1953 Truck

[YellowDragon]

I've been looking at Ford trucks specifically 1948-53. Maybe not the best way to start here. Today my wife and I started looking at chevy trucks. The one we were looking at was a 1953. We both like the shape of it much better than the fords we've been looking at.

What I'm looking for here is information on chevy trucks. Is there a good book I can get that describes the years and the changes per year.

I've learned some things about ford like, 1947 was the last year the put the ford truck body on a car frame. The grill was also changed in 48 and is similar up to I think about 53.

I'm looking for facts like that or a book that will help me out. I want to find an old truck to use as a driver with potential to receive lots of upgrades.

Thank you.

[Liddy71]

what little I know 1947-1950 had one piece door glass I think some 51 models had both , turn down door handles, 2 pieces windshield 1947-1953 . 1952-1953 had wing glass and door handles with button, 1954-1955 1st series had one pieces windshield top of bed is flat the other years were slanted 1955 1st was first year open drive shaft I am sure others will fill in the other difference

[Highsider]

'47 to '55.1 models are known as AD (Advance Design).

'55.2 (mid-year) Chevy had a major model change to TF (Task Force) style bodies, etc. My avatar photo is a '57 TF Panel, for example.

[MidLifer]

Not to denigrate the value of this forum at all, however over on www.stovebolt.com there is a ton of information of the type you are looking for about these trucks.

You've made the good first step toward sanity choosing Chevy over F**d, good luck with the rest of the journey.

[solidaxel]

Spend some time on this site and you will become VERY knowledgeable.
These folks on here have tried just about everything!!

[Daniel U]

I bought "Chevrolet Pickups 1946-1972" by John Gunnell published by Motorbooks in 1988 for about $25 at Borders when they were going out of business here in CA.

[Daniel U]

Chevrolet Pickups, 1946-1972: How to Identify,...

[Daniel U]

One piece of trivia that I learned about the 5 window cabs was that GM called this the "Nu Vue"

[NEWFISHER]

Jim carter truck parts website has a ton of year and model specific info too.

[Daniel U]

[Daze57]

very cool ^

[OrrieG]

Welcome, like others said stovebolts and Jim Carter are the go to sources. Carter was one of the first national parts places, first as a collector or old used and NOS part in grabbed from the heartland junk yards and going out of business dealership. In the late 70's one of his employees flying thru Boise left a card on my 59 windshield at the Boise Airport, I had flown out for a couple of days, with a note. That was when I first heard of them, they and Grumpies in Arizona got a lot of my money in the 80's before the others started showing up.

[curmudgeon]

As an owner of both a '56 Ford F-100 and '54 Chevy truck, you will find the Ford parts, although available, more expensive than the comparable Chevy items. Chevy of course, has the great interchangability and flexibility across different model years in regards to body parts, engine/drivetrain choices. The Ford model years you are considering generally has flathead engines, which although have a unique look, are expensive to rebuild. I think that a Ford would make a better stock, original restortation, mainly because of the specific year by year body/engine differences, but a Chevy would be a better choice for "driver with potential to receive lots of upgrades" (That's why you see so many old Ford trucks with a SBC engine.)

I also highly recommend the Gunnell book referred by Daniel U.

[YellowDragon]

I just found a 48 Chevy truck. It has a new 350 crate motor, a new mustang II front end, front and rear disk brakes, many parts. No rust, a little bondo front right fender. Rear mounted gas tank, master cylinder mounted under drivers side floor, parking brake mounted sideways in front of drivers seat. I went to high school with the fabricator, he said he will warranty all work. Sounds like the selling price is pretty firm at $18,000. I'll get. A couple photos tomorrow. Any comments? What about 1948, any problems with this year?

Ps new radiator and fans, new wire harness all of these professional installed

[MidLifer]

So I'm in the middle of my first project on this era of truck, and though I'm going a little different on the build (original front end instead of MII clip, and Stovebolt 6 instead of SBC), I will probably have 13-15 into it at the end plus a few hundred hours of my time. That figure will include outsourcing the paint and a fair bit of the body work.

So 18 does not sound outlandish for a truck that is completely done to that spec and done well. What I would say is that at that price range there is a fair bit of inventory on the market through classic car dealers and other builders. If you want to buy your friend's truck to help him out or because you trust him over the work a stranger may have done, and you like the truck, I don't think you are getting ripped off (though pictures of the truck would help). The only eyebrow raiser for me was the word "bondo" - is that covering up rust holes or is it a skim coat that is smoothing out rough spots?

So if you want to feel confident in what you're buying from your friend, do some online shopping through sites like cars-on-line.com and oldride.com, where a lot of dealers list trucks like ours. Even the HAMB has a fair trickle of AD listings, though you're more likely to find a project-quality truck on that than one completely done.

This guy has had his truck for sale for 6 months at $9000
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...8-auto.927239/

Closer to the asking price of the truck you are looking at, this one is asking $17500:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/t...pickup.940544/

Just one guy's 2 cents - beauty and value in these trucks is really in the eye of the beholder, but there is enough of a market out there for you to get a sense of what stuff's worth if you do your click-work.

Good luck and post pics!

[YellowDragon]

No pictures. I didn't go back. I'm still looking, and some of the thing's I've learned here are really helping. Thank you for your help.

[Highsider]

NOTE: Lifer- the second truck is marked sold.