VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Serial number

Hi,

We own a truck which -according to the aluminum plate in de cabin- is a Superior.
But the car got brakes on all four wheels.
Something that was introduced in '28 (before -as told me- they had only brakes behind).
But the Superior was only made in '25/'26.
So what about that aluminum plate in our car?

Can someone explain?

Greetings,
Fred
(The Netherlands)
[img]http://imgur.com/a/PiUTo[/img]

Hello Fred.
I can only offer you some suggestions.
Firstly, trucks in particular can be difficult to date because of the GM factory policy of carrying certain earlier model parts over into later truck models. For example '25/'26 mudguards were used up to early '28.
And do not forget that trucks were often sold without bodies so that special purpose bodies could be fitted, which was very common here in Australia.
In later years trucks here were chopped and hacked about from one model to the next just to keep them going. As long as it fitted and ran, no one particularly cared that models got further mixed up. Your truck may well have been re-bodied from an earlier model.
It would seem unlikely that the ID plate alone would have been swapped back in the day, but from the image you have supplied it may well have been fitted during restoration because it was either missing or this one was in better order.That would seem the most likely explanation unless you are sure it was always attached to your body.
Perhaps you could elaborate further as to what instrument types you have, where the control levers are located, wheel type and tyre size etc and I am sure there are plenty of experts out there that will be able to help you identify exactly what you have got. But my guess is that you simply have the wrong ID tag fitted.
Cheers.

Hi,

Thanks for this essential information!
We bought the car in February this year, without any papers. They were lost long ago. The car hasn't been on the road for decades and all we do know is the fact that she was imported from USA in the mid-eighties. The car was already restored, except for the engine. After months working on it, she now spins like a sewing machine!

For getting the new papers we need to know the year of production. But the car seems to be a (perfect) match of several Chevrolet trucks: the ID dates her in 1923; the four wheel brakes in '28; the headlights in '30; the bar for the headlights in '26; the radiator in '28.

Quite an interesting mix, isn't it? I think you're right: she is re-bodied. But what is the oldest part? What's her origin? I have to know a specific year for getting the new papers. Maybe I just have to toss a coin…

[img]http://imgur.com/a/W1p6c[/img]

If you can post several more photos we might be able to better identify what you have. It appears like you wrote an assembly of parts from several years. Looks very nice. Engine, instruments, steering column, front brake linkage, hood (also length) photos would be helpful.

We've launched a facebookpage about our Chevy. In Dutch, but with lots and lots of photo's. Maybe it helps you to identify.

:-)
Fred

https://www.facebook.com/Chevy-30-1721456421457634/

Ha ha.. now we are getting somewhere.
Thanks for the extra information.
I am no expert on these trucks, other than here in Oz one rarely sees two the same!
Looking at yours I would suggest it is a 1928 with a lot bits from other models. None of it is critical in my opinion because that is one very smart truck you have just as it is.
My observations are:
1. The headlights are definitely from a '29 or'30 as you say, but do not look out of place.
2. Headlamp mounting bar may be correct.
3. Mudguards (front) are correct late'28. But note that the advertisement on your facebook page for a late model (4 speed box) still shows the earlier '25, '26 guards.
4. Rear mudguards are home made and not factory, but again look quite OK.
5. Four wheel brakes definitely put the chassis at 1928.
6. The motometer up front is an after market accessory that could be bought from your local garage to fit anything. Yours is a Boyce Midget model and quite desirable.
7.Steering column is definitely from a '25 model, but I am not sure whether they were carried through to '26 in trucks.
8.Steering wheel looks original but again earlier than '28. My '25 has no finger indentations. Yours could be from '27.The horn button is the right style for the earlier column but I have not seen one so bulky or plated.
9. Wheels are an unknown to me. We had all spoked wheels either wood or later on steel. Can't say I recall ever seeing a truck here with disc wheels like yours has. Anyway they look great.
10. Radiator shell is from a truck and correct for both '27 and '28 both of which had painted steel shells (therefore yours was able to be plated). These steel shells are at a premium because the '27 car owners want them to replace the rubbish aluminium ones they all had.
The same scenario applied for '25 and '26 but the shape was different.
11. New ID plates are readily available. I would get the correct one and stamp it accordingly as a National. From what I can see nothing on your truck goes back to '23 other than the ID plate!
I hope others will also comment, that know these trucks better than I do. But I am fairly certain you have a '28 series truck with a few mixed up parts as was common in the era as they aged and wore out.
Further, my original '25 car has an ID plate with Superior only stamped on it, the serial number box being blank. There is no serial number anywhere on the car at all, not even a chassis number. That is how GM sold them and why in OZ the engine number was always the identifying number, and when it was changed one was meant to let the all important authorities know. You can only imagine how often that happened as engines got swapped regularly from old wrecks etc. So the final ID was the registration number plate and even these were swapped from similar vehicle to similar vehicle by naughty citizens..
Cheers again,

Thank you so much!

I'm writing a short article for al local almanac about our Chevy and I'll take your conclusions as for final.

Accidentally Arvid from Norway -a 70 years old veteran who 'created' during his life several Chevrolet wreck trucks to brand new cars, who we met on this site and who became a marvelous adviser for us- also dates the Chevy at '28.

His opinion and yours -both well grounded and corresponding- for me it's the decisive answer.

Cheers to you!

Fred if it has front brakes it is 28, it is a big job to retro fit a 28 front end and all the different brake levers, cross shafts and rods to an earlier chassis, I had a 28 Truck and it came with 26 guards and steering column , as for the compliance plate, firstly in the US especially plates and so on, are critical in some states and less important in others to get registration, any one could have screwed one on to get it a road worthy, does the engine number match the plate? Also your gear box is 28 because of the butterfly mounting plate that goes to the 2 brackets on either side of the chassis the 26 didn't have this, it looks like a 27 motor to me from the few pics i saw, the water pump is different on a 26. Does your Registration Authority require proof of its age or you just need to nominate it, Im sure they are none the wiser with an almost 90 year old car, RAY

The wheels look to be 29 or 30, should be 20" and have the recesses for the lug nuts. If I remember correct 29 to 31 truck disc wheels were the same. I think your truck looks great. I would not worry about getting it absolutely year correct but to find usable repair/replacment parts it is important to know what year each component is.