I am so excited to say that I just got a 1948 Chevrolet 1/2 Ton. I have attached some photos. It is a 216 with a 4 on the floor transmission. It is still 6V.
The truck was able to start and drive up into an enclosed truck which brought it to Cape Coral, Florida all the way from Bakersfield California.
I was told it did not have brakes... So the first thing I did was put it up on jack stands and went through the truck.
I did the following: 1) Put the truck on jack stands 2) Oil Change 3) Replaced the starter (the old one would spin, but the gear was not locked to the shaft anymore) 4) Radiator fluid flush / change. The fluid inside looked brand new and super pure. Almost like they had never run the truck after the restoration. 5) When I removed the wheels, the tires still had the nubs on the road contact surface. So this truck really wasn't drive after the restoration. 6) The drums all came off with no effort. The wheel cylinders and brake pads all looked brand new, however some of the cylinders had leaked badly and saturated most of the brake shoes. 7) The drums themselves had no wear on the friction contact surface. Again, almost like they are brand new. The drums had been nicely painted along with the entire frame / chassis. But the brake fluid had eaten some of the pain around the edges of the drum.
Now comes the interesting part... The rear end and front end did not look like the pictures in my shop manual. 8 lug front, 8 lug rear. The rear end has a very large ratio, I think it is 4.5:1 based on my yoke / wheel rotation investigation. My rear end has a casting number of 3682126.
I can't find the brake drums for the front or the rear. I can't find the brake shoes for the rear which measure out to be 2 x 12.
I ordered the front brake shoes and wheel cylinders for the standard 1/2 ton and they worked! But if I needed brake drums, I was told... that I would have to find used ones? I don't like that idea.
The master cylinder is not from a 1/2 ton. It looks the same, but has a slightly bigger piston diameter. I must have a lot of 3/4 to 1 ton parts on this truck. The funny part is... it looks so original. No fabrication / welding that doesn't look stock. I don't know what happened here.
The previous owner has not communicated with me after he received the money. So.... I need your help to figure out what has happened.
Somehow I found Tom Langdon. He has been very very helpful. He said he would help me change my trans over to a T5. He told me that I need a new rear end. I have contacted a company called GEVO's rears and gears http://www.rearsgears.com/ He is going to build me a 1968 chevy rear end with a ratio of 3.73. He will build me a 6 lug version that is 6 x 5.5 with complete drum brakes. This means I will need 2 new rear wheels. I want to maintain the stock look. All my wheels are 8 lug. Does anybody know where I can get some real chevy 3100 wheels that will accept that nice chrome center hub cap? Will those wheels match my front wheels?
Can I easily change my front wheel hubs over to the 6 lug version so I don't have trouble finding brake drums? I could also then have matching front / rear wheels?
I would like to keep the 216 because it runs really smooth... like brand new! I guess I will run it until it dies and get a 235 later. I really like the old stuff, so I don't want to change it too much. Tom said that 3 carbs on the Offenhauser is too much... I agree, however, the engine starts and runs really smooth with great throttle response. No black smoke. It doesn't seem to be running rich at all. So for now I will keep that together as is. Maybe I will go back to the stock single carb since the previous owner did send the old single carb intake along with the truck.
Right now the drive line is a major concern. I don't want the engine to be screaming at high RPMs because I have a 4.5 rear end. My thoughts right now are to stop trying to do the brake job on the rear I have and just wait till the new 3.73 rear end shows up. Then I will need to weld on the perches and install it. I hope I don't need to do a lot of modifications to install the T5 that Tom is finding for me. I guess then all I need to do is get the drive shaft worked out.
I really hope to be on the road soon and start enjoying this truck with my 5 and 3 year old sons and mom! They love ice-cream... and this is our new ice-cream transportation!
Thank you all for your help! I really appreciate it!
Jamell, it appears you have a pretty nice 3600. You should find a metal tag between the drivers door hinges like the one below. If still there it'll likely say 3600 however since your truck was represented as a 3100 the tag may well be missing.
