Well I ended up selling my '46 3/4 ton stakebed. Neighbor complained to the HOA because it wasn't running. Some rule about non-operating vehicles not being allowed to be parked in the driveway, blah blah blah. I hate Home Owners Associations (and the people with no lives who run them).
Anyway, I found what was listed as a '39 Chevy and bought it. However, from what I've been able to figure out from the photos it is really a '40. (it's not here yet, it's sitting on the transport vehicle). I also never asked what size it was, 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton. I've been looking at photos and it seems that there was also a short bed and long bed in that year. I tried to get the Service Manual for the '40s but the pages with all the truck specs is missing from the one on OldCarManuals. Anyway, in the photos I've seen one version has very little distance between the bed side upright support and the front of the rear fender. I'm guessing this is a shortbed. The other photo shows much more distance between these two areas, so I'm thinking this is the long bed version. Any thoughts?
You should have placed one of those large stuffed sock monkeys with sunglasses and beach hat in the driver's seat. Then stick a big sign in the ground that says, "Work of Art".
The truck was at a shop for a long time and they ended up not doing the work I wanted so I had them tow the truck back to the house. I had them back it into the drive way. As it turned out it was the week before Halloween so I bought one of those life size plastic skeletons and stood him up with one foot on the running board a a hand on the mirror, like he was combing his hair (skull). The idiot neighbor thought the whole thing was a decoration, like I'd buy this truck and set it up just for Halloween. Anyway, the week after the stuff hit the fan, and away went the truck.
Those are the manuals I came up with too. If you notice all the dimensions are missing from the 1940 manual. I'm thinking the one I bought is a long bed judging by the photos I attached. On the sort of Army green truck the front of the rear fender seems a lot closer to that support upright and the front of the bed than the fender on the black and red truck, as well as on the one I'm buying. I guess I'll just have to wait for delivery and see what I bought.
To me it looks like only the red one has the correct fenders. The other two have big bolt front fenders. The rougher looking truck's rear fenders I think are for an Advance Design series truck. Matter of fact, that might be an AD bed as well.
Yeah, HOA's are ridiculous. That's one of the reasons I moved from a newer to an older neighbor hood.
To me it looks like only the red one has the correct fenders. The other two have big bolt front fenders. The rougher looking truck's rear fenders I think are for an Advance Design series truck. Matter of fact, that might be an AD bed as well.
Yeah, HOA's are ridiculous. That's one of the reasons I moved from a newer to an older neighbor hood.
John
Hi John,
Thanks for the info. I did notice as sort of change in the contour where the rear fender meets the running board on the one I'm buying. Is that from a larger truck? Also the one I'm buying has what looks like a steel bed floor rather than wood. I don't really car because I'm probably going to buy a new bed once it gets here. The front piece and tailgate are rusted through on it. Does anyone know if any company out there makes reproduction fenders out of steel? I've seen some fiberglass ones but I was hoping to find steel ones. As I said I found a company that makes steel bed boxes and tailgates but so far no luck with fenders.
I just started looking through the gallery at some of the 3/4 ton pick ups and see that there is a second upright support that is just in front of the rear fender on the 3/4 ton trucks. So it looks like this one is a 1/2 ton. I'm wondering if there was a longer bed version?
All of the trucks in the photos are 1940, according to grille and fender lights. There were no long bed 1/2 ton Chevy pickups before 1955 2nd series. There were long bed 1/2 ton GMC Trucks earlier but I am not sure when. What appears to be a long bed 1/2 ton Chevy, starting in 1937 and continuing through 1941 ('42?) is a 3/4 or one ton. These trucks had 6 hole wheels and a 10" longer wheelbase than their 1/2 ton siblings. The 3/4 tons came with 15" artillery wheels and the 1 tons came with 17" snap ring wheels to clear the 14" rear brakes. New steel reproduction fenders are available for '40 through '46 pickups for around $1,000 each. FYI, 1939 rear fenders are different in that they are about 1-1/2 inches wider that the later fender. '39 and '40 front fenders are the same and fit 1/2, 3/4, and 1 ton models. All of the trucks in the photos are wearing their proper front fenders.
Thank you for all the help. I agree on the year of the trucks. Also the interior on mine is definitely a 1940 with the rectangular instrument cluster and the waterfall dash. I noticed that on the one I'm buying the front wheels have 6 lug wheels but the rears have 5 lug wheels. It has just standard wheels from what I can see in the photos. I'm not sure if that means someone switched out the rear end at some point or what. Do the rear fenders on the one I'm buying look correct? I've been looking at later year trucks and those appear to have that contour at the bottom of the leading edge of the fender. None of the photos of '40 trucks seem to have those.
Do you know what company supplies the reproduction fenders. The driver's side front on this one looks to have a lot of rust through and I'm not sure my welding skills are sufficient to repair it. Of course I'm going to give it a try but I'd like to have a Plan B should my repairs meet my expectations, lol.
Joe, The rear fenders on your truck are from a '47 through '55 first series truck. If they are decent, they have value to someone with an AD (Advanced Design) style truck. I saw the reproduction, '40 - '46, rear fenders on eBay but I do not see them there now. I'm sure they will re-appear. I have a used (needs work) rear fender I would sell. I can't remember which side. I noticed that the rear axle had been changed on your truck. If it is an enclosed driveshaft, it must have come from a '49-'54 Chevy passenger car. If it is open driveshaft, it could be anything. Front fenders pop up on eBay from time to time. You have to know what you are buying because sometimes the seller describes a fender as fitting a pickup when, in fact, it is a big truck fender. They are easy to tell apart, especially from the front view. Look at the frame notch on your fenders when you get the truck. It is 2 inches or more. The fenders for 1-1/2 ton trucks have only about a 1/2 inch notch. The wheel opening is much larger also.
I have owned my '39 1/2 ton since about 1975 and have a '39 dump truck (parts-ish), 1940 1-1/2 ton Cab and Chassis (restorable). I sold a 1939 Fire truck to another Bolter last year. I've learned a little along the way.
Yeah, I've been looking at photos and you're right about the rear fenders. I have this app that searches all of Craigslist for a particular item. Only problem is, as you said, some people don't know what they have. I found a pair but I'm waiting to hear back. That's the other issue, people who put ads up and then don't ever reply to your question. Ah well, such is life on the ol' interweb.
I have found American Classic Trucks who carry all the parts I need for the bed, but that's all they do. I also found a few places that carry fiberglass fenders, yuk. I'll just keep looking and see what pops up.
I kind of thought there was an issue with the rear axle. The truck is supposed to have 6 lug wheels (like the front) but the rear only has 5. I'll have to wait until it shows up and get under it and see what's there. Before my neighbor started bitchin' I had located a 14 bolt for my '46 3/4 ton flatbed, with a 3.73 ratio, but it had 8 lug wheels. I've started looking for 6 lug rear ends to see what's out there. Looks like it won't be a big problem.
I guess the difference in the red truck and the kacky green truck above is the red one must be a 3/4 ton since the bed appears to be longer. I'm going by the distance between the front upright and the fender. From the other photos I've looked at the 1 ton looks like it has another upright just in front of the rear fender.
