Hello Bigbolters! Jeff here from NW Arkansas. I just picked up a late 30's to mid/lateish 40's 1.5 ton Chevy truck. I have plans of tearing it down and putting either a 4BT or 6BT in it and leaving the rest of it stockish. I know it's a big, multi-year project but I feel like I'm up for the task. I just finished building a '66 Chevelle and wanted to build a truck next. I wasn't really looking for 1.5 ton but fell in love with them after looking around for a truck to build. The truck did not come with a title so I have no idea what exact year the truck is. I've looked through a lot of posts on here but am not able to figure anything out as to when the truck was built. Any help you guys could throw my was as to what to look for to identify the exact year would be greatly appreciated. Here's what I know about the truck. It lived most of its life on a wrecking yard near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. It was a wrecker that was later converted to a water well truck, for pulling well pipe, I assume. The man that owned it was JC McKnee. That's literally all I know about the truck. It's got some dings and some rust spots on it that I think just add to the character of the truck. I'll probably at least pound out what I can and pop a weld over the rust holes to keep the rain out but like I said, I want to leave it mostly stock...except for the Cummins that is. Look forward to digging into the truck after my shop is built (4 weeks) and hopefully will get to know a few of you. I've attached a pic of the truck. Thanks!
welcome to the site! That looks like a sweet truck! are you working on getting a title for it? I would not do much till you get that part straightened out!
Welcome! Your truck is a '41-'46. Others may be able to narrow it down a little more for you. Good luck, and, as been mentioned, get your title straightened out before digging too deep into it.
Look under the hood on the passenger side of the cowl for a data plate. If you can read the number, that will tell you the year. Looks like a '41-'46 per the grille.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Welcome to the garage! I agree that it is a 41 or 46 truck. Almost all vehicles in those years went straight for the war effort. Here is our 46.
Don
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck "The Flag Pole" In the Stovebolt Gallery 1946 2-Ton grain truck 1946 3/4-ton pickup, 1953 1-ton pickup 1957 1-ton flatbed dually, 1954 Pontiac Straight Eight Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most!
welcome to the site! That looks like a sweet truck! are you working on getting a title for it? I would not do much till you get that part straightened out!
I just started digging into how to get a title for it. Looks to be quite difficult.
Look under the hood on the passenger side of the cowl for a data plate. If you can read the number, that will tell you the year. Looks like a '41-'46 per the grille.
Thanks, Kevin. I'll take a look next time i'm out where the truck is. I've got it parked on some property I plan to build a house on.
That is one super cool looking truck. Keeping the gin poles?
Absolutely...that's honestly why I bought the truck. I wanted the old wrecker look. They're a bit long for a wrecker (see attached picture) but I'll be able to shorten them to make it look like a wrecker again. It's also got a Tulsa winch on the back. The truck was rougher than what I was looking for but the wrecker bed sold me!
They even made some of that body style in '47, using up parts. A 4bt will be a tight fit, especially with an I'cooler. A 6bt will not fit without extensive mods. That might change the look of the truck.
Ed
'37 GMC T-18 w/ DD 4-53T, RTO-610, 6231 aux., '95 GMC running gear, full disc brakes, power steering, 22.5 wheels and tires. '47 GMC 1 ton w/ 302, NP-540, 4wd, full width Blazer front axle. '54 GMC 630 w/ 503 gasser, 5 speed, ex fire truck, shortened WB 4', install 8' bed. '55 GMC 370 w/270, 420 4 speed, grain, dump bed truck from ND. Works OK.
They even made some of that body style in '47, using up parts. A 4bt will be a tight fit, especially with an I'cooler. A 6bt will not fit without extensive mods. That might change the look of the truck.
Ed
I haven't done any measurements or research on a 4BT vs. 6BT so it's TBD. I did see a guy who put a 6BT in a 1/2 ton early 40's truck. He had to move the radiator fwd a little bit but no firewall mods were needed.
Where is the door lock on the passenger side? If in the door 42 -46. If in the door handle 41. Look at the rear window, if it has a pot metal bolted together surround it is 41, if only a rubber surround 42-46. The park lights look to be after market, that does not help I'd. It. Dave
1941 Chevy "First rebuild - complete!" Follow the story in the DITY 1941 GMC resting peacefully 1946/1947 Chevy Street rod on s10 frame complete 1945 GMC panel truck in line for restoration 1941 Plymouth stock complete 1941 GMC COE in restoration process Read his Project Journal 1941 Chevy Coe uncertain future resting now
Where is the door lock on the passenger side? If in the door 42 -46. If in the door handle 41. Look at the rear window, if it has a pot metal bolted together surround it is 41, if only a rubber surround 42-46. The park lights look to be after market, that does not help I'd. It. Dave
Door lock is in the door on the passenger's side and the rear window has rubber around it. So that narrows it down to 42-46.
