The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Spare tire apparatus for my 49 Panel.

So, underneath the back of my beloved bus, is a sort of ramp. What the heck is my spare carrier supposed to look like?

I realize a picture would help my cause here, and I'l take one for tomorrow.

I don't even have a spare rim right now, but I came to the sudden realization that i'd better figure this out before I put a trailer hitch on. I wouldn't feel too cool if I couldn't put the spare up there, if I stuck the hitch in the way.

Yeah, I'd read that when I did a search. I do try and search things instead of driving you guys nuts. What I have doesn't look like what's pictured, but it could be, that I just don't make the connection in my brain.

Here's a crappy picture of what I've got under my truck. I'll take a better one tomorrow. I've got this part that runs fore and aft. And I do have that mystery hole in the back of my truck, next to the barn door latches.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd45/HomeCrafter/IMGP1587-1.jpg

You have one piece of the original pre-1951 tire carrier.



Pre-1951 Rear sill

underneath view (barn door equipped)

Ahh okay. I was confused, as Chevs of the 40s lists just one type, and the filling station lists a separate kind of the panel trucks and suburbans.

Frankly, they all cost far more than I'm willing to pay right now. I just don't want to put my hitch in the way of the tire's future home. Might not have a choice though.

Thanks.

My 48 burb came with dual exhausts and a trailer hitch that completely occupied the space of the original spare tire carrier. The hitch was welded to the frame. I cut and ground off the trailer hitch and removed the exhaust pipes. Starting from the same point that you are at, Christopher, I added the original spare tire carrier from my pickup (with spare tire) as a reference to use when running a replacement single exhaust pipe. You are correct to be concerned about a trailer hitch crowding out your spare. The mystery hole is to accomodate the top nut of a threaded rod that holds up the tongue of the spare tire holder. It serves the same function as the spare tire hook that fits into a hole in the rear bed sill of a pickup. You could easily fabricate one by grinding the rounded contour of the inside of the mystery hole onto the bottom of a large nut threaded the same as a 5-6" stud. 1/2-13 I think. Add a washer and another nut to the bottom of the stud and there's your mystery hole to spare tire holder connection. Unfortunately I don't have a digital camera so I can't snap a photo. I valued the stock spare tire carrier over the trailer hitch but I think that you are correct that it's one or the other. Good luck! Dave