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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 105 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 105 | Tonight I was looking at my side cowl vent on my 49 half ton and was getting ready to replace the old seal, when I noticed that the vent door was not centered in the gasket area on all four sides. It is basically sitting back enough (to the right) in the opening to chip paint on the right hand edge of the cab and is getting close to doing the same on the bottom edge.
Is there a way to adjust the vent door, or is something just worn? I can pull up and out on the door when it is open, so something has some slop even though all the screws are tight.
Found some great images of several different vents both installed and removed (using the search tool), but could not tell if anything could be adjusted. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,596 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 3,596 | Here are some pictures that may help. https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/12647027223/in/album-72157641244124604/Is there some adjustment? Short answer is yes but not a lot. The caution here is the interior attachment to the cowl. That piece will come loose if you twist it and then the only thing you can do is try to JB or spot weld it back in. Your best bet is to do as described in the link or remove the vent door and carefully bend the bracket spot welded to it. In reading your post again I believe the small bracket inside the cowl is loose. https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129347797/in/album-72157631868452754/I have actually identified three separate styles of these vents, as a '49 owner you may or may not have the springs but the bracket is adjustable either way. There was a series of running changes to the vents from 1947-1950 that included springs, levers and lock plates. Last version, late 1949-1950 pressed handle, no knob, no springs. This last version has no plate, instead the locking notch was now pressed into the inner cowl panel. https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129373734/in/album-72157631868452754/Comparison view of the 47 mid-49 handle and the late 49-50 version. https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129367190/in/album-72157631868452754/1948 to mid-49 version, maroon knob, straight plate, springs. https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129345047/in/album-72157631868452754/1947-carryover to early 1948 version, notched locking plate. Second picture shows orientation on truck. https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129342725/in/album-72157631868452754/https://www.flickr.com/photos/advance-design_parts_co/8129368602/in/album-72157631868452754/
Last edited by Brad Allen; 11/28/2015 2:32 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 105 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 105 | Brad, thanks so much! Great links and pictures. I'll see if I can carefully fineness the door by working with those mounting screws and try to post a before/after if I'm successful... | | | | | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 105 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 105 | Dang! Guess I'll be testing out the JB Weld fix... The plate just fell right off when I took the second screw out. I was able to hang onto it without it falling into the cab corner which would not have been fun. It had a lot of surface rust where it's supposed to attach to the cowl and one small metal bump which I'm guessing was the spot weld you were talking about.
The bonus is that last week while I was cleaning up the front cab corners I found the hole at the bottom that's supposed to let out any dirt (or whatever falls in there) and when I jammed my finger inside to see what might be hiding, I found a few things,
1. A horse shoe shaped thing that I later found out is a broken door hold open spring
2. A flat head screw with a star lock washer
3. About 1 pound of dirt
Found out today that the screw I found was the innermost screw for the vent handle as seen in Brad's picks. Also found out why that screw was inside the cab corner.... It is a real booger to get back in and is easy to drop in there because of the close quarters. The previous owner must have tried messing withe the vent, dropped that screw, cussed a few times and left it in there for good.
Based on your pictures, my truck is a early to mid year '49 since it has a lever with a handle and spring hinges. I'm also closer to getting the vent sorted out now, so thanks! | | |
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