The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors '41-46 Questions ... Help !

Hi folks, I'm new to these style trucks. Have and have had three '54's and one '57. Recently bought a great project that a lot of time, money and craftmanship has been spent on this awesome truck. Now it is my job to complete this project and be the caretaker until someone else takes over my job. I had been looking for a 1940 one ton or larger off and on for a few years. I'm sure some of you are in the same frame of mind ... " do I really need another project ? NO NO NO. " So, this '41 is not exactly like my grandfather's 1940 Flatbed that I drove as a 12 year old. From the inside it looks very much the same, along with a few more modern upgrades. And that is alright with me. Long story short, I have to complete the interior, assemble the front clip, and at some time in the very near future fire up this zero hour straight 6.

What I don't know is the best place to locate some of these missing parts. I pretty much know what is missing, I think. So I'm asking for help from the '41-'46 community to help me along with my education of these great old trucks.

Question #1. Can I install rear window with '46 rubber gasket because I don't have the metal molding found on the 1938-41 cabs ?
#2. I need front bumper brackets and always see them for sale for a 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton. Is there a difference for the 1-ton like mine ?

I'm sure I'll have more question as I move forward. Thanks in advance for any and all answers.

Unfortunately the answer to your question number 1 is no. The lip on the 1942+ trucks is considerably different than the 1941 trucks. The pot metal window moldings can be found although good condition ones can sell for fairly high prices.

Thanks for the info Paul. I guess the search will begin.

Jim, two years ago my 1946 3/4 ton GMC rolled down my driveway and hit a tree. I have two 1.5 ton trucks and two 3/4 ton trucks, all GMC's, and found out the bumpers are the same but the brackets on the 1.5 tons are longer and the bolt hole spacing on the frame is different. Not sure about Chevy's.

Thanks msmall, I'm thinking that I would like to install a Big truck bumper on my 1-ton and cut the ends down if it's to wide. I prefer the profile of the larger bumper. When you said bumper brackets are longer, do you mean that it puts the bumper out farther away from the front of truck ? I did not get any brackets or bumper when I purchased this truck. The family estate had truck for sale and the restoration shop had the front clip & dash. So, I did figure out a lot of pieces got lost along the way. Mostly interior stuff, like Heater, Wipers, all Handles/Latches, rear window frame "if I need it at all" etc.

Truck is titled as a '41 out of N. Dakota, but seems to have a lot of '46 details on it. I'm really stuck on the rear window. Don't know if I need '41 or '46 rubber gasket ??? Ready to order side & rear glass.

Nice looking truck BTW. Would like to see larger photos. Grandparent's farm was in Caribou where I spent all my summers messin with '40-'54 Chevy trucks, Deere and Farmall tractors ... haha hooked bad at an early age !

And I still have to update my photos since I've been off the "photobucket" site to long.

Jim, the bumper brackets do appear the same on the outside where they attach to the bumper but the attachment to the frame is different. They are still off the truck in my pile of parts and looked at them yesterday. They attach further back on the frame with different bolt spacing on the frame. I also looked at my 41 and I can't see any thing different regarding the back window sheet metal. I have two 41's, both 1.5 ton (potato trucks), and two 46's 3/4 ton. As far a the bumpers they all appear to be the same width side to side and top to bottom, no differences that I can see. I have one bumper that is much heavier on one of the 1.5 ton trucks but is the same width.
Aroostook county potato farmers seem to have mostly GMC's from that era, there are still a few laying around on rock piles and I have hauled a few home in case I need something for my 3/4 ton.
Let me know if you have any more questions.
Mark

Jim,

From your comments, I am not certain if you have a 1941 cab. Could you post an image of the rear window part of your truck? We can easily determine which gasket you need based on a decent image.

Paul

Thanks to msmall and Paul WNC for your response on these questions. I was thinking along the same lines as both of you. Will get measurements and photos of bumper mount area and rear window lip some time today and post ASAP. Would like to order window glass and gaskets now.

Have made other progress in the mean time. I removed rear axle and degreased / primed / painted and is ready to reinstall. By the numbers it seems to be from a 1956 GMC with a 3.08 open gear ratio. (not sure I'm going to like that ratio) but will work with it until it is drivable and then decide. Also installed new brake & clutch pedals that were some of the other missing parts.

Don't know if I mentioned this before but, PO spent a lot of time and $$$ on this frame off restore/modification and I would have done a lot of the same things to make this a daily driver ... faster speeds and better stopping power. I guess I will see once it's running under it's own power.

Thanks again guys. Jim D.

P.S. will see if I can post picture of grandfather's 1940 potato truck.

Photos of rear window opening and front bumper mounts. 1941 or 1942+ cab ??? Do I need metal frame & gasket or just '46 style rubber gasket ?

Bumper mounts at front end ... need brackets, but which ones ? 1/2, 3/4 ton ? This is a 1941 "I believe AN" with the 9' open express box. I would like to mount the larger 1.5 ton style bumper or build my own.

You have a 1942+ cab. The 1946 gasket will work. Looks real nice!

Thanks for the update and info Paul.

I did get to watch a couple of your videos of your military dumper, pretty cool. Reminded me that my dad also drove a military Half-Trac from beach of Normandy and through Germany in 1944. Must have got some training on my grandfather’s 1940 Ton and Half just like I did a couple decades later. Don’t know if it was a GM or White. I do have a photo of “Rita” from WWII.

Several years ago when I stood out at the waterline looking towards the shore on Omaha Beach, tears welled in my eyes. That is a long beach! Fortunately your dad likely arrived a day or so later when things calmed down a bit. Still, strolling along in an M3 within the hedgerows the following weeks would not be a day in the park either. The M3's were made by White, Diamond T, and Autocar. Would love to see the picture.

Yeah, me dad arrived at Normandy beach at least a week later from the June 6th invasion. Here are a photo I have from 1943-44. The 2nd photo is my grandfather's 1940 potato truck, and might have been my first time behind the camera in 1963-65. The '40 was "the everyday field truck". The shiny black '54 only came out for harvest time.

Thanks for sharing the photos!