Please help with 40's truck

[Sam's1967]

I came across a nice Chevy truck. I need a little help in identifying the year/model of the truck. I also pulled the steering wheel from it and was wondering if it fits/correct for different years/models?

[dwcsr]

1947 to 1948 maybe first half of 49, 3800 to 4100
Steering wheel fits 47 to 53 possibly other years

[tiddlar]

No doors? usually if its the original doors, the handles from 51 and earlier years are the pull down handle while the later ones are push button. Someone correct me if im wrong. Im assuming there is no vinplate for this truck??

[torchlight]

You are correct on the door handles. I'm going to agree with dwscr and guess 47 or 48. It has got the driver's side cowl vent and there doesn't appear to be a gas tank in the cab. Maybe the tank was removed but I'm going to assume not. Would be a lot easier if the hood side emblem was still there to look at!

[joedoh]

it has 1 1/2 - 2 ton fenders and hood.

the steering wheel splines are the same from 1940-present, although if you use an airbag column you have to remove the clockspring or the wheel wont bolt down, as seen below.

[mr48chev]

I'm thinking that the truck in question is a 49 or 50 as it has the side vent but I don't see the support bracing in the back of the cab for the center mount that the 47/48 trucks had unless my eyes are bad.

It looks to be a 1-1/2 ton and from what I can see the cab looks pretty solid. If you are wanting a cab for a frame swap or to replace a bad cab that might be a good one if the floors are good and it isn't too beat up. The nose is wrong for a small truck

[OrrieG]

Steering wheel has standard GM splines. I used a 48 wheel adapted to my 82 Eldo column. Flat wheels were used up to 56, maybe 57. 58-59 trucks had a dish to them.

[dwcsr]

Here's why its a 47 or 48. I enhanced the picture a bit.
The top white arrow should have a vertical brace to the floor here on a 49 and later side mount cabs. Arrow 2 you see the vertical brace that has a wrapped around apron to the door only on 47 and 48. This is hard to see if your not familiar with 47 49 roof panels, but the red arrow shows the roof tapers to the windshield pinch weld (47 - 48 only) not a stepped down as on 49 and later. The two other pictures are the inside of a 47-48 cab and the differences in the windshield pinch weld area, left 47-48 right 49 or 50

[47 Fasttoys]

OK, so my 2 cents; It has to be a '48, all '47s came with a license plate holder on the passengers side of the tin behind the bumper. It was an option on '48, but the holes are not present on this one so '47 is out. Now going a bit more in detail we can see it was built in the San Francisco factory because it has the black bumper and cream grill combo. As a matter of fact that combo was only available in March of that year. Looking a little closer I would say it was built on Thursday the 17th of the Month between 12:30 and 2:00 by Earl Bushat due to the slot locations on the horn retainer. Earl cut his slots in that pattern. He started on the 17th and after his orientation he started working on horn retainers at 12:30 until break at 2:00. Earl left the factory while on break to meet up with a girl he met in Japan while in WWII and was never seen again, but that's another story.
Rob

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by 47 Fasttoys

OK, so my 2 cents; It has to be a '48, all '47s came with a license plate holder on the passengers side of the tin behind the bumper. It was an option on '48, but the holes are not present on this one so '47 is out. Now going a bit more in detail we can see it was built in the San Francisco factory because it has the black bumper and cream grill combo. As a matter of fact that combo was only available in March of that year. Looking a little closer I would say it was built on Thursday the 17th of the Month between 12:30 and 2:00 by Earl Bushat due to the slot locations on the horn retainer. Earl cut his slots in that pattern. He started on the 17th and after his orientation he started working on horn retainers at 12:30 until break at 2:00. Earl left the factory while on break to meet up with a girl he met in Japan while in WWII and was never seen again, but that's another story.
Rob

Earl was at the dentist on the 17th so it had to be made in St Louis by Bobby Bopolovich

[YukonXL04]

Lol!!

[Sam's1967]

You guys are great. Thanks for the info. My gift to you guys is that the truck is in Sun Valley, CA at Aadlen Brothers as of today. The doors were laying on the ground but appeared to be rust free. Someone broke the glass on the doors. This thing was pretty complete about 1 week ago. It should not have been junked but Aadlen's is going out of business. Good hunting for those of you in the southern part of California.

[Highsider]

[mr48chev]

DWcsr pretty well nailed it. that support (that I didn't see when I looked at it) is the telling factor on a 47/48 vs 49/50/

The 47 should have a smooth cowl top under the hood while a 48 will have a rain channel about an inch back from the front.


That groove helps keep rain from running down the firewall as it did on the first 47 AD trucks.

[MARTINSR]

I didn't know that!

Brian

[mr48chev]

I didn't know that either until someone showed the photo of a 47 Cowl on one of the boards I am on a while back.

[47 Fasttoys]

News to me also, I even had to look at mine and sure enough no grove ('47).
Thanks Mr,48
Rob