I know some of you aren’t fans of “patina”, but when I saw this ’49 GMC 100 short bed, I just had to feature it. Look at this thing! This is a look only mother nature and time can create. And what is even more incredible is that this truck is actually super solid. Add in the dents from a lifetime on the farm and this truck really does look cool. If you’d love to give it a new home, you can find it here on eBay in Sweet Grass, Montana with a high bid of just $1,756 and reserve.
This seller specializes in old farm trucks from Canada and they have found some really cool trucks over the years, but this one has to be my personal favorite. The way it’s aged is just too cool and while I’m not a fan of rust by any means, this one really does look to be solid. Just take a look at this cab corner, we’ve looked a lot of trucks from this era with nice paint jobs and more rust in the cab corners.
Now for the bad, the interior is going to need to be fully restored. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise though since it is an old farm truck. Thankfully, it appears to be complete and is really simple. And the floors do look to be in pretty good shape, but you’ll want to treat them to prevent decay.
We don’t get a look under the hood, but the seller states that the original engine is currently out of the truck and is going to need a rebuild. It’s included so you do have the option to return it to original. It should be the 228 cui inline-six, which is a good engine. Since it’s out and this thing already has a bit of a rat rod look to it, a V8 swap might be a fun option and would give it some oomph! So, what do you think of this GMC? Would you restore it back to pristine original condition or would you leave it looking rough and make it into a mean rat rod?
Lumps and bumps trumps rust every time. Those folks in Sweet Grass may not come up with the best looking trucks but have you noticed that very few have heavy rust on them? This looks like a solid project to rebuild/restore into something fun.
This bad boy is dripping with patina…I love it
Patina, it’s a rusty old truck that crafty resellers want you to believe is the next “it” thing.
These guys usually have solid trucks.
But this one is pretty beat.
I think the rust here is worse than Patina.
Pass on this one
I’ve said it before and I’ll say I again: Patina—old Indian word for lazy body man. Now that I’ve got that off my chest, something this straight and rust-out free needs to be cleaned up, sanded down and painted. You could even do a decent job with Tremclad (or equivalent). Some might want to get this media-blasted then etch-primered to stop the rust completely before treating it to primer-surfacer and top coat. Myself I would go to the local hardware store and load up with everything I need to refinish this, and the grandkids’ swing set while I’m at it. I can see you looking for another grill; taking the twists and dents out of this is going to be a major challenge. I would fix the original, slow, plodding, boring, ‘GET that POS off the highway!’ engine and continue aggravating import-personal-luxury-car-jockeys, and have a good time doing it. My wife just came home with an industrial sewing machine so I’m about to embark on something else I’ve got no business trying: upholstery. Well, I taught myself to paint, and I taught myself graphic design so why not learn to recover some seats? Long as I don’t sew my fingers up in the process…
Again, geomechs, you have said what a lot of us are thinking-in a more colorful way! Rattlecan paint job??!!? Harken back to days old Honda’s, Vespas, Kawasaki’s and the like! Perfect solution…
Old cars are cool, old trucks are WAY cool.
Each car, truck or whatever had/has its own engineered purpose-what we chose to drive and how we drive it is a personal choice and this would be at the top of my list in the “drive it til it breaks and work o it some more” category; that and motorcycling are cheaper therapy than a shrink and a lot more fun in the end!
I saw a YouTube video where a couple of guys got one of these going in a junkyard and attempted to drive it home. They had to rig fuel cans and properly fix the brakes but they drove it away. I just about died laughing when they rigged up a portable generator and a pair of work lights for headlights. They were doing good until the engine overheated.
I can assure you that seller picks up these old trucks for a lot less than he gets for them, which is fine. they are not rare in Saskatchewan, where I reside. which is where most of his trucks come from. patina is word used by hucksters to glorify rust , surface rust is extremely hard to clean up. I laugh when I see the prices that people pay for this stuff.
Hi art I had an old 49 chev pickup at my uncles in sask and he gave it away without asking super bummed. If you come across one in the similar model I’d be ever grateful thanks
I’d restore just as Geomechs said but maybe a V8 just for a little get up and go.
This one deserves to be bought back to its original factory look these are really handsome, breathe new life into the GMC 228, highway diff and overdrive and cruise the Interstate like a star
The Roadkill guys did that revival overheating stopped them 5 day challenge I think
Dream on. not even a good parts truck
Awesome! Why are all these trucks coming out of Montana? Shoot, i wish we hadn’t moved from there now, we would have plenty of selection to find me a good truck!!
God Bless America!!
Chevy Guy, There are more than a few of these available in Canada, and a few sellers here in the US (Sweet Grass, MT., North Dakota, Wisconsin, Minnesota, etc.) that venture across and buy these then do the paperwork to bring them back to sell to folks like us. Seeings how you’ve talked about doing one perhaps part of your plan would be the research into how to do that yourself and save some $$$, though the guys that are making money from these sales here are probably perusing the Canadian media regularly and perhaps traveling the countryside looking for them..
Happy hunting, Chevy Guy.
Nevadahalfrack