gmc vs. chevy cabs difference

[one wing angel]

Hi Folks I am hoping someone can give me a timely response to this question.
Are the 47 -53 Chevrolet and gmc cabs the same. I have a 51 gmc on the radar and would like to purchase it if.. ? the truck in question can be modified to a 51 Chevrolet version,
..do the fenders, grill hood etc interchange.

I have done a quick search of the forums but quite honestly, got bogged down in the responses. too much information that was irrelevant...

thanks for your help in advance,
John

[MARTINSR]

I would be surprised as hell if anyone came forward and said that anything on that cab was GMC or Chevy only. The front end, I believe every large part is different, fenders, hood and grill for sure, maybe inner fenders and rad support? The dash moulding and the tail gate, I don't believe outside of the drive train anything else was different.

But I am open to learn more. But I believe that was it.

Brian

[MARTINSR]

Edit: Irrelevent.

Brian

[one wing angel]

Thanks Brian, that's kind of what I thought. I plan on mostly new front sheet metal anyway, so that wont be a problem.
Nice 5 window cabs are getting scarce here, and even though I will build it to be a chevy, I welcome input to the question of if they were the same..

[mr48chev]

What you mentioned is what is different.

Hoods, grills tailgate, dash trim are obviously different.

Front crossmembers are different on the frame and the core supports are different. The panel that holds the hood latch is different.

47/53 fenders are the same except the GMC has the round park light under the headlight. Rather easy to fill the hole if you don't use it.

Most guys prefer to find good original sheet metal rather than fighting with the poor quality of aftermarket sheet metal. This is one spot where new is not better from what everyone who has fought with the aftermarket fenders will tell you.


I have a GMC 1/2 long (125.25) wheel base going under my 48 and while I have a spare Chevy front crossmember I may run the GMC crossmember and the bottom half of the GMC core support to gain a bit of room for the 292. I haven't tried it yet so I don't know what is involved at this time to make it work or if it will work.

[MARTINSR]

As Mr. Forty Eight said, DO NOT use reproduction front sheetmetal. Reproduction sheet metal is the LAST resort, there is still good stuff out there. I Just sold a nice hood a few months ago, it's out there.

Brian

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by MARTINSR

there is still good stuff out there.

california dreaming again martinsr?

good stuff only exists in a small part of our country
and when we buy the good stuff from that small part of the country, it arrives as rusty as the junk we find here
reproduction stuff or fixing what we have is the only option for most of us

[MARTINSR]

Ogre, he's in California.

Brian

[joedoh]

as long as its just the cab, a gmc frame has a few differences that can be overcome.

inside the cab its just the trim strip on the dash (and who cares if it says general motors truck or chevrolet?) the horn button, and the gauges are GMC only.

[Volfandt]

Through some sort of stoke of fate I've got 2ea 1949 GM 1/2 ton pickups sitting in my overcrowded shop. Ones a GMC the other is a Chevy. I concur with pretty much all thats been said. The GMC has been modified but the pic shows theres just enough differences in the front clip sheet metal to show they are not swappable..