If you put $20,000 into it, you'd have a solid $5,000 truck

These 50s trucks always look so cool even when the earth is reclaiming them.

It's not throwing in the towel Wes, it's prioritising what's practical for you and the channel 👍

Wes is a master of understatement

This thing needed attention long before it was parked there.

Brother,I imagine that it becomes difficult to find new interesting material to post. But you do a fantastic job keeping it fresh. I appreciate your efforts!

"The interior could use some work..." hahaha! Thanks for the laughs!

Your channel is by far one of the best on KZfaq! Thank you for giving us what we want! There are no good revival channels anymore. Don't ever change Wes, you've got the magic.

Saturday morning and I couldn't be happier about this video. This is the FUN kind of content. Thanks Wes. Much appreciated. Hello. Mrs.Wes, Jr and Pup.

Another cinematic masterpiece. Thanks Wes. If these 'ol girls could talk! Somebody out there would give her a home.

Next week on Mustie1: Forgotten 1950s GMC Truck

You know I'd totally forgotten that I found your channel watching you wrench on rusty junk out there in those woods.

A shame but reasonable decision to walk away. Someone could probably use the cab tho if theu desired. But I'm glad your doing revivals! Its why I started watching you

You didn't try putting it in a swimming pool full of evaporust. I'm so disappointed in you. Lol

Oh my... After high school, before I went off to Canoe U., I went with my folks to visit family in Alton, Ill. Then we drove up to Wisconsin to see my dad's brother. Somewhere along the way we stopped at a burger joint/drive in... with car hops and all... I swear I remember seeing this monstrosity sitting in the parking lot with 3 guys sitting on it having lunch. They fired it up and drove it away and you could tell the steering was real light. That would have been the summer of 78??

If Wes doesn't already have some sort of engineering degree, I would gladly give him an honorary one if I could. He has earned it by me. 50 year old EE here. Greatly enjoy watching him debug and improvise on both electrical and mechanical systems.

Back in the 50's my uncle purchased a CJ Jeep brand new, came with a half cab and a dual wheeled rear end and a backhoe attachment that is very similar to the one that you have shown in this video. Although not quite as big in size (since it was mounted on a Willy's Jeep) But it looked the same. Ran off a PTO from the t-case, and you stood in the bed of the Jeep to operate.

Maybe you, Andrew Camarata, JunkYard Digs, Mustie1, and ViceGrip Garage could join forces to do a revival on it. I'd love to see that series.

Enjoyed the video, especially all the crazy workarounds the original owners used to keep the old beast running. Reminded me of my Dad's bodgercraft. He never threw away a bolt or a scrap of metal. At times the only thing new parts on the the equipment after a repair was the bailing wire. Also your video provided a reality check for some KZfaqrs. Some old equipment just can't be fixed and you have to close the hood, put your hands in your pockets, and walk away. Well done!

"Tighter than a dutch wallet" 😂 greetings from the Netherlands😅🇳🇱

Nice-something to watch while I brew my coffee!

A great look back in history to see what had to be done in difficult times. Thanks for the insight that you don’t see in a musium. Well done! Thank you.

That truck is the perfect project for someone out there. At least you made an effort to save it. I sincerely and genuinely appreciate people that try and preserve our automotive history. That's not a common truck. Again Wes, thank you for your content.

You make the decisions here. We get to watch for free. Love your videos. You are the finest mechanic I’ve ever seen.

I love “eye of newt” formulation for freeing engine I laughed so hard thank you ,it helped

"The interior could use some work" You're a master of understatement Wes . LMAO

I use a 50/50 mix of ATF and Acetone. If that wont break it free nothing will. Great video!!!

My favorite chanel and here is why... Wes finds odd ball garbage and then works on it. Your knowledge of all things mechanical is outstanding. I love to listen to your diagnostic thought process and you have a wonderful sarcastic flavor of humor.

I am amazed how many abandoned engines you and other KZfaq creators can get running after many years. This one is just too far gone. It was interesting to see the details of the customizations when it was operating. Thanks. Dave.

The world would be a much cooler place today had the “backhoe all the things” idea caught on. Sad to know that won’t be part of the resurrection.

Hahaha eye of newt! Thx for taking the time to mess around Wes, appreciated

Success or not, its always a good time hangin out with ya! Love the old machines!

