The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Front fender swap 49-55 chevy panel

Hi guys my quiestions is I have a 49 chevy panel and I also have a 55 chevy panel 1 st series with the front fenders and hood swap or do I have to stick with the 55 front end??? Just wondering Thanks Jeff

The parts will swap. People will know what you've done and some of us, like me, will think you've made a mistake.

Front fenders, hood, AND grill?

Thank You the reason I may swap them the 55 stuff is junk and the 49 stuff is goog but the body on the 49 is shot

Hey fire12 - Are you saying you want to put the '49 nose on to the '55 1st series? It will fit and you don't need to swap the hood unless you want to. Be sure that you also use the lower radiator splash pan and brackets, from the '49, that bolt up to the core support and to the bottom of the grille.

If you still have that old 54 stuff, I'm in MI and would dig through it! One man's junk...

let me know what your looking for i do have alot left 269-876-0173 Thanks Jeff

Private buying and selling should be done in a Private Message (or via email). Public buying and selling should take place in the Swap Meet.

Point taken.

I have 54 CHEV. PANEL I AM GOING TO USE THE FENDERS FROM A 49 BUT KEEP THE 54 GRILL.I PLAN TO WELD IN THE SMALL CURUVE JUST BELOW THE HEADLIGHT AND CUT HOLES IN THE PARKLIGHT AREA TO ACCOMADATE THE LIGHT SCOKET.HAS ANYBODY DONE THIS ? ANY THING ELSE I SHOULD CONSIDER? WOULD LOVE TO SEE A PIC OF THE PARKLIGHT AREA?

You'll need to cut out the parking light recess from the '54 fenders and weld them into the '49 fenders. Measure the location and cut holes in the '49 fenders to weld the recesses into. Round off the top left and right corners of the '49 fenders grille opening (weld in sheet metal as needed) to accommodate the rounded top edges of the '54 grille. Drill a bunch of 1/2" holes to mount the '54 grille to the front of the fenders. Do away with the '49 grille inner lower splash pan. The '54 grille has the inner lower splash pan as part of the grille. The hood latch pan will need some new holes drilled to mount to the upper grille bar. It's not exactly the same as the '49 but close enough. You'll see what I mean when you mock up the upper pan location. The hood latch and hood from the '49 or '54 will work. The front pan that goes between the bumper and grille will need to be from the '54, the '49 pan won't fit with the '54 grille.

THANKS WBROWNE FOR THE DETAIL I HAVE ALL THE PARTS I NEED EXCEPT THE PARKLIGHT RECESS FROM THE 54 FENDERS. I WAS HOPING TO JUST BOLT ON THE PARKLIGHT HOUSING RIGHT TO THE FENDER.I THOUGHT THAT WITH A LITTLE TWEEKING OF THE NUT CLIPS ON THE BACK OF THE HOUSING AND GRILL I WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL THEM IN FLUSH WITH THE FENDER.WHAT DO YOU THINK?

You'll have to cut holes in the'49 fenders for the back of the '54 parking light housings.
The '54 grille won't mount flush to the '49 fenders, because the parking light housings extend beyond the rear mounting surface of the grille.

A friend put a 1947/53 fender on his 55 GMC suburban until I found him the correct fender. He did not weld in the rounded corner for the grille and the body shop pounded a recess in the fender, drilled a few mounting holes and he drove it like that for twenty years. I did not notice until he pointed the grille opening differences.

The length is different on the 54/55S1 than the 47/53 fenders at the front. One goes down lower than the other in front of the tire.

If you want pictures of the 54 pocket, let me know and I'll shoot some. I've got a spare fender here not mounted to anything.

Here's a picture of a 54/5 fender. How close are you to Langley? There's a guy there that may have the 54/5 fenders. Let me know and i will send you his contact info.

THANKS BUT I'M NOT VERY CLOSE TO LANGLEY, I LIVE ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE MOST EASTERLY POINT IN NORTH AMERICA.

Hey laybacklenny - Are you in Nova Scotia? -wbrowne

NO i am in Newfoundland,10 miles from Cape Spear witch is the most easterly point in N.A. I know i am drifting from the point of this forum but just to let you younger fellas know and say thanks to any older fellas who might have served here.The US.Military along with Canada had a outpost at Cape Spear during WW 2 as a front line of defence for North America.Along with several Bases around the island.
Thanks