The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Confused on year of cab

Hey All,

I am trying to figure out what year cab is on my truck. I have researched and read many post on the subject and still run into conflicting statements.

What I have is: Frame numbers stating 1955. It is a 2nd series. It has electric wipers and factory turn signals. (I thought both of these was later-58,59- factory items.) The gas peddle is a bracket on the floorboard and a bracket on bottom of peddle joined with a pivot pin and cotter pin. The door post data plate has the 3 silver boxes at bottom for trim # paint # and(?). According to Classic Parts catalog that data plate is for 58-59. The cab also has the chrome trim around the back of the cab and side windows. The front windshield rubber has the slit for the chrome windshield trim.

What do I have? A bunch of installed options? Items added at one time or another? Is there a absolute way to identify the year of the cab?

Thanks

Stranger,

Factory-option turn signals first became available in 1954. GM accessory 2-speed windshield wipers first became available in 1954.

What are the codes on the cab data plate?

I think the frame stamping wasn't done at every plant until '56, but if you have the stamped frame number and it matches the vin on the door tag, you have the original cab - the gas pedal mount is what was used 55-57, changed in 58 when the firewall stamping changed slightly .... for the data plate, I'd discount that having any meaning, the one on my 58 doesn't match any of the 3 Carter shows, it only has 2 very narrow small data boxes, likely different plants had different suppliers various years

for the firwall difference, I'd have to examine my 58 closer compared to a buddies 56 I have stored here, but I know the main difference is a variation in the hood hinge mount bolt holes, so it'd be hard to detect there, otherwise the cabs were identical from 55.2-59 .... and you have a well-optioned truck - see list here, the options you have were available from 55 on

Bill

Thank you both, tclederman and red58!!

I had to bond my truck with the frame #255K013245 as there was no V.I.N. number on the cab. Hence most of the confusion! The Door Data Plate reviels only two sets of #s (It is badly worn and has been painted over a few times) The numbers are 234 G and
767. All of the knobs in the dash are chrome, and the front bumper was chrome also, but badly crumpled. The front fender emblems are 3200 but the truck is a short box. And the tailgate was a GMC. All this led me to believe I had some what pieced together truck. I hope my confusion was understandable!

Thanks again,

yes, it sounds like the truck was "resurrected" along the way, and the fact that it's missing the door tag may mean the cab was replaced, but it has to be a 55-57 cab with that gas pedal .... the 767 is a paint code [royal blue I think], and the 700's were used 55-58, in 59 they went to 900's according to paint sheets I have

was it V8 when you got it? the fan shroud shown in your album started in 58, I assume that came from the parts truck [rare score]? a 55 with a V8 would have had the rad set back like this .... as a NAPCO I wouldn't be surprised if the sheet metal had been trashed sometime and replaced, but judging from the "patina" it must have had a complete repaint all at once, you might watch for evidence of another color in hidden places

Bill

red58

May I be the first to say, "You are Good!" Yes, I have spotted some BLUE paint on the cab and some on the box! Yes, the fan shroud was a rare score, but from a swap meet ($5),and yes, that motor was in the truck when I got it. It's a 64 283 and purrs like a kitten! I used a racing waterpump 4 inch nose extension to get the fan closer to the radiator. Your right again, as it was completely repainted at one time and kinda had a custom headliner (see "Distraction" Greasy spoon) in it! With all you have informed me, I will go with a 55-57 cab and feel comfortable with the turn signals and other stuff now!!!

Thanks again,

Stranger,

Red has, as usual, given you the useful information.

I hope you do not mind me adding the following information (even if it is repetitive):

If that frame code (255K013245) was taken from the original Vehicle Serial Number (VSN), it would be the code from a 2nd series 1955 truck assembled in Kansas City. In 1955, in USA trucks with regular cabs, the VSN code would have been on the plate that was on the door pillar. There would also have been a prefix letter that indicated the truck series/model.

Here is a link the Specifications Manual that can be obtained from the GM Heritage website (it is a large download).

234 G is the paint code for Empire Blue (with Bombay Ivory wheel stripe)

I cannot find a 767 code, but if that code is 267, it is a rear spring option number (it might be another paint code as Bill posted, but I cannot find it in the Specifications Manual or in the Truck Data Book).

tclederman,

I will gladly take and use any information I can get! Repetitive, or not! Any and all information is usefull when your not exactly positive on the what or how of whatever your working on! Believe me, this question and these answers, have given me a bunch of knowledge, of things I did not know before about my truck!

