People who don't know Jack Tedeschi, but look at his 1947 GMC pickup very likely believe that someone with a lot of experience restored the vehicle back to original condition.
What they don't know is that Tedeschi, of Fayetteville, N.Y., and his son, Carl, did the work.
Tedeschi said the restoration is his "first and only attempt at working through the process of restoring this truck." That's OK because this truck is picture perfect, a looker dolled up in "Narva Green."
His half-ton pickup carrying GMC's first post-World War II design has been restored to its authentic and original state -- austere on the inside but flamboyant on the outside -- thanks to its so-called "Advance Design" and bright green finish.
The one concession to convenience that Tedeschi exercised during the restoration was conversion of the electrical system from six-volt to 12-volt. A major benefit of converting the system is a quicker and easier starting process.
Those who are familiar with old vehicles with six-volt systems, know that the motors in cars and trucks with less cranking power turn over much slower. Batteries in vehicles with six-volt systems tend to run out of juice sooner.
Otherwise, the truck is stock from top to bottom, turned out in all of its original glory, something Tedeschi is quite familiar with.
"Having grown up in a small New England town, where many small truck farms existed, older pickup trucks were commonplace and an integral part of the community," he said.
Tedeschi bought the truck locally in 1994 although it began life in the arid climate of Arizona. The '47 took the place of a 1953 truck he owned but lost interest in because it presented too much work. The '47 was in much better shape to begin with.
"Most of the body was rust free, but every panel contained its share of dents and scrapes," he said. With his son Carl's help, they began the restoration by disassembling the truck. Right off the bat they discovered under the seat an Arizona State University freshman handbook dated 1949, plus a number of spent shell casings, along with a couple of mouse skeletons.
In Tedeschi's mind the findings gave the truck "a true western colorful past."
With the truck apart, they utilized a baking powder paint stripping process "that literally polished every inch of the body and frame to reveal its preservation in the dry heat of the west," he said.
Even though the truck is relatively simple and he has the experience of restoring boats in the past, Tedeschi knew that it would present problems he couldn't envision, so he turned to a friend and neighbor, the late Neil Lane, who had vast experience building custom cars, for guidance through the restoration mine field.
Tedeschi credits Lane plus books on restoration with keeping him in the game. "That combined with reading one chapter ahead on each phase of the restoration became a very rewarding experience," he said.
It's important to note that Tedeschi confined his work on the truck to weekends so the overall project "consumed seven or eight years."
Today the truck is driven carefully, as well it deserves, but it hums along nicely, he said. Tedeschi christened the truck "Sweet Pea" because of its "Narva Green" finish.
A quiz question: What equipment is missing on the truck? (See below.)
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Owner:
Jack Tedeschi, Fayetteville, NY
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Cost new:
Around $1,100
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Motor:
6-cylinder, 228 C.I., about 90-hp
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Transmission:
Three-speed manual
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Color:
Original GMC "Narva Green"
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Condition:
Authentic, near perfect
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Quiz question:
The answer is a key-operated lock on the driver's door, although it has an outside lock on the passenger door. GMC safety engineers believed that passengers and driver should exit and enter only on the passenger side away from passing traffic.
Know about a car you'd like to see featured? Contact Kenn Peters: kpeters@twcny.rr.com. Previously from Kenn:
George Kuhn and his classic Oldsmobiles, a 1965 4-4-2 Cutlass convertible, and an ultra rare 1968 Oldsmobile 442 Holiday Coupe Hurst Olds.
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