The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Year of this Chevrolet truck?

http://www.pbase.com/jhfaust/image/52407723

Greetings..this was my father's old Chev truck, it still sits where he left it in 1963..some question about its age amongst family...I'm saying it's a 1949 model..correct? ( This was in Australia so it might look different than US models..)
Jim.

Jim, first off, welcome to the 'bolt!

Secondly, yes, the Chevy trucks from 1949 looked like your dad's, but they made that same body/grille style from 1947-1953.1.

The best way to find out is to pull the serial number off of the body and post it here or find an Australian VIN/Serial cruncher (or a chart) and run the number (or both). It should be located inside the driver's side door.

You could try to run the engine number if you know that the engine is original to that truck; but most of the time, they aren't original. My truck, for instance, came with an engine out of a 1949 sedan.

Good luck in your hunt!

Might be a 49, but I'll bet it ran when he parked it...

RT1

Show a picture of the doors and we can narrow it down some (provided the doors are original),
Scott

Yea.. a '49 would not have had wing vents in the doors.. that started (i think) in 1951.. but that would just narrow it down to '47 thru '50.

yes, we would like to see the rest of it. It looks like it stood up better than the shelter!

One pic. shows vent windows and turn down door handles. My understanding is that this combo was only in 1951.

Thanks for the info..I've added a few more photos of the truck to the site,link below, sorry if they don't really show easy ID views of it. Can't get the VIN-type info as the truck sits forlornly in the Australian outback and I'm living these days in Los Angeles.I'll be visiting down there next Feb' so if anyone really wants to see some detail shots for their own collection then let me know and I'll snap a few.I'd like to see it saved and restored as it has a lot of nostalgic value for me--my Dad used to let me sit on his knee and "drive" the Chev when I was little in the 1950s---but I think it's probably a lost cause.It looks like a family of wasps has moved in to keep the spiders company so may they enjoy their home in peace. Jim.

http://www.pbase.com/jhfaust/chevy

looks in better shape than a lot of trucks i've seen brought back from the dead. and considering the family history, i'd do what i could to resurrect the old thing. the major stuff is there from what the photos show.

besides, how cool would a right hand drive "bolt" be to drive around l.a.?!?

funny how the battery box (usually under the passenger floorboard) is under the driver...

JimF: 1st,A Big Welcome to The Bolt.
2nd I,m bettin that she,s an early ie low serial# 51 truck that got a 1950 leftover cab(leftside outer cowl vent) when it was built.
Trucks built outside the US could have gotten any hodgepodge that was available at the time.
Regards Steve sr.
P.S. I Vote,like the others, for bringin Her back if at all possible with your resources

I wonder where it was built - the assembly manual shows a lot of information on building right hand drive vehicles. Is it possible one or more US factories built the right hand drive models for export? I think they just changed over what had to be changed; hence the battery box was unchanged.

Well, as I said in an earlier post I'm going down to Australia in Feb '06 and I'll be heading out to the old homestead to camp out under western (Well,Western NSW) skies so I'll try and locate whatever info is still riveted to the old girl.I don't know where it would have been made but I do recall that a lot of our US-owned farm equipment was actually built in Canada.Perhaps some Aust' based Chev truck enthusiast would know more...I'd like to find out.The current owner of the farm would probably be thrilled for me to haul it away but somehow I think freight across the Pacific might be a little too $$$$ for me!

My first thought after seeing the side pic was that it was a '51, since it had vent windows AND turn down door handles.. but the turn down door handles that it has don't look like the big bulky "freezer door" handles you see on the '47 thru '51 trucks.. your handles look more like what you'd find on a '41 thru '46 truck.

AND it has the "crotch cooler" vent on the left hand side, which I thought 1950 was the last year for.

Regardless of the year, from what I can see in the pictures it looks VERY restorable.

Man, if those are wasp nests on the back window, you are really brave. If I opened the door and got that close to wasp nests, I would still be running!

Sure is a lot of bent metal on the old girl. Even the bumper is tweaked.
Scott

Get a Zippo lighter and a big can of hairspray.. thats the best way to fight flyin' critters.. with a hillbilly flamethrower!

They'll still be able to sting you, but they'll have to do it from the ground!

