Roger,
Owning a older (pre-60s) GMC is kind of a "good news, bad news" deal. Bad
news is that some parts can be a challenge to find, like sheet metal and
emblems that differed from Chevrolet, and the motors can be costly to rebuild.
Vendors don't reproduce the parts that are unique to early GMC's. But the good
news is that they are now somewhat rare due to their lower numbers. GMC's were
always considered more of a workhorse truck, the engines were designed as truck
engines and were so beefy that they were used in early hot rods, dirt track
racers and a GMC 270 just missed qualifying for the Indy 500 in 1953!
The GMC shop manuals and parts books are very detailed with excellent
photographs, reflecting the expected heavy service requirements. My Dad always
preferred a GMC over Chevy as a work truck, and most of the citrus grove owners
here in Florida used them for years. Nowadays, a GMC is just a badge-engineered
Chevrolet (except for cool variations like the Syclone and Typhoon) but it
wasn't always that way. Good luck in your search for an old "Jimmie"!
Jack / Winter Park FL
http://stovebolt.com/truck/halton.htm
------Original Message------
From: Rroslowski@aol.com
To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
Sent: March 20, 2000 4:04:01 AM GMT
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] GMC Trucks....
To all those GMC owners and everyone else...
Thank you very much for contacting me! I haven't been able to contact you
individually yet, but I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your
interest. I have had 17 people contact me since I originally posted the
request.
Here's some background info on me:
I am a 25 year old New Jersey native, an employee at a new GMC dealership,
and have been in love with cars & trucks for as long as I can remember.
Sometime back in late 1955, my grandfather bought a new 1955 Chevrolet 3200
pickup (I still remember riding around in it when I was about 4-5 y-o with
my dad hauling top soil for our yard). My grandfather was going to junk it
back in 1990 (it sat dead in his yard since 1980) and I asked him if I could
have it to restore and use as my daily driver (note: I was a VERY naive 15
years old then!). I was not and still am not mechanically inclined, and
after having the '55 sit in my dad's driveway for little over a year with no
major work being done, we had it towed to a friend of the family's repair
shop/garage where it would be kept inside to be worked on. Shortly
thereafter, the shop burned down in what was considered an arson and the
(non-insured) truck went with it. The only remaining piece of the truck I
still have is the hood emblem which was sent out being rechromed at the time
of the fire. Then and now, I do not have the skill, time, and especially
money to own an old Chevy or GMC truck. But when I do, I decided it will
definitely be an old GMC!
I admire all of you owners, both Chevy and GMC, for keeping these trucks
alive. I know it's hard, especially when certain parts can't be found or
had. I hope one day soon I too can call myself an owner. Until then, I'll
keep reading whatever I can find to learn more about these wonderful trucks,
collecting all the models I can find, taking pictures of the trucks I find,
and now watching from the sidelines on this mail list. Feel free to contact
me if you have any questions or to let me know what you own.
Thanks!
Roger Roslowski
rroslowski@aol.com
Chevy & GMC Truck Admirer (for now!)
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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