Hello guys, I am pretty new here and don't know if this is where I should ask my question but I figure if anyone would know it would be the people on this forum so here it is. I have a 1946 Chevrolet 2 ton farm truck. I bought it from the original owner's son who was about 5 years old when the truck was purchased. He told me that his dad had ordered the truck in ~late 1946 but they had to wait for it to be built and so they ended up receiving it in ~mid 1947. He said he thought it was one of the last ones they made. Although I know that GM did make a few more of the first series ('41-'46) trucks in January-March 1947 to fill the last orders that trickled in, I don't know if this is one of those and I would like to figure out when the truck was actually made. I don't know if anyone knows where to find this out or if they know what any serial #s were in any of those last few months. The truck is a conventional chassis with 160" wb and the serial # is 3PW- B-13593. Any info or help would be wonderful and I appreciate the help. Thanks, -Archer
Got any photos? That would sure help answer your question.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Although these are GMC, Chev and GMC were very similar except for the engine and the grill. The prewar one shown is a 41 model and the post war is a 46. The post war had part of the front fenders cut away to save iron because iron was still in short supply right after the war. In mid 1947 Chev came out with the Advanced Design. GMC called it the New design. Mechanically there wasn't much difference, but the cab changed radically.
Your serial number 3PW- B-13593 breaks down as follows...
3PW- B-13593
3 = St Louis Assembly Plant PW = 1946 6400 second series (produced from May 1946 until early 1947 when the AD's were introduced) B = Month (February) 13593 = unit number starting at 1001 at each assembly plant and continue in numerical sequence.
Mike B
Mike Boteler
1956 Chevy 3100 Resto Rod 1952 Willys M38 Army Jeep 1983 Jeep CJ7 Laredo 1984 Jeep CJ7 +++++ Silver Spring, MD
Thanks for that info Mike B, it seems like it was made in February of 1947! Am I correct for thinking that GM stopped production of the second series trucks in March of '47, or was it May? Does anyone know if I could narrow the build date down any more? Could I find out what the serial # of the last one was and how far mine is away from the last one? I will get some pics this afternoon and post them for some more context. Thanks again for the information! -Archer
Well I suppose if I can't narrow the identification down any more, then at least I know more about it than I did before! Thanks again guys for the input, and yep she's a real honey! I rebuilt the brake system, the bed (I have the side panels for it too) and put all new tires on it last year. I just love driving her 45 mph to town on a nice day and watching all the cars line up behind me! -Archer
