The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1945 1.5 ton swap

Hey Guys,
I've been reading many posts regarding frame swaps / fender mods etc.. I have a 1945 Chevy 1.5 ton that was used as a water tanker and snow plow for my town till 1991 when the guy I bought it from had put a dump bed on it. Well, anyhow, I've been collecting parts up and am now in the early stages of putting my '45 cab on a '79 chevy crew cab duelly chassis that I bought and drove home for $200 ( 454,SM 460 granny gear 4-speed, new tires on rear)The body was trash, but chassis is in very good shape and is now rid of the rotting body. I'll be widening 1/2 ton fenders and running board, will run the 16.5" tires so the stock fenders will look a little too big. I will post pictures as I go, all I'll get done this year is to get the cab,pedals,radiator support etc.. off and ready for next summer's big push. Oh, the existing '45 chassis is ok and I could have used it, but I wanted more parts availability and will be towing with it a lot. (goose neck w/tractors) More later, Bruce

good luck and post the good things you find and the pitfalls involved in the swap as questions on the feasibilty of the swaping to modern chassis come up regularly

You're right kb -- That would make a nifty tech tip or at least a tech article.

Bruce, any notes you jot along the way like KB says would be very appreciated! Write 'em down and send 'em to Peggy and I here at [email protected]

As he says, this is a subject that comes up a lot and is long overdue for a tech article. You don't have to be the expert with a perfect job -- quite the contrary -- what you experience is probably quite similar to what other guys run into so it would be good to capture your experience. Pictures, too!

Thanks,
John

There are a couple guys here working on similar projects. One has an Art Deco sitting on a '53 frame with 70's or 80's running gear under it.

The other is putting his on a 4x4 frame with the running gear. He widened the fenders and if you search a bit here you should find a link to pictures of the project.

This frame swap works pretty good you will need to cut the frame off about the front body mounts, notch the inner fenders,make tall cab mounts and move the gas tank or tanks.Your biggest challege will be getting that big motor and accessories in the small engine compartment.I have a small block and its a tight fit.Good luck with your new project. my 1945 chevy

Please somebody correct me...I thought that the '41 and '46 looked like the truck in dicussion and '42 thru '45 were all built for the war effort ???

learn something new everyday huh...I know where the is a very nice '46 sitting in a farmers shed... has a 216 in it i believe.

I think they made about 10 different model cars and trucks in 44 and 45 in limited numbers. The war year trucks have some differences such as no chrome and my 45 has some welds that are not ground down on the body.

'41 through '46 and early '47 are basically the same cab. If you think about the timing of US involvement in WWII it makes sense that you would see some civilian '42s out there. I've also seen at least one '45 that was the same.

While most production '42 thru '45 was in support of the war effort it does appear that some civilian type vehicles were manufactured during that time and are now titled with a manufacture date in that period.

In a recent post SUBLIME updated progress on his Art Deco frame swap. When I mentioned a couple guys on this board working on them I wasn't able to recall either's name. WingedExpress was one, Sublime is the other. Sublime's is a four-wheel-drive with widened front fenders and running boards.

Hey Guys,

A little more info on my '45 1.5 Ton. It was purchased by my town's fire department and used as a water tanker then as a snow plow till it's retirement in 1991...Yeh, I got some look's when I looked into a set of ignition points, guy said there was no listing for a 1945!

i also have a 44 1.5t war production truck i think in january of 43 they stoped production of civilan vheicales and started a limited production a few months later if you run your vin through fumblin 46's cruncher it should tell you it is a 42 but the month of production is unknown but 1-12 is 42, 13-24 is 43, 25-36 is 44 and 37-48 is 45 in 46 the 2 letters were changed and 46 was started

to get a war production truck you had to write to the government and get your reason approved to order one

there are some minor differences between 42 and 42 war production trucks such as unground welds on the body and leather gas fill grommets to name some but not all

rh

Thank you to those that know more about this than I do.