Hi Wes, great vlog as usual, a man that knows when to walk away is a great deal smarter than a man that knows it all👍

Thank you Wes!! I always enjoy your vids and most of the time wish I could find the cool stuff you Do!!!

OM-G I just cant say enough words regarding your sense of HUMOR, the video is absolutely pure entertainment in multiple avenues, from the "12" volt Spark-GMC-Tronic modification, to the block of wood cab mount repair, the non existent carrier bearing. The backhoe attachment that obviously exceeds the entire gross weight of the truck X3?, the all thread ROD modification for U-Bolts always does the trick no matter if its 1/2 INCH or 5/8, THIS absolutely pure entertainment and Thank you for taking the time to do it, I say offer the cab to a RAT ROD DONER -Builder and send the rest of her to the crusher... ONLY if you have NO Sentimental attachments...!!

That was great even if don't get it to run. You've got know your limitations and when to though the towel in. Thanks Wes . I always enjoy your videos no matter what you do.

Entertaining all the way through. Even though I kind of knew it was not going to start. Thank You

What a cool old truck!

Was cool seeing this old truck thanks for bringing us along @Watch Wes Work

Great news, Wes goes hunting, not if you're expecting food though! LOL. Very interesting vehicle, partial Hybrid, "plant and machine". Love the ballast resistor, no hidden inside a loomed wire jobbe!. Great vlog Wes, thanks for sharing. Regards John.

I agree with you! Close the hood and walk away. It will probably cost you an arm and a leg to get that beast to ever run again. I love your channel and looking forward to your next project! 👍

The lovechild of a breakdown truck and a JCB!

Great video...I always learn something when I watch them. Whether it be mechanical or new vocabulary....”craptackular!” That was the best!!

I get very little time to watch these great videos since our twins arrived three weeks ago. Makes watching these even better.

I can remember when there were a lot of those rigs around the area I grew up in. They dug everything with those- foundations, cellar holes, shallow wells, septic systems, etc and an awful lot of woods roads were built with something like that and maybe a small crawler. Different times, different expectations.

My hopes and expectations started out lower than that rear end😂

You have yet to fail me yet, I am always honored to be able to get to watch. Great evening to you

A right royal money pit! Walk away- there is no snake oil in the world that could make something on it go and then return at least a little of your outlay! The arse-end of it looks like something taken from a Bucyrus shovel! Many thanks for the walk-around, Wes; it is sobering to see someone's once pride and joy mouldering away in a forgotten graveyard.

Would have loved to see the Backhoe working again. Looks like a hybrid worth seeing in action. Great video. Keep 'em coming.

Totally expected to hear you say "there's your problem lady." But where would you start.

The BACKHOE part is neat, the SWING very different. On a FORD 420 use to run had a chain rap around with Cylinder's system kind of like that. It sure would have been neat to see digging ground in its day. I wish those car rebuild SHOWS on MOTOR TREND would take on a project like one of these, all those TALENTED old time CLASSIC car guys. Watching them rebuild her Thank you for showing this old great piece.

Please take it back to the shop. It deserve another life and be nice project for upcoming videos..... please please please dont leave it for another 20 years....

Holy smokes Wes, I was expecting to see you digging up the yard back home with that machine by the end. Loved the video.

Andrew Camarata would love that truck :-P

This GMC 450 restoration will be epic!

Thanks for sharing Wes, some of the stuff you find is crazy. Now let's do what the last guy did and slowly Walk away.

I always wonder why people never try evaporust in the cylinders? I mean, you’re gonna change the oil anyways. Lol. I still love the content, you’ll get it next time!!!

Perfect candidate for a Cummins conversion!

As cool as this truck would be running again, got to be practical on these projects. You've clearly got the skills Wes but there's all the $$$ involved. Give Jay Leno a call..he has the deep pockets to do a full ground up on this!!!

I give you credit for even taking a second look and even considering getting it going again. Pieces ,parts only now.

