The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Identifying my truck

So I what what I think i either a 46 or 47 1/2 ton truck.

Below is what I already researched and try to find- I’m looking for other numbers or signs that could clarify if it is a 46 or 47.

However, the engine serial number for the 216 makes it a '47 3/4 ton truck with matches the (clearly later added) VIN tag on the cowl. Truck ID also states 3/4 ton.

ADCA59217

5DRC3674

https://photos.app.goo.gl/NMMxqBv4ENGgiyJS8

Cowl tag:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DtTw9NEiRUKySc1q7

My guess is that for titling purposes the engine serial number was stamped on the cowl tag at one point.

I have not been able to find any additional numbers anywhere on the engine, other than on the header. Something like GM 3865150

Next: it looks like I have the optional 4 speed transmission and I tried hard today to find a number on it but with no luck.

Here are some pictures though:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5vn2sYDE1eDP3Rhf7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/yjX85moFdW1NTjpZA

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qdmaWJRAYadnPKm3A

https://photos.app.goo.gl/vNz453Vr5nmzXJbp7

What really surprised me today is that I found a "46" stamped on the upper corner of the cowl today on the driver's side:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QUbjk1tV7zuMqqD47


What do y'all think?

Yes- I am certain it is not a 3/4 ton truck based on wheelbase.

Does the shifter have the reverse lock-out lever?
Does the truck have 6 wheel lugs or 8?
Are you familiar with the 41-47 truck ID guide here https://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/art%20deco/index.html ?
Did the truck come to you with a valid title?
Does it appear the frame has been shortened? Does it have a short bed (~6.5') or long bed (~7.5')?
Post some pics of the whole truck.

Yes- reverse: pull lever up, left and down.
Have not checked wheel lugs yet.
Yes- familiar with the guide and will check on fender brackets tomorrow.
Yes- truck came with valid title. AZ title that listed engine serial number but did not specify 1/2 or 3/4.
Has the short bed and frame does not look shortened.
Here are more pics than you’d probably like:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/v8cD2CjnHsDj2u998

Unless I am mistaken:
Lock under passenger side door handle only = '46
Rear differential = 1/2 ton
7 bed boards = '46
Board hold down bolt locations = 1/2 ton
5 fender bolts above the bed = '46

It's a bit hard to decipher in the Tech Tip what specifications belong to 1/2 or 3/4 ton.

'41 to '47 first series. Probably a crashbox, predecessor to SM-420. Nice truck.

Ed

Thanks Ed,

I was able to look up the SM-420, but could you define “crashbox”?

Slang term for a non-synchronized transmission.

Gotcha - shouldn't there be a serial number on it somewhere. I searched and scraped and cleaned and according to the manual it should be somewhere on the right, but I can't find anything!?

It is a nice truck. Congrats.
If you can access Keith Hardy’s site there’s a ton of info on old Chevy trucks and cars.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1942_47/4247csm003.htm
I hope this link works.

Thanks! Yep - I use this site a lot.

I may just have to live with the fact that I won't know for sure if it's a 46 or 47, but that's ok.

Here's the way your numbers break down...

Engine ADCA59217

ACDA = 1946 Series 3600/3800, 216 built in Flint.
59217 = unit number starting at 1001, so you have the 58,217th 1946 engine built in Flint.


Body/Chassis 5DRC3674

5 = Kansas City Plant
DR = 1946 3/4 ton with 125" wheel base.
C = month (March)
3674 = unit number starting at 1001, so you have the 2,674th 1946 unit built in Kansas City.

Hope this helps,

Mike B

Thanks Mike, but all of that data I have.
The issues is that the engine was likely swapped into the truck at one point and the vin tag was modified to fit the engine number for titling purposes.

I’m tryinh to identify my truck with something other than the engine number and tag.

It’s a half ton truck and even has 46 stamped on upper corner of the cowl.

The 1/2 ton will have a 115" wheel base with 6-lug wheels and 7 front leaf springs...the 3/4 ton will be 125" with 8-lug wheels and 8 front leaf springs.

Let us know what you find!

Mike B

Thanks again Mike and I apologize if I’m unclear, but I do know that it is a 1/2 ton.
What I was hoping to find out is if it is a 46 or 47. I was hoping to find additional numbers that would clarify, but I’m thinking it may just not be possible.

Andy, looking for a SN anywhere other than the cowl tag is a waste of time. There are no stamped numbers on the frame or body that will be of any use in identifying the exact year of your truck. They just didn’t do it back then. The body style of your truck is Art Deco and ran from 1941 to early 1947 when the body design went to Advance Design. Since your motor has been changed and the SN tag changed I believe it is virtually impossible to determine the exact manufacture date of your truck. The information posted by Mike B and others is a very educated guess. People back in that time period swapped parts at will when something wore out or broke and at some point the engine was swapped and the SN tag altered to match. May or may not have been done legally but that’s a discussion we won’t get into. Time to move on get to work and enjoy your beautiful truck.🛠

I agree 100%. It was worth a shot though.
Do you think it may have been possible that Chevy may have put this engine in my truck originally? They had it left over and put it in?
Highly unlikely based on the butchered cowl tag, but I’m curious if those practices were not all that uncommon?