Thanks again,

odd about the resto spec PDF's, there are no 200 numbers shown on any 55-59 truck chip sheet I've ever seen, all 700's except '59 - the 2nd number on the tag is a trim code & 200's are also RPO numbers

aside from that PDF including the AD specs for the 2nd half, the scanned page 102 [PDF page 45] shows all colors being RPO #243 [no wheel stripe color] I'd go with 243 being a trim [RPO]code, and the 767 being the specific paint color .... probably took until 56 for them to get things reorganized, and of course the restoration packs are what someone was able to collect .... the 56 PDF doesn't give any paint code numbers, but lists both Empire Blue and Regal Blue, wheels black standard or upper body color for 2 tones, which I believe applied from 55.2-59

none of the other TF resto-paks show paint code numbers, the 58 doesn't even list the names, which is why I use paint chip sheets, mostly Dupont, which only shows 767 on the '57 sheet, but most of their sheets cite colors as "carried over from previous production"

Bill

I do not know what the "AD specs for the 2nd half" refers to. As I posted above, I took information from the 1955 SPECIFICATIONS - TRUCK 1955-2ND, and from the 1955-2ND TRUCK DATA BOOK (Task-Force Trucks).

The 1955-2ND TRUCK DATA BOOK SPECIFICATIONS CATALOG FOR CHEVROLET SALESMEN August 2, 1955 (book title is all upper-case) shows each of the 13 different single-color paint codes for the 1955 Task Force trucks.

234 G is Empire Blue

443 L through M were Two-Tone color combinations for 1955-2nd

Page 102 in the CHEVROLET 1955 SPECIFICATIONS - TRUCK states that the wheels were black on all single color trucks (no wheel stripes), but the wheels were painted lower body color on Two-Tone trucks (not the upper color, Bombay Ivory).

Bombay Ivory is shown as the Wheel Stripe Color for all Two-Tone models, except for Commercial Red, which used Argent Red (the red bled through Bombay Ivory).

The grill was painted Bombay Ivory and the De Luxe Cab interior was painted Havana Beige.

Regal Blue was not available in 1955, but it was available in 1956.
Empire Blue and Crystal Blue were also available in 1956.

Tim, the 2nd half of the PDF for 55 2nd covers all the [55.1?] AD specs, that is, it's both years combined .... and still, the number 243 is listed [under both series info] as an RPO, not a paint code per se, although I guess your Salesmens Data book expands on that with the G, but as I pointed out, all paint chip sheets show TF colors as 700 numbers, which is the other number on Franks truck, and his data plate shows "trim" and "paint" numbers [which doesn't match Carters repros for 55 OR 56/7] I'd suspect the data plates were not uniform across plants, and not as reproduced, and that some published info in that "turbulent time" just repeated the previous years details

does the Salesmens book list trim codes?

Bill

Hey Bill and Tim,

I'm really wishing now that I had some more concrete evidence of what year cab this was exactly! It seems with the original V.I.N. tag missing, we may get within a couple years of what it could have been. (Are there any other places on the truck I could look for evidence to "get closer"?) As Bill stated and I believe, this truck may have been "ressurrected".

I found a paragraph in "Who built the first 4x4" that states: It's not easy finding one that is restored correctly. So many were built over the years, so many running improvements were made, and so many were kept alive for so long on the streangth of boneyard finds, that a '57 truck could be wearing a '55 grill and have '59 mechanical bits under it. Additionally, these are a favorite with the hot-rodding crowd, were orginality means far less than sheer cool. As always, caveat emptor.

With that being stated, unless you have a truck that has been in the family since new, or pulled out of a barn after a 40 year nap, or just really lucky, and they are complete and untouched....... close to original, is about as good as it's gonna get. Then you have to add personal preferance, a whole nother can o worms! HA Ha!

If when I'm done with "Maters Cousin" I can honestly say, "Yes, these were options available on this truck at that time, I added that which was not, and I like this two-tone paint." I will be happy! Yes, I like the knowledge and true facts (Or else I would not be asking questions!) Some, I can incorperate into the truck
and some, I have to work with what I have, or can obtain.