On the brake drums, I'm confused, why do you need new drums (which by the way aren't available for the front)? You stated you had drums that showed no wear, I lack the words to say how good of a thing that is. In your shoes on the rear brake shoes, I'd wash em in a good solvent and or clean with carb cleaner then lightly sand with 80 or 100 grit sand paper. While sanding I'd ware a respirator just in case (unlikely) asbestos was present. Then I'd pull the wheel cylinders apart, do a light hone, install new seals and then do a complete brake fluid flush and fill with new fluid, adjust the brakes and take a test drive.
The fact that you seem to have 4.56 gears is another vote for stock 3600. Lots of info on this site about swapping the pumpkin out for a set of stock 4.10 gears from a late 60s very early 70s C20 Chevy/GMC truck. That along with going to a S10 T5 (overdrive 5th gear transmission) makes for a very nice highway drive-able truck.
It would be a crying shame to butcher up a nice well-restored truck with all the Rube Goldberg junk you're proposing. A T-5 is a puny weak sister transmission compared to the SM-420, and there are differentials available to swap your gear ratio to 4.10 without spoiling the original appearance and hauling capacity of the truck. There are far too many cobbled-up "upgraded" trucks already, most of which never actually get back on the road again. With a 4.10 rear end and some original-height tires, you'll be able to run 60 MPH all day. Any faster is just plain unsafe without lots of so-called steering and suspension "upgrades". Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Jameel, My advice is for you to slow down and not pull the trigger on anything until you have adequate time to research, educate yourself on this truck and its attributes. Only then you can make informed decisions that you wont regret later on. Get the brakes sorted out and get some time behind the wheel and start reading, then planning. We have all had the thrill of a new old vehicle and cant wait to get started but many have spent money needlessly in haste. Steve
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
Can you post pics of the underside of the engine, transmission, drive shaft and rear end? You have 3/4 ton springs in the rear. I would like to see what the rear leaf spring bushings look like too.
Last edited by 52Carl; 03/02/20195:54 AM.
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
Can you post pics of the underside of the engine, transmission, drive shaft and rear end? You have 3/4 ton springs in the rear. I would like to see what the rear leaf spring bushings look like too.
A pic of the frame showing the area behind the cab will tell the story, 3100vs3600.
Oh man, it’s a nice truck. If you don’t want your nice 3/4 ton sell it as it is and get a half ton with 6 lugs and just convert the rear to a 3.55 ring and pinion.
8 lugs front and rear with a bed less than 9’ makes it a 3/4 ton. (9’ bed is 1 ton)
Just call it what it is and don’t try to make it into what it isn’t. Looks like a fine truck and there’s nothing wrong with a 3/4 ton.
Grigg, What I am trying to figure out is how it could be a 3/4 ton shortbed. Was a 3/4 ton frame cut and shortened? Or were 3/4 ton spring perches added to a 1/2 ton frame? Or did Chevrolet actually make a one-off short bed 3/4 ton truck? Inquiring mind wants to know. Regardless of what the answers to my questions are, I would leave it alone. That is a cool looking truck! Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
Wondering if this was a half ton and the axles were switched over to 3/4 ton axles (perhaps on 1/2 ton springs?) . Or a chopped frame 3/4 ton. Looks like a shortbed 3/4 ton or a unique midbed.
If you look at pictures Gigawat posted in the welcome center, you'll see a stake pocket in front of the rear fender. Is it possible the spare tire is making a 3/4 ton box look shorter to us? In other words, is this an all around, unmodified, full length 3/4 ton (frame, axles, box, etc.) and we are simply misled by the description? Is there anything half-ton about this truck?
Although I believe the original poster, Gigawat, may have been misled as to the truck's tonnage, being a 3/4 ton doesn't make this any less of a truck. Or less valuable, in my mind.
If you look at pictures Gigawat posted in the welcome center, you'll see a stake pocket in front of the rear fender.