As to the dents...I recall that Dad wasn't one to give slow kangaroos a break. Most passenger cars at that time in the outback had pretty hefty girders welded across their fronts--as in cowcatchers on trains--to shield you from hitting one of the big 6-foot/150LBer's at 60MPH on a dark night after a few too many refreshing cans of Fosters. And now kangaroos are protected, drink-driving is an absolute no-no and the outback is full of girly Toyotas.You know,darn it man--maybe I just might restore that old beast after all....

60 mph in a 1951 chevy 1 ton, at night, with a couple of beer in ya? darn, you aussies are crazier than i thought. must have been going down hill the whole way home to get that old bolt up to that speed?!?

do it! restore that thing!

even if it takes you the rest of your life. way too much history and definitely not beyond salvaging.

fumblin, the "crotch cooler" was located on the left side in 50, but taking into consideration what brian mentioned about us/australian assemblies, it's very possible that they only changed what they needed to in order to achieve the right hand drive.

i am curious to know how they managed to get the battery box and the brake master cylinder on the same side??? is there really enough room over there or did they link it to a remote location?

just crawled under the 50 and the answer to my own question is "yes". there is room under the right side for both the battery and the master cylinder.

you might think of cutting down the wight of it by getting rid of bed and motor trans and other parts to far gone to save and get it shiped over then start your resto.just an idea for ship just cab and fenders and frount frame and graft on a new rear

Where is Classic Finn, isn't he our resident 'StovebBolt shippin' over water' expert?

-W

Hi Jim,
You're right, lots of work and money, but irreplaceable family history. Not too hard to do though, snoop the Gallery and you’ll see some bigger miracles happen. You have the vision, all parts are still available, there is no hurry, and this is lasting beauty. Irresponsible, money loosing, reconstruction, now that would be a waste of time, like this one [ http://web.shockware.com/users/rosielle/images/psn00806.jpg ], but it’s still doable. It’s a rewarding, clean fun, hobby and once you’re done with this one, we’ll find you another project in no time. Just think about it, have a look at the gallery, all perfectly normal human beings, restoring a piece of “family” history and if it wasn’t family history it will be after they are done.
You’re hooked, admitting is the hardest thing, and then the fun starts. Just get that truck in a container and start phoning around, if you can find/load another one or other goods for someone in the States it pays for itself. We have members “Down Under” that will help you find one.

Welcome at the Stovebold, you are family now.

Richard

What about that front bumper? Is that a clue? Or is it a custom truck modification?

wow. thats way too cool.and having a flatbed myself, makes me like it even more. and the rear window screen is great. as to the critters in the back window, if your a good aim, carb cleaner drops them befor they can get close.and no fire damage like with the hairspray and lighter :rolleyes: where im at, we ship things in containers to that area, and most are averaging 1100.00. just a rough figure for you but i think you could get a smaller container for that.
another thing is the duty. that can be harsh. take a lot of it apart and ship it as partsthrow in a few mis matched colored parts in with it.they want the value of everything and they have inspectors that do know prices on parts. good luck, and by all means, bring it back

Jim, Welcome to The 'Bolt.

I've seen many pics the past several years of earliers Aussie Chev trucks over the years. Most seem to have different door assemblies, even slightly different cabs. Your Dad's Old AD appears to also have Australian (New South Wales?) market specific doors. Looking closely at several of your pictures indicates window openings which are squared-off at the bottom, unlike our North American ones which have rounded corners top and bottom. The wind-wing (vent window) assemblies are different as well.

Judging by the size and shape of that front bumper and what's visible of the front wheels, that's a 1 1/2 ton flatbed. Bigger than the average half ton, but still one nice machine, well worth restoring.

Regards,
Wannabe

Thanks everyone for your help and tips with the old truck.."Wannabe" is right in his geographical location re the doors...it is in New South Wales...amazing! One further question..a few have said "AD"---what's that mean? I was really just carried away with the spirit of the whole thing when I said I was going to restore it..such a venture is way beyond me I'm afraid.When I'm down there in Feb' I'll clear some of the shed off it and take some more detailed pictures if anyone's interested. Thanks again for all the responses. Jim

AD = Advance Design

This was GM's designation for the trucks built between 47-55.1

It's too late, admit it, you already did the what if...
Don't forget to post the picture before and after, please

Richard

Interested!!!!!!! Jim I am more then interested. Will be on the east coast week after next. have been looking for a truck for a while. Pls PM or email me. Thanks.

I am suprised no one saw that there is no radio cut out at all on this truck, it doesn't even looked patched either. I say save it if at all possible. Way too cool! WD40 really knocks down the wasps too!