This fine old Jimmy pickup greeted me at Jerry’s (my local home improvement story) recently. Yes, it’s got a mouth only its mother (who was that actually?) could love, but I’ve long come to terms with it, given its other qualities. Don’t judge a pickup by its face. But I’ve been studying this one for a while, because I wasn’t sure whether it was a ’55 or ’56. The difference? Very minor.
See that trim/filler piece, right between the ends of the bumper and the chrome piece with the turn signal lights? It’s unique to the ’55, which by the way didn’t appear until about half-way through the model year, to replace the venerable Advance Design trucks.
Here’s the ’56, minus that trim piece. Hmm; looks like the bean counters were at work already. I can just see them squaring off with Harley Earl of that stamped piece of steel that probably cost 27 cents. Look like Harley lost this battle, but maybe he had to once in a while.
Enough with the petty stuff. The important stuff was further behind the grille, where the legendary GMC inline six did its work. This is the same engine that powered the unstoppable WW2 GMC CCKW 6×6 “Deuce and a half”, which I drove here. That one had the 270 cubic inch version; if this pickup still has its original engine, it would be the 248 CID version. In 1956, the 270 became standard. A V8, based on the brand-new Pontiac, was optional, and it came in both 288 and 316 CID versions. Again, the smaller one was dropped for 1956.
In both cases, these sixes and eights were bigger and huskier than the 235 six and 265 V8 that came in the Chevy version.
The GMC got a totally different dashboard and instrument panel than the Chevy, as well as its steering wheel. The IP is a lot nicer, with six round gauges. This truck appears to have the optional four speed manual, with its extra-low first “granny” gear. This was a considerable degree of differentiation, despite both of them sharing the same basic running gear, frame and body otherwise.
Curious paint scheme on the steering wheel. The turquoise appears to be the base coat, now showing where the red has worn off. But why was the base coat turquoise, and not the cream color of the inner half? Odd.
The 100 series was of course the half-ton version, by far the most popular back then.
And like the great majority of these, it has the short (114″) wheelbase and the 6.5′ bed. And this one has a somewhat unusual rear bumper; rather old-school. But I like it, and everything else about it. Who wouldn’t?
You, sir, are a steely-eyed pickup man! I don’t know anyone else who would have spotted this difference, save for the mother who loved that face. I dunno, I kind of like the gage cluster on the ’55 Chevy, as it echoed the V-shaped cluster of the iconic car of the same year. The dashboards in these GMC trucks, as with the 60-66 trucks that followed, were tougher, all “business,” which matched their drivetrain choices. (There were other little differences, too-when Dad bought Old Blue, our ’65 C10 in 1965, he noticed that the GMC version had double-stitched upholstery, compared to the single stitching in the Chevy. Yes, we could have had a V6! If only.) Did GMC lose that distinction in the same way/for the same reasons (centralization and cost-cutting) that the various divisions lost theirs? I still want to think of a GMC as a tougher truck, and the ads try to sell this, but I’m afraid the real distinctions have been gone for a long time.
I wonder if that steering wheel was originally in a turquoise-and-cream 1955 Pontiac. Quick answer via google: No. Well ok, maybe it started life on a GMC Suburban, their version of the Chevrolet Cameo, in that color scheme.
I never have known if there’s any visual way tell a 1955 from a 1956 Chevrolet pickup – if there is, it’s gotta be something arcane like the little trim piece here.
My father had a 1955 GMC dump truck, just enough older to have the Advance Design sheet metal. It was a stout truck that served him well.
1955 Chevrolet truck had the wings on the front emblem on the top; 1956 had the wings on the bottom.
Both look like a Holden.
Internet to the rescue. The base steering wheel in Chevy’s and GMC’s that year was colored red. The more deluxe interior had a white lower half and center, and a red upper. Apparently the base coat was turquoise (note on the horizontal portions how it has worn through to the black), and then red was added, and then white (on the lower portion) on top of that. Glad I don’t have to try to restore that wheel.
Oh, and with the deluxe trim on the GMC, that front trim piece was chromed to match the grill. It makes more sense (to me) as a chrome piece.
This shows how the difference between Chevy & GMC was once a bit more meaningful, even if the platform (Task Force/Blue Chip) was still shared.
I like the no-nonsense, gingerbread-free instrument panel, which looks less dated than other ’50s models.
Love it! When I got to the picture of the “100” in the grille, I was puzzling over why the three rectangles were of different sizes and only two of them had a design in the middle. Then I read the text. Doh!
That steering wheel is indeed a mystery. The 55 brochure says that the custom interior colors are aqua and white, “Seminole Brown and Panama Cream” and a 2 tone green. Is this seminole brown? If not, maybe an owner did some minor resto some years back and changed to a later year interior color scheme, which would involve painting the steering wheel. Or perhaps the wheel got replaced and painted at some point? I can’t believe that they all started out turquoise. A mystery.
