The door frame is in one piece, still oversized in places so

Jun 14

The door frame is in one piece, still oversized in places so I can fit it to the opening. The latch is installed and the outside handle is in place, they are not connected yet. I will have to build some sort of linkage to connect the inner and outer handles to the latch, but I need to have the window glass in place to make sure everything plays well together. The wing window is in and the channel for the main window is on the way. When I get that I can cut a glass pattern and install it along with the regulator, then the handle linkages.

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Jun 14, 2026

Reply to NewOldWood…

Replies (6)

· Jun 15

Is this something you are rebuilding or a scratch custom? Looks like a shooting brake?

· Jun 15

It is suposed to be a restoration, but...... I don't have a lot to go by. I'm doing what I can from the original parts I have and a few pictures. Information on these trucks is hard to come by, other than this one I have seen pictures of one 55 GMC, and if it's still around nobody knows where it is. The GMC was a 1/2 ton which seems to have been a (limited) production model, although I would have a hard time believing they made more than a few of them. I've read that 3/4 and 1 ton versions were available only on a special order basis. This is a 56 3/4 ton chassis. Cantrell closed down and sold their property off in Dec of 56, they were probably in the process of closing the place down while this truck was being built. No way to prove it but this may be the only 3/4 ton model of this truck ever built.

· Jun 15

Not a lot of pictures of the 3/4 ton out there so you may be right.

· Jun 15

The steel bodied Carryalls are not quite on every streetcorner but they are out there. If you can find a picture I haven't seen of a Cantrell built wood body, I'd love to see it.

· Jun 15

Btw, excellent work.

· Jun 15

That is beautiful work.