Good find, Twotone. That stake pocket location on the passenger side indicated in the pic from the Welcome Center forum indeed indicates that the bedside is from a longbed. However, the notch for the spare tire on the rear fender on the driver side indicates that the longbed has had a foot cut off of the front of the bed, making it a faux shortbed. My bet is that the frame has been shortened to accommodate the cooler looking shortbed styling. Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
What a beauty! It's a complete echo to everyone else, but I cannot imagine this is anything except a 3600 (3/4 ton). Pretty certainly it's not a 3100 unless someone has done some very strange swapping of parts. The bed looks short from the picture, and because of spare, but that looks identical at a second look to my wheelbase and the bed length (7' bed and 125" wheelbase)
The front of the 3/4 ton diff is more of a 'normal' straight input type instead of the very off-set input of the 3100. Also yours likely has a 2 piece driveshaft (3/4 ton). lastly grab a tape measure and check the wheelbase, probably likely that it's about 125 1/4" (3/4 ton)
Last edited by 49ratty; 03/03/201911:11 PM.
'49 3/4 Ton "It's hard to make a comeback when you haven't been anywhere"
Hopefully someone in the past history of this truck hasn’t been playing fast and loose with vin tags and titles. If it was represented to you as a 1/2 ton you were lied to. ðŸ›
Martin '62 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed (Restomod in progress) '47 Chevy 3100 5 Window (long term project) ‘65 Chevy Biscayne (Emily) ‘39 Dodge Business Coupe (Clarence) “I fought the law and the law won" now I are a retired one! Support those brave men/women who stand the "Thin Blue Line"! Hug a cop! USAF 1965-1969 Weather Observation Tech (I got paid to look at the clouds)
Those beefy axles and heavy duty rear leaf springs make me think the truck was originally a wrecker. What other reason would there be to put such a heavy duty drivetrain under a 1/2 ton truck?
If that truck were mine, I would research it to find out what the reason was for the heavy duty drivetrain before tearing into it.. Who knows, it could of been a special order truck and kind of rare. If not rare, I would restore it back to the original 1/2 ton torque tube drivetrain & leaf springs with a 3.55 Ring & Pinion.
Thank you so much for your advice. I was able to buy new front shoes, so I used those. I washed the rear shoes with a lot of brake cleaner and then used an abrasive plastic disk on my air tool and scrubbed the shoes nicely. They looked brand new. The drums, both front and rear seemed to be brand new! So I cleaned them thoroughly and used some sand paper to roughed them up a little inside. I replaced all of the wheel cylinders with new ones. I replaced all the rubber hoses and the master cylinder. I had to bring the outlet of the 3/4 ton master down from 1/2-20 to 7/16-24 so that it would mate up with the existing brake line. I used dot 5 since all rubber was brand new. I think this brake job came out very nicely!
I found the plate you are talking about. Somebody didn't take care of it properly when they did the restoration. It looks like it has been wire wheeled or bead blasted. I have made a drop box folder to share all of my pictures: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7eaj2x4so7a65re/AAAUwewkJMui1STYXRInd4z1a?dl=0
Thank you so much for all of the nice comments and insight!
I was told this is a 3100 1/2 ton truck.
All I wanted was a 5 window truck with a side tire... This truck seemed to have everything, the 2 tone paint job, the front windshield shade, short bed etc... The restoration looked great to me. It just needed a proper brake job and needed a new starter.
I did the full brake job, and replaced the starter and 6V battery. The truck started right up and I was able to drive it. It drove well. I shifted through the gears nicely. The engine is super smooth. When I parked it, I could not start it again. I have very weak spark. 3 carbs are too much for this 216. The plugs were fowled, so I replaced them. I think the coil is bad. I ordered a new one. The distributor along with everything else looks brand new. I bet it is because several people started this truck with a 12v jump pack before I got it. This is a 6V truck. I know you can start it with a 12V, however, I wonder how long the key was in the on position. I wonder if the coil got over heated... anyway. I will be changing this truck back to a single carb. The original owner had given me the single carb intake manifold. That will be next.
The chassis rails are 36" apart from inside of the ] to [
The mating surface of the rear wheel to the mating surface of the rear wheel left to right is 63.125"
The perches are 42" center to center.