My kind of truck! The thing I like about these GMC trucks is the face. To my eyes, the heavier styled grille and bumper remind me of a 50’s Cadillac. The look of luxury!
I always saw a strong Cadillac resemblance in these trucks too.
I had the window panel version of this year GMC. I bought it in the 70’s and was going to fix it up and get it running. It had the V8 and three speed on the column. The body was straight and rust free but needed paint, red and white two tone were the colors on it. Unfortunately I never got around to it and sold it to raise money to buy my first house. Loved that chrome dash and big round gauges though, reminded me of one from a Studebaker Gran Turismo Hawk.
I love it, thank you for sharing, not feeling good so I’ll read article fully later, but I think that truck looks like a lot of fun or out of a movie with back end full of people fleeing trouble, either way fun. Hahaha have a great day.
That Yellow Tahoe in the background is eye catching and I wonder if that is a factory color?
https://i2.wp.com/www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CC-310-017-1200.jpg
Nice write up and photos of an old rig Paul. Sure is nice to see these vehicles out and about with all their neat details, even the plates look good.
The plates should look good, as they date from 1988 or so, quite a bit newer than the truck.
The Tahoe appears to be a taxi, so, in a word, no.
Thanks for the heads up on how to tell the difference in the years of this truck.
I will be honest, I still have not warmed to this model. I love the Advance Design pickups as they look just as attractive beat up as fully restored.
Actually, Chevy also used the 4 speed Hydra-Matic in their trucks until 1960, when a ‘truck’ Powerglide was introduced. GMC continued with the Hydra-Matic until around 1962 when they adopted the Powerglide in their trucks, naming it the ‘Pow-R-Flow’.
Never knew about that trim piece!
Whoops! My bad; I made a false assumption. Thanks for the correction.
Can anyone confirm the 287 V8 was definitely not used in 1956?
I have a truck without that trim piece that has a 287 in it (casting # 518037). The data plate is missing and I can’t find a vin on the frame so I don’t know what year it actually is. Is there any other way to tell a 55 from a 56? Does anyone know if the VIN is supposed to be on the frame? If so then specifically where should I look? Either my truck is missing the trim piece or someone stuck a smaller engine in it (but the engine looks untouched – just as grimy and old as the rest of the truck)
Sorry, but I can’t help you. Maybe someone else will come along who can.
The VIN is stamped in frame rail near steering box on topside
Is vin number really by steering gear box i was told on frame under cab on driverside on56 gmc
@ Fred :
Some GM trucks have a body or assembly plant number stamped into the top of the cross member when it’s near impossible to see without removing the cab from the frame .
This is _not_ the VIN .
I no longer recall the year GM began stamping VIN’s on the frame, for decades the engine’s serial number was used to title and register motor vehicles .
-Nate
Thanks Nate thats the next thing i will do take cab off
You’re welcome Fred .
Be aware that GMC had a “fleet” option hat had painted grilles .
Those are the rarest of the rare vintage GMC’s but not particularly valuable .
If I had any of the trucks in this thread I’d clean ’em up, tune ’em sharp and _drive_ as-is .
-Nate
IIRC the park light lenses were amber for 1956, Chevy had different ones but ’55s were white and ’56s were amber .
-Nate
No, I am pretty sure they were not.
Correct as usual Daniel ;
Passenger cars changed then .
In the 1970’s I had a 1955 Chevy 2.5 ton tow truck, it had white park light lenses .
Back then new ones were near impossible to find, all the ’56 Chevy trucks I found in junkyard had amber lenses that were slightly different in fitment .
Maybe it was a local thing ? .
-Nate
That little trim piece makes more sense when chromed. I think the Advance Design GMC version also had more chrome in around the same place, than did their Chevrolet siblings…on those, the chrome surrounded a large parking light, where the Chevrolets had small ones mounted in the grill.
Now it makes sense. Was it chromed at all for production?
It may have been chromed on higher-trimmed versions, painted on the strippos.
If that was the case, would it have been painted white like the rest of the “chrome” on trucks at this point?
Hehehe. Great spotting. Nothing like a beautiful set of curves to hold your attention.
Not to mention the pair of Dagmars on them.
What a sweetie .
.
The manual tranny here is the Muncie SM420 box….revered my many 4X4 Enthusiasts .
.
-Nate
Anyone who likes these trucks should be made aware of
Classic Truck Rescue on You Tube. Quite entertaining, I watch it sometimes
and I’m not even a big fan of these.
Absolutely a beautiful truck! I have a 1956 pretty close 6cyl manual 4 speed. Just started it up for the first time. Had been setting about 30 years at the least . I just purchased all the chrome for the front end this week. I paid more for all the chrome than I did the truck. But one day she will be restored to her glory of 1956.