The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Underbed Spare Tire Carrier Options for 1949 Chevy 1/2 ton

Does anybody know what types of spare tire carriers were available for the Advanced Design Chevy 3100 1/2 ton truck, (49-54)? I've got a '49 with part of the assembly missing. Factory Assembly Manual shown numerous variations but most are of the pivot arm style. Mine is some sort of sliding track assembly and I'm missing at least one major component. I've yet to see a photo or diagram of this style. Was the track type not very common? Is there a picture or diagram in any of the other Chevy literature? Thanks in advance!

In 1949, you had an L shaped arm that attached to the spare and slid into that track. Very difficult to operate. My theory is that once the spare was removed, it was too much work to replace, so owners would throw the spare in the bed and the remaining hardware away. So today we have lots of trucks with the track attached to the truck frame and nothing else. But the last year of this type of spare assembly was 1950 I believe. Pictures of this are in the Master Parts Catalog, or I can send you a scan of that page of that catalog. There was even a keyed lock for the assembly, which came standard on your year truck.

Difficult to find these spare assemblies, and not cheap, since they are fairly rare.

If I remember correctly Jim Carter is reproducing the piece you are missing.

49TruckNut welcome to the Bolt

Here's a shot of a repro I bought couple years ago I believe from American Classic. Once you click on the following link, there are a couple other shots you can click on. Mine also works with the straight rail that is bolted to the bottom side of the bed.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/114973575/114973575pUdYxE

Thanks everybody for your thoughts and suggestions - much appreciated! Fantastic pictures cmayna! JC no longer has this original part but American Classic still shows repo's on their web site.

My '48 still has the original spare carrier under the bed. Unfortunately, the truck is being painted right now (Yea!! After 15 years of having boxes of parts, I'm finally going to finish it!!!), so I can't just go out to the garage and take a picture for you.

the next time I go up to the paint shop, I'll see if I can snap a picture or two of the carrier installed and e-mail them to you.

My 1949 1/2 ton longbed has the original mounted underneath on the rail. Let me know if you don't get any other pics and I will do some digitals.

Go with 49 Geezer's pictures. Mine is just like the picture cmayna posted, but mine's a '48 and I saw a '49 at a car show yesterday, and the carrier is totally different.

49trucknut;
Sent you some pics this morning. Sorry, forgot to mention that my '49 is a GMC

Hi guys. I'm another owner of a 1949 3100 that is missing parts for the tire carrier. Mine is an angled channel that starts ahead of the bumper and goes toward the rear end.
Talked with a representative of Chevys of the 40's. They have a part number listed, #358451, but it has no price and none available at this time. However, the rep told me that
they are taking names and if enough are interested, the overseas manufacturer might fabricate them.
Thought I'd put this out there so more people would call and spur some interest to get this done. https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/

I think an average welder/fabricator could make the long curved part (hardest to find) out of channel, wouldn't be an exact replica but the whole mess is out of sight anyway. Just my 2 cents, lucky for me my truck came with the original carrier. I've been collecting these trucks for many years and know nearly impossible to find these pieces plus most got pitched long ago, as someone else stated.
Best of luck

That particular part is riveted on to the frame. Time to comb old fence rows out in the farm country.

I have a 1950 3100 which just had the one piece attached to the frame. Occasionally I would see the full assembly for sale on Ebay but the seller(s) were all asking for an amount that I wasn't ready to pay. Eventually, I started searching for people selling their truck frames and asking if they had the "slide out" under-the-bed spare tire carrier. Through Craigslist and other websites I was able to find one piece at a time and was able to piece together the right parts to assemble a 'period correct" tire carrier for my truck. Keep looking and be creative in your search!

Just so you know what parts you are looking for:

That's a very good idea! I'll look thru craigslist. Thanks.

Thanks for the picture. Chevys of the 40s shows a good picture as well.

Are you looking for period correct concourse quality restoration tire carrier?
I ask because these original carriers are a major pain to use.
That is why they are so hard to find. Most of them are in the ditch where the original owner had his very first flat tire.
A better choice would be a modern cable lift setup from a junkyard.

I also have a 49-3100 and have thought about a cable lift.
Has anyone used a modern cable lift? If so what car/truck did it come out of.
Also if pictures could be posted it would help me. Thanks

Take a close look at the reproduction. It is made quite different than the original. If you are going for originality stick with the GM parts. They do show up on Ebay from time to time. It took me nearly 2 years to accumulate all the parts.
Harold

Thanks. Only looking for a decent original or repop with intent of hopefully never using it. I keep looking at different sales sites for any leads.

I have 1953 Chev 3100 and wold like as original as possible the slide spare tire carrier is there a good outlet (used parts) where you can find one?
Thx: Keith

Hello, Kieth,

Your best bet is to post a Parts Wanted ad in the Swap Meet (here).

You posted "slide" spare tire "carrier"?

Do you mean this?

The piece mounted on my 49 comes straight back. I was kindly given the slider piece and the retainer from a member on this forum. Its a homebuilt or reproduction piece but it works fine. Its held up by a J-hook that fits in the round hole in the centre of the rear valance below the tailgate.
Little doubt when I get a flat I will put the slider in the bed until I get home - not on the side of the road. When I installed the tire I found it easier to push the whole unit up with a bottle jack.

I also have a 49-3100 and would like to mount a spare tire under the bed. Question - has anyone used a modern cable crank system for a spare tire? If so what car/truck did you get it from. Also post pictures if available. Thanks.

This is correct. The straight slider to the rear was used through 1950 and then changed to the swing-out in 51.

Done it several times. Wrote an article for Custom Classic Trucks/Hot Rod mag. It was for Panels and Burbs but works for trucks. I used a 1999 Chevy Tahoe winder. Many winders will do. The trick for Panel or Suburban was a fake trailer connector for the crank handle. Made my own crank handle. Most of the "guide parts" made from metal pieces I had laying around. You can see the crank handle in place above the bumper in one pic with the tire on it's way up. Open the chrome old school connector door and insert handle thru and into tube.

Pretty sweet Smartamos! Land baron ranchers have all the answers.

My latest 50 3600 had what was left of the sliding tire carrier still attached underneath. The channel. To that a previous owner had welded a steel flat bar about 3/8" x 3" with a bend or curve to it to make a trailer hitch. It stuck out from the bumper about 3" and had a hole bored thru it for a ball. There was a short vertical bar welded to the long bar behind and bolted to the bumper. I pulled a boat trailer with it once.

Aw shucks, thanx Carl.......

Gotta get back to the Ponderosa. (that's the back yard).