The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun VIN Discrepency and Brakes Question

Howdy!

Decided to run the VIN on my new to me '52 Chevy and found out it's a 1 ton...I tried running the VIN on my title and it didn't match up so I opened up the door jamb and tried to figure out what the tag said. Not easy with the years of grime and layers of paint!
Anyways...I haven't transferred the title yet but will be doing so this week. Should I inform the nice people at the licensing agency or just leave well enough alone?
My second question involves the brakes...After some searching here and some interwebs searching I haven't found any reference to a bolt on conversion for a dual reservoir MC for a 1 ton which is in my mind a must have. If I buy the conversion bracket I've seen in several places for a 1/2 ton to retain the stock pedal is there a MC that I can then bolt up to it to work with my stock drums? This is just an around town farm truck that will likely never exceed 45 MPH so I'd rather not get into crazy swaps to get disc all around. Just lookin' for a reasonable way to get a dual reservoir MC for safety's sake...Suggestions?

I guess I'll kinda answer one of my questions...After some more browsing I discovered (thanks to the tech section here...Doh!) that a mid 70's Chevy 1/2 ton truck MC will bolt up to one of the common adapter plates...I assume a 1 ton MC from the early to mid 70's will bolt up too. I'm not sure about using a MC meant for up front discs on a full drum rig though...Did Chevy make a full drum 1 ton with a dual reservoir MC at any time?

Hmm...I'm having an online conversation with myself! I guess I'll use this thread for rambling on as I discover new stuff...Please jump in at any time 'cause brakes are serious business...I don't wanna die man!

So...I discovered from an online Chevy specs master catalog that the bore diameter for my 1 tons MC is 1 1/4". I then did a search at Napa for 1 ton MC's and found that the bores are measured in both metric and standard...No biggie thanks to the interwebs online conversion calculators!

Unfortunately I can't search for drum or bore size...I'm assuming that if I get a MC with a close bore size that will bolt up to the aftermaket bracket that I'll be fine. I've found some MC's that are spot on or real close in bore size but their catalog just gives a part # and doesn't specify use. Weird. Still not sure about MC's used for disc and or power on a manual drum rig though...How does bore size affect the system if I'm off by a tad bit either way?

your truck does not have a vin number there was no such think when your truck was built. it has a body number and a engine number. most vehicals titled in california prior to 1955 were titled by motor number. on a original california pink slip it has body or motor number. california no longer issues pink slips they issue certificate of title and it only states vin #

OK...


Kinda the same here in WA...They use the bodies serial # as the VIN...Since that # is unique to my truck and it's listed on my title as a VIN wouldn't that in fact make it a VIN? It's not 1952 anymore...

That's not important to my quest though...Should I correct the bodies serial # (aka VIN)when licensing or leave it alone?

Thanks for your input...

Washington has rules governing your situation. If it were me I'd first transfer the title provided the number matches the motor.

Then you have two possible approaches. Go through an inspection and have the state change the title to use the serial number or advise the state that the truck used the motor number and you are removing the motor and need to change the number.

I've not tried the second approach but it is described in the Revised Code of Washington.

I have gone through the first approach and it worked fine for me.

VIN is a term with a legal definition that was implemented in the early 80's. The definition says it has a standard structure and is exactly 17 characters long.

Unless a state has assigned a VIN to your truck it doesn't have one.

The serial number IS a vehicle identification number, but it is NOT what is defined as a VIN by Federal law.

Because people don't understand that distinction and often use VIN interchangeably with serial number it is sometimes difficult to know what someone is talking about when they use the term.


Disk brakes require more fluid movement to operate so a disk master usually has a larger fluid capacity.

I'd suggest identifying a master from a '69 or '70 Chevy 1-ton pickup. Those will have a dual master and should work on the brackets available and those trucks had drum brakes.

You'll want to verify that the bore sizes are right, but I'd expect them to be close.

Thanks for the great info!

The motor is a replacement so I don't think I can go that route...Unless I yank it and lie which I'd prefer not to do. I'll ask and see what happens. The # on my title is only off by 2 digits/letters and it's certainly in the same format as the tag in the door jamb. Perhaps when the engine got swapped they changed the # on the title to the body serial # which is hard to read and messed up...Sounds probable. Wonder if I can do some kind of title search to verify....Just for shmitz and giggles.

Thanks for the info on 69-70 pickups...I was getting close to that assumption in my research after learning the 1 tons are called C30's. I was reading elsewhere that if I were to run say a 74 C30 MC (for disc) that I'd need to run a residual pressure valve if I wanted to run four wheel drums...Otherwise as the shoes wore and came out of adjustment I'd have to pump the pedal to build up pressure before the brakes would engage. Don't want any part of that action!

Guess I learned 3 things today! I have no VIN, drum brakes need residual pressure in the lines to work properly and at some point (which I haven't figured out yet) Chevy designated the 1 tons as a C30...Mines still a 3800 though right?

Thanks!

Yes. Do you have the 9' pickup bed or a flat bed?

I'm pretty sure it came with a flat bed which is no longer there...It looks like there are remnants of some hydraulic stuff near the cab so perhaps it had a dump of some sort at one time. Don't know if that would have been stock, a dealer installed option or a complete aftermarket fab. It would be nice to know though!

Cheers!

P.S. Tmater...Your truck is awesome and the '66 Fish linked in your gallery submission is cool...Wish I still had mine! Mine was a Formula S.

It is not a factory option. If you had the stuff it might be able to figure out if it were bought or fabricated, but without it I think it would be tough.