by Cole_lol

Well guys, Here is a simple question. But what is the easyest way to remove the rivits that hold the cross members and running boards and what not off. I have been useing a drill but that tends to go thru my bits really fast and takes forever haha. Any suggestions?

On mine I ground the heads off with an angle grinder and then just punched them out.
Kim

[BigSix302]

Yep...me too!

[1-ton of fun]

grind and punch is the best way