The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk frame year???

ok... here's the question. how can you tell what year a frame is? i have it narrowed down to 1950- 1954 1/2 ton frame. i want to order a brake line kit and have no idea which one to buy. are there id numbers on it? or can i measure out the rear axle to the rear brake line frame mount? please help if you have any ifo.


thanks
chris

Here's something you might do as a starter. Go to www.chevy.tocmp.com and look in the 48-51 chevrolet truck shop manual. It will have a section on frames including a diagram with critical dimensions on it. I think those frames had an id number, but i'm not sure if it cross references to an actual year or not.

There should be a vin number stamped on the left frame rail near the steering box, sometimes under the cab, too. You can decode this to get the year.

The bellhousing crossmember is different on a '54 or '55 1st than it is on a '47 to '53.

Click here for pictures that show the difference.

Hey lancaster...Got a question for ya off the beaten path. I live in York County, PA...right beside Lancaster County, PA. People from outside PA would say (Lan-Caster), where the locals would say (Lang-Kister), me included. Just curious how you would say it.

Thanks buddy,
~Ron

Need more info. I am not sure why you think the frame is different than the cab BUT...Do you have the brakes and suspension on this frame? Are the cab and fenders still on the frame? I THINK 1951 was the the last year for knee action shocks and Huck-style brakes. 1952 and up would have "modern" bendix brakes and "normal" looking shocks. The 1954 frame is almost entirely different than the 1950-53 frame, but the most noticeable difference between a 52-53 frame and a '54 frame is that it had a different type of pitman arm that did not use the "ball" end. Somebody WILL correct me if I am wrong.

Actually, '50 was the last year for Huck brakes and '49 was the last year of knee action shocks. If you are looking to order pre-fabbed brakelines, you have some decisions to make on what brakes you are going to run.

There are differences between the size of the tubing and how they were routed. For example, I know that the '50 (Huck) used mostly 3/8" lines and a single line that comes out off of the master cylinder. This single line goes to the passenger side frame rail. The front left wheel is fed from a line that T's off of the front right wheel and runs across the crossmember under the radiator. Later years T'ed out the back of the master and ran a 1/4" line to the front left wheel along the left frame rail. This is why you see a different number of lines listed in the catalogs. I believe that the later bendix brakes used 1/4" lines, but I also think that this doesn't hold true for all years. The Huck and Bendix Master cylinders also have a different bore.

I believe, but do not know for sure, that you can just pick a year for your brake system and put it in any AD frame. Most folks prefer the later Bendix system unless you are doing a total stock restore. Also look at the cost of replacement parts, (cylinders, shoes, etc.) and you will see a wide variance. Some parts are one year only.

I have a '50 truck, with '50 3/8 lines, a 54 master, '51 front bendix, (needed an 3/8 to 1/4 reducers at front rubber lines) and '59 rear Bendix. With the '59 rear axle, I had to get a longer than stock '50 rubber rear line to go from the frame to the axle. I don't rembember what year the rubber line was but it was one year only and it was pricy. The system works fine. If I had to do it over, I might go with the later style brake lines.

Finally, doesn't the '54, 55-1 frame have less of rear axle hump? (i.e. flatter than earlier frames)

Oops, I am showing my bias. I have a 3100. I just checked Lancaster's profile and he lists a 3800. What I just posted, only holds true to the 1/2 ton as far as I know. Maybe the same for a 3800, I just don't know.