The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun What is truly unique on a 1-ton?

What makes a 1-ton different?

We all know the cab, fenders, grill and hood are the same as smaller trucks. The motor and transmission are the same.

The frame is very similar to a 4100 but the 3800/250 does not have the bumper extentions for the big truck bumper.

The driveline is fully open on all years (is it?), and the axle ratio is 5.14 with big brakes.

What comes to your mind as making a 1-ton unique?

For 48-53
The front bumper resembles the 1/2 ton but is a lot thicker, about 1/4" thick.
9' bed if a pickup.
If dual wheel the 18" wheels are a 1 ton only item
The axles/brakes are pretty much 1 ton only.

Sitting beside a 1/2 ton a 1 ton pickup looks like a real truck.

Grigg

On the 65, I think the cab mounts are different (although the 3/4 may be the same), the rear leaf springs are different (ditto 3/4), the dually dif (ditto 3/4), and cab and chassy option (ditto 3/4). Like I said, I think.

But the real reasons they are different are;
Cooler daily driver than the 1/2 ton.
More practical daily driver than the big bolts.
Mine is a 1 ton.

anyone want to buy my 1 ton parts??!!ha ha iam good looking and a real man,but, i wish my one ton score was a 1/2 ton...now hold on before you get all upset with me,the reason for my statement is because although i was originally searching for a 1/2 ton i came across a real gem which happened to be a 1 ton and it was an opportuniy that no AD enthusiast would have passed on, especially the 9' lovers!! i will be building a 1/2 ton short box so that i can fit it into my garage.but i sure do think that 9'2"box is pretty cool.

Drive the parts out to me, I will accept them.

tyler,

Which part of Sunny Alberta are you in? If within reasonable distance, I may be interested in some of the parts.

Lane

hey lane,i'm south edmonton,what parts do you need?unfortunately i'll be driving it next summer as is but after that i will be doing a 1/2 ton swap and will have a 9'box and a chassis for grabs.i have 5 17" splits if you are interested(4 rough hub caps too!)let me know.sounds like there is a few bolters in our area,we should do a meet next summer.

tyler

Hey guys, you've hijacked my thread

How about moving the parts dialog into the swap meet or a PM dialog, and arranging a meet in the forum set aside for that. You'll probably find more local members there that way anyway.

Aren't there more/wider springs on the 1-tons as well?

Whether it's a '48 or a '68 - these trucks have all earned their keep, and kept on giving. Then, when people look to restore a truck, the 1 ton is almost always passed over for the 1/2 ton. I can't count how many times have I've scoffed at an overloaded 1/2 ton, but grunted approvingly at a fully loaded 1 ton just doing it's job.

I only looked up '54 Chevy and a '54 3800 has one fewer leaf, but the leafs are thicker and wider than the 1/2- and 3/4-ton trucks.

'54 Chevy Resto Pack

48-53 1 ton trucks have 2" wide rear springs, 1.5 and 2 tons are 2.5" wide, what are 3/4 ton?

Grigg

If they are the same as '54, they are 2".

What year did Chevrolet start making the 1 ton? I thought it was first in the dual wheel panel truck, then brought to the pickups. Either way, the 1 ton crosses through every model change from at least '48 through '72.

Back in the early 40's (or late 30's?) didn't they even make a dual wheel 1 ton pickup?

The 1937 resto pack lists both 1/2- and 1-1/2 ton trucks, but no other trucks. The 1938 resto pack lists 1/2-, 3/4-, 1- and 1-1/2 ton trucks.

Based on that data I'd say 1938 was the first 1-ton Chevrolet. Or at least I'd suggest they have been made since 1938, perhaps a 1-ton was made earlier and the series discontinued for some time.

Some of this stuff happened before I was born...

I don't think I saw mentioned that little emblem on the side that says 10/20/30 (for my 60-66 era).

I don't know if I'm right or not but I seem to remember that options were different. Like the velvet dice from the rear view mirror (you know what I really mean, A/C, radio/interior package)

The 1-ton Chevrolet would say 30 1960 through 1972 after which we at the Stovebolt officially quit paying attention.

I'm not sure how GMC marked 1-tons in that era. Was it the same? I feel like I've seen the 1500/2500/3500 markings on trucks of that era and I assume they were GMC's.

The '47-'59 Chevrolet 1-ton's are 3800 and the GMC's are 250.

I've no idea how Art Deco trucks are marked either. Can anyone add that information?

Grigg -- Not sure about the earlier years, but here's a photo of Jim Carter's restored '46 factory 1-ton DRW express I took at the All Truck Nats last September. Mike Taylor took me for a ride in it to a suitable photo op location and it is a really neat truck.

If any one is interested, I will post the other images I took of the truck that day that show the unique fenders and running boards. Other than that (and the axle ... ), all the other pieces seemed to be the same as the "normal" 1-ton express.

John

I'm always interested in pictures of old trucks and 1-tons are my favorites! John please post them!

