1959 GMC "Ol' Indian"

[17again]

Sup fellers? After my horrid demise of me beloved DD 66 c10 (woman decided to cross into oncoming traffic and hit me head on) Recently picked up a 1959 GMC 100, pretty well optioned truck. Local guy had the truck shipped from California 25 years ago. He drove it 6 months til the steering box went out and parked it, til I got my hands on it. It's got the factory optioned Big back window, Tinted windows, 347 Pontiac V8, automatic transmission, deluxe heater, fleetside bed, task force rear bumper, and deluxe trim package. I have everything that isnt on the truck. The pictures aren't great, and actually make the truck look pretty bad. This truck is solid beyond belief and the frame is unreal. The worst part of the truck is the driver's door bottom. My neighbor builds tri-five pontiacs so Ive got the hookup on motors. My basic plan is to yank the intake and heads, do up a set of 389 heads so I can run a more efficient intake, and a set of headers. I was wondering if I could also do an electronic ignition for a 389 if Im still using the 347 block? I know Pontiacs used the same block til the end of carbed production. Anywho, I cant afford a paint job so it'll stay as it is for now til I can afford to have it coated in a mirror black. Gonna lower it, do the glass, make the interior look like absolute new, and get it as dependable as possible. I know im gonna have a helluva time trying to track down the front marker lights, anyone got a set laying around? Any help or suggestion is much appreciated fella's.
Thanks, LJ.

[6BT 56]

This is going to be a real cool truck. Dont paint it . Ever.... Looking forward to watching this one .

[Luther Grimace]

Awesome looking truck! I really like the fleetside and big back glass. And the Pontiac engine is cool in there too! You might wanna look into doing a CLR bath.
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[17again]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

This is going to be a real cool truck. Dont paint it . Ever.... Looking forward to watching this one .

Hahaha everyone keeps telling me not to paint it but we'll see how things go. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

Awesome looking truck! I really like the fleetside and big back glass. And the Pontiac engine is cool in there too! You might wanna look into doing a CLR bath.
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks! CLR bath? Care to elaborate?

[Kim57]

This should be really nice when done.
I think it's great your keeping the Pontiac engine.
Kim

[_Ogre]

v8 and hydromatic? what else does a guy need?
try doing the clr and scotchbrite pad wash job, you'd be surprised.
nice truck.

[Luther Grimace]

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...d/216032/tp/2/

This guy does a CLR demonstration on his 59 El Camino. One thing to remember is to use some gloves when you do it because CLR is pretty acidic I believe.

Here are some pictures of when I did mine to my fenders. I don't have a real close up of before but you can see a difference. I believe the scothbrite pad does most of the work. I mixed mine 1 part CLR to 3 parts water so 25/75 but you might want to do 4 to 1 so it lasts longer. I also used warm water just for the simple fact it was cold outside but it prolly helps out lowering the surface tension too. I scrubbed the fenders then let it sit for about 15 minutes scrubbed it down one more time and washed it off with a water hose a couple of times. Prolly outta wash it one good time too after you get done with the whole truck.






Here is a picture after it got done. You can see the big difference between the fender and the hood!

[meter swinger]

[QUOTE=Luther Grimace;5858580]

One thing to remember is to use some gloves when you do it because CLR is pretty acidic I believe.

Absolutely correct. I CLR'd my 88 crewcab and took my gloves off to get a drink and forgot to put them back on. My hands peeled for two weeks. Don't do it on a nice concrete driveway either, it will stain it. Do it on gravel or dirt.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Task Force Era]

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...d/216032/tp/2/

This guy does a CLR demonstration on his 59 El Camino. One thing to remember is to use some gloves when you do it because CLR is pretty acidic I believe.

Wow!! That Elky turned out amzing!! That CLR stuff is crazy!!

I'm definitely diggin your truck 17again. I bet a CLR bath would do wonders for your truck after seeing the elky done. Pretty sure I'll be doing that on my Apache soon as it's outta the shop!! Good stuff!!!

[_Ogre]

the scotchbrite pad gets rid of the oxidation layer on the paint. the clr gets the rust.
that is pretty amazing results

[17again]

Originally Posted by Luther Grimace

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...d/216032/tp/2/

This guy does a CLR demonstration on his 59 El Camino. One thing to remember is to use some gloves when you do it because CLR is pretty acidic I believe.

Here are some pictures of when I did mine to my fenders. I don't have a real close up of before but you can see a difference. I believe the scothbrite pad does most of the work. I mixed mine 1 part CLR to 3 parts water so 25/75 but you might want to do 4 to 1 so it lasts longer. I also used warm water just for the simple fact it was cold outside but it prolly helps out lowering the surface tension too. I scrubbed the fenders then let it sit for about 15 minutes scrubbed it down one more time and washed it off with a water hose a couple of times. Prolly outta wash it one good time too after you get done with the whole truck.


