My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Bought this Friday night. 1959 GMC 3/4 ton.
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The sellers dad bought it for him to drive to high school. The seller graduated high school in 1974. The seller said it was a “Sharp’s welding and mechanical works” truck. They are still in business today the had a location less than 15 minutes away from my house. This truck had a box on the back when he bought it. The title says 1959 GMC Service truck. The seller said the truck was all white when he owned it and started turning blue-gray the last 10 years or so.
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My plan is to gather a 1/2ton shortbed frame, I have a complete 350 v8 and a automatic trans combo from a LS swap a buddy had done. I will do a mustang 2 and a S-10 rear axle with a leaf spring kit. Planning on a stepside bed. This project is gonna be cheap and simple. For now just going to be gathering parts. Excited to have a beater project for me, even though it is gonna have to sit for a bit.
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Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

nice find, and history as well. cool.
looks like you are set up for engine swaps now, plus you have the eye in the sky on the roof there. haha.
if you google 55-59 chevrolet truck assembly manual, and pick the tri5 site, you can download the assembly manual for free. it has frame drawings etc in there. really a good resoiurce. I think you will find the frame is the same dimensionally for a half ton and a 3/4 ton so you could simply use the frame you have. if doing a ride height drop, like most MII crossmembers and suspensions will do, you may need to C notch the rear frame over the axleas well to keep the rake angle somewhat normal. in that case, depending on the drop you will want, you could shorten the rear of the frame where you need to in order to achieve the shortbed length and add a c notch in one job. then your rear axle won't bottom on the frame over bumps. you may get 3" above the axle otherwise and that has proven to be the minimum and still may have axle contact if you're not carefull over bumps. anyway, it maybe easier than finding an unmolested shortbed frame. either way, I suggest to do a good frame check for square, sag and straighness before you start working on anything in that regard. the assembly manual has the frame checking dimensions and check points I believe. also the long and short bed dimensions from spring hangers etc. I assume you will use leafs on the rear?

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

what will the pan be for brakes? original frame mounted location with a booster and a master cylinder with dual circuits? maybe grab that from the s10 rear axle donor. that way the master will match pretty close to what you need for the disc front and drum rear. I assume you willk be using the regular, non upgraded, MII kit.

Progress!! Called the seller of the GMC asked if it was ok to come over and clean truck up before I bring it home. He said sure. Removed the Crain. Then cut some bolts and he has neighbor come over with the forklift. Bed removed!!
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Then we moved the GMC !!
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Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

love it! that truck has an awesome look, and the lettering is fun. i actually want to build a crane like that into the bed of mine for picking up engines/axles.

that frame looks pretty solid, why not keep it in there?

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

If I’m not mistaken the V.I.N. Is only on the chassis on the GMC in two places on the top of the left frame rail .
One near the center line of the front axel that would be covered by Mustang II top mount . The other is on the top of the left frame rail centered between the cab mounts .

If you were to change the chassis you would loose your V.I.N. That matches your paperwork.
Food for thought .

Now if this were a Chevy the V.I.N. Would be in a third place on a tag attached to the driver’s side A pillar .

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

On the second series 55 - 59 GMC your V.I.N. number would look like this :

152 CS001234

15 is the chassis rating : 3/4 ton , 10 1/2 ton
2 is the wheelbase : 123.25” , 1 is 114”
Blank is 6 cyl . If it has V8 there it would be 8 there
C is the Oakland , CA assembly plant , P would be Pontiac , MI
S is 1958 & 1959 model year , T is 1957 , X is 1956 , Y is 1955
001234 is the production number
This information is from the LMC Truck Catalog .

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

BTW your truck would of had an eight foot bed if it was a pickup to start with .

It looks like the rear frame has been shortened behind the rear crossmember .

Here's a Pic of my 59 Chevy Long Bed Chassis . Note how long it is behind the second to last crossmember . The last was cut out and replaced farther back for the gas tank .

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Interesting that GMC did not put a VIN plate on the cab like the Chevy version had.

Thanks for the info.
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Brought it home Tuesday. Drove buy a car wash and spent some quarters!
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Got the truck unloaded and pushed it on my side yard. Continued the cleaning on the interior! Last pic is under hood AFTER the car wash. Can’t wait to use my gas powered psi sprayer. I thinks lots of the white paint will come off .
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Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

looks pretty solid. nice find.
plan?

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

wow, that is a solid truck, good find!

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Wow, great solid truck. I inherited a truck that's very much like this one. LWB with a flat bed etc. Your's is in better condition. I'll try to get a thread started on it in a few weeks.

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Color charts i found on internet.

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

1 more.

I’m thinking my truck is Harmony Gray. Psi sprayed the pass side. Bug difference.
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Next I scrubbed the pass cab corner and pass rear of cab. Here is a before I scrubbed and after.
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Lastly I waxed same area and wiped it off. Plan is to repeat process on rest of truck.
Really think it’s Harmony Gray. Would appreciate any input on color name.
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Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Nice truck!!

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Looks almost greenish in the picture but my daughter swears I have a blindness to some colors. You're seeing it in the flesh so I'd have to agree with it being Harmony Gray.

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

so much win on the patina!

have you tried scortchbright and CLR yet? have you seen the patina sauce top coat?

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

if you like that look you could scuff and clear coat it. not my look, personally, but that could work for you if you like that look, as long as there are no structural parts that need to be welded in.

More scrubbing.
Also picked up some scrap metal. Fenders are rusty where they attach to the running boards but…the price was right!!
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Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

Nice! I'v been looking for rusty chrome steps for a little while and have so far been unsuccessful.

Score this today.
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Progress shot.
So far I plan on keeping the 1ton frame. Plan is to use square body leafs and brackets and a S-10 rear axle. I can slide bed towards cab then install rear axle in the appropriate location.
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Score!! GMC hood badge. Before and after pics.
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Streamlining. No more “Farm” lights and front plate bracket. Way better looking!
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Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

nice solid truck! sun baked paint, but very little rust that i'm seeing
welcome to the sexy 4 eyed task force trucks

now i'll show my ignorance of gmc trucks...
the frame is straight over the rear axle, if that was a chevy the flat frame would indicate a 1 ton truck. on chevy the 3200 1/2T lwb frame and the 3400 3/4T lwb are the same frame in the FAM (factory assembly manual) and have a hump over the rear axle. the 3800 frame is flat over the axle.

Re: My new Beater 1959 GMC
 

a 3/4 ton lwb Canadian GMC that I had did have the hump over the rear axle as well.

Time for some engine attention.
Dirty.
Removed some “extras” from under the hood.
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Way better!!
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Story goes this was a rebuilt engine that was put in truck in early 90’s. Trucks brakes quit working in late 90’s. After that truck was used like a tractor. Would shut truck off and let clutch out to stop truck while it was being used like a tractor.
So last Tuesday evening I cleaned up under hood and was able to get valve terrain “pickled”. I am a believer in oiling up these old motors befor you cranks them. Lubricant is key to life!
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Pulled the spark plugs yesterday to lubricate cylinders. Cranked it for 3 second cycles. I got oil pressure at the end of the first cycle. After a couple more cycles I went for a 10 count cycle.
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