1952 GMC 1 TON DUALLY FLAT BED 5 WINDOW

ENGINE: STOCK 261 CU.IN 6 CYCLINDER TRANSMISSION:  3 SPEED OVERDRIVE MANUAL

COLOR: MORAT GREEN INTERIOR: STOCK 

CAL-RODS member Gary Schaal drives a stock 1952 GMC 1 ton dually 5-window that will take a person back to the time when trucks like these were the work horses of the U.S. after WWII. Nothing fancy for these trucks except the ability to work hard all day and be put away wet. Sporting a 261 cubic inch ‘Stove Bolt’ I-6, with a two barrel, a three-speed overdrive transmission on the floor and a heavy-duty dual third member. The exhaust is straight piped up the cab with a half cut ‘Gas Pack’ as a baffle stuck in each pipe; that is easily uncorked.

    Just after WWII, General Motors redesigned the AK series of the pre-war years and introduced this “Advance-Design” series that was to be the new big boy on the block with its larger cab.  Although technically a GMC, and under the direction of GMC Truck division, it is still a Chevrolet at heart but was considered more for commercial use. Produced from 1947 to early 1955, the “Advance-Design” was replaced with the ‘Task Force’ series.

   Gary worked 20 years for Hughe’s Aircraft and is now working at an Aerospace facility in Monrovia.  He’s a ‘hands on' hot rodder, choosing to turn his own wrenches on his many restorations at his home in Pomona.  Gary likes the unusual or different car and that can be seen in his many projects.  Among them is a ’40 Chevy Panel truck, a Rat Rod, a ’55 Chevy Bel Air wagon, along with 2- ’62 Plymouth Valiant wagons and of course his flatbed ’52.

       The ’52, purchased 4 years ago in Costa Mesa for $5500, was originally used on a farm in Fresno. Gary is in the process of converting from a generator to a one-wire alternator system, all the while fabricating the brackets and hangers himself using his years of experience.  Like all car guys, he has a wish list for his ‘Hay Hauler’; a newer transmission, a power steering box and pumping up the ignition with MSD. For now, it’s a stocker that should be checked out at the next car show.  It really brings back a ‘time of innocence’ of our past and wonder of the future; well at least in 1952.