47-55.1 Trying to piece together a project, have questions

[mr48chev]

I'm late to the party because I was out of town for a few days and then had trouble getting on the board.

The main difference between 47.2/53 trucks and 54.55.1 trucks of the same size is the windsheld and the dash. The other difference is that the kickup over the rear axle on 54/55.1 is about 2 inches less than on earler 3100 trucks.

All push button doors bolt right on the 54 cab. 47/51 doors will fit but you have to fight with cobbling the strikers around as turn down handle and push button handle strikers are completely different. That is also the battle with using 47/50 one piece window doors on 52 or later cabs.

As far as the frame, I have a 54 frame under my 48 right now and the big difference is that the 54 frame has about 2 inches less kickup over the rear axle than earler frames do because the floor of the 54 bed is that two inches lower. You can bolt an early bed right on a 54 frame using the correct wood blocks but have put mini tubs in or raise the floor in a 54 box to put it on an early frame.

The earler hood and fenders will bolt right on the 54 cab but you have to use the grill that goes with the fenders either way.

First photo being 47-53 3000 series


This being a 54 fender with the rounded corner for the grill and the indent for the park light.
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If you are out looking at fenders off the truck these two photos are how to tell a 3000 series fender from a 4000 (big truck) and larger out in the wild.



Note the difference on big truck fenders.


A few years ago some guy on FB bought a big truck nose for his 3100 a couple hundred miles from home that someone swore was a 3100 front end and didn't figure it out until he got home.

This is my 48 with a 4000 series hood sitting on it to show the difference


Here with it's own hood.