TOOLS EXPLAINED DRILL PRESS : A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it. WIRE WHEEL : Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, 'Oh sh*t' DROP SAW : A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short. PLIERS : Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters. BELT SANDER : An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs. HACKSAW : One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle... It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes. VISE-GRIPS : Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand. OXYACETYLENE TORCH : Used almost entirely for lighting on fire various flammable objects in your shop. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing race.. TABLE SAW : A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity. HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK : Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes, trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper. BAND SAW : A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge. TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST : A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect. PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER : Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads. STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER : A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws and butchering your palms. PRY BAR : A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part. HOSE CUTTER : A tool used to make hoses too short. HAMMER : Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. UTILITY KNIFE : Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only while in use. ADJUSTABLE WRENCH: aka "Another hammer", aka "the Swedish Nut Lathe", aka "Crescent Wrench". Commonly used as a one size fits all wrench, usually results in rounding off nut heads before the use of pliers. Will randomly adjust size between bolts, resulting in busted buckles, curse words, and multiple threats to any inanimate objects within the immediate vicinity. Son of a b*tch TOOL : Any handy tool that you grab and throw across the garage while yelling 'Son of a b*tch' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, the next tool that you will need.

Ahh man i love that. Beautiful old truck. I dont see anything coming out nowerdays that makes me feel the way that does.

Back in the late 50s - early 60s my grandfather worked for our local township and they had a Hopto backhoe mounted on a Studebaker truck chassis that they used for installing culvers, etc. The hopto used a 4 cylinder Allis Chalmers gas engine as I recall. Haven't seen one of those for decades!

I wish I had the same time/reward analyzer - mine is broken. Good to see the old dame and definitely no point in going any further. Thanks for finding it to look at.

Looks like who ever owned it tried to get every plug nickel they could out of it before it went to the field. Just walk away....

Just made my day Wes. I’ve been wanting to see a video on this for quite a while!!

I appreciate this kind of work! Wow, that would be too much of a challenge.

Always fun to watch! Love them old trucks!

Yes the old field of forgotten things my favorite wes episodes

That would be really cool to have as lawn art in my yard.

Wes, I remember when I was young and had more energy than was good for me. I don't know why you even considered this truck for a project other than having excess energy to burn off. Like Kenny Rogers said, you got to know when to hold em, know when to fold em, and know when to walk away. I think you made the correct call. I enjoy your videos quite a lot. Thanks.

I remember as a boy seeing these type of trucks. Back in the day people didn't worry as much about doing it by the book. Great video thanks for sharing

This is the first time I've turned the channel on you man

I think you went “far enough” 5 mins in... a year ago. That’s what’s called “countryside art”

Love the antique sculpture in the woods tours! 😁

'Its got hydraulic wedge breaks - they'll never work again. They didn't work when they were new.' Love your droll understated delivery, Wes! :D

Eye of newt and rendered sunk fat made me laugh🤣

Eye of newt! Surely that would work. Heh. "Locked up tighter than a Dutch wallet". Man that had me laughing. My son-in-law is from Dutch stock, really fun fella, but brother, I've never seen anyone like it for pinching the pennies.

thanks for the content, great assessment on the truck, Keep up the good work, always enjoy seeing your videos

I like how you revisit the old truck. Who knows what the future holds. The body has potential.

Excellent for lawn art..

Hey Wes, what are your thoughts on filling the cylinder with evapo rust?

As a regular fan, I have faith in you, next year you will be back with a plan of action. I can't wait.

