1942 G-506 (G71017) Chevrolet 1-1/2-ton Truck
Tim Scobie always loved the WW2 1-1/2-ton Chevrolet G-506. His dad drove one in the Army Reserves in the 1960s. When one came available for sale in Colorado, he snapped it up and hired MV Specialties of Hastings, Minnesota, to restore it.
I have always loved the 1-1/2-ton Chevy and had been looking for one when a truck popped up for sale on a farm outside of Denver, Colorado, I snapped it up and drove out with my dad to pick it up (one of the best trips I ever took with my dad.) At that time, my friends and I were working on restoring a half-track, so this truck sat for a while.
Paul and Gary Wirth of MV Specialities in Hastings, Minnesota,saw it for the first time in 2014. Gary started bugging me immediately to get it done … eventually I caved-in! In late summer of 2016, I transported the G-506 from our shop in Bloomer, Wisconsin, to Paul’s place outside of Hastings.
When I had picked it up in Colorado, the only items I noticed missing were the windshield frame, wiring harness, and cab interior components. Of course, Paul disabused me of this fantasy when he really started working on it in late August 2016.
It took Paul the better part of 10 months to finish the truck.Since Paul did the vast majority of the work (wow...I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to work with Paul), he had the honor of taking it for the first road test/event in July 2017. It was an inauspicious start. He promptly ran it out of gas with a full load of reenactors on board — at night, to boot!
We restored it as close to original as possible. While we did have to fabricate some parts, we were able to track down and use a lot of junk yard and NOS parts. The only things I had any trouble tracking down were the interior door skins, metal frames for the wood on the bed, and the battery box and cover. Truthfully, even these parts were not that much trouble in the end.
Given the amount of driving we do with it, I put in hardened valve seats so it will run well on modern gasoline and added a newer model brake booster, for safety sake. The wood is all white oak. The vehicle is painted circa 1942, as it would have been for the 30th Infantry Division, 117 Infantry Regiment, Company B in the ETO. The truck bears the name of my youngest, Emma Marie.
DRIVING THE G-506
I have loved the Chevy G-506 since the first time I saw one. My dad drove one in the US Army Reserves back in the 1960s, and he loved them too.
After operating everything from jeeps to Shermans, This truck is my favorite road-driving WWII historic military vehicle (HMV). It’s an easy WWII vehicle to own.
As with any 75-year-old vehicle however, you have to be aware of faster traffic out on the road and plan your drives accordingly. The top end speed on this bad boy is only about 30 mph, so I cannot ever be in a hurry.
Shifting is easy due to the bomb-proof transmission. Double clutching, while not technically necessary, really makes it super smooth. Front visibility is excellent, but it is best to have a spotter when backing up due to the limited rear view. It steers like a dream, the instruments are easy to read (even at night), the controls are well within reach and smooth to operate, and it has tons of leg room compared to jeeps and half-tracks.
Night driving lighting is quite good for a WWII HMV, although due to the limited tail light visibility, we are never on the road after dark without a magnetic yellow flasher on the rear and a with a follow car.
The enclosed cab is nice and warm in the winter. In the summer with the windows down and windshield cracked, it is actually comfortable. Given that you’re never going fast, body roll during turns is negligible. The suspension is very forgiving, and the ride is surprisingly smooth, regardless of the terrain.
With the newer model brake booster installed, stopping is excellent. I would recommend to anyone who drives their G506 on public roads that they consider converting to a booster.
Operating noise is relatively low compared to other WWII vehicles, although I still make my littlest wear ear protection when she’s up front in any of my HMVs. That’s the Dad in me.
Routine servicing is a breeze. There are tons of parts, junk yard, NOS and repro, available should repairs be necessary.
I had the original title from January 1949, and registered it in Wisconsin. When I moved the truck to Minnesota, getting a Minnesota title was no problem.
Insurance is inexpensive for these trucks. It is even more affordable if you have the specialty hobby plates offered by many states.
THIS VEHICLE IS FOR DRIVING
This vehicle gets used a lot. In fact, all of my vehicles and trailers get used a lot — for parades, veteran, charitable events and reenacting. We love driving them and never pass up a chance to educate people on the vehicles that won WWII.
We have also formed a not-for-profit LLC to “operate” this and our other vehicles when we have them at sponsored events. In fact, this year, we have raised over $10,000 for charities by auctioning off rides.
Keep‘em rolling, right?
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