Tom, Your 1949 Panel "serial number" breaks down as:

5 = Kansas City Assembly Plant
GP = 1949 3100 Series (1/2 ton chassis)
E = May (month assembled)
18016 = 17016th truck assembled at the Kansas City plant for that year (the first truck assembled started with serial# 1001)

This information was found using the 1949 Chevrolet Truck Data available from the GM Heritage website. A screenshot of the 1949 serial number info is attached below, but is kinda hard to read. I attached a snap of the 1948 serial number sample info as it is virtually the same as 1949, just easier to read.
Attachments

Last edited by Peggy M; 01/06/2024 1:45 AM.

~ Dan
1951 Chevy 3 window 3100
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