The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Will 1939 1 1/2 ton fenders fit a 1940 1/2 ton?

I have seen a few sets of 1939 and 1940 one and a half ton fenders available recently and am in need of some solid fenders for my 40 Chev. Will the 1 1/2 ton fenders fit the 1/2 ton directly or do I have to keep looking? Are the wheel opening the same size?

Supposedly the part #s are: 350363 and 350364 for the 1 1/2 ton that the fenders are off of.

It would be nice if there was a parts interchange manual somewhere for these old trucks.

welcome to the garage! you've found the best "interchange manual"

someone here who has a pre-40 truck will know if the difference is as drastic as the later years, but while the 39 and 40 fenders should be the same, the 1/2T and 1.5T are different due to the difference in wheel sizes, the opening being a different shape ... will bolt up, but usually look kinda goofy ... check the gallery and compare the look of light and big trucks

Bill

Thanks Bill. In reviewing the posts here, it is obvious that this form is going to prove invaluable in getting my rusty truck back on the road.

I went on a search for pictures of both trucks and you are right. The wheel openings are larger on the 1.5T and the whole profile of the fender is thinner than those on the 1/2T. So much for that idea....

Stephen

40 chev,

How bad are your fenders? Is rust or dents the problem?

I have been amazed at what I have been able to do to "save" my fenders. Both right side fenders were pretty bad, but patience, time, a welder and a good metal working hammer and dolly has brought them both back from the dead.

Check out oldgmctrucks.com and take a look the metal shop forum. There are several threads on there that take junk and bring it back to life. Pretty amazing stuff.

don't you just love the smell of of an electric arc burning metal together
tom

46 1/2 Ton,

Those were great links on the metal work. Wheelwright sure does nice work and almost makes it look easy.

Well, I am not sure whether to call the problem "rust" or "rot". There are parts of the fenders that are really solid and would make a good base to weld metal onto, and there are other areas that are missing. Pretty much the whole edge of both front fenders will need to have replacement metal fabricated for them. Problem is I have never formed metal before and I don't have alot of the equipment to do it. I do enjoy a lost cause once in a while......

Metal work has always fascinated me and I have always learned alot from biting off more than I should. The money I would save from not buying replacement fenders would offset some of the costs of failed experiments and new toys(equipment). Also at the end of the day, it would be a whole lot more satisfying to have fixed them myself, rather than just pay for replacements. I have almost convinced myself to go ahead and try to fix them myself.

Are you talking front or rear fenders?

The front fenders should be basically the same for a 39 / 40 half and three quarter ton truck with the exception of the parking lamps on the 40. The rear fenders are different however with the 40's being 1-5/8" narrower than the '39 due to the width of the bed. I've seen a few big bolt 39's and 40's and they have pretty large tires on them.

I've got 7.5x16's on mine and that is about the tallest tire I'd be able to get under my fenders.

The 39 and 40 trucks are basically 'tweener trucks because the 39 has a lot in common with the 38 while the 40 has a lot in common with the 41-47 first series Art Deco trucks. These are my favorite bolts and while they appear nearly identical there are a lot of subtle differences between them!


Someday I want one of each.

There are * shudder * Fibreglass replacements available if you are really stuck. Lucky for me, I had very good metal on my truck. Are you planning stock or hotrod ?

I have never been a fan of bolting on fiberglass to an old vehicle. I don't really have a "valid" reason for that, but I just never saw it as something I would want to do. Fixing the old ones should provide some me with some entertainment and lessons learned.

I am looking at doing a "modified" stock truck. The drive train will get some upgrades and a newer engine (old one dropped a valve and last owner removed head and left it exposed to the elements for 12 years) since the one in it is totally shot, but the rest of the truck will be as original as I can get it. The truck wasn't stock when I bought it and had been modified with whatever parts the owner could modify or bolt on, so eBay will be getting some business from me for the parts to return it to a close to stock appearance.

Keep your eyes open. Based on production numbers there are a lot more 40 trucks out there than any other prewar truck with the exception of probably the 41. Also be dilegent when getting year specific parts on Ebay. I saw a complete 40 advertised and sold at a 39 even after I told the seller. Most people don't know there is a difference.

Look forward to seeing some pictures when you get it going!