The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Newbie. Please Help!

Okay, sorry to post general questions in one post. I've tried to find my answers but no luck. Hopefully, someone will point me in the right direction. Here goes nothing... I recently purchased a 1957 Chevy 3800 (from the emblem on the fender) VIN was taken off, so I don't know how to confirm. Truck frame has "57L122383". Truck currently has a custom telephone utility ladder bed (dually) Here are the questions...
1. How do I confirm model?
2. Engine ID is F723HE (another number 3837004). How do I check to see if this is the original engine?
3. It's a dually truck. What regular bed will fit best if I want a step side? I have about 58 inches from back of cab to mid wheel.
4. If I want a flat/stake bed, is there plans online for one or does someone sell a kit online?
5. Brakes have to be redone. Any recommendations to buy online? Where do you guys buy parts online?
6. Save the best for last. So it was running when I bought it, and I left the (jimmy rig) switch on (previous owner to bypass ignition switch) and burned out the coil and other wires all the way to the points/distributor. I replaced the spark plug wires, points, condenser, coil and wired it back to the ignition switch and key, and it won't start. It tries to start but won't. Points issue?
I'm no mechanic, and I usually work on my VW beetle (through youtube) but can't seem to find any youtube videos for this awesome classic truck to reference.
Thanks for any help guys! :)

#5--NAPA or Rock Auto.com. I think a 3800 will belong in the Tons o Fun forum. Try your post there. BTW, moderator prefers 1 question per post so they can be searched by others easily. Welcome to Stovebolt.

Thanks Martin!

Welcome to the site!

#6. If the original key switch was bypassed when you got it, it is possible something is wrong with the contacts inside the switch. With the key switch on the "on" position, that should be supplying voltage to your coil(If internal resistor)or through your ballast resistor to the coil (12v to the resistor, should drop to about 9v at the coil). That is where I would start looking. If you have power to the coil (+ terminal) then make sure the points are opening and closing properly. The points make or break the connection to ground (completing the circuit for the coil, or disrupting it causing spark)

69Cuda,
Thanks for the help! I'm going to try and figure it out this weekend, so I wanted some suggestions ahead of time. It's driving me nuts that I have this huge truck I can't move it. lol. I had the ignition switch re-keyed, and I think it works cause I jimmy rigged it back to see if it would start, and nothing still. So you can't leave the ignition switch on, on these older trucks? Just puzzled why everything burnt up to begging with.

THANKS!

Welcome to Stovebolt. In addition to what Martin said about one question per thread, the questions need to be in the specific forum, such as engine questions in the engine forum, electrical in electrical, bed questions in bed forum, etc.

Besides posting in the restoration part of the forums, you might want to scroll thru the Tech Tips main page. There are a lot of topics there that may be of help.

Besides a lot of AD guys here, there are a lot that know about the Task Force series. So that should be of some help. I bet they'll show up soon.

Welcome to the site. Hope we are able to help you out.

Peggy

Welcome

I'll try to answer your questions;

1. Here's a couple ways to tell what you have.

All 1/2 ton (3100 & 3200) have 6 lug wheels.
All 3/4 & 1 ton (3600 & 3800) have 8 lug wheels.
All 1-1/2 ton (4000) have 5/10 lugs.

The 1/2 & 3/4 ton (3100, 3200 & 3600) have 6 leaf front springs.
The 1-ton (3800) have 7 leaf front springs.

2. Engine ID is F723HE

F = Flint
7 = Month (July)
23 = Day
HE = 235 w/ HD Clutch (4000 Series & 3000 Series RPO 227))

3. Your 60" CA tells me you have a 1-ton, the 3/4 ton was only avalable with a 48" CA.

4. Chevrolet's model 3804 had a 108" Step Side Bed and the 3809 had a 109" Stake Bed. There are no kits to my knowledge, you can custom build it or have it built by any local truck body company.

5. As mentioned by others, NAPA and Rock Auto can get almost all of the mechanical parts you need for your truck.

6. Did you gap the points when you replaced them?

Hope this helps,

Mike B

"2. Engine ID is (another number 3837004). How do I check to see if this is the original engine?"

3837004 = 1955-1957 car block

F723HE this code format was used from 1957 upwards
F = Flint, MI
7 =
23 =
HE = 4xxx series, or 31xx-39xx with RPO 227 (PCV system)
http://www.1954advance-design.com/chev-specs/1957-t-ser.pdf

You will need the block and head date casting codes for getting/confirming the year of those parts.
http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/casting-code-photos/codes-ser-nums.html

57L122383 on the truck frame is a CA thing (not GM/Chevrolet).

The L most likely indicates Los Angeles

Is there an ID tag (Vehicle Serial Number) on the cab between the driver's door hinges - is that what you referred-to as the missing VIN?

Tim,

The frame number is the same as the door post tag less the Model Prefix on ALL TF trucks.

57 = year
L = Plant (Los Angeles)
122383 = unit number starting 100001

Mike B

If you do have the Serial Number tag that Tim mentions, it should be stamped "3G" for a 3800, then the rest of the number should match the frame number, 57 being the year, and L being the assembly plant, Los Angeles in this case. The rest of the number is the sequential assembly number.

the frame stamped numbers left off the leading series designation - the frame number 57Lxxxx = a 57, assembled in LA - the door tag would have that same number with probably "3L" for a 3800 w/ a 235, or a leading "V" if it came with a 265/283

Bill

Red,

As LongBox mentioned, 3G = 3800.

Other than the perfix "V" for V8 there is nothing in the body serial number identifying what engine came in the truck.

Mike B

sorry, looked at the 55.2 list, yes, 3G on the tag

Bill

Very sorry for the post with several different topics in one. I completely appropriate the help with everyone's answers and guiding me in the right direction. This is a lot of helpful information. THANK YOU!

No tag on the door. Looks like it was removed. Engine is a 235 6 cylinder. I was told everything was original except for the air cleaner. It's a pretty clean solid truck but I thought it was weird with no door tag near hinges. Still happy and excited about it. It only cost me $1500 (and it did run till I left that darn switch on)

I'm not to savvy but here's a link to the truck when I bought it...

https://instagram.com/p/BBvqX2-m4op/

This is more now after a few weeks...

https://instagram.com/p/BCWK3Dqm4lj/

I think the utility body is kind of cool! But if you take it off I would replace it with a flatbed.

Rich,
Yeah, leaning more towards the flat bed. It is cool, just not practical to drive around with that ladder. The whole thing is taller than my house. Ha ha!

(personal message deleted)