Page 10 - Edmonton Antique Car Club

Member Car Profiles

1937 GMC Pickup (Canadian Made) By Gordon Carson

This article was originally published by “The Filling Station”, and is republished here in its original Q&A format.

and black vinyl cushions. I was so lucky to have my
mechanic and body man work together to completion.

What was the hardest part to find?

When it came to an “Out of Province” inspection, the
1937 failed because it did not have an emergency
braking mechanism. Trying to find an emergency
brake lever was like looking for hen’s teeth. Finally,
my old Jimmy passed the test, and with insurance in
toe, I ordered new personalized license platers—
”GORD37”.

What other vehicles do you own?

I have in my possession a 1972 Ford LTD hardtop,
How long have you owned this vehicle? 1967 Ford 1/2 Ton Truck, and a 1949 Plymouth Se-
dan. The Plymouth is what they call a “barn find”
Purchased for $500 in December 1997. with only fifty thousand original miles and no rust.

Where did you get this vehicle? Do you have any other projects that you are current-
ly working on or plan to start soon?
I purchased this from my neighbour, whose son lost
interest in restoring due to a lack of money. The only other project I have in the planning stage is
to convert the original electrical system to 12 volts.
What is the story behind this vehicle This would give me better lights, turn signals, electric
windshield wipers, and possibly radio.
My wife suggested I should have a project for my re-
tirement, as I had just quit farming. I then had it Do you have any advice for people thinking about
towed to a local garage for assessment to see where to starting a restoration?
start first.
Restoring a vehicle and trying to keep it as original as
What kind of work have you done to this vehicle? possible is very difficult. One must have a great ap-
preciation for all antique cars and trucks. A ton of pa-
First, we had to find a newer 235 cubic inch engine tience and perseverance is most important. To com-
which had better bearings, then the body was taken plete your dream, an orderly list must be followed, so
apart, piece by piece, ready to be poly-beaded. The as not to lose interest. Having a catalogue in your
frame was sent to a sandblasting contractor, who also back pocket makes your endeavor much simpler.
powder coated all exposed areas. The second-hand
motor was completely rebuilt from top to bottom. A Are there any interesting stories you can share about
new radiator had to be built from scratch, and the gas your experiences with this vehicle?
tank opened to repair a broken baffle. The body parts
ended up in a body shop, where they tried to match the The frame of my truck got left in a storage yard, after
paint as close as possible. Unfortunately, the box and the sand blasting contractor went out of business.
rear fenders were beyond saving, so new pieces were When I went to pick it up, I was told it was taken
ordered, including new bumpers. All glass was re- away by HWY 28 Towing Company. With a phone
placed, brakes installed, and original sized Coker radi- call, the towing firm said it was sold, but not paid for.
al tires mounted. Mice had destroyed the bench seat, Having cash in had, I was able to retrieve the frame to
Ted’s Upholstery came to the rescue with new yellow its rightful owner, ME!

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