The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts New guy, old, unknown year truck

Hello all!
My name is Dave, and I found a truck in my backyard (I really should mow more often) Anyway, I am trying to figure out what year and model it is. I have some pictures, and some figures (160 inch wheelbase, 12 foot bed, 7.50 X 20 tyres) and as near as I can figure, it is a 42-46 1 1/2 ton. But that is just a guess.

welcome to the garage gang, Dave - sounds like a good guess for starters, can you show us the pics? have you looked at the pics in the gallery here? if you can get the VIN number off the plate on the drivers door jamb, or maybe on the passenger side of the cowl under the back of the hood, someone here can help narrow it down

and you can skip the mowin for awhile now, won't be any more trucks sprouting this season!

Bill

Thanks, Bill. I have submitted some pictures to the Gallery, including a scan of what's left of the ID plate. I can also email pics if you like.

Here are the shots. Dave will have to identify some a little better. And these are big images so you can get all the details.

Image One

Rear window

VIN Info

Front left image

Eagerly await your reply so we can get some info into the gallery for Dave!

Thanks all.

Peg

ye olde vin cruncher sez 6YS04 = 1941 1.5T 160" W.B. made in Oakland CA, and being a Chev, that 6cyl must be a 216

Bill

Thanks for the info, Bill. But if it is 41, wouldn't the passenger side door have the lock in the handle? This thing has a seperate lock cylinder. But it does have the 160" WB (I measured it). I suspect the engine is a 235, but I will double check that. That is, when the yellow jackets leave me alone. Ugh.

There's a '41 1.5 ton just down the road from me in a junk lot that has the door lock beneath the passenger handle, not in it.

In these old trucks, it's not uncommon to find them with swapped parts (like a '46 door on a '41 truck) or small features that deviate from what would be expected in a "factory spec" truck.

The most reliable method to dating any old truck would be right from the Mfg. Plate serial number.. but that dosen't mean that some farmer didn't use a bumper of an AD and taillights off a .. >cringe< MOPAR.

Identifing the engine size in your truck will require taking a look at the engine serial number located to the left, and just below, the distributor. Once you have the number, you can refer to the Inliners.org website page located here to determine the size.

Early 216's and 235's look identical to me.. I don't know how a person could tell one from the other without knowing the serial number and looking it up.

Take a rag and a can of WD40 out there with you.. if there's any WD left in the can once you've fended off the swarm of angry yellow jackets, it works great breaking up layers of crud and oil on the side of an engine!

For all your 'VIN' Crunching needs, the VIN Decoder can be found here .

.. oh yea.. WELCOME TO THE STOVEBOLT PAGE!!

Well, I (or "M") F129H is what is stamped in the pad on the engine. Let's see what THAT means.

Ok, more goofiness...The valve cover is the 4 bolt-in-edge type, but the side cover is short, and doesn't cover the spark plugs.

that makes it a later 235 fer sure, but the numbers don't compute with any thing here tho, for 41-57

Bill

More info...I looked for an found the casting numbers for the block and head. The head says: B37 848 85, and the block is: 383 004 (1955-57 235) That would probably explain the 216 parts in the bed! Today has been a good day for learning stuff!

Which reminds me, if anyone out there needs any 216 parts...

The engine serial number decodes as follows:
F=Flint engine plant
129=build date=January 29
H="Thriftmaster 235" used in 31-32-36-3800 series.

The year would be '57 based on the block casting number (should that be 3837004?) and the format of the serial number, which changed in '57 (the tocmp site has an error regarding '57 engine serial numbers). The head casting date code B37 (February 3, '57--a few days after the build date??) confirms the year if it is the original head to the engine. The block should have a casting date code, too, probably by the starter.

I have nothing to add in the way of information but.. neat truck and welcome to the 'bolt.



-W

Yea.. so where are the pics, man?!

Did it run when it was parked?

Welcome to the Stovebolt, and particularly the Big Bolt meeting room.

The big bolts had a key lock separate from and below the door handle on the passenger side.

At least my '46 1-1/2 ton is so equipped.

It did NOT run when it was parked, Lord knows if it ever ran. When my Father dropped it off (I wasn't here) he was steering it off the trailor. Well, without brakes, he got a longer ride than he thought he would. Drove all the way down the street! I asked him later why he didn't have the tranny in 1st or reverse, and use the clutch. He just looked at me, like, "Where were you when I needed help?". As to the door lock, evidence (VIN) is now pointing to it being a 41, and I thought 41s had integrated door handle/lock cylinders. But like Bill said, part swaps happen. There are some pics attached to an earlier post. Peg is working frantically to get a web page up in the gallery section. I can also email you pics privately if you like. Thanks for the good wishes!

FYI,

Working on the entire gallery page. Should be up in a day or two.

Peg

The rear window looks to be 42-46.

I had heard someplace that the back window of a 41 was different, but I don't know for sure what it would look like.

QUESTION(S): Did these old boogers have power brakes? I could swear there is a control valve on the firewall, and a vac booster on the right frame rail!

My '46 2 ton has that booster looking thing on the right frame rail.. right in the neighborhood of where the "spicket" for the gas tank sticks out.

It was my understanding that it was some sort of vac assist to the brake system, but I really don't know for sure.. I just put fluid in the master cylinder, bled the brakes, and let sleeping dogs lie.

Yep, power brakes were an option on the '41 1.5-tons.

the Hydro-Vac or Multi-Vac vacuum brake booster was standard on the bigger trucks - not "power brakes" as we know them today

Bill

It is FINISHED (the gallery page that is)

Dave\'s 1.5-Ton

Let the healing begin.



Peg

second that!