Greetings all! Last week I became the proud owner of a 1948 Sedan Delivery, RHD, from South Africa. I'm starting to do some research now and I'm hoping you can help me with information on this car. I was going to call it an export model, but I'm unsure as to how the process worked for GM/Chevrolet in 1948. Was the car completely manufactured here and shipped overseas? I've seen a reference to a General Motors South African Limited plant that assembled vehicles. How much of the vehicle was built there? The VIN tag is located on the upper LH door jamb, not anything at all like the domestic VIN tag. The VIN is XGCFJ184099. Can you decode that for me? Again, very dissimilar to the domestic VIN number. The engine number, while somewhat similar, again is different. It is FAN 339039. I've seen engine numbers that begin with FAA for Flint or FAM for Tonawanda. Where were engines with FAN built? It also does not have the firewall body tag like all domestic Chevrolets. Instead it has a tag that says "CHEVROLET Engine Tune Up Data" and gives spark plug gaps, point clearances and valve clearances. Will try to post some photos of all these things. Looking for any and all help/speculation!

XGC indicates it was assembled in South Africa (XG) and is a Chevrolet (C).

Thx! Is there some reference material that identifies all the outside the US assembly locations??

Good looking truck, Dale. You planning on evening out your drivers arm tanning, or have Janice drive this one, and keep the same sides?

Looks nice Dale. Enjoy!! Bet it will seem strange first several times driving on the roads. Appears not to need major work.

Dick

A fascinating vehicle! I bet it could tell great stories.

I don't have the answers, but I am interested to see what "the numbers" tell us about it!

The engine number FAN 339038, and the Serial # 184099 - those are fairly large numbers. How many were built in South Africa?

Also interesting that the engine prefix letters are FAN, versus domestic US built FAA or FAM. It would seem to imply that the FA matches up, and then the "N" means something else (besides Flint or Tonawanda).??? Where else were engines cast? Or is that final "N" something that would have been on a US cast engine that indicated it was headed overseas - or possibly for a RHD vehicle?

What is the engine casting date by the starter, do you have that?

The "N" indicates a right hand drive engine built in Tonawanda.

Gene - Thx for the engine number ID. I haven't studied it a great deal yet, but I do see that the oil breather tube does have a crazy shape to get around the RHD steering box. Did Tonawanda build all the RHD engines? Does anyone know how complete the engines/cars were before they were shipped overseas?

Tonawanda built all export engines. The last letter could be an N or R depending on application.
Knocked down cars were shipped form New York so Tonawanda was a close engine sorce.

It even has an accessory clock and passenger seat.
How did the hook-up the vacuum shfit on the right side?

The transmission and vacuum shift look to be the same as the LHD, all on the left side. The interesting difference is the shift linkage from the steering column on the RH side to get over to the transmission. The shift linkage runs along the firewall behind the engine to a bracket on the firewall on the left hand side. This bracket then serves as the pivot point for the linkage down to the transmission, using it looks like, the same shifter rods as LHD cars.

Do you know if there was a parts book supplement for RHD unique parts??

I have never seen a R.H. parts book. I would suspect they were used in countries where they had R.H. drive.

Thanks, Gene. I've never seen one, but you never know.

Do you have any thoughts on the unusual firewall tag that's there instead of the traditional Fisher Body Tag?? Anyone seen this tag on export cars?

I've always thought RHD parts were listed in the Master Parts Book, along with LHD. That was the way it was done in earlier years, anyway. Look in your Parts Book, and on a given part where R or L matters, I bet you'll see both listed.

Sory, they are not even mentioned.
I did see in some 4 Cyl. books R and L listed.

My 1992 Cadillac Parts Book had export model parts listed, but haven't seen anything in the 1940-1953 books I have.

Some Canadian parts lists in the 1930s included both RHD and LHD parts.
The latest one that I have was issued July 1939 for 1937-39 models (Master Parts List No 142).

Tom

Dale... I have a Canadian Parts book for 1946-1957 that I can bring next week if you want to take a look at it. I'm not sure where to look for right hand drive stuff in it...

The way it was structured in the Parts Books in the Teens and Twenties, if there was a part that went both ways, you would simply look up that part.

