The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk New member needs serial number and engine number help

I just purchased a 1941 Chevy truck, serial number 21DR-D 3770
Engine number is ABCA 625285
What do I have? Is it or was military?

My plan is to replace the 6 cylinder engine with a sbc (355) that I already have!
I need info on motor mounting and adapting the sbc to the 1951 bell housing!

The truck came with loose front fenders and radiator! There is no grill or hood. The box sitting on the rear frame may be a later model box with no planking or fenders! I will measure the inside width to see if it compares to another year that members here may have. Is the original engine of any decent value! I didn't even try to start it but I'm sure I could get it to go! Someone has removed the intake/exhaust manifolds as well as the carburetor!

Built in Janesville WI, April 1946 3/4T, 2770th off the line.
No problem advising motor mounts , etc. You are a ways away from that.
I think the engine is a 1950 Flint 235.

Can't price a motor from a forum post. Impossible to get close. Depends on many things. Geographic location, (probably won't be shipped), if it runs, how good it runs, how well it tests compression, etc. completeness and what a willing seller and a willing buyer end up agreeing on. ~ $100-$900

I'm surprised it's a 46. Not unusual for the guy not knowing with no real history on it if the engine was changed to a 235. That constitutes a drop in swap doesn't it?

Welcome to Stovebolt Randy! "bartamos" decoded your trucks serial# perfectly! Your given engine serial number is a bit too long for any decoding I tried to do. A 1950 engine for a 3600 truck would have had 4 letters at the beginning of the sequence. Yours has 5 which doesn't match any known codes that I can find.

If you want to pursue further engine ID info, I suggest you post an new thread in the Engine Shop where it will find more direct help. I would also suggest you add some pictures of the stamped serial number and block/head casting codes (raised alpha/numeric characters) you can find as those will go a long way in confirming what you have.

One other suggestion before we continue your conversation. Please read our Welcome - and now where do you go?? post before creating more posts. It will help you understand our site format and better navigate and get more help as you dig into your project.

Once again, Welcome!

Randy - Your topic here may be better asked in our HiPo Shop, depending on what other modifications you may have planned for your truck.

The box on it is 50 inches inside with 80 inch side rails

Your pickup box appears to be from an AD series 1947-1955.1 1/2 ton, which measures 50 inches wide (inside) by 78 inches long (inside). Does the tailgate have "CHEVROLET" embossed on it. An earlier tailgate would be plain (no embossed logo.)

Yes it does have chevrolet embossed in it
Are fenders for this available? How do the fenders mount on the side of the box?
This truck has all 8 hole wheels and I have found some dually rims onarketplace one thought would be to make a 46 dually! If I could find some extra depth fenders or fabricate fenders extensions betwern the box and fenders mounts!

One of yhe tires c that came with it is a 7.50'16 which seems to be more of a fit to a 1 ton or 3/4 ton!

I will give that engine away not knowing if anyone needs or wants it!

3/4 brings a whole different world of problems
The front part is the same as a 3100 so cab forward body parts are the same and mostly can be found
The bed is longer so the running boards are different and a bit harder to come by if You don’t have them.
First challenge is do you have brakes and all the break parts? Unfortunately they are made of unobtanium.
Then we move on to the differential unless you are extremely lucky it’s a 4:56, the 4:10 gears are also not to be found.
So probably need to get a different rear axil.
Once you have a rolling frame with brakes then you can move on to the rest of the drive train.
3600 box is 88 inches has 3 stake pockets, that tire size would be a 3600 single rear
More than once I have thought about just getting a 3100 rolling frame to put my 3600 front parts on.
And I’m starting with a complete truck minus the brakes, with a cab with very little rust

Stop take an inventory of what you have, then decide what you want to end up with.
Keep in mind that the wheel base and over all size is closer to something like a S10 than a 2500

I am currently working on a '50 3600 that includes a SBC (383), NV3500 manual transmission, and '86 vintage 14-bolt Chevy rear axle (4.10). As tired51chevy noted the 3/4 ton brings a lot of differences from the more typical 1/2 ton version. You can review my Project Journal to get an idea what I have done and feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my build.

Now the SBC part isn’t really much different than doing it on a 3100
WICruiser we have the same taste in paint that looks like the same blue I used

Thank you iif i had another frame now i would consider moving the cab to it! Those days are gone i had a nice collection of old cars and trucks 2 women and two houses ago!
Where fo i find your project jourmal?
My question of the day is glass? Are these guys using Alexander with geometry rubber?

Click on the blue link that says
Follow in project journals
In his post

Glass isn’t really a problem new is available, and yes it’s held in by rubber
The cab isn’t model specific but they are year specific for some stuff like windshield
There is a break some where 2 pice to the one piece your’s should be a 2 piece
Door glass depends on the year of the doors vent window or no vent widow.

The parts vendor web sites will be of some help there
There should be a list somewhere

ABCA 625285 => B = 1941, C = 3600 (3/4-ton) or 3800 (1-ton), second A = Flint, MI engine plant. The 4 letters together: A_C_ was used for 3600/3800 engines for several years.