Help - GMC or Chevy and what year?

[timg47]

been lurking for some time and learning lots, thanks for that. I have a 61 apache, and 64 long fleet. I had a 52 in high school, long time ago. really want to get a project. I have searched and searched and suprisingly not found much info on my question. and yes its a loaded question.

should I get a Chevy or GMC, from a parts avail. standpoint etc.

whats the best year? 54 has one piece windshield which is cool but so is the two piece.

so just looking for opinions and your expertise. thanks in advance.

Tim

[TATE228]

I would say the chevies are more popular and would be easier to find sheetmetal for. The Gmc has a better engine imo (depends on year). What year you get is all about preference. like side vents, door handles, and shocks. They are all cool

[blackdiesel]

That would be like pick a man's wife for him. You have to choose for yourself, if we all liked the same girl we would be in trouble.

[timg47]

BlackDiesel, ya I get that for sure. just looking for opinions. if there are not big differences then it comes down to handles, vents, etc.

just want to make sure I dont get a year that I find out later, "oh that year is not a good year to do that to but any other is" seems to be my luck most the time.

[GhostTown]

I honestly like the Chevys a bit more. I think the parts or more readily available, and personally I like the grills better.

Year wise? I like how mine is set up. I have a '50 with '51 doors. Let me explain why this is cool....

'50 was the last year for the drivers side vent which I happen to love. In fact, that vent and the cowl vent between the hood and the windshield are two of my favorite things about Advance Design trucks. The part about my '51 doors that I like are that they have wing windows which made up for the drivers side vent delete in '51 and after, which allows for even more air flow inside the cab. So basically, I have air vents coming from just about all directions with my set up. The only thing about my '51 doors that I don't like are the door handles. I'm still stuck with the droopy twist downs instead of push buttons.

To add even more to my worthless opinion post..... I LOVE split windows over the one piece cyclopes look of the '54 & '55. It's just more old school to me. You'll never see a prius or dodge neon with a split windshield. My truck gets me away from the everyday life of cell phones, facebook, and Toyota Prius' type people. The farther away it gets me, the better.

That's my opinion. It means nothing more than how I feel about these trucks while sittin' in the garage staring at mine.

[Atomsplitter]

Suggestions?
Really any 1947 Second Series to 1953 Chevy is nice in my opinion.
I'm not a big fan of the 54-55 grill and Chevy made more trucks, hands down, than GMC so old parts are easier to find for them. Some people like the 5 Window Deluxe Cab but others like me prefer the 3 Window as I find the side windows distracting while I drive. I really like the "Splitter" 2 piece windshield as we call them, as compared to the "Cyclopes" single curved windshield (it was me who coined that phrase just to spite Danimal by the way.....he was picking on my Poodle!). Most people that like their truck because they are solid/simple drivers would probably say "make it your own and screw everyone else" or "Opinions are like A-Holes...everyone's got one". Collectors would say the all original 5 Windows are most desireable from a $$ point of view. Mine is a driver, I drive it in the rain, drive it down the dusty dirt roads, power slide around corners when no one is looking, take my kids to get an icecream and even pickup groceries in it. I'm having so much fun with it, I haven't even hooked up the stereo after owning it for three years!

Anyway here's a link to over 4000 chevy trucks to completely send you mind into AD Overload.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/advanceddesign/pool/

[mr48chev]

It depends on what year you want and what you intend to do with it. If you are looking at 47/53 and intending to swap engines, transmission and rear end it doesn't really matter if you get a Chevy or GMC but get the best candidate you can for the money you spend. And get one with a clear title.

Outside the obvious things like grills, hoods and engines most pieces interchange between the Chevrolet and GMC trucks in those years. As far as engine and suspension swaps it doesn't matter which you have.

[timg47]

wow those are great reply's thanks so much. really great input. I'll post up once I get her.

[OrrieG]

I grew up with these trucks, Dad had 46, 48, 51, 54, 57 and 64 trucks all Chevys. Growing up I always thought the GMC's (AD and TF) always looked too front heavy. Now I like them. I've had 41, 57 and my current 59 Chevy's. It really boils down to which grilles and windshields you like those are the most defining features. Cowl and side vents have plus and minus especially when it comes to rust abatement. The drooping door handles are what they are. So like blackdiesel said, its your choice blond, brunette or redhead, get the one that turns your crank and don't look back.

[weldvair@embarqmail.]

You do not see as many GMC, thus it was my choice. Parts are not hard to find.

Don

[timg47]

Don that is one incredible truck, congrats. I thought I was set on a 5 window but wow 3 looks just incredible, never liked 3 until seeing your truck.
thanks so much guys, really appreciate the input

[Dan Bowles]

54 GMC with a chrome grille.

Smooth glass, not smooth poodles!

[txrdnek]

In my humble opinion, It really doesn't matter what year you get as long as the truck speaks to you personally. I go back to my minitruckin days when I say this, but parts are parts, it depends on how far you are willing to go and what skill set you have and you can make almost anything fit another truck. I said almost anything. I recently saw a picture of a person who fit the front end assembly from an AD truck onto a '95 chevy fullsize, personally I didn't like the look but my opinion really doesnt matter to what someone else does. I did think the workmanship was steller. Look at the picture above, obviously that is a late model bed on an AD truck and it looks killer. Myself, I made my '49 work on a s10 frame (which lots of people do) and others put them on dakota frames, I thought I liked the 49 grill till i saw a grill from a gmc, which I'm considering changing. The point is you need to find whats right for you. Look for important details like rust holes, body damage, frame damage (if there is one or if you want to keep the original frame), etc, which mostly dictates how much work you will have to do to get the truck where you want it. LMC truck parts and chevs of the forties have a great selection of replacement parts if you need them, as well as I'm sure dozens of other places. Just my 2 cents.

[timg47]

great. just wanted to make sure there wasnt a particular year to avoid. now the search is on.

[55metalmonkey]

txrdnek
Just to put it out there for fun, apperently you can fit pretty much ANYTHING under a chevy/gmc
http://www.google.ca/#q=Fastest+57+C...72b15e1f196f99

Personaly I like 55 GMC's 2nd series if their done right, what attracted me to the one I bought was the "big boobies" on front bumper, not sure why???....some people hate it, but lots more love it. It's all personal taste, I wish I could have one of every year AD & TF out in a huge garage, I do like all of them and all years for many different reasons.

Just a word of advice before you decied on what to buy. I'd do a search of the build section and check out what areas guys are routinely having to fix. this way you know what areas of the truck require extra scrutiny. Since you live in AZ rust shouldn't be too much of a problem but it doesn't hurt to be a little more informed.

[txrdnek]

Oh yeah, you can do just about anything if you have the skillset to do it, Truckin magazine did a feature where somebody took a late 60's model chevy p/u and combined it with a late '90s model, and i dont just mean put on a new bed, I mean literally combining the two trucks into one. I said almost anything more for the people out there that would say what you cant do with one more than what you could do.