My apologies for being late to this welcome party ...
From one well-preserved 3804 owner to another ... Indeed, a gorgeous truck! Good job on the preservation, Truckie -- well done!! You've probably already discovered how much nicer that 4.11 upgrade to the rear axle makes driving your truck!
A couple of notes for you newbie 1-tonners (and I'm talking directly to *you*, 2-Ton .... ) *ALL* 3804's came from the factory with a 9-foot bed. So ... to call them a "long Bed 1-ton" is redundant. So .... the 9-ft bed isn't what makes the 3804 rare, being a 3804 is what makes the 3804 rare
A few years (12 maybe??) ago at Kansas City, I think we set a record when we had 3 3804's together. That record has since been smashed by the ODSS crew at Winchester in 2023 when we had 5 (plus 1 or 2 3800 duallie flatbeds). My point being that the 3804 mafia is growing!! But still ... rare could be accurate as nobody is repopping the 3804-specific parts (like bed panels, running boards, splash panels, etc) and best of luck finding them NOS or in junk yards ...
About those engines ... The blocks (both 235 and 261) that came out of the 1954 mold will be set up for the higher water pump placement as they were designed as engines (either original or crate) for the last of the Advance Design trucks. My '54 mold 261 was made in 1959, so GM was cranking out those high water pump blocks at least through '59.
The 2nd half of '55, of course, GM switched the body design to the Task Force series (for Chevy) that used the lower water pump. If you can find one of the earlier '54 mold engines, it will be a direct bolt in replacement ("Form/Fit/Function") for an AD 216 needing zero modification -- if, at some point, you want to put a correct 216 back in, you can! These engines can be identified by the casting codes. Also, the '54 mold 261's do not have the "Captain's Bars." Warning Note: IF you do find one of these engines from the '54 mold, keep in mind that some time in the later 1950's, GM updated the main bearings, so when you order main bearings, get them for the year the *engine* was made (the date code on the block will tell you) and not by the year of the truck the engine came out of.
There is a lot of confusion out there among tire shop owners so be aware that your 17-inch original wheels are actually "3-piece" or "multi-piece" wheels. Don't call them "split rims" or some tire shops may think you're referring to a real split rim like the Firestone RH-5 design and refuse to work on them -- and rightly so. The true Split rim is a bad design that has become lethally dangerous over the decades. *Your* wheels, on the other hand, are a far better design and as long as they are not damaged will give you many more years of good service. Any ag or big truck service shop should be able to deal with them. Not being nit picky here -- just helping you avoid the hassle of tire shops turning you away.
Bottom Line -- welcome to a very exclusive club, Truckie. We 3800 owners are ruggedly handsome, highly intelligent and just way more fun to be around than those mere mortals, the 3100 owners. We're actually taller, too. Stock 3804's actually sit about 6 inches higher than a stock 3100. So we have *that* going for us, too.
Again, Welcome!!
John
