Need Help identifying year/submodel of truck of my grandfathers...

[BogeyBoy82]

I'm looking for some help in trying to figure out the year and model of the Chevrolet pickup that is in the picture here.

My granddad founded this company in 1958 and I believe this picture was taken around that time. I know what years it is around but without a pic from the front I can't tell exactly. I figured you guys could tell via the mirrors or something that may be "year/model" specific without having a full picture of the truck.

Also if anyone knows of a truck that would be a good basis for a project that is similar to this one hit me up.

Thanks in advance.

[OrrieG]

Too bad he is standing in front of the bed, if a fleetside narrows it down to 58-59, need a hood or front fender photo to determine if 58 or 59. Might be a GMC too, but probably not without the deluxe cab trim!

[BogeyBoy82]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

Too bad he is standing in front of the bed, if a fleetside narrows it down to 58-59, need a hood or front fender photo to determine if 58 or 59. Might be a GMC too!

I can see a bowtie peaking out on the hubcap so that and he told me it was a chevy so I'm confident its a Chevrolet....

Also he is a thrifty guy so I don't imagine he bought it new. Granted this pic could've been taken in the 60s for all I know but part of me says it was taken in 1958 (when the company started) and the truck is a couple years old at that point....but I've been wrong many times before lol

[MARTINSR]

I am going with a base model step side Chevy 55-56. You can see that the tail light is hanging out, so it's a step side. The wheel covers are 55-56 and the very cheapest painted ones.

Cool photo by the way.

Brian

[1project2many]

I agree with Brian. I don't even see a rear bumper on the truck. The seat fabric makes me think it's a '56 but I can't seem to locate anything showing original seat material to confirm.

[_Ogre]

chrome vent, black window means it was pieced together
painted mirror arm means repaint without masking

[mr48chev]

It may have got the quickie white paint job to be in "company" colors. With the mismatched door window pieces it may have been a fresh rebuilt he found on a used car lot.

Great photo that I'd almost bet was taken right after the truck came back from the sign shop.

[Coupeguy2001]

I have a pic of my dad's brand new shop truck in August of '55. It has the same hub cap, so I guess 55-56.
I would look on Ebay for project trucks, or craigslist, or auto trader.

[bobinbc]

Paint inside the tailgate and box not as fresh as the outside so truck has seen a couple of years of use at least. I'm going with a 55 pic taken 58-59

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

chrome vent, black window means it was pieced together
painted mirror arm means repaint without masking

Could have also been a model year end production number where they were just getting rid of parts stock so the chrome vents got put in. That sort of thing drives the "date code bandits" nuts when a new model year has date codes from the previous run. Back then the new production showed up in the fall, September I think. I remember the dealers putting paper over the show room windows the days before the new cars were introduced. Day of the intro, paper came down and new cars started showing up on the lots.

[GMCNUT]

I think its an optical illusion of reflective black paint making everyone think this truck has a chome vent - I say it does not. Black vent and black window frame.
Seat fabric is correct for 1955 - truck has the wear on the tailgate as previously mentioned, but trucks were used for work back then, so it was perfectly OK to scratch up the paint in the bed, so photo probably taken between 1956 or 57