Here is a picture after it got done. You can see the big difference between the fender and the hood!

Wow! Thanks for that little input. That's absolutely incredible, I will absolutely be doing this to my truck. Oh and you basically have the best truck in existence, tri-5 Chev with a first gen 12V. Badass.

Originally Posted by _Ogre

the scotchbrite pad gets rid of the oxidation layer on the paint. the clr gets the rust.
that is pretty amazing results

Won't the scotch brite pad eliminate any clear coat? Do you have to clear the truck after you do this CLR bath? Thanks.

I talked to the president of the Pittsburgh chapter of the POCI (Pontiac Oakland Club International) and he tells me that in 1959 GMC used a 336 and in later production a 389. I know my motor isnt a 389 due to the water ports in the heads, so it's definitely the 336. Disappointing, but whatever. Im still going to try the 389 head swap, just going to have to use a 389 timing cover and water pump. Hoping to be able to use a 389 electronic ignition also without having to do a points distributor conversion.

[OrrieG]

Those old paints did not have a clear coat, they were single stage. Enamels (like on the trucks) dried shiney. Acrylic laquer, like the picture, dried dull and needed cut and buff to get the shine. Most guys that do the CLR cover with flat or satin clear to keep the rust from coming back.

[17again]

So the real story comes out...

Today I met with the guy I bought the truck from, just to pick up some small parts he had for me. Turns out, his son (who gave me the first story) had things a little bit wrong. The man proceeds to tell me that he had first seen the truck around town only a few weeks before he ended up buying it, and this is where it gets somewhat disheartening. 1973, he see's the truck in our small towns Knorr's Arco Station, notices the at-the-time owner in distress mode pacing around the truck with the hood open. He pulls in and yells to the man, "That truck still running?" to which the man tells him that the steering box had just gave, and he couldnt make any left turns. Minutes later, he bought the truck for $400.00, with the owner explaining how he had moved to PA only a month before from long Beach, California, he had bought the truck brand new in '58 and the truck was always garage kept and he hardly ever used it, He had to sell his daily commuter car for the big move, which is why he was driving the truck. He parked his truck, drove my 59 home, and again to his mother's house later that night, being the last time this truck was ever driven. He worked as a machinist and had a heavy rollback, so he towed it to a building in Rosslyn Farms, PA in an abandoned turnings processing plant that he owned, and that is the last time the truck's tires ever rolled, until I got ahold of it. He gave me a box of parts, all in mint shape might I add , the ash tray, the full gauge cluster with the gauges, and the chunk of metal cut from the inside wall of the cab that was cut for a whip antenna from a CB the Cali. owner had in it. He apologized to me for not having the original cali. black plates that were on the truck when he got it. He also apologized for what he let happen to the truck, the shape its in, the dents, etc. He told me how the truck was absolutely stunning when he got it, and how he could just sit and look at it all day long. He was genuinely sorry. But, when I got home, I took a look at the gauges and the odometer reads 11,720 miles, So now my mind is racing...what exactly do I have? Do I have THAT virgin of a truck? And more importantly, why didn't he EVER do anything with it?

Anyway, I pulled the seat out, cut out what was left of the glove box cardboard, and got everything that moves, to move like new. The tailgate was especially bad, it was literally frozen in place, haha. I also scored a parts truck. A TOTALLY rotten '57 with the Poncho v8 and hydramatic. Had a GORGEOUS red and white interior, which basically hit the homerun for me. Im gonna blow the interior all white, top half of the dash and door panels in black, with a red carpet, red/white seat, red/white steering wheel, red sun visors, red headliner. Should be killer. I've ordered basic stuff, like the glove box, door locks, wiper motor, brakes, etc. Also, being a Cali. truck, there's no freagin heater. So that throws me for a little bit of a curve. Here's a picture of the floor, just to show off what Im pleasured to work with
More pictures and **** to come.
Later, ElJay.

[dubie]

cool story!! looks like you found a keeper to me

[Kim57]

Originally Posted by dubie

cool story!! looks like you found a keeper to me

x2.
Kim

[OrrieG]

I'm thinking 111K from the shape its in, might even be 211K. 25 years ago is 1988. 88 to 59 is 29 years, to only have 11K on it mileage would have been driven about 380 miles per year. Mine was my DD until 1996, I got in in 76 with 185K on the clock. It turned over 200K in 78 when I was driving it to Idaho. By 88 I had about 250K on it by 98 probably 300K (speedo broke at 230K and I did not replace it). Still a good story and good find.

[daveshilling]

What happened with this truck? Im jealous of that floor right now... my floor has free air conditioning/ashtray features