It’s hard not to get passionate when you see a cool looking old truck like this . Especially if your a Chevy guy . I had an advantage when i free’d up the 258 I6 for my CJ5 , it wasn’t sitting 20 years or more . I soaked the cylinders with diesel . It cleaned a lot of corrosion . Extracted the diesel and began the PB blaster , sea foam deep creep , marvel mystery oil , trans fluid etc. to no avail . Researching , I found someone who said install a block heater and fill the cooling system . The expansion of the cylinder walls did help making space between the pistons and walls . But we know our challenge is the frozen rings . After weeks ( into a few months ) of sporadic block heating sessions and soaking each cylinder , I started forcing what penetrant and even diesel trough the rings somewhat by using a compression gauge with a quick disconnect and got it with 90 +psi every chance I got . Not owning a bore scope I used my best cheap pocket flashlight and peered into the cylinders for the 1000th time and said it’s go time . Now , I had the advantage of the engine being out and on a rolling cart strapped down . The stand shift flywheel had two holes bored into it I guess meant for balance weights a few inches apart . Stuck two 5/8” shoulder bolts ( threads cut off ) and deployed the wrecking bar . Used restraint but applied muscle and heard a faint tweak ! Tried the opposite direction and heard the same . I got stoked but not stupid . Kept using the sea foam deep creep and kept at it . Finally , got it to make full revolutions . Yes , I remembered to wet down the valve train with marvel mystery oil but I carefully got it to roll . Suffice to say , I am driving the Jeep with this engine to date . This all predates COVID 19 (2019 ) . This year it’s a runner . Ok , I had and advantage , not stuck too badly and out of the vehicle and the ability to grab the flywheel using the two holes with bolts . But I think what brought success was cleaning the cylinders any way I could , soaking with penetrant , heating the block and forcing the chosen solutions through the pistons and rings with compressed air . Yeah Wes , I know if you were able to drag it home , we all know you could get ‘er done . But practicality speaks . It’s a cool old truck and those 235 / 270 or what engines were used in the WW2 six by’s and such were awesome engines but practicality speaks . Just something to think about . Just a thought . 😳 P.S. - I’m sure the restoration crowd would lick their chops over the fairly intact sheet metal ( cab and front clip ) and the vintage GMC engine . Would it be worth bringing a plasma cutter ( if you promise not to light the woods up ) out there and liberate the cab and nose and engine / trans ? The rest of the truck is up for grabs .

Good try CAN NOT WIN THEM ALL Wes

Yeah, another watch wes work in the woods

That video camera thing just takes all the fun and surprises out of this :) come on, man! pull the plugs, drop a battery in it and short the starter solenoid and see if she spins over lol . I found a 68 international box truck on a loadstar 1600 frame when cleaning a farm up for the new owners, the trees and grass hid it behind the barn. Ask what they were going to do with it and they said "no what are YOU going to do with it, you are getting paid to clean the place up". Well me being me, I had all the tools I needed (have you ever ran a tractor and a skid steer without bringing a tool box of some kind with you?) 6 billion BBQd wasps later, open the hood and had a can of starter fluid and a bic lighter, I am greeted with new plugs, new wires, new cap, new rotor, radiator still had antifreeze in it, oil wasn't black and in the right place on the dipstick, looking closer I see the firing order 18436572 is right but they timed it off #1 not #8 five minutes later, 5 ft of fuel hose, a coke bottle and a pint of gas I started it up and drove it up in the drive way.. now all of a sudden it is worth 5000 dollars to the new farm owners. I got the sheriff to come talk to them and a new truck out of the deal... love the videos sir and know that the time and effort are substantial in their making and I thank you for that!

U are a brave man doing these projects.......and a very smart guy

There goes the hopes for this being your next daily driver...

I know that one is a lost cause, But in a Jay Leno's garage video , the mechanic added Acetone to his witches brew to free up rings. But you gave it a good shot and i like you inspected the whole truck for those who have interest in it.

Just for fun if you ever re-visit try electrolysis to remove the rust in the cylinders or just fill them with evaporust or simialar and leave it for a week, you never know it might work! Love the channel dude keep up the good work.

That cab is probably the only salvageable thing on there. Thanks for trying to bring it back to life Wes!

Nevermind the truck...looks like there's an old VW Rabbit sitting nearby. How about trying to get that to run?

Lift the body off and lower it onto a diesel rolling, running newer chassis

I love your videos featuring old iron. We know you are busy in your business but these videos are very special. Thanks for posting. One good thing is that it’s too cold out there for Copperheadedrattlemoccasins.

Drag it back home and do an LS swap. Replace the 6 cyl on the back hoe, rebuild all the rams, spend $12K on parts and labor and you will have a fully functional POS to drive to the scrap yard. Might get a grand or two for scrap metal. You would have a much lighter Dutch wallet and we would get lots of video footage. LOL Another fun video from WWW, and we all appreciate your efforts. Thanks for sharing.

H-ydraulically O-perated P-ower T-ake O-ff A division of Warner-Swassey

Would make the most bizarre and coolest rat rod, though!

You cracked me up about the ponytails. Thanks for the video

Wes, put it up for bid. Rare find, Number 1 of 2 built, 302 Jimmy, original paint, was restored by Chip Foose, and the reserve is off !!! GOOD LUCK.