The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 1953 Chevy Panel Truck (Not a Suburban)

Goodevening to all who are out there!! I'm looking at a 1953 Chevy Panel Truck That has factory installed glass on the sides much like a Suburban, but the glass is fixed and appears to use the same type of window channel rubber as the windshield. The truck is totally original as the current owners father bought it back in 1953 for his plumbing business. I have seen side glass similar to this installation on long wheel base school buses.Is it more valuable like this,as a rare model work van or is it worth less because it's basically a panel with holes cut in the sides? By the way, it's a short wheel base 1/2 ton. Thanks, Steve

Looking for info on a 53' 1/2 ton panel with factory installed "fixed" side windows. It is not a Suburban,the owners father bought it new for his plumbing business and the "fixed" side windows are original.

Its doubtful the truck came from the factory with fixed side windows. They were probably done aftermarket by a conversion company, or the dealer.
There was another member here a couple weeks ago with sort of the same thing.

As Marty posted, GM did not make those conversion panels, but a dealer could have ordered the conversion panel from another company. So, the owner's father could have easily bought the vehicle from the dealer. The dealer had a Silver Book (Special Equipment for Chevrolet Trucks) which they showed customers who were interested in a specially-equipped truck (a non-stock truck). The kind of conversion you are describing has been described by others for use as ambulances, logging-crew trucks, military-crew trucks, and school buses.

If you are interested in seeing illustrations from a Silver Book, I'll scan and post a few pages from an early-50s edition.

can you post a link to some pictures?