Considering this GMC spent nearly its entire life in a barn, we can’t say it was “found” there. Nevertheless, this 1952 GMC 300 pickup in Sweet Grass, Montana seeks a new owner here on eBay where bidding has surpassed $1500 for the non-running work truck. The Halloween paint scheme covers what should be an attractive shade called Rideau Maroon, or possibly a two-tone with the black fenders.
The nine-foot bed stands ready to swallow a load of lumber and embarrass modern truck owners, the ones who get mulch once a year then spend an hour waxing the bed. This generation of trucks began in 1947. Appropriately enough, GMC called that first post-war overhaul the “New Design,” or if you’re a Chevrolet fan, “Advanced Design.” Sales literature calls them “War Proved,” and what’s tougher than that?
Like other parts of the truck the cab has endured the attack of a high-schooler armed with rattle cans and/or saw blades. You can imagine what a chick-magnet this rig would have been around the time that radio was made… or maybe not. The model year 1952 marked the 50th year of truck production by GMC.
This should be the 216 cid inline “stovebolt” six cylinder that powered decades for General Motors vehicles, making about 82 HP in this era. Presumably original maroon paint remains on the firewall. In case you’re wondering, Rideau is French for “a small ridge or mound of earth,” so Rideau Maroon should be an earthy tone, like a well-rested Merlot. How handsome that would look with the black fenders! The Canadian-built truck reportedly ceased driving duties in the ’70s, and is not running at present. Returning this barn beast to factory splendor would be a losing endeavor financially, but getting it running safely would be a great victory and it could easily become a source of great pleasure for an automotive-minded family. Let’s hope it becomes a running, driving vehicle and not a makeshift road sign for a farmer’s market. We can do better than that, people! Where do you predict the bidding will end on this 50th anniversary farm hand?
Now this is one of the nicest tonners I’ve seen in a long time. Get it running and put it to work for the time being. Most definitely a Canadian version as it is running the 216 Chevy Babbitt-Pounder. That would work just fine for me although I would need to get used to opening a GMC hood and not see a 228 in that bay. Of course where I grew up there was a real mixture of American and Canadian trucks so either one was the norm. I like the orange and black combination and would seriously consider using it again. Years ago there was a trucking company that used a similar orange and black color combination. I could easily adopt it for this truck; it’s a pleasant change. Fix it and use it; that’s the way I would do it…
That’s Advanced Design, not New Design.
GMC was New Design and Chevy was the Advanced Design
The GMC version was called “New Design.” There is more information at the link provided.
Thank you. I stand corrected.
Wow! A nine foot bed. Just the kind of truck that I need for my landscaping business. Our eight footers sometimes are just a bit too short
Did this guy’s tree that grew old Merc trucks finally die?
I think there’s lots of both still around. There were some large aggressive dealers just north of the border and they sold a lot of products…
Yeah, that’s a nice story, full of baloney, unless the kids school was 4 states away. Just because it spent it’s life in a barn, when not being used, doesn’t mean it wasn’t driven and this is one tired truck. Bidding going up in $1 dollar increments, tells the story. Cab mounts are shot, and that’s a big deal. That steering wheel been replaced, so I don’t buy the story one bit. Still an ok truck, but a lot of work here, going to need everything. GMC’s are kind of rare, probably sold one for every 50 Chevy’s, but a good reasonably priced project. Same old thing, probably geared for 50 mph, might want to remedy that somehow.
A one ton has a rear end with 5.14 gears in it. A 216 babbit bearing engine will be good for 35 mph at best.
Drove lots of them for years. Never had a problem with 45-50. Those 17 inch wheels made a lot of difference…
I thought the old Eaton HO72 (1-ton with pinion screw) was 4.56? Best you can do is pull a 4.11 from 67-72 3/4 ton. They swap right in! Hard to find any parts for that differential, but fortunately it is pretty much bullet proof.
Howard, it’s a ONE ton which does not have anything close to a real demand by most people looking for an old truck. And the cab on this truck is in far better shape than my 3600 Chevy that needs inner cowls on both sides plus a left outer and right cab corner. This one needs a partial right floor and right toe board plus a lower right cowl and cab corner to be fairly complete. And it would be helpful to have a brake flaring tool to make up a new set of brake lines for it.
Interesting beast.
in the 1990s I bought a ’52 like this in Jacksonville,FL that was originally from Thief River Falls, MN. $700.
geared to pull stumps but had minimal rust-through.
I replaced the kingpins and front brakes then sold it a couple years later for $1700.
one of the few old vehicles I have owned that I did not loose money on…….
Great looking truck but even if the cab mounts ate gone they aren’t bad to replace!! These trucks were relatively easy to work on and the motors ran forever!!
The left cab mount looks good and the cowls look pretty good on both sides compared to mine. For this truck if I have a place to keep it out of the weather when it’s raining I would get the brakes completely replaced and get the engine running/upgraded.
The smallest engine in the GMC truck line was 228… 216 was a Chevy engine which took an entirely different block. The last three digits of the engine number tell the size… 228, 238, 248, 270.