Simple answer is no.

Martin,
What do you make of the cowl stamp “46”?
I was surprised to find that.

Don’t really know. Maybe some owner in the past was trying to mark it to match everything else.

Ok- thanks for both answers. That 46 stamp is at this point the only item that would point to be a 46.
Anyway- appreciate your help. Moving on.

Andy,

Your Cowl Tag and Engine SN both indicate you have a '46 3/4 ton, so what makes you think it might be a '47 or 1/2 ton?

Mike B

Mike,

Engine has been swapped in at one point and if you look at the cowl tag you can clearly tell that the engine SN was stamped on at a later date probably for titling purposes.
I bought the truck from AZ and apparently they only used the engine SN for titling purposes there. Title states 1947 for whatever reason.

That is the whole reason I started this thread.
Wheelbase, leaf springs, lug nuts, bed hold down bolts locations, number of leave springs, rear differential all make it a 1/2 ton.

Engine Serial Number is: ADCA 59217
Based on this website it makes it a 1946: http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/chevyresto/4649.htm

However - I have read that although certain vehicles have been manufactured in one year, but may have not been sold and titled until the following year and thus some discrepancies occurred.

Either way - it's a great 1/2 ton truck!

I was just going to mention that, since no one had brought it up yet. That could be the answer to your question.
But as long as you have a title it really doesn't matter. Just enjoy the truck and have fun with it.

One of my trucks is titled as 47, was 3/4ton built in 46. Dave

It looks to me like there is an open U-Joint at the back of the transmission. If that is the case, it is not a 1/2Ton setup. The 3/4 Ton has a short driveshaft behind the transmission, carrier bearing and then a closed driveshaft to the rearend. What does your truck have?

I’ll look tomorrow. However- if both the engine and transmission were swapped from a 3/4 ton wouldn’t it make sense if it has the set up you described?

Plus, there are the other items that point towards 1/2 ton: wheelbase, number of leaf springs etc.

Yes, possible, if the swap included the open driveshaft rear end.

Its been a while since I was under one but I thought trans on a 3/4 ton had a closed drive shaft behind the trans., A carrier brg. & open drive shaft/u-joint in front of the rear end.

George

Hopefully this settles it. Sorry about poor pics but no power at shed.
Also: 6 lug wheels

What does?

Is the clamped item in photo 1 part of you exhaust line?

Yes- what I was attempting is right above it: the rear of the transmission.
Hopefully we are talking about the same item

Here ya go

Looks like a stock 1/2 ton set-up to me.

I see that I was mistaken and indeed that is a one piece closed driveshaft, typical of the 1/2 Ton. That better photo tells the story!

So far here's what I think we know about your truck...please correct me if I'm wrong.

You have a 1/2 ton 1946 or 47 truck.

You have a 1946 cowl tag from a 3/4 ton truck (based on it's s/n).

You have a 1946 engine from a 3/4 or 1 ton truck (based on it's s/n).

You have a 1947 3/4 ton Title with the 1946 3/4 ton engine serial number on it. (My .02 cents...with a March build date on the cowl tag it's hard to believe it wasn't titled until 1947, but stranger things have happened).

The only other items that might indicate it's either a 1946 or 47 would be the date codes on the trans, rear, radiator and maybe the speedometer assembly. I'm not aware of any other parts having a date code on it...

Mike B

Mike,
Close, but it’s actually not quite that complicated.
The AZ title was solely based on the engine serial number, yet stated 1947. The title did not specify model or 1/2 or 3/4 ton.
The cowl tag simply reflects the engine serial number.
Based on everything we discussed we determined that it is 100% a 1/2 ton truck as it was described to me and sold to by the seller.
Side note: when I registered the truck in MD, I was able to add DP as the model!!

Your last paragraph is exactly what I was looking for to further determine if the truck is a 46 or 47. You are saying that there are date codes on the transmission, rear differential, radiator and maybe speedometer, so I will check those.

Thanks for everyone’s help. I’m all set.
Andy

If your new MD Title says it's a 1947, why did you add the 1946 model code "DP"??? Shouldn't you have added the 1947 model code "EP" so everything matches? And "DP" isn't on the cowl tag, that marked "DR"...IMHO, all of these inconsistencies is just going to raise red flags to the next buyer.

Mike B

ll I have an Art Deco Truck not an Advanced Design. I also have a 1/2 ton, not a 3/4 ton.
I did what I thought would describe the truck best.

Not sure if making something consistent while not describing the truck correctly at all would have been a better option.