Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,196 Posts1,057,396 Members48,469 | | Most Online14,466 Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down with Ads! Again, thanks! | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 | Hi, I am a freshly minted big bolter having bought the '52 GMC 450 COE from Spanky. I have a few rookie questions about the big bolts. First off I plan to keep this truck nearly stock, for the near term at least. I am going to do wheel cylinders and soft hoses all around to start. I want know what type of brake fluid to use with the Hydrovac system. The manual says "Delco Super 9" and a search of this site came up with mineral oil. I want to find out what everyone is using. Also any good sources for the cylinders themselves. I am also looking for the tag for the "cab number" as the owners manual calls it. It says that the tag is "Front Side of Cowl-Left Hand Side". I spent a good half hour looking today and for the life of me I cant find the thing. I've got four other trucks around here, all AD chevys, and cant find it on them either. Anyone got a better description or pics. Thanks
1947, 1950, & 1952 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1952 GMC 450 series Cab Over Engine 1946 Chevrolet 2 Ton
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,152 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 5,152 | Open the drivers side door and look at the cowl between the hinges. You should find the serial number at the plate that should be there.
1955 1st GMC Suburban | 1954 GMC 250 trailer puller project | 1954 GMC 250 Hydra-Matic | 1954 Chevy 3100 . 1947 Chevy COE | and more... It's true. I really don't do anything but browse the Internet looking for trouble... | | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 | Thanks Old Sub, That tag I have found. The owners manual I got from Spanky shows a tag that looks to be 1/2 inch tall and 3-4 inchs long. This tag has 9 numbers stamped on it, per the pic in the owners manual. The picture in the book doesn't look like the door "jamb". Maybe this doesnt exsist on my truck. Just trying to locate everything I can and learn what I can.
1947, 1950, & 1952 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1952 GMC 450 series Cab Over Engine 1946 Chevrolet 2 Ton
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Nov 2006 Posts: 173 | ok, upon further research, I have determined that they stopped putting cab id plates on in 1949. That explains why I couldn't find them. Same thing with the frame numbers, what I thought were numbers with the flashlight last night turned out to be nothing in daylight. The reason for the question is of course a titling issue. The NC title from Spanky has "632261021" listed as the VIN. The door plate has "f452-30 1021" plus the weights and stuff. The distrubutor pad has "30217634"
It seems a might big coincidence that the title and the door plate share the last four numbers. Anyone have any idea where the first five might have come from. The 1947 owners manual with the nine digit cab number had me sure that that was it. Now I just don't know. Thanks, Scott
1947, 1950, & 1952 Chevrolet 1/2 ton 1952 GMC 450 series Cab Over Engine 1946 Chevrolet 2 Ton
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Dec 2002 Posts: 2,549 | Scott, I couldn't find that plate on my '52 470 series either, so your guess that it was discontinued in '49 may be correct. I have a 1950 , & '53 manual like I gave you, & there is no reference to the plate in question. I'm going to private message you the last two owners of the truck before me, telephone numbers so you can question them about title numbers. That "1021", in the title no., matching the "1021", on the ID tag was good enough for me, & the State of North Carolina, so I never worried about it. I purchased it 18 years ago. Catch ya later. | | |
| |