Bill, as a newcomer to the old truck scene, I appreciated your comments. I'm
thinking of something a little different. (That means it's probably been done
a dozen times!). I was waiting for GM's new 6.6 diesel pick-up to come out.
Then I saw the sticker price: $44,000 with no discounts here in PHX, and
before taxes. HHMMM? Does not compute. And then I saw an article abt a local
frame shop, Industrial Chasis (IC), in one of the Truck magazines. I love the
1948-1953 GMC pick-up design.I thought, how abt putting an early 50's pick-up
cab on a late model 3/4 or 1 ton 4 X 4 chasis. But IC told me that the early
50's p-u's were very narrow, and would not fit well on a late frame. So what
I'm now thinking is a 2-2 1/2 ton early 50's cab on a late year 3/4 or 1 ton
4 X 4 frame. Probably with a small sleeper or an extended cab. I think the
sleeper would look better, and I would have it set up the same as an extended
cab inside. Power would be either a GMC 4-53 diesel engine, a 4 or 6 cylinder
Cummins diesel, or a sturdily built Chevy SB with a Whipple supercharger.
Probably one of the diesels. The Whipple s/c cost almost $4,000, so starts
getting into the cost of the diesels. I would use this rig to tow a fifth
wheel travel trailer, 8,000 Lbs or less, all over the U.S. I've just started
looking into this idea. I realize it's not practical, but so what? I'm a
widower, and plan on leaving my kids abt $.25 each when I die!! I think I
would also look into upgrading the chasis while I'm at it.(Better brakes,?)
Can anyone tell me how you would register something like this? Would you use
the cab year, or the chasis year? If you have to use the chasis year, that
would probably preclude using the 4-53 engine, as I doubt if it would meet
emissions standards.Comments? Bob K
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
|