Few people realize that the combined sales of GMC and Chevrolet trucks in any year far outnumber those of the official #1 sales leader, Ford. Because they are regarded as two separate brands, they do not receive the plaudits they have so rightly earned over time. This is especially unfair to GMC aficionados. Often times, there are plenty of Chevrolet-specific parts available, but a much smaller assortment of 1954 GMC truck parts are on tap. Unless you need a part that is a direct interchange between the two sister brands, you find yourself making do with the Bowtie unit.
Equal Rights For GMC Truck Owners
Fortunately, that is changing. The laws of economics apply to aftermarket parts suppliers just as much as they do to the local grocery store or the World Bank. There is a lot of pent-up demand for GMC truck parts out there.
Do GMC Parts Represent an Untapped Gold Mine?
There is just as much money to be made in selling a GMC part as there is in selling a Chevrolet part. Given the drought that has afflicted GMC owners for many years, there might even be more money to be made. Eager Jimmy lovers might pay a little extra to get the part they really want rather than just the one that probably works.
The Eye of the Beholder
While GMC owners might feel like they are the red-headed stepchildren of truck restoration, there is another way of looking at it. These classic beauties are not as easy to find as their more plentiful cousins. Translation: rarity equals enhanced desirability and market value. Anybody can get their hands on a nice square body with relative ease, but who has a mint condition DUKW out in the barn? Which one of those is going to draw the biggest crowd at the car show? There’s only one you drive right into the lake and get to the other side.
Perfection Is a Quest, Not a Destination
Of course perfect Chevy/GMC parts equality is not here yet, but it is closer than it was yesterday and the year before that. More new GMC specific parts are coming into the marketplace all the time, so hang in there. It’s kind of like a Field of Dreams thing. When you see a GMC part, buy it, and they will come (with even more parts to meet the increased demand).