1951 GMC Pickup P-252 228 GMC six from North America
Summary:
Tons of fun, but slow
Faults:
No brakes.
Tons of rust.
Heater hose.
None of the electrical system works.
Speedometer don't work.
General Comments:
I bought this old pickup for 450 bucks. It was quite rusty but had a good running six cylinder engine. After getting the clutch unstuck and hooking the throttle back up, I started driving it around on the back roads in the county forest near my house. Not sure how many miles I have put on it, but I have gone up to 30 miles in a trip, which is quite a feat considering I never fixed the brakes. The truck is quite slow, I think it tops out around 45 mph, but no way of knowing.
Truck doesn't have a whole lot of power, even with the low rear end ratio. I think a three on the tree in a 3/4 ton pickup is kind of lame, but apparently the GM engineers didn't think so. Gas mileage isn't great, right around 13 mpg.
Bed is rather shallow and it isn't even a full 8 feet long. You're not going to be hauling much with this puppy unless you plan on towing a trailer.
The old beast is a hoot to drive, but I must say as a pickup it really sucks. Not fast enough to be practical in today's traffic. Good for a Sunday drive down to the Home Depot to get some 2x4s.
It may sound like I am trashing this thing, but really I think it is awesome. I like the body style and it is entertaining as only a half century plus old pickup can be. Just leave the heavy hauling and real work for a newer truck.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 27th May, 2009
27th May 2009, 14:26
'Should be buried'?! This is a classic and rare vehicle.
28th May 2009, 19:22
Original Poster here, I stopped using a combination of downshifting and killing the engine to get that final little stop. Also with the engine off it is possible to get some braking action out of the clutch by not letting it out all the way. The motor doesn't turn over but the truck still slows down any way. On my 30 mile trip I seen one car. These roads have no houses, just forest so chances of getting in an accident at 25-30 mph are pretty slim.
To the guy saying this thing should be buried, keep driving your Honda Accord. Some people have no appreciation for style.
27th May 2009, 10:50
"Tons of fun, but slow"
- You are complaining that a 58 year old relic that should be buried is slow? I don't understand you at all...