The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Please Help Date A Complete Rolling Chassis

I was given a rolling chassis and a 235 engine.
When give these things I was told the engine was
a 1953 and the chassis was a 1945 1/2 ton.

The owner was having his Advance Design body
mounted on a S-10 Chassis.

The engine turned out to be a 1954 235.

I got some numbers off of the rear housing.
B K I 694 near the top of the pinion gear shaft.

Then on the right back side of the housing is
8057369

Transmission, is a 4 speed, numbers:
Top cover behind the shift lever F 16 1
Top cover left side: 590511 (then the Chevy bow tie emblem) then) 5

Left side of the trans case:4 lines:
1st: B 171
2nd: an 8 or a 3
3rd: GM
4th: 590474

Then the input shaft support/cover/housing (I don't remember the name):
591327

Being he had a Advance Design body being mounted on a S-10 chassis.
That the engine was not mounted to the frame but was on the ground and
it was not a 1953 as I was told but a 1954. This all together makes me
suspect what the correct year of the rolling chassis is.

So what year rolling chassis do I have?
Thanks Jeffrey


Edit to add that the transmission and the rear and torque tube look to be
original.

I usually just link to the Novak Transmission SM420 page
http://www.novak-adapt.com/knowledge/transmissions/manual/sm420

but, here is ID info from Novak:

1947-1953:
No ribs on the case
Grooved worm on the input shaft instead of neoprene seal
Synchro rings all differ from each other. 1st-2nd synchro ring is bronze
Weep hole at 6 o'clock on the bearing retainer snout
Six digit casting number on the case, usually like "59xxxx" e.g., 591665

1954-1963:
Same as previous but uses a neoprene input oil seal
No weep hole at 6 o'clock on the bearing retainer snout

1964-1967: Same as previous except
1st-2nd synchro ring is aluminum and 3rd-4th synchro rings are identical to each other
Seven digit casting number usually like "37xxxxx", "38xxxxx" or "39xxxxx"

1968-1981: Military Con-Diesel version. Features the strongest case and optimized internals. Usually equipped with unique top cover, but can be converted to standard top-shift control.

590474 = 59xxxx = 1947-1953

My guesses are that the "1s" in the following code contains the year in a date:
F 16 1 = May, 16th 1951
B 17 1 = February 17th 1951

Let's try one thing at a time:
What is your engine serial number?
What are the other casting codes shown on this page:
http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/casting-code-photos/low-press-codes-ser-nums.html

What are you trying to ID?
- "rolling chassis" : cab? frame? drive-train parts?
- engine?
- transmission & rear end?

Original drive train (?):

Here are locations for 1951 codes.
http://www.1954advance-design.com/chev-specs/1951-Chevrolet-t-ser.jpg

1952 codes:
http://www.1954advance-design.com/chev-specs/1952-Chevrolet-t-ser.jpg

1953 codes:
http://www.1954advance-design.com/chev-specs/1953-Chevrolet-t-and-c-ser.pdf (on last page)

From a pervious thread of mine I was told the engine is:

Serial number 0146590F54XB breaks down as follows...

0146590 = Unit number starting with 0001001
F = Flint Plant
54 = Year
X = 235
B = 3800 Series Truck

I want to know what year the rolling chassis is.

What I do know is that I saw was the previous owners AD body being mounted on a S-10 chassis
at a body shop. Outside the building was the rolling chassis the engine was on the ground next to
the chassis (it was never attached).

He said the chassis was a 1945. The engine was a 1953. If he was wrong about the engine
year he could be wrong about the chassis year. Specially if that AD body that was in
the body shop came off of that chassis.

The transmission and the rear end and torque tube look original to the chassis.
So I am trying to date the chassis to the transmission and or rear housing.

So could my chassis be a 1951 based on the B 17 1?

Thanks Jeffrey

B 17 1 = February 17th 1951 - found on the transmission, right?
So, that had ID's only the transmission.

What parts do you mean by "chassis"?

"chassis" sometimes means the supporting frame of a vehicle
Do you have the old/original frame?
Is that what you are trying to ID?

"chassis" could also mean the equipment attached to the frame
- It looks like you/we have ID's the transmission.
- Presumably, you have ID'd the engine (or, please post the engine codes).
- Post the rear-end code, and you will have ID's the drive-train equipment.

What do you mean by "chassis"?

A rolling chassis. There is no sheet metal.

It has tires that hold air, wheels, complete brake system, master cylinder
brake pedal and clutch pedal, steering including the steering wheel,
steering column, suspension, even the running board support brackets, and
the tail light wires.

If everything that is there worked and I had an engine that ran and I was able to attach
a radiator and a battery, then tie a plank across the frame to sit on I would be able to
drive her around the way she is.

Looking at the "patina" it appears that everything attached to the frame is original.

I have seen a few AD bodies for sale. Thought about trying to turn that rolling
chassis into a truck again. Not a show winner, just drivable, maybe a rat rod.
Though I cannot afford to anything with it and do not see me able to for some
time. And I can sure use the space in my garage.

So I have been thinking of returning the favor in a way for people here have given
me some free things for my son's truck. I have been thinking of giving this rolling
chassis away to some one that can use it or for future need of spare parts.

Though I always suspected the 1945 year was not the right year. So when
I offer it I want to make sure I have the right year when I post it.
Thanks Jeffrey

Jeffrey,

So, you know the engine, the transmission, and need to know the rear-end.

Sorry, if I missed it above: what codes did you find on the rear-end?

Anything else you want to ID?

Are there huck-style brakes front and rear?

I got some numbers off of the rear housing.
B K I 694 near the top of the pinion gear shaft.

Then on the right back side of the housing is
8057369. Those numbers were hard to read.

I had to back off the brake shoes to be able to get the wheels to
roll easy so I could push it around. Originally I needed someone
to help me push it. Though I do not remember if they were huck
brakes though I think they reminded me of the huck brakes on
my son's 1946 2 ton truck. But not sure.

I have never had good luck IDing a rear end from a casting code.

Your codes do not match the code shown for 1951 (link is in a post above)..

Maybe someone else can help?

I'll look at that link.

Thanks for the time and effort. I feel that I can confidently post that
what I have is a 1951 rolling chassis based on the info you provided
and that it was an advance design truck. Jeffrey

If it is a '51 3100 drivetrain/chassis, it will have Bendix brakes and the adjuster is at the bottom of the backing plate (Huck has the adjusters at the top of the backing plate).
Carl

Carl, I'll go into the garage and check where the adjusters are tomorrow morning and
will get back to you tomorrow. Thanks Jeffrey

Shouldn't there be a VIN stamped on the frame rails? If so, that should be able to be decided very easily and give you a lot of info on what it originally was.

A recent post confirmed that GM did not stamp a code on the frame rail before Task Force trucks (1955-2nd series and later).

CA DMV supposedly stamped something on the frame rails earlier.

Back into the garage just now and the adjusters are on the top.
Matter of fact the RR and LF still have the metal plugs that fit
into the adjusting slots. Jeffrey

Pre '47 horn button is a small, round disk.
AD horn button is larger (4+in.) slightly out of round.
Can you post any pictures?

The steering wheel is missing the horn button. Though the hole in
the steering wheel for the horn button is 2 3/8"

I can take pictures with my phone. Then if I have a phone
number I can have someone text them.

Thanks. I learned from that thread that GMC didn't stamp the frame, but missed the pre-55 part.