On a 64-66 1T GMC W/custom trim that I salvaged all the parts from, there was a brake pedal pad that said "POWER BRAKE". I've never seen another one, altough a member here said he found one on another GMC one ton. It's now on my 64 Suburban.

For the AD 1 Tons, the front bumper mounting is different. For the pickup, the mount is one bar that bolts to the frame and goes across the front. The panel uses a multi piece assembly that has a similar result. My 1 Ton had extra braces from the front fender well to the frame. I assume that this is to handle the harder ride. They appeared to be there from the factory.

And actually their are some unique castings riveted to the front of the frame to mount that bar.

And a 1-ton front bumper is made of much tougher material than the lighter trucks.

I found a 1 ton locally but there isn't a panel on her that isn't rusted, rotted, or through. Even the spare tire carrier is rusted through. I just love that 9+' bed. My boys tell be to buy her...I've got another cab...What to do, what to do...

You can see a few pictures here: http://s194.photobucket.com/albums/z198/Danimal_9395/

Dan that's not unique to 1-tons! LOL!

I think there is only one possible answer to your dilemma. But it.

But be careful, last I counted I have more than a dozen old trucks of various shapes and sizes.

I'm down to 5, OldSub. I want it but I just can't. If I had the truck I just sold, I would have had enough to fix it so...I'd have to buy 2 and the parts truck would be fixable so then I'd have to get another for parts...then I'd be where you are!!

what about a 1970 one ton with factory 19.5's on it and 6.17 posi gearing and cab and chassis.45k orig milage on it and a no -rot cab and floor boards.cool right!

Hey old sub,did you mean to say "loco"? Just curious.

Roy

More trucks is more better. That's my motto and I'm sticking with it!

my 40 250 is a semi enclosed driveline that being closed from the tranny to the carrier bearing then open the rest of the way with 4.56 axle. with a timkin split rear with duals

i dont know if it makes it unique but i havent see any except one on ebay sometime ago but i have 16" split wheels with a six bolt pattern.

Until you get to the Timkin rear it sounds just like a 3/4-ton of a few years later.

Any idea when the change over to fully open drive occured? I had a '50 1-ton that I know was fully open.

[quote=OldSub
Any idea when the change over to fully open drive occured? I had a '50 1-ton that I know was fully open. [/quote] i saw a 250 on ebay some time ago it had a 9' box with duals. the seller had lots of pics so i snagged a copy for future reference. what caught my eye at first was the 6 bolt wheel which was the same as mine. what then really caught my eye was the rear it had a third member which then inspired me to hopefully find the same thing someday but still havent. the plate reads EC252. i think that is the rear im looking for to reatain that 6 bolt pattern then do a gear swap. as for if the drive line is totally open or not i cant tell by the pic i have but if you want il send you the file it contains 58 pics of the truck and maybe you can tell. its a real nice truck

[quote=51 ashton the plate reads EC252. [/quote]

i ran that through your decoder and it didnt come back with a stated year.

It's a '46 1-ton with a 228 and a 134-1/2 inch wheel base.

So many of the years that start with a pair of letters require a production number to determine the year that my tool requires the full serial number to be able to be sure what its looking at. E is actually the only letter that when used as the first character means only one specific year. I've no idea why GMC did things the screwy way they did.

EC252001 thru EC2522701 were all made in '46. Put in the whole number and my tool should get the year right but the wheelbase wrong.

These six-lug wheels, are they similar to what is on the later 1/2-ton trucks, or more like what are on the larger trucks?

A '46 Chevy 1-ton appears (from the resto pack) to have an Eaton HO72 with 5.13 gears and 8-lug hubs. A '42 Chevy 1-ton appears to be a different rear with 4.55 gears and 10-lug hubs on the back.

I don't have an easy source for details like these on a GMC.

the six lug are like the larger trucks.
after looking at one of the pics it appears that drive line is open all the way with a carrier. i cant tell if its original or coverted some time after but the rear cover had the correct logo for the period.

I know GMC often used different axles, hubs and wheels than Chevrolet on larger trucks but I don't have any real knowledge of what, when and why.

The serial says its a '46 while you've called it a '40 and looking at the pictures I'd be inclined to call it a '40 too. However, I suspect GMC used the '40 sheetmetal and grill on some trucks as late as 1946 and possibly even 1947.

I'm guessing here based on what I know they did in other years with other series of trucks, but it would fit the GMC pattern.

So what about this truck is unique to a 1-ton versus unique to a GMC? I wish I had all the answers to that question...

the EC252 is the one that was posted on ebay which has the 41-46 look.

mine is a AC 252. sorry if i confused you. i send the file with the pics later it's only 1.5 m

I'd like to see those pics. Sorry I got confused, it wasn't the first time and unfortunately won't be the last!

Well, One Tonners rock!
Oh & they have the old lever type E-Brake (My truck has this)
You guys got galleries....I made a thread to have someone make one, but no one did...

Is this what you're asking for?
http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery.htm
You'll find the link at the very top of any forum page.

I'm not so sure a lever or a pedal for the emergency brake is a distinguishing 1 ton feature? might be for a few years? but not for all.

Grigg