I’m starting this build journal less to educate you and more to be educated. This place is a wealth of knowledge and just from my intro thread I’ve already learned so much. I bought this truck from a family who had bought it as a parts truck to build another ‘47 about 25 years ago. They pulled some sheet metal and parked the rest. I originally made an offer based on it just being a rolling chassis and cab, having no knowledge of the drivetrain. Since I brought it home I’ve realized the engine will probably run so I’ve decided to keep what I thought was the stock running gear. Then it was pointed out to me that the engine is not original but a 235. The body has a lot less rust than I expected. Bottom of driver door has a rust line, front cab corners behind fenders have rust. The rest of the cab is surprisingly solid. (Floor panel removed, not rusted out) Back of cab separated from floor, but not rusted, just broke? Gas tank looks good outside but strong smell of varnish, I’m not ready to open it yet. Every nut, bolt, or screw on this truck I’ve been able to easily free. It’s the oldest vehicle I’ve ever owned and I’m excited to start the build. How will I build? Traditional of course, not a restoration, just save it and make it solid. Get it titled, then running, then add parts along the way until I have a whole truck. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Here’s my intro thread: I’m Justin and I just bought an early 47 Chevy https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...-and-I-just-bought-an-early-47-Chevy.1192893/ Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Subscribed....interested in seeing how that 235 comes back to life. I had a thread back a couple of years ago....check it out....it has some other stuff in it, but mostly it was starting a 235 that had been in a field for 25+ years. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/waking-up-a-sleeping-51-chevy-235.1073929/
.5 - clean up what’s there superficially 1 - get title 2 - make drive 3 - add parts as it’s able to drive More numbers Finish line - survivor looking truck, a little low, a little loud, a lot of head turning. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Make it Stop, Make it Go, Make it Cool....in that order. I had a '46 that had already had Jag IFS and IRS installed along with a 350/350 combo. It was cool but not the truck of my dreams so I sold it to buy my avatar '55.2...which is no longer HAMB friendly. Personal opinion but I think you're better off with the 235 if it's a later one with full oil pressure than the original 216. Can't wait to see what you do with it! Keep the pics coming.
They are cool trucks. I had a 46 Chevrolet big wrecker a few years back..it was alot of fun. Have fun with yours. Sent from my SM-T387V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks guys, my kids (10, 13, and 16) all love old trucks, they helped some when I was building my off-topic truck years ago but they were so young it was more of a photo op, so now they can have a bigger hand in it.
I see PPE on 2 out of three children, you need to get after the youngest! Good on you for getting them involved.
Yeah, it’s amazing they lived these last 7 years since then. Haha I did cringe when I saw my son face level with that wire brush and no glasses.
Okay, maybe someone can help me with this. Since this truck is an early 47, it’s weird looking for information online because when I look at 47 stuff it’s pretty much always AD stuff. I found this VIN decoder: When I finally found out where the VIN plate actually was on my truck (not where most sites said it was) and managed to barely read the numbers, it comes out like this: 14DP - F xxxx 14 is Baltimore, seems legit since this was a Virginia truck D is not listed on that decoder, but E is 1947 so I assume D would be 1946 P is half ton, and this truck is 1/2 ton And F is June, so June 1946, because June 47 wouldn’t be an AK truck. So am I correct in how I decoded or is there a different decoder for this year?
that is a late 46 truck maybe titled as a 47. the back of the cab is spot welded to the floor they don't usually break loose except rusting off. the usual bad spot on these trucks is on the back of the cab where the top and the bottom over lap and spot welded together.
Your trans is a '41-'47 pickup & light duty commercial 3 speed. You could say it's the old Chevy guy's equivalent to the flathead lover's '39 Ford. They're used with a '38- '47 truck bellhousing. Insides are same as '40 up pass. car, but use a roller bearing cluster. During the '40s & early '50s , Warshawsky & J.C. Whitney sold them with the bellhousing as "heavy duty replacement" for '40-'48 cars. Today, they're real scarce in farm country.
Good luck with the build and just use 41-46 when searching, it'll be easier on you than searching 47, since you are going to keep it stockish I'll show a photo of mine when it was all stock.
I’ve been away from the forum for a while because I’m mostly working on bicycles making more money for the truck. My brother-in-law gave me a set of 16” Toyota 4Runner wheels just to make it roll since 2 of my wheels maybe more wont hold a tire due to rust. We grabbed some old tires from dad’s pile and used his tire machine to mount them. Got home and as suspected the backspacing was all wrong the fronts can’t be tightened on without hitting the steering arms bad. So it won’t roll but it’s not on flats anymore. So I decided to just go ahead and buy some wheels, got these 17x8 smoothies from Jegs in raw steel finish. Grey primer, red oxide primer, brown and black, and then Ivory topcoat. I will sand them to the under layers to make them seem old. Will mount tires when I get home from Lancaster, PA.
While here in PA I picked up some sheetmetal. I might make some people upset but I was never in love with the 41-47 front end. So I am going a little different. I picked up hood, hood sides, fenders, and running boards from a 1939 Chevy. I don’t know how you guys feel about this, but the the cab is the same and the metal fits, I’m pretty excited about this front end and think I got a decent deal. Still need a grille support.
Thanks. I’ve got my eye on a 38 Chevy “doghouse” or whatever you call the radiator support sheetmetal that holds the grille. That would give me something on the front to hold the fenders. Looks like the earlier grille doesn’t have straight sides like the 39-40.
Engine is a late model 235 or if you are super lucky a 261. It will have 'captain's bars' on the left side of the block if it is a 261 like this II. Of all the engines that will bolt up to the original chassis and bellhousing you have one of the best with full pressure lubrication and insert bearings . Six cylinders may not be exciting but will take you anywhere you want to go if you are not in a hurry. I would leave it alone as long as it is in decent shape. Maybe when the rest of the truck is finished you might consider a mild hop up.
Thank you, I really do want to keep the 235 but as I was taking inventory of parts needed to get it going (I ordered a new fuel pump, grabbed some plug wires) I got to wondering if the newer engine would have 12v generator/starter/coil?
Your truck has very few electric accessories. Chevs used vacuum wipers and if it does not have a radio or heater or turn signals about all you have to worry about are headlights and tail lights which may be missing anyway. It is probably 12V already. That engine came with 12V starter, generator and coil if it is a 55 - 62 which is what it looks like. Have a close look at the generator, it should have a tag rivetted on that tells if it is 12V. Oil the generator bearings and give the commutator a squirt of brake clean spray and it should work. No need to change it as long as it works.
Thank you for all your information. I’ve purposely been taking this all slow and doing research online so I didn’t just rush out and buy parts that I couldn’t use. I haven’t been “working” on the truck either until I know I have some idea I know what I’m doing. Trying to learn and live instead of live and learn. Got home with my front end parts today and set them kind of in place.
If the 235 runs good keep it,I have a 37 that has a 57 235 hooked to a T-5 and will cruise down the highway at 80 with ease. It will not get there real quick but does good enough and will have something different then most,I just got a new 235 ready for it and then found a 261 cheap but that will be fore another project years down the road.
Finally took off the Toyota wheels and put on my new wheels/tires. I am very pleased with the fitment. I was also curious if these wheels were worth anything to anyone, the 2 off the back I believe were original and one is rusted out around the valve stem, other is ok but both are rough. The other 2 are wider and not as bad, I might need to keep one as a spare, but anyone local can get the others free or talk me out of all of them.