I think somebody restored this truck and never drove it because they couldn't figure out the brakes. The couldn't figure out the 3 carbs / Offenhauser setup.
I am totally rushing this post... Sorry guys. I will take my time and go through all of your questions and respond properly.
Others will chime in I'm sure, but the door tag tells me you have a 3600 (3/4 ton truck). The frame looks exactly like my '51 3600 frame. You do have a Very Nice truck and it sounds like you've got a solid plan to make it a dependable driver.
On another note, does NEE or FPL figure into your day? My last major work was project manager on a NEE pipeline project in ND.
Added in edit; Original Chevrolet Manuals here and here. Just in case you haven't found this resource.
6FR-J 2956 6 = Assembly Plant, Oakland, Calif FR = Year and Series, 1948 3600 / 3/4 ton J = Month Assembled, October (A = Jan.) (B = Feb.) (C = Mar.) (D = April) (E = May) (F = June) (G = July) (H = Aug) (I = Sept.) (J = Oct.) (K = Nov.) (L = Dec.) 2956 = Unit Serial Numbers begin with 1001 at each plant and continue in sequence. Source
Looks like the truck you have is a 3600 series 3/4 ton. The next step is to ID your axle, engine, & transmission. Click HERE to find out where the serial number locations are. More engine ID locations. and HERE Then post them in this thread. Maybe the only reason why you could not find the correct parts is because you were asking for 1/2 ton truck parts rather than 3/4 ton truck parts.
I changed my vote based on the recent addition of pics. This is a straight forward longbed 3/4 ton. There is not a cutout in the rear fender for the spare. That spare tire is huge and takes up more real estate than a stock tire would, causing the optical illusion of a shorter bed in the original pic presented initially, which was taken on a 45 degree angle. Carl
1952 5-window - return to "as built" condition | 1950 3100 with a 235 and a T-5 transmission
1/2 or 3/4, who cares? It's just a number. You got your 5-window and side-mount spare, and one spectacular truck. Having to do a little tinkering just makes it that much sweeter and more fun.
And be sure to check out the Tech Tips (see the menu at the top of the page) -- scroll down to the "Axles" section to find the Tech article we did on the easy way to upgrade your existing rear axle to achieve decent cruising speeds with having someone empty your wallet
~ John
"We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are"
1948 International Farmall Super A 1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
1/2 or 3/4, who cares? It's just a number. You got your 5-window and side-mount spare, and one spectacular truck. Having to do a little tinkering just makes it that much sweeter and more fun.
Yes........not everyone cares...............but there is a reason it was advertised as a 3100
Value and resale for one. There’s a whole segment of buyers that would never ever consider a 3/4 or 1 ton truck........long bed, gearing, suspension, 8 lug wheels, ride comfort and overall looks............. just to mention the a few issues.
"Yes........not everyone cares...............but there is a reason it was advertised as a 3100"
"Value and resale for one. There’s a whole segment of buyers that would never ever consider a 3/4 or 1 ton truck........long bed, gearing, suspension, 8 lug wheels, ride comfort and overall looks............. just to mention the a few issues."
Agree with both miraclepieco and showkey. I enjoy my 3600, fact is I likely wouldn't have bought it had it been a 3100 since I do use it like the truck it is and the flat beds just icing on the cake. However the point showkey makes concerning value is a pretty big issue. I do believe there's far too much litigation in this country but if Gigawat bought from someone (particularly a classic vehicle dealer) and they knowingly misrepresented the truck, then I'd have a problem with that.
I guess the good news is, as an old wise pipeliner once told me "It's not my problem". It's a dang nice truck and will provide generations of pride and pleasure.
Thanks again for all of the comments! I really appreciate you all taking time to respond.
I did want a 3100 1/2 ton, only because I wanted a small truck that had a large following / a lot of available parts. The one thing I have learned in all of my years of collecting / restoring old cars is... no matter how much you read / research... it never compares to actually owning and working on the vehicle. In the first week of owning the vehicle you learn so much more!
