1946 GMC 1300WT Tray Truck

GMC's range of trucks in the immediate post-war years was largely unchanged from the 1942 model. By the 1930s, GMC's engine was a development of the Buick six-cylinder unit and for 1941, a new 228-cid overhead-valve motor entered production. With 93 horsepower and a three-speed floor-mounted gearshift (a four-speed was a $15 option), GMC's trucks had four-wheel hydraulic brakes and were available as a chassis only, cab chassis, pickup or panel van. Two wheelbase lengths were available, either 115-inches or 125.25-inches. Styling gradually became more streamlined, with bullet headlamps (mounted on the guards from 1941), a wider, two-tier grille with horizontal bars and a v-shaped windscreen. Inside, the cab was very spartan but the option list did include a radio, heater, clock, seat covers and even a cigarette lighter. Total production in 1945-1946 was 25,645 units and very few of these have survived their tough, working lives. A small number were exported by General Motors' Canadian arm and sold through General Motors Holden in Australia, as with the example on offer here.