The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Chasis vs. Cab/Bed

I have a '54 Chevy cab & bed but it must be on an older chasis. 1--The driveshaft is enclosed and 2--I had to raise the bed 2 inches to get the new boards in the bed to fit over the frame rails. Trying to determine if the chasis could be a '53, '52 or something else. I haven't looked for any numbers yet on the chasis. Anything else I can look for to find out?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
DC

No need to look for numbers on the chassis if it is a '54. There won't be any.

Check the crossmember where the bell housing sits. If the mounts are on an angle it is a '54. If they are horizontal it is earlier.

A '54 came with a closed driveshaft.

Difference between 1947 to 1953 and 1954 to 1955 1st series Pick-up truck Frame Rails.

Difference between 1947-1953 and 1954-1955 1st series Pick-up truck Overload Rear Bumpers.

I do not know if the above changes also applies to the 1954-1955 1st series 1/2 ton Suburban, Panel, Canopy Express Trucks.
1954 Factory Assembly Manual frame rail

All 1954 1/2 ton frames were changed; and, they are the same except for the "hangers" used to support the panel-bodies.

Look at page 51 and 52.

So the frame used on the 1947-1953 1/2 ton Suburban, Panel, Canopy Express, (panel-body trucks)
is the same frame used on the 1947-1953 1/2 ton pick-up truck?

With that tall arch in the frame above the rear axle,
didn't that also change the floor height/depth on the panel-bodies?
Or was the 1947-1953 1/2 ton frame almost touching the bottom side if the panel bodies rear wood floor?

Here is a Photo of my 1954 Chevrolet panel truck's rear suspension,
It is kind of hard to see but there is a good two inches between the top of the frame arch and the floor.
My rubber bumps stops are missing but the bracket is there.
I always wondered if the overload springs where factory installed, therefore for no need for the bump stops.

The factory option on 3100 was an additional 2 springs to the leaves-pack.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/54134.htm

Basically the same 1954 3100 frame on all trucks, except for the panel-body "hangers"/plates.

There are wood mounting blocks under the rear of the 3100 rear panel-body trucks' bodies. I do not know if those blocks were used/needed in earlier years.

What do you mean "hangers"/plates?
Are you talking about the cross frame brackets that the gas tank hangs from?

No, there are some sort of metal plates attached to the frame, on which wood blocks are placed (with a heavy reinforced rubber pad on top or bottom of the block). The suburban panel-body mounts on those (four or six) blocks/pads (towards the rear of the body).
- I do not know if Panel and Canopy-Express bodies mount in a similar fashion.
- I do not know if those wood-blocks are only on 1954/55 Suburbans.

I will not be near my Suburban until late February. I'd be pleased to post photos if someone sends me a PM reminder.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/245454/body_mounts.html#Post245454

Here are some photos I found by fixing the bad link in the old post at the bottom of the last post.

This is kind of weird.
Not to long ago I took some pictures of my 1954 Chevrolet Panel truck body mounts.
I uploaded them on Photobucket to their own sub Album .
This Photo is body mount #3.
This Photo is of your 1954 Chevrolet Suburban body mount number #3.
They look pretty much the same.

I now see the 90 degree reinforcement bracket, that is attached to the frame, that the wood block is sitting on.

In the upper left of your photo, there is a V-shaped piece of metal that is attached to the cross member.
The cross member that is sitting on top of the wood block.
It has a bolt, washer and nut going through the center of it.
Is that bolt, washer and nut, for the rear seat mounting?
The panel truck does not have that V-shaped piece.

That is not for a seat-mounting bolt, which do not go all the way through the plywood floor.