The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 53 vs 54 engine mount (pic)

Got a picture of my rear engine mount today....

Looks like an angled motor mount to me so chassis is 54 right?

I've never seen the other mount in person so I would be thankful for another set of experienced eyes...

Picture is taken from over the front axle looking rearward.

PIC

That is a 1954 style mount the earlier style is significantly different.

I'd say your truck is all 54. I agree with Brad the rear engine mount is 54-style.
The illustration on this page is a view from the right rear.
The 53 and older mount looks like this illustration which is looking down onto the frame & crossmember. The crosmember is flat where the mounts are.

So the good news is my truck is all 54! That's what i was hoping!

The bad news is:

The cab is 54 2 ton
The engine is 54 half ton
The chassis is 54 1-ton

The registration is...... 53!?!?!?!? DOH!
(number on the registration is LEA758135)

I think LEA is a 1953 6000-series (2-ton) Flint-built 235 "Loadmaster" engine serial prefix... So if that is correct you have a 235 with 18 head bolts, a 216-style valve cover with 2 acorn nuts on top, short side cover, cast iron pistons, solid lifters and the last 235s with babbited rods, oil dippers and spray nozzles in the pan.

Actually i think even the head is 54.

The LEA number was only on the paperwork and i have not found it on the truck... so i don't have a bill of sale or registration that actually matches anything. that's my concern.

previous owner must have swapped engine and cab. but even the engine before that must not have been original because the chassis is a 54.

and on top of that the cab apparently has a 53 serial number but is unmistakably a 54.... cab number is X53T 05768.

HELP ME!!!!!! HA!

A lot can and does happen in 58 years... So many trucks out there are a collection of various parts and pieces...

I suggest you contact your state's Vehicle Licensing Agency/DMV/whatever it's called and ask what you can do. Take the position that the VIN on the title is apparently a previous/original engine serial number and that the engine has been replaced.

Can you get the seller to make a notarized statement/affidavit about the status of the title...?
I bought a 50 3/4-ton in Missouri in 99 that had the original engine serial as the VIN on the title - and that engine had been replaced with a V8 15 or 20 years earlier. The seller didnt even know the number was wrong. Missouri had a form that he filled out, then I had no trouble getting it titled with the body serial as VIN in KY.

Good luck!

What would the affidavit say? you mean that he swapped the engine? ( i think it was before him) or just that the registration and truck are one in the same? no title in NY before 72 or something so you have to work off a transferable registration.

my only concern about telling dmv that engine was swapped ( which i sure must be the case) is it will end up registered as a 53 even though its a 54. but i read that some really 54's sod in 53 ended up registered by the sale date...

Well in my case the seller had owned the truck for 12 years, and it already had a V8. He just stated that he had owned the truck that amount of time and had never questioned the VIN.

Tj_M,

Do you have a bill of sale that states a price and a vehicle ID ( any type of ID)?

I ask the seller to give me a signed and dated letter that includes the selling price and an engine ID and a cab/vehicle ID?

Do you have an old registration or title with an ID (any type of ID)?

NYS DMV will need a bill of sale - to be able to charge you tax. They have given me the choice of registering based on engine ID or on body/cab ID.

NYS does not know or care how it was formerly registered. They have no records prior to 1972 and have no way to check for original IDs.

Send me Private Message and I will talk you through the process.

I was pleased and surprised by how helpful the DMV people are and how logical the historic vehicle registration process is in NY.

sent! thanks