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Mod | | | Forums66 Topics128,164 Posts1,056,978 Members48,458 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
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For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 23 | I just got myself set up on this awesome site that a friend sent me, and had a question that may be a re-run for you folks. I was wondering if any one had the answer to why some 1 1/2 tons have the large opening fenders and others have the same fenders as a pick up. My '41 1 1/2 has the small openings on it, some people have told me this is wrong. I have also heard that the large opening makes it a '46, that GM had to conserve steel after the war. Can any one shed some light on this mystery for me? Thanks! | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | Hello, & Welcome to the Stovebolt Page. You pretty much answered your own question. Beginning with the 1942 model year, G.M. did indeed cut away metal, from the front fender wheel opening line, to conserve metal. Your '41 is correct, in having the beefier(more metal) front fenders. | | | | | Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 23 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 23 | | | | | | Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 975 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Dec 2003 Posts: 975 | R and G,
Take good care of your 1/2 ton style fenders. Even poor steel ones are getting hard to come by. If yours are in bad shape, an old school metal worker in a body shop might be able to salvage them. All four corners on my truck are heading for the body shop later this week. I did an OK job pounding out some dents and mending tears, but I need a pro to finish them off.
Good luck on your truck...
The most common question asked on here...Do you have any pictures of your truck? | | | | | Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 481 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2001 Posts: 481 | I have found out through trial and error that there were 3 sizes of fenders used on 46 conventional cab trucks. One size for 1/2 and 3/4 ton. One size for 1 tons that were also used on some 1 1/2 ton trucks, maybe just 46 models ? And the 1 1/2 ton and larger fenders. A look through the gallery shows the two sizes of fenders used on the 1 1/2 tons. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 165 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2002 Posts: 165 | There are 3 size fenders, Look in a Chevy parts book. 1/2 +3/4 ton use one size, 1- 1 1/2 ton use the next size, and then 1 1/2 ton with HD front axel and 2 ton use the large opening fenders. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,990 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jul 2004 Posts: 2,990 | I had always had the impression (thought I had read it somewhere) that that the larger openings and rounded off corners on the big trucks was to provide clearance for the larger tires when turning corners. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | Check out, 75 Years Of Chevrolet, by George H. Dammann. Page 164, last paragraph, right hand column. Tells about the fenders. Reads as follows, "As could be expected, the military, & war-related industries were gobbling up the truck line just about as fast as Chevrolet could turn them out. The only changes made to the 1942 truck line, except for taking away all chrome articles, was the cutting away of the front fender line to conserve metal, and doing away with the floor mat, to conserve rubber". | | |
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