1949 GMC 350 2 ton truck. Ramp truck car hauler build.

[Brant Campbell]

So I picked up this old 49 gmc grain truck on Craigslist for $750. When I was given the title the owners address was up by my grandfather's ranch in Broadview NM. I asked my dad if he knew the name, and turns out my granddad sold this grain truck to the guy on the title in 1957! Talk about a small world. This was my granddad's first grain truck bought back in 1949. I had no idea when I bought it.

So talking to my dad my first thought was a duramax swap, then maybe a cummins swap, then maybe stretch a 1 ton pickup frame and put it on it, put 22.5 wheel adapters on it, and make it cool. My dad came up with the idea of using a school bus chassis for the donor. It already has 22.5 wheels, trans, engine, power steering, etc. Another big reason is school buses are cheap. Heck, I could even have air brakes.

So I started looking for a donor, and it wasn't hard to find one. Turns out they're everywhere, cheap! I ended up buying a 1998 Freightliner with a 24 valve 5.9 cummins, Allison 2000 trans, air ride, air brakes, the works. The bus sits on the same chassis as a freightliner FL70 medium duty truck, and they are impossible to find cheap enough to cut up. I scored the bus for $3500 delivered from Houston.

So total money in my project so far is $4250, and I already have a complete power train and running gear. Now I just gotta get this giant bus body off this thing, and get it to scrap! Lol. I know it will be a lot of work, but I need something to keep me busy!

It may sound crazy to some, but I have been building and playing with drag race cars for the past 20 years, and I needed something to do that was not so expensive. Also my dad is kinda interested in this build too. He's never been interested in the race car stuff.

So it may work, it may not. I think I can make it work. My ultimate goal is a cool ramp car hauler truck. I've wanted to build one forever, and really wanted to use a COE for the build, but when I found out this truck was my granddad's, now I really want to use it.

[dug224]

This will be fun. Signed up and along for the ride.

[BIGglaSS]

Cool story, neat project! In for updates.

[fisherman420]

Cool build no doubt! I will be watching this one!

[flashed]

Im in .

[OutlawDrifter]

Very cool back story. I'm in the beginning stages of my 49 GMC 250 dually project.
Purchased new by my great-grandfather, and 1 family owned. Originally I was going to do a 6BT baby road ranger 10 speed setup, but now it's going to be a phantom dually hot rod. I'll be keeping an eye on this one! Lot's of pictures please!

[Henry50]

Very cool build, how much wider is he Frieghtliner?

[Brant Campbell]

This big thing was delivered yesterday... I think I'm gonna have to shorten the wheelbase some. It's a behemoth. lol

Got the bus late last night. Haven't had time to measure. The framerails on the freightliner actually look closer together than the 2 ton chevy. The front axle width I still have to check. I'll make it work. I don't think it is going to be too bad. The body is held on by 4 bolts up front, and then it is just clamped to the frame with U-bolts the rest of the way back. Shouldn't be too hard to get off. We have a crane and a big loader. That should do the trick.

[48cj2a]

Subscribed...

Wanting to do the same with a early 50s School Bus on a modern chassis and drivetrain as a Crafter Hauler for my Wife instead of an ugly StepVan Brick.