The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop What year is my truck?

I was told it was a 1950 ,but after doing some reading I found out that it was a 51 or later because it had side vent windows in the doors. Then I found out that the bed was from a 54,because the top side bed rails are flat and not angled. Now I'm confused.

What year is my truck (cab)? It has a cowl vent door on the drivers side and louvered slits on the right side cowl. The front cowl (in between the hood and lower part or windsheild) has a vent door. It has a two piece spilt front windsheild.

What years used the flat top rail for the bed rails? I think that the cab is a 51-53 and the bed is from a 54.Does this sound correct.

Is there a way to check the chasis for a measurement or something special that would tell me what year it is.

All of the vin tags are rusted off.

Please help id this truck
Rick

Does it look like the doors have been swapped out for newer ones? I have a '50 half ton, and doors with side vents too. The cowl is original, for sure, has the yellow paint found in spots throughout the truck(cowl has drivers side vent, in front of the door) Think my doors were changed at some time. Vin plate does correspond to a '50, and has chrome on the speaker grille and glove box door. Anyone know if they put vents in the doors later in the 1950 production line?

Next question, can you remove the side window vent assembly, and install glass in the door, and have no vent windows, just door glass? Will the window track be the same, or does it have to be changed out?

Rick,

1950 is the last year with the driver's-side lower cowl air vent.

1951 has a side-door vent window and turn-down door handle.

1952 has side a door-vent window and push-button door handles.

1954 and later has the flat top rails on the bed.

The 1954 rear motor mounts and bell housing are different from earlier years. The 1954 1/2 ton frame is different from earlier years and the rear motor mounts are at a different angle from earlier years.

There is no frame cross-member behind the tranbsmission in 1954 and thus no rear mount/support on the transmission (1/2 ton truck).

I hope this gives you a few more things to help in identifying the various parts you have described.

What do the side emblems on the hood look like?

Tim

I've got a '50 for sure, it just has '52 doors, and have noticed the taillights are later model, '55 or so. Hard telling who swapped out when and where, and who knows why.

Can the '52 doors be changed to accept the single glass window, and eliminate the window vents all together?
Thanks for the help!! Mike

Not easily. Find 47-50 doors, unless you just have to have the push-button handles. Then prepare for major surgery. Also, you'll need to change the striker plates for the older latches.

There are some old threads on the subject that can be found through a search.

I have the push button handles, so will this make it easier? The doors are solid, and close nice, hate to mess withthem, taking off and putting on others.

Just read your post. Sounds like Tim really covered most of it. If the gas tank is behind the seat and there is a side cowl vent, then you have a '49 or '50 cab. About the only difference I can see between the late '49 and '50 is the firewall. If the firewall is smooth, it's a '49. If it has strength ridges stamped into it, it's a '50.

if it ain't broke ... use what you got
make her look nice and let the others pick on you.
just drive her and have fun

You know guys, they used the one piece glass doors up thru 51 as far as I have found. Bought the doors off a 51 once for my 48. They appeared to be original and had an "adapter" like striker for the swing door handle latches to work on the pushbutton door latch striker area of the 51-54 door jamb. They were stamped steel like the others but had a piece of 1/4" or so steel rivited to it to catch the swing handle latch. They were zinc plated just like the others and obviously a production made part in a factory.

I don't know, it seems like they used up a bunch of parts on these trucks in later years.

Brian