Hi everyone I am new to this site and happy I joined I have a old chevy truck a 47-53 but not sure exactly what one it is I was reading how to identify it but it is in such rough shape its tough. I know I have the push button door handals and the 5 window cab (corner windows) I was told it was a 3/4 ton Its a 4 speed floor shift and a lil switch on teh shifter im guessing its a 2 speed rear and then has a big hand lever off the floor next to the shifter that I have no clue what it does. The truck is rusted bad an im going to start restoring it soon. Last night it was burned due to the garage next to it cathcing on fire so my truck burned to. The mice eatin upholstrey and all the glass is now gone and my tires on the one side but oh well also we think it was dark blue when new. CAn anyone help me out? Thanks Mike,
Mike ; It's a '51 ~ '53 if the windshield is two piece , there's a start , the floor mounted lever is prolly the hand brake _if_ it has a handle to squeeze to release it forward . Your tranny is a Muncie # SM420 , four speeds , 1st. is compound or " Granny " low , only used for steep hills , pulling out of sunken loading docks , moving at a walking pace on the fields as farmhands toss hay bales in the bed , etc. . How many lugs holding each wheel on ? this will give some help in decoding what series it is . Open the driver's door and look at the old beat up plate in the front post , it'll have some numbers stamped into it , _DO_NOT_ remove this ! just clean it up with an old toothbrush and use a magnafying glass to read the numbers , won't be but 5 or 6 digits , post them here and we can tell you exactly what year and model it is . Resist the urge to take it all apart , do a major tune up on it beginning with valve adjustment and get it running , change all the fluids and drive it to see what you have there , the engines & trannies on these old Bolts are _very_ hard to kill . -Nate
Nate Could it not be a 47? I think the emergency brake as described was only on 1947 models. The doors could have been replaced.
The CD catalog has a page just inside the front cover(or in the next few pages) that gives discriptions of each year. If you have pushbutton door handles it's a 52 or newer. 51 was the only year with pull down handles and vent windows. I'm sure you know how much differant a 54 was with a one piece windshield and straight bedsides.It sounds as though you have a lot of trials and tribulations ahead of you, but if the building is the enjoyable part to you, there's a lot of satisfaction ahead. Good luck; Evan
Ok good news I got the ID number and ran it through the "truck years" section it is a 1948 and we found the title and its says 48 also. It used to be dark blue we bielieve i think i have 8 or 10 lug wheels I have 5 pedals Starter, Gas, Brake, Clutch, High Beam, And A Parking Brake with the release. So Im still not sure what the bit lever is next to the shifter But I have push button door handals so maybe the doors were replaced. And I have a 2 piece windshield I think So we are pretty sure its a 48 maybe with some later parts Still not sure on the motor the origonal owner say its a 292. but its not the origonal engine I still think its a 235 but not sure yet. And my gas tank filler neck is on the passanger bedside by the running board. I hope this helps some Mike,
Is the 2nd shifter over on the right side of the tranny about level with the tranny shifterand including a squeeze handle to release it? That's a hand emergency brake so I am surprised to hear it also has a foot emergency (Parking) brake on the left side of the clutch. If the 2nd handle is on the left side of the tranny and closer to the seat, then you may have one like mine with a Browny in it. That's a 2nd gear box that is installed about 3 feet behind the main 4-speed in line with the driveshafts and rear end. Strange that the unit would also have a 2-speed rear end with the Browny. The original engine in the 1948's was generally a 216 up to 1 1/2 ton. The 235 was optional on the 1 1/2 ton and standard on the 2 ton. The 235 didn't become standard until around 1952 on the smaller models. If I am not mistaken the 292 didn't roll off the assembly line until 1963. What is the 3 letter code on the ID plate? That will tell you if you have a 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc.
Spounds like you're getting warmed up , if the extra tranny handle is connected to rods that go to the rear end , you have a very rare Columbia two speed rear end , very good thing to have . Get busy , adjust the vales & timing , see if it'll run , do a major fuilds change , brake work and new tires (or tubes anyway) and go _drive_ it !. How many screws holding the rocker box on ? . does the right engine side plate extend up to cover the spark plugs (do they poke through it) ?. 216 , 235 & 261 all have the same tune up specs sop get to it . A 292 will have timing marks on the lower pulley and timing tover . -Nate
OK, I did a lil more research it is a 48 3/4 ton for sure I matched up the numbers on this site and it is a 48 3/4 ton we are positive. The lever that I am not sure about is on the right side of the floor shifer. Its like a big liever with a hand relaese on it. Now the shifter also has a little finger switch next to the shift ball. Which I thought would be the 2 speed rear. But I am not totally sure yet. The motor is not the origonaly. The engine was replaced, possibly with a 292 but we are not sure. But I guess its not the origonal one. I wish I had the first motor. The truck is not in driveing condition. The interior is burned the body is falling apart and the passanger rear tire is locked. But maybe its locked because of that big hand lever because it is in the pulled back position. Maybe its the rare rear end because I nkow it had a parking brake with the relase below the dash next to my clutch. I hope this helps some Mike,
Mike, glad you run down the year of the truck for sure. Since it is a 48 and has a frame mount gas tank DO NOT let the tank mounting brackets get away from you. They are gettint very hard to come by and are much in demand. If the tank is completely shot it is just a rectangular cube and any sheet metal shop can easily fabricate a new one.
Well everyone I have bad news. I went to go tow my truck to my shop this weekend from the gentlemans house who gave it to me and his mother. who was there who is loosing her mind (alzhiemers) sold it to a junk yard for $5 without telling him and the truck was crushed this morning before I could race over there to buy it back Oh well I will be looking for another one Mike,
Ooooooh! Suck city, man! I've had that happen before. Still makes me mad. I was trying to get a '53 1 1/2 tonner out of the mud and off of this lady's farm when the crazy lady sold it out from under me--all because it was now out of the mud and able to be towed! It sounds like the other truck wasn't a good starting point anyway. There's others out there. I don't get emotional about them until they're nearly done. Good luck, and keep us updated.
