1951 GMC 3 window half ton

[Tempest67]

looks great........keep it going

[Old Jimmy]

Thanks. I've been busy. My bedsides were really bad condition. I almost ordered new from Mar-K, but decided to make my own. A good friend made two bends out of 14 gauge steel. I transferred all the necessary holes from the old sides. Welded on the stake pocket channels, tubes, and added some teardrops.
I'm pleased with the results. Here's some more pic's.

[Katrina/10]

Looks good! What ride height did you specify to Scott's for the front?

[Old Jimmy]

Gary,
I asked Scott's to try put the running boards at about 9". They came perty close. They sent me standard spindles and just lowered the cut out on the crossmember. I can always switch out the spindles for 2" drops if I want to lower the ride height. Thanks for looking.
Jeff

Also, I'm doing a little catch up with my posts, here's some more pic's.

[Katrina/10]

I have a Scott's front suspension on my 51 GMC also, always interested to see how others have installed their products. I didn't know what to ask for at the time, so I just took what they sent me. Mine included C- notches to cut the frame for the rack, but I did not want to do that. I lowered the crossmember in the frame about an inch, and the rack fit. Looks about where yours is. However, it seemed to me the front end was a bit too high, so I put drop spindles on with slightly heavier springs on the coilovers. This resulted in the front of the running boards about 8 1/2 inches off the ground. All the drop spindles seem to be 2 inch, which was a bit more than I wanted, but I'm going to leave it for now. Thanks for the info and pics.

[Brads49]

Good looking project!

[Old Jimmy]

Hey Gary,
It does look like our front suspensions were installed about the same.
Scott's sent me Alden coil overs with 11 different settings. The springs are rated at 500 pds. Is my setup similar to yours and how do you like the ride?
Jeff

[Katrina/10]

The shocks Scott's sent me have fewer adjustments than yours, but I believe I put them on the softest setting. Scott's told me the springs were 500 lb/inch, but according to the marks on them, Aldan identified them as 650. I wanted to use less preload on the spring collar, so Aldan recommended 750 lb springs. I installed these, and they worked out as planned. I enjoy the ride, steering, and stopping ability of this suspension, but alignment is difficult.

[Old Jimmy]

Hello everyone,

been a while for posting, but I've been busy. Here's some pic's of progress. I'm getting closer to paint time. The wood in the pic's came from a local guy. It was kiln dried Michigan ash from a live tree. A friend of mine works at a local lumber yard and runs the mill room. I gave him the spec's and I'm pleased with the results. Total cost for bed wood was only $175.

Thanks for looking, Jeff

[8man]

I just went through your build, nice work. The truck is looking great.

[Old Jimmy]

Robert,
thanks for looking and the kind words. I've looked at your build also, very innovative ideas and looking great also.
Here's some more pic's of the fuel tank mounting and an original color I found under the cowl vent. It looks blue/gray. Not sure what it's called, but, I think it would look good with chrome. Be nice to know if anyone has used this color and how they like it.
Thanks, Jeff

[Old Jimmy]

Still plugging away. Received an order from LMC:
Front and rear premium bumpers
All the glass, green tinted.
Stainless for windshield and center of hood.
New chrome GMC hood emblems.
New ddioor handles, inside and outside.
Not good at computers so I don't know how to put descriptions with individual pic's, but here's some more progress. I have narrowed the color down to 2 colors. They are both 51 gmc colors.
Thanks for looking, Jeff

[joedoh]

I like the pale pastels they put on old trucks, seems like I can only ever find dark green. your blue will look great!

[Old Jimmy]

Thanks for the reply joeoh,
I'm leaning towards the lighter blue. I've had to do a lot of body work, and I think the lighter color won't show any imperfections.
Also look good with chrome.
jeff

[youngrodder]

Another Michigander...I like the lighter blue myself. Where did you pick up the breather for your tank vent? I need to pick up something similar.

Marc

[slammed57]

really nice work on saving the bed sides! great progress!

[Old Jimmy]

Thanks for looking and the replies.

Marc, the vent valve came with the tank with the filler assy and the vent. It came from "tanks". Also, I saw your 48 at the expo car show in Kalamazoo a few years back. "really nice build".

I think I'm going with the lighter blue color, I'm getting closer to paint.

I have a mar-k tailgate. Not sure if I just paint over the spotwelds or should I smooth them out?

Thanks, Jeff

[Old Jimmy]

Ok, it's been a while, about a year. I been really busy finishing sheet metal and getting ready for paint. I'll try get this build up to date. Thanks for looking.

[Old Jimmy]

I sprayed the truck in my friends spray booth. Here's some pic's of the final color. I had to deal with some runs in the clear coat. Seems to be a fine line between smooth finish and runs. Thanks for looking.

[8man]

Looking good!

[6DoF]

i really like that color! if or when i paint mine i've been thinking a single stage vs of that.

[youngrodder]

Looks great...

Marc

[Old Jimmy]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Marc, I looked for your suburban at the Kalamazoo street show, didn't see the truck. There was a lot of nice vehicles.

Robert, I looked at your build. Very nice build. It looks like we're both out of paint jail.

Here's a few pictures of the color when outside. It's called whispering blue/green. Looks like bluish gray.

Thanks for looking, Jeff

[Old Jimmy]

OK, so it's been a while, but, I've been busy working on the truck. Here's a few pic's of progress.

[Old Jimmy]

My truck is done enough to drive. Finished in September of 2022. I'm posting a few pic's of final assembly. The young man in pic is my grandson Braydon.
He has his eye on the 427 in the last pic. I picked up the engine from a farmer friend who had it sitting in his shop for about 30 years. He said he'd been trying to give it away. I said ask no more and we loaded it up. It still turns over and probly just needs freshened up.