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Were all factory spare tire side mounts on 1947-1953 1/2 ton pick ups installed on the driver's side? Is a side mount with notched fender on a 1951 1/2 ton pick up on the passenger's side a home made or after market side mount?

I asked this a while back as well because I came across a passenger side fender with the spare indent. Apparently it was modified by someone who did a good job on it. Here's the discussion:
LINK

Allan,

Thanks for responding and providing the link. Great discussion.

Rod

A old Chevy truck history book says that the 53 had the spare tire mount as an option. It is on the driver side and required the fender indentation. Those boys in the 50's were pretty clever with body work. I imagine you have a customized fender, probably made with some roller tools much like the way they make
gas tanks for motorcycles . That is my guess.
Should be to hard to press it out using body tools or find a motorcycle custom shop and see what he recommends

If you have a decent right side indented fender I would save it
and opt for a steel repop. I your fender is as nice as the one
Allen posted to in his link, you could easily sell the indented
one for as much as a reproduction fender would cost you. The
left side 1/2 ton indented fenders are quite rare, I would say
a right side would be a rare as hens teeth.

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Were factory installed side spare tire mounts ever used on 1951 long bed GMC's ?
I would like to have the spare on the side but only if it were a factory option for a 51 long bed...

No

1953 and later pickup trucks.

I have a tire mount on the passenger side of my 1951 long bed. But it’s obvious it was welded to the two bed stakes after market. This was my dad’s and always had a spare on it. I don’t have one now but plan to put one on with a cover.

For those who haven't found the solution in the Tech Tip section

Modifying a Fender to add a Sidemount Spare Tire

Spare Tire Mount (Details) for a 1958 Chevrolet 3100 Stepside

Per the original sales literature..... the passenger side bed mounted carrier was avail. as a special request.

Simplex, what is the year for that illustration? 1953?
If an earlier year, what is the RPO number?

Date is clearly indicated in the upper right hand corner........ 3-25-1953

No RPO numbers are indicated on the ad.

3-25-1953

Yep - thanks (I knew that, but I wanted others to note that date)

I asked that because the original poster asked if available 47-55.

My documentation shows that side mount being available from 1953 inwards?

RPO 341 - 1953
no RPO 341 in 1952

That is correct Tim.
The first year that the side mount carrier was offered as an option was 1953.

It is interesting to note that the GMC ad also makes reference to the carrier directly fitting the 1951 & 1952 models & it was "adaptable" to fit the 1947-1950 models.


In any event....the side carrier was not offered until 1953.


.

The GMC ad says the right side carrier option is for 100-22 thru 250-22 - that's longbed 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton models. The illustration shows a longbed truck. I've seen quite a few 3600 Chevys with spare tire carriers on either side - with no fender indent.

For the 3/4 ton there would be no reason to have a fender relief because of the longer bed.

yep - for the long-bed half ton and the 3/4 and 1 ton, no need for an indent in those fenders