Robert's 1945 GMC COE
This is the story of this truck as I know it. I found this 1945 GMC in 1980 in the corner of a truck shop, buried under a mountain of junk, with only a head light showing. I asked the owner of the shop what the headlight went to and he told me it was on a 1945 GMC. He proceeded to quickly inform me that " If you haul off all the junk you can have the truck for $300.00". He (his name was Lee Walding) told me his dad had gotten the truck from GMC in early 1945, special order, through the War Appropriations Board (WAB). Lee said that his dad parked the truck in the corner of the shop and died in 1960. The truck had sit there since be cause no one could figure out how to start it.
I immediately took him up on his offer (not realizing that it was going to take me three days to find the truck). We found the key still in the ignition, put gas and a new battery in and couldn't figure how to start her. The key didn't do it, no button on the dash or foot button to press. Beside the drivers seat was two knobs and Lee said they went to the PTO unit.
We proceeded to try to tow-start it but the engine wouldn't turn over. Pulled the valve cover off and found so much rust we couldn't even see the rocker arms. After loads of cleaning finally got the head off. The cylinders were full of rust. More cleaning. After getting the engine torn down we couldn't find any parts for the rare "308 six cylinder (gas) engine.
Junk? For me, not by along sight. A friend of mine, Carl at Myrtle Point Auto Parts, found me a head gasket. Lee and I put the engine back together with all original parts, except for the head gasket. At this point Lee and I had come to know each other pretty well. I had been at his shop from four in the morning till after midnight every day for three weeks. But we still didn't know how to start the darn thing. We figured we'd give it a go towing it again. With Lee reaching in through the passenger side floor-boards to put starting fluid in the Zenith up-draft carburetor, (with the key turned on) I leaned over to see exactly what he was doing. I rested my elbow on one of the (PTO) knobs and that old engine fired right up. Lee was out the one side of that truck as fast as I was out of the other. It had scared about ten years out of us. Yes, one know is for the PTO but the other goes and engages the starter.
Ran the GMC for a while and tried the old air-horn, she worked deafeningly. Couldn't hear for a good half hour afterwards, we still had the truck in the shop. Lee handed me the Title (still in his fathers name) and I went to hand him the three hundred dollars and he said no. He went on to say "Anyone that can spend the time and effort you have on a truck deserves it, and no one has ever started or driven that old Jimmie but my dad and I". We well always keep her running for him.
I've worked the old GMC hauling cats, skidders, logs, firewood and anything else you can think of. She has 327,202 miles on her now and many more to go. My wife is the impetus behind finding out about this 1945 GMC and restoring her. GMC told us that they didn't make a civilian truck in 1945 only 800,000 military vehicles. My wife (Cindy) found the GMC Archivist (Donald Meyers) and after his researching he has told us that GMC did make her and she is a very rare "GMC Victory Truck". We will be driving her in Graffitti Days in her unrestored condition. Believe me when I say I will be restoring her (That rolling pin can hurt).
Thank You
Robert (Oly) and Cindy Oeleis
P.S. I have found people who can make the parts to rebuild the engine except for the Bearings.
Robert Oeleis
I immediately took him up on his offer (not realizing that it was going to take me three days to find the truck). We found the key still in the ignition, put gas and a new battery in and couldn't figure how to start her. The key didn't do it, no button on the dash or foot button to press. Beside the drivers seat was two knobs and Lee said they went to the PTO unit.
We proceeded to try to tow-start it but the engine wouldn't turn over. Pulled the valve cover off and found so much rust we couldn't even see the rocker arms. After loads of cleaning finally got the head off. The cylinders were full of rust. More cleaning. After getting the engine torn down we couldn't find any parts for the rare "308 six cylinder (gas) engine.
Junk? For me, not by along sight. A friend of mine, Carl at Myrtle Point Auto Parts, found me a head gasket. Lee and I put the engine back together with all original parts, except for the head gasket. At this point Lee and I had come to know each other pretty well. I had been at his shop from four in the morning till after midnight every day for three weeks. But we still didn't know how to start the darn thing. We figured we'd give it a go towing it again. With Lee reaching in through the passenger side floor-boards to put starting fluid in the Zenith up-draft carburetor, (with the key turned on) I leaned over to see exactly what he was doing. I rested my elbow on one of the (PTO) knobs and that old engine fired right up. Lee was out the one side of that truck as fast as I was out of the other. It had scared about ten years out of us. Yes, one know is for the PTO but the other goes and engages the starter.
Ran the GMC for a while and tried the old air-horn, she worked deafeningly. Couldn't hear for a good half hour afterwards, we still had the truck in the shop. Lee handed me the Title (still in his fathers name) and I went to hand him the three hundred dollars and he said no. He went on to say "Anyone that can spend the time and effort you have on a truck deserves it, and no one has ever started or driven that old Jimmie but my dad and I". We well always keep her running for him.
I've worked the old GMC hauling cats, skidders, logs, firewood and anything else you can think of. She has 327,202 miles on her now and many more to go. My wife is the impetus behind finding out about this 1945 GMC and restoring her. GMC told us that they didn't make a civilian truck in 1945 only 800,000 military vehicles. My wife (Cindy) found the GMC Archivist (Donald Meyers) and after his researching he has told us that GMC did make her and she is a very rare "GMC Victory Truck". We will be driving her in Graffitti Days in her unrestored condition. Believe me when I say I will be restoring her (That rolling pin can hurt).
Thank You
Robert (Oly) and Cindy Oeleis
P.S. I have found people who can make the parts to rebuild the engine except for the Bearings.
Robert Oeleis
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