The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Differences in the Frame of 1/2 tons

I have a 38 Chevy pickup and am selling the entire truck or just the frame so I can take the rest of the truck with me when I move.

Am moving 2000k miles and so the pickup bed is the only free space and the cab, etc can fit but have to leave chassis behind.

ANYWAYS... Someone was considering purchasing my frame to place under his truck, but his is a 40' GMC.

I cannot seem to find my old copy of the factory service manual to check to see if it states any differences.

If anyone knows of any differences that would be wonderful, as the sooner this is cleared up the better as this truck is the only reason for delaying the move.

Hy The 38 Special, as far as I know the only difference between the Chev. and GMC frames you're asking about, is the front crossmember. In 1939 GMC started to use a new engine, their own manufacture, it featured full pressure lubrication, and was a little longer than the Chevy engine of the same era. My parts books don't list complete frames by part number, or by side rails, the books say to order those parts using serial number, so I can't confirm if there are other differences, hope that helps.

That is an exceptional help actually. He desires a completely modern running gear and my frame has a nova subframe spliced to the factory frame and he will be using a V8 and auto transmission, so as long as the wheel base is correct and the bed and cab fit it should be good!...

Do your books go off serial numbers like the tags on the cowl or the numbers off the engine block?

His is a GMC so unfortunately I do not know if his is the equivalent of a 40 chev or if GMC was completely different though I doubt it, or was a year behind like it is currently in the sheet metal department.

Hy The 38 Special, the serial number, or as it's currently called the V.I.N. [vehicle identification number] is the number that is on the tag on the cowl, and sometimes stamped on the frame above the front axle. The engine serial number, the number stamped on the pad behind distributer on the old sixes, was used in some jurisdictions as the V.I.N., but when the parts books ask for a serial number or V.I.N. they want the number off of the cowl tag, hope that helps.

yeah the vin on my title is the number off the engine which is no longer in the truck.. makes it fun to convince state patrol it is the same truck. But good to know the factory used the number on the cowl.