Can this GMC 700 Series be saved?

[Gypsyman]

Or, this thread could be titled "Convince me NOT to save this one".

Here's the story.

While bored and browsing old GMC's for sale I ran across an ad for a fire damaged truck. Just one line of text and one tiny picture of what appeared to be a 700 series caught in the fires we had on the west coast last year. I'm not sure it's a 700 Series so feel free to correct me.

Didn't pay much attention to it as it's hard to look at burnt trucks and I know what a pain in the rear they can be after a fire. But, against my better judgment I sent the seller a note asking how bad the burn was and if he had larger pictures.

A lot of time passes and out of the blue he responds and sends some photos. Ugly to say the least. But, I noticed a few things. The truck appears to be a '47-'49 700 series based on the short hood, 6 cylinder engine, and 10 lug wheels. So I look a little closer.

The truck looks arrow straight and cancer free. All but the drivers side tire burnt to the ground. Right front fender took the brunt of it but appears to have diverted the flames away from the engine compartment. Hood, grill, engine, headlights, left fender and tire are virtually unscathed. Couldn't care less about the flatbed as I was looking for a tractor anyway.

The cab is the odd part. The cab interior is obviously gone but a lot of the paint remains. The passenger door paint is partially burnt off but the drivers door paint is good. All of the glass is still intact. On a full, hot burn I would have expected all of the paint to be gone and the glass to be blown out.

I think what happened is that since the windows were up the interior probably filled with smoke and soot limiting the amount of oxygen available for a full on raging fire and it probably just sat and smoldered until it ran out of fuel from the seat material. The only question remaining is did any of the metal dash panels that are so hard to find for the larger series trucks survive. Unfortunately I can't know without driving a long way to see it in person. The seller is 5 hours from the truck and has no intentions of going back to the area for any reason.

Most of the trucks in the Pacific Northwest region are beat to death rust buckets. According to the seller this truck was arrow straight, rust free and working before the fire. As anyone who has rebuilt a rig from the ground up in this area knows you always end up replacing every stinking piece of rubber seal, window channel, and any other soft parts to do it right so this truck would be no different. actually, everything on this truck that was destroyed by the fire would be replaced on a serious rebuild anyway.

Obviously the axles are gone from the long, slow tire burn. I just have to assume that they would no longer be safe even if rebuilt but that just makes it a perfect candidate for an updated drivetrain.

The good:

1) It would be free other than fuel and labor needed to go get it.

2) I have extra tires and wheels here and the tools to get her back on her feet for loading but I have no idea if I could even get the old lug nuts off.

3) Another piece of history would be saved (and a cool piece to boot).

The bad:

1) It's a LONG ways away from me. As in about $400.00 in fuel long way.

2) It's burnt.

3) Access to it isn't great and there is snow on the ground.

4) It's burnt.

5) The DNR is getting ready to start fire cleanup again so it won't be there for long before it heads to the scrap pile.

6) It's burnt.

7) My wife is probably going to need glasses due to the repeated "stink eye" that she'll be giving me if I bring home another old truck.

8) And, finally, it's burnt.


So, convince me that this is the dumbest thing I've ever considered and a complete waste of time and fuel. Can it be saved?


Pictures. Some large, some small. The owner isn't very computer savvy.

[Gypsyman]

A few more...

[C10 - C90 Bill]

If it cannot be saved, it would at least be a great parts truck.

Would hate to see it get scrapped.

[Gypsyman]

That's my line of thinking. Hood, emblems, grill, headlights, bumper. All hard to find parts for the larger series trucks. Just a long drive and a lot of messing around for a bed full of parts.

[Jim Timber]

That'd make a cool lawn ornament if nothing else.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Guess I'll add my 2c
I bought this 39 several years back for $100. It's a "one of these days" project. My thought was to drop the body as-is on a half ton 4x4 frame kinda like the pic below.
Something to think about, right now around here the price of scrap is down, but it's sure to rebound at some point. You said you'd have $400 invested in it, there's a chance that you could get that $400 back just in the price of steel at some point in the future (something to tell your wife when you bring it home.)
Now go get it!

[Gypsyman]

Nice snag. What are scrap prices where you're at? Clear down to $20 a ton here in Washington for unprepared steel (i.e. vehicle chassis). Not even worth the time to haul in what I have out in the field right now.

This one wouldn't go to scrap no matter what. =)

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by Gypsyman

Nice snag. What are scrap prices where you're at? Clear down to $20 a ton here in Washington for unprepared steel (i.e. vehicle chassis). Not even worth the time to haul in what I have out in the field right now.

This one wouldn't go to scrap no matter what. =)

Wow. We're $40/ton

[richard2717]

I agree the parts alone should be way more than your expected costs but I like 63 & 64 Bowties idea of the 4x4 1/2 ton swap. That looks sweet.

It just depends on how bad the stink eye might get..

[New_70'C10]

I say you should definitely pick it up and put it on the to do list. From the looks of it you can make it much more than lawn art and it has the potential to be sweet ride.

[Gypsyman]

Finally got a full size photo of the good side. Looks like the back tires burned hot enough to take the temper out of the leaf springs. What are the chances that the frame is still safe to use under a load?

[Gypsyman]

Larger shot. You can clearly see that the main pack and overload have sagged.

[junkmandan3]

Pretty deep frame, you shouldn't have a problem................unless you're building a dump truck !

[68 CRACKERBOX]

I don't think heat casuse that I think it is just year of overloaded use.fire could not get that hot and the frame show no signs of heat.you would have to heat with a torch for hour to make them sag like that.

[Jim Timber]

I'd still love to have that at my front gate.

"Turn right when you get to the big old Chevy!"

[alsriv2]

That one deserves to be saved. A modern drivetrain will bring it back to life and it would be a cool save on a piece of history.

[luvmytruck]

I am not one for that much work but really would be great to save it

[Gypsyman]

I guess bringing a burned up one home would stop me from cutting any corners on the rebuild. =)

[jtrichard]

What are you waiting for ...I have worked on "burnt" trucks before that one (cab wise) is not burnt, chard/smoke damage yes ..... Just look at that grill and headlights that should be enough to get you in your truck and on your way

[Gypsyman]

Just waiting on the weather. Shooting for next weekend if the rain down when the truck is lets up. Worst case scenario, the weekend after that.

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by Gypsyman

Just waiting on the weather. Shooting for next weekend if the rain down when the truck is lets up. Worst case scenario, the weekend after that.

Great news. We'll need plenty of pics when you get it home.

[Gypsyman]

Found a ride home for the GMC. Since I have to send at least 4 tires and wheels down with him is their anything special about the bolt patterns or lug sizes on these older truck? Will any junkyard lug-centric take offs work for now?

Richard

[junkmandan3]

Yes .

[Gypsyman]

Is there any way to tell if the stock wheels can be safely reused? Is the integrity of a wheel compromised by heat/fire?

Richard

[hugger6933]

I would say as long as the wheels aren't flaky they could be reused. that thing would be awesome with a 6.0 or even a duramax or a dodge 12 valve 5.9 from the early years non computer.