You two have provided much knowledge from personal and articles I have never heard of or might never have come across, all very valuable! Still, I have so many questions!

Thanks again,

Bill, I do not understand your use of the term "paint code" per se

The 1955-2nd, 1956, and 1957 Task Force Truck Data Books all provide RPO 234 letter codes for all exterior colors, and all three TDBs provide paint codes (Dupont Dulux paint codes and Combination Numbers). I do not see trim codes in the TDBs or in the Specifications Manuals for any of those years.

Do you see trim codes in any of those years' Specifications Manuals (on what pages)?

It looks to me that Dupont used the following Combination Numbers on paint COLOR BULLETINS:
500s as Comb. Nos. in 1954 (BULLETIN 26)
600s as Comb. Nos. for 1955-1st (BULLETIN 27)
????? 1955-2nd (I'll look for a paint sheet) - probably the same as 1956
700s as Comb. Nos. for 1956 (BULLETIN 28A), 1957 (BULLETIN 29), and 1958 (BULLETIN 30)
900s as Comb. Nos. for 1959 (BULLETIN 31)

Tim, paint codes on the truck data plates and on Dupont chip sheets use 700 numbers, which is what I mean by 'paint codes per se', as opposed to RPO #s, which were a GM internal thing - Dupont used the paint codes on their info so body shops could find the color they wanted from the paint code on the data plate .... I've never seen any list of trim codes for trucks anywhere, that's why I asked about them

I don't have a Dupont sheet for 55 [Ditzler, with no codes], but all the other sheets I have use 700 numbers for all colors, solid [=A] or 2 tone [B, D, E, and for Fleetsides only, J & K] - one 59 sheet uses the 900's but it also states they're for Corvettes & trucks, others I have show 700 numbers, so 59 may have started cars & trucks using the same codes and it may not have happened at all plants at once

Frank, I'll look at my firewall again tomorrow, but the gas pedal mount you describe has to be 55-57, it changed in 58 to a 'flap' on the pedal that screws to the floor - otherwise there really is no difference in the cab shells

Bill

Hey Bill and Tim,

While on the topic of paint codes, is there a location of a site
that I could look at colors and codes of '55? I know the truck had an original factory color and has been painted at least twice in its life, hence the green that is on it now.

When I'm ready to paint, I am thinking of a light creamy gray
(Wet gray primer?)body with a medium gray band around center of cab (Between chrome mouldings) and medium gray rims. The inside of the cab will be the light gray as seen in photobucket pic of headliner. Was anything close to these colors offered as factory colors in '55?

As far as the year of the cab, I am satisfied with the gas peddle reasoning of '55-57. I would guess no less original than if I would have replaced the cab with a new replacement cab and probably more original as it was actually made in the right time frame! I guess it comes down to how perfect you want to get!

Thanks again,

2 places I know of with Ditzler sheets: one not very good and one better on the first page, but still Ditzler

Tim has scans of his sheets here, I forgot about those for 55

then there's this very comprehensive site - note I set up '56, which shows the codes and includes a gray [click the 723 code and it'll go to variations of that code for other years], select the 1955 at the bottom and then select 'chevy truck' at the top of the next page to get '55, no codes shown, and no gray .... if you click about, you can find 767 as Royal Blue for '57, and it shows that as the only year the number was used, although you never know

Bill

Stranger,

I will try to remember to scan and post some new paint chip sheets for 1955-2nd and 1956. I will not be able to do this until tonight or tomorrow.

These are chips that have not see the light of day (almost), that are inside Truck Data Books. Still, paint chip colors were never perfect when new, deteriorate over time, and get distorted by scanning and by displaying on a monitor.

Bill and Tim,

This is getting repetitive (as far as THANK YOU goes) I will THANK YOU both again! I hope the other readers are following, that the main topic is still in play, as by determining the original paint color on the truck (with the Door Data Plate numbers) and cross referancing with the years that color was available will, more closely if not exactly, determine the year of the cab!

My wanting to know if (Shades of gray) were available in that year is simply in keeping true to colors of the time. Though not authenic to the truck, time period correct. Maybe also imagining, if I bought the truck new, the color(s) I would of picked!

I have learned more in the last 2 or 3 days of determining factors, numbers, and options of this truck than I have knew or found out about in the 2 years I have owned the truck! Very valueable information, my hats off to the both of you for your responces!

Again, Thank you again,