I don't really care that it is a 3600. I just wanted a Chevrolet, with 5 windows, 4 on the floor, side tire, windshield shade etc... I really wanted a truck that was not a project... Something I could buy, and drive, and have fun. I have 2 sons, 5 year old and a 3 year old. I don't have the same time that I once had.... I just wanted to take them to school and for ice-cream... enjoy it with them. Do the little things, like oil changes, brakes etc... with them. I am really happy that this truck was restored nicely. I don't have to do a lot of work on it to get it running around town.
At the end of the day, I don't have any regrets. I like what I have. I plan on making it more fun to drive.
1) Get rid of the 3 carb setup and go back to the single carb. Luckily the original owner had given me the original single carb intake manifold. I took it to my local automotive machine shop for hot tanking and overall clean up. Does anybody know where I can find information about how the old single carb setup should look like? Does the vacuum advance plug into the manifold or the carburetor? Right now they have it plugged into my Offenhauser manifold.
2) Tom Langdon is helping me with a T5 trans I don't plan on modifying / fabricating. I was told this trans will bolt up.
3) New custom rear end has been ordered (3.73) Again, I don't plan on mutilating my truck. This rear end will mount up to the same leaf springs. The perches will remain 42" center to center to match the existing setup. I just need to weld the perches on my rear end in the correct angle. I will still get to use my 8 lug wheels. I will need a new drive shaft to connect the two... Once that is done, we are good to go. The best part is, I will be able to do brake jobs very easily since the parts are all from a late 60's Chevy rear end.
In the mean time, I will be driving this truck as-is... once I get it to start again... After driving it around for about 30 minutes after my brake job, I parked it and then tried starting it a few hours later. It would not start again. The plugs looked really really black. 3 carbs are too much for this 216. So I replaced those plugs with new ones, still no start. I hooked up a spark light between my spark plug and the distributor and saw the light blink, but very very dimly. I think my coil is bad. Before I purchased this truck, the owner was having a hard time starting the truck. He was using a 12V jump box. Same with the transport trucker... using a 12V jump box over and over. The trucker even charged the battery with a 12V charger.... Once that truck was delivered, I got rid of that battery and put a brand new 6V in it. I think all that 12V time must have fried the coil. Anyway... a new coil and condenser was ordered, and I should have that in a few days. I believe the truck will start right up after I make those changes.
Everything on this truck is brand new. EVERYTHING. The distributor looks like a brand new one, not even any dust / dirt inside. The restoration was very good. The engine runs like a brand new one even with the 3 carbs.
I think what happened is... they couldn't do a proper brake job for whatever reason. They couldn't get the carbs right... The center carb's choke was jammed in the shut position... I don't think they got it to run well enough to enjoy it. All the tires still have the nubs where the rubber meets the road.
Thanks again for all of your comments! I really appreciate you all!
3) New custom rear end has been ordered (3.73) Again, I don't plan on mutilating my truck. This rear end will mount up to the same leaf springs. The perches will remain 42" center to center to match the existing setup. I just need to weld the perches on my rear end in the correct angle. I will still get to use my 8 lug wheels. I will need a new drive shaft to connect the two... Once that is done, we are good to go. The best part is, I will be able to do brake jobs very easily since the parts are all from a late 60's Chevy rear end.
There might also be a higher speed Ring and Pinion Swap for your axle out there. This swap is a lot more cost effective, to be able to drive at a higher speed, than changing out the entire axle housing and transmission.
Thank you Jorb! I read the full article! I love this idea. The hard part is finding a good center section. I live in Cape Coral, FL. I don't have time to look around in junk yards...
Does anybody know where I could find a good quality Eaton HO52 center section, harvested from a ’68-’72 GM 3/4-ton w/automatic transmission?
Please post a proper wanted ad in the swap meet section.
Also don’t get hung up on looking for a truck of only that model and options, instead look for a 4:10 center section for an Eaton 3/4 or 1 ton, you want the gears and they may be found in various vehicles, you don’t care what so long as the ratio is right.
