The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts help with truck ID

i'm new on here and was wondering if you guys could help me figure out the year and model of my truck. here's a pic of it, i have more on my computer one of which is in the feb. submissions gallery with the story on how i aquired it.

[img]http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/images/stormer_brian_1950b.jpg[/img]

Thats a heck of a boom on the back!

You have a VIN number off the inspection plate? That can go a ways in identifying it depending on the year.

We dont mess around in SW iowa!ha

I'm gonna try to get it drug to the farm when i go back home this weekend. Where do i find the VIN plate? engine casting #?

Brian,

I am not an AD guy so I can't help with the year of your truck, but there is a 41-46 on E-bay...seller says it is an Ex-military truck...it has the same kind of boom on the back....also has a winch...looks like your setup.

This does not help you much...but similar stuff out there.

the boom on this truck was made by the brothers who owned it. what does "AD" stand for?

AD = Advance Design - Chevy's name for these trucks. (GMC called them New Design)

The VIN plate should be located on the driver's side door pilar, by the hinges.

Your truck is definately in the '47-'55.1 range, but without a better pic of the cab and front end, it is hard to get closer than that.

There are no vent windows so i would have to guess
47 to 52.

You can tell that from this picture? I must need new glasses!

Vent windows started in '51 so it must be somewhere '47 to '50...

Vent windows were added in '51. If the doors are correct then it's a '50 or older.

I have a couple more pictures of the grille and stuff but no internet site to host them on. thank you for the replys.

photobucket.com offers free image hosting, and many folks here use webshots.com for image hosting.

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/bstormer/Picture018.jpg[/img]

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/bstormer/Picture016.jpg[/img]

tell us if the truck has wing glass in the doors. tell us also how many holes are in the wheels. post the vin if ya can, or engine number. the engine number is located just behind the distributer on the flat surface. it should be under 50 years of oil and mouse poop.

Old Sub, I cheated he has some photos of the truck in the gallery.

serial # on drivers door is "21TK-D 1858"

engine # is "270958I35" and it says GMC on the valve cover, truck also has a single speed rear end, and no vent windows.

The motor is a GMC 270 based on the motor number and valve cover. Consider yourself lucky there, that's a great motor.

The truck itself is a 1950 4400, a 1-1/2-ton with a 161 inch wheelbase.

The motor was not original in this truck, so who knows how many other things may have been changed over time...

Thanks for the info OldSub. What do you suppose this motor came out of? its on a 12v system and also has an alternator. As of now the motor is stuck, If i can get it broke loose before long i will try to use it, but more than likely it will get swapped. Would i be doing a disservice to this truck to swap in a small block V8? The goal for this truck is to get it working so i can use it not restore it. Would i be better off keeping it a 6 cylinder? I maybe able to get ahold of a 292. Being in college i'm on a limited budget so i will cut every corner i can

UHHHHHH------V-8----WHY? 292? GOOD CHOICE. BUTT KICKIN' POWER AND TORQUE. however, i sure would try to save the 270. they really were a good engine. 12 volts? not stock, but if it were me i sure would be happy with the change. some here are strongly 6 volts, and they are are not wrong to save their iron in the original condition, no argument here. personally i prefer the 12 volt upgrade.

i would deep 6 the v-8. if ya ain't gonna subframe the thing ya got clearance issues and motor mount problems. then there's the exhaust----say-----didja say you were a college student and ain't got alot of money??? (koolkar types in hillbilly in jest).

what makes sense? THAT'S what ya do!

besides, 6 bangers sound waykool with a 3 in 3 out glass pack muffler and a 3 inch exhaust pipe.

Don't worry about Koolkar, he'll get his meds sorted out and then he'll be okay.

Putting a V-8 in that truck will be a lot of work. It sure can be done, but you'll need to move the steering column and box.

With either a Chevy V-8 or a 292 you'll want to replace the bellhousing crossmember with one from a '54 or '55 1st to support a later bellhousing that will bolt to the motor. Go with the 292 and you don't have the steering problems.

If it were me working on a college student budget (and since soon I'll have two kids in college, I guess I can identify with that) I'd work to get that 270 going.

Check the tech tips on this site, I think there is a discussion of how to unfreeze motors. I'd suggestion changing the oil, pooring lubricant in the cylinders, exercising lots of patience, and make sure you change the oil again once its broken free. You want to be careful to be sure you don't break any rings.

My daily driver has a GMC 270. That's 4.5 Liters and not a bad size motor by today's standards, plus its real durable and will put up with a lot of abuse.

Shoot, I'd even be willing to swap the running 235 from my '52 6400 for that non-running 270 if you want to bring it by.

Don't tell Koolkar, but I'm thinking about dropping a 454 and automatic in my 6400. Of course, it won't hurt me if it takes 10 years to get that finished.

thanks for the replys.
As of right now i only make it home maybe every 3 weeks or so, so progress will be slow until spring break. I've done the run around with stuck motors before so i kinda know what direction to head. And i've put sbc's in 3 chrysler cars now so i have some experience cross-breading things together

OldSub if you weren't on the wrong side of the country i'd take you up on that trade. You're engine swap idea also sounds fun to me. I passed up a complete running/driving '74 vintage 454 w/TH400 for $500 last summer and have been kicking myself ever since.

Just out of curiosity.. what would a person do with a boom like that, anyway?

Hang a cow from it so they could butch it on the farm instead of hauling the cows to the locker. That's what a fellow around here does with his, but I don't know what this one was built for,
Scott

this one was built by the Ihnen brothers when they returned from serving in korea. They started a contruction buisness in Massena, Iowa called Ihnen Bros. Const. This was their service truck for repairing the cats they ran. Inside the service box were tools, chunks of flat iron, grease, bolts etc when i got it. On the drivers side there is a rack to carry oxy & acetylene bottles and torch hose. on the passenger side is a compartment for a generator and DC welder. Also along the rear of the bed is a roller, so the tulsa winch can be used for straight pulling, ie. to winch the cats out of mudholes. There is a large blade on the back that can be lowered to support the truck when winching and lifting. These guys where engineers and mechanics in the army i was told, and it shows as the truck is very well designed. I'm trying to find out more history on the Ihnen Bros, as i think its pretty interesting stuff.

A friend of mine has a similar truck, maybe 30 years newer, that he uses to service his big trucks and harvesting equipment.

Ever try to lift the radiator from a big diesel truck? A boom like that can make a nearly impossible task easy for one guy working alone.

I don't know how yours was used but they can be useful for lots of things.