52 GMC Dumper

shinnlinger

Member
Knowing how doc feels about empty threads, I figured I would share a very usefull machine I found rusting away in a feild near me. After a few hours of tinkering and a good tuneup, This little beast hauls the goods....very handy
 

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California

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I love it!

Those things were built on the principle of seven moving parts, maximum. That's how you can still get an abandoned one running with an afternoon of tinkering. Once you have compression, fuel, spark, off you go. (Just ignore the smog....)

I owned several 37-54 Chevys (all the same technology) ranging upward from $35. They were cheap, plentiful, simple. At the time I could probably get one running in the dark.

I see I have nothing to worry about with my elderly Yanmar which was designed with that same simplicity. Another 30 years will pass before it's as old as that.

See, Mark? Who needs fancy paint just to haul some dirt around? :D
 

shinnlinger

Member
Cali,

The hardest part was wrestling the old fuel tank with 10 gallons of "fuel" out. It was so plugged with shellac and crap that when I pulled the petcock off nothing drained out! As you can see it was a lost cause though and I have added an "aftermarket" feul cell to the fender.

I originally pulled it home thinking I could put the dump body on my 1 ton and have some steel left over to play with, but the motor spun so I figured Id give it a go and was rewarded. The body is actually very restorable (by salt road NH standards anyway) but who knows if hat will ever happen

It doesn't even smoke that bad. runs, dumps, drives, no brakes though and that means I dont get to use all 5 speeds and the electric 2 speed rear to much.

I pulled a similar vintage Chevy at the same time though thinking it would make for some good parts but actually the GMC engine is significantly different then the babbit pounding 235 bowtie (not a complete loss though, the windsheilds in the Jimmy came from the Chebby). It is a relatively modern engine with high pressure seals and all that. It litterally purrs these days.

I first got it going and decided to test it a bit with the excavator. I loaded it 1/2 way, no problem. (it is a 3.5 ton machine) so I decided to heap it up and see what happens. Drove it about ten feet and it sounded like the guns of Navarone went off and I blew out all 4 rear dry rotted tires. Fortunatly a neigbor works for a tire place and I got some decent used ones at the right price.
 

California

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235 or 292?

It's good to hear the dump works. That's probably the only expensive mechanism on the whole truck.

That would be hydraulic brakes,no? If the hydraulic lines and shoes are ok then wheel cylinder kits and a rebuilt master cylinder shouldn't cost much.

Did the fenders come off the donor truck?

I'm surprised the oil wasn't as petrified as that fuel tank.
 

shinnlinger

Member
Cali,

The chebby (1950) had a 235, but it was cracked. The GMC should have had the much coveted 302, but somebody put a 248 (same engine family ) in it at some point, but it runs ridicuolsy well. and does the job so I am not complaining. The oil in it was pretty scary also. I let it warm up on it so it would liquify and promplty changed it. It doesn't seem to burn much oil.

The Emerngency band right behind the transmission still works with some effectivness and I roll around the yard in low 2 so brakes aren't high on the list of things to do. When I dealt with the tires I peaked in at the brakes and took them complety out. Everything was completly shot which is probably good so I wasn't tempted to Micky Mouse something together. They now sit in 5 gallon buckets awaiting there fate.

I am contemplating Ag plating the rig to run it on the road, but enetirly new brakes are in order. Do it right the first time on somthing like that. This thing unloaded is pushing 10,000 lbs and there is way to much to risk on questionable brakes.
 

Doc

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Cool ole dump truck. Thanks for posting it Shin. Rep points for started a thread in a new forum. :thumb:
 

mobilus

Member
Congrats, Shinn! That's a great find.

I'd love to find a 65 Chevy dump someday. Not that it matters too much about the year, but then I'd have three vehicles from that year.

Again, good job!:thumb:
 
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