An effort at an example: Let's say you want a (hypothetical) shift linkage part - you look in that section, and it says:

Shift Linkage, 1940-1948 LHD ...P.N. so and so
Shift Linkage, 1940-1948 RHD ...P.N. different so and so

We'll take a look at it next week at the Central Meet in Ontario. Would not expect the Canadian book to reference any RHD parts since, as far as I know, none of their cars were.

A large part of GM Canada production was RHD vehicles for export - complete cars and knock downs. It varied over the years depending on the current import/export tax situations at any point in time but many counties taxed Canadian products lower than other countries so many of the imported RHD cars were from Canada.

Of course some parts of the car could have been imported from the USA to Canada prior to Canada exporting larger pieces of the car so there could be some odd combinations...

Here is a picture of a page from the 1937-39 Canadian master parts list to show typical RHD and LHD listings.

In this time period CKD kits and service parts for many RHD countries were supplied from Canada for favorable tax treatments.
At least through 1939, RHD engines were produced in Canada and the engine serial number had a prefix R.

Later Canadian listings only show domestic (LHD) parts and most of the export sourcing moved to the USA. I expect this was due to tax changes or manufacturing efficiencies for GM.

Tom

Vindicated at last! (about the Parts Book lay-out)

I'm wondering what all the letters in the Serial Number tell us.. XGCFJ184099

Headlighter said above the XG denotes Export and South Africa. Does this mean it was shipped knocked down (thus exported) - from US, or from Canada?

Is the FJ just about being a sedan delivery?

Why so many digits following?

Well......Thank you Chevy Guru! Of course, the FJ is about the body!! I should have put that together. FJ is the Series designation for the Stylemaster!!

My convertible is a Fleetmaster, which is FK (which was also the Fleetline designation).

I then would have liked to say the next digit was the letter I, which in US cars indicates the month of build, which would be September. However, that digit is definitely a 1, not an I. Maybe just a "typo" or for the export cars they just had the sequence number? Wonder where the plate was stamped, here or in South Africa after it was fully assembled?

The information I have says that there were 191,125 Stylemaster cars produced in 1948, so this could be #184,099.

XG is the plant code so it was assembled in South Africa.
I don't know the source of the "kit" but it was likely from the USA since it has a US produced engine.

Tom

I believe letter F is for 1948 and J is for Stylemaster

dick

Being a low production sedan delivery and all sedan delivery bodies were made at the Cleveland Fsher Body plant it would be a US unit.
GM used the 1 and I for the numeral "one" and I beieve it notes the date assembled, Jan. of 1948
To be an early 1948 it have had the polairty reversing switch on the starter and window glass should have about a 12-47 date code on the glass.
Orr being an export leaft the factory in Ja. of 1949 because 1949 production did not began until Feb. of 1949.

Were there any optional/accessory tail lights available for the sedan delivery so that you could add turn signals?

I see nothing listed for sedan deliveries in the 1948 parts book. They list an accessory directional signal kit for cars except sedan delivery and for actual trucks but nothing is mentioned for the Sdl.

My olds serial number starts with XGO and Chev XGC. these were knocked down kits assembled in South Africa. Local tires, glass and batteries were fitted.\The glass is marked "Armourplate" My uncle had a panel delivery model the same as yours. He hit a steam engine on a level crossing with it. Dont know how he managed that because the Garratt steam engine he hit had a top speed of 80km/hr.

Thanks for your confirmation of the serial numbers. I had wondered what parts of the car might have been locally sourced, as indeed, my glass is marked "Armourplate". It does not carry a date designation or the LOF name that is on the USA cars. Glad to hear it's the original glass and not just replacement glass. Any idea how complete these kits were? Engines already installed? Seats installed or locally stitched? Painted in South Africa? Any chance you have any original literature? Thx!

Hi Dale, i have literature concerning the factory when it was enlarged in 1948. Will get off my lazy b-hind and see if i can copy it and send it to you. Will need your address.

Thx! Just send you a PM with my address.

Dale... for the paint, you could check the code against your USA built books and see if it lines up. I know for Canadian built cars the numbers are all different from USA ones, and the paint colours are too. If it was painted over there, they would use locally sourced paint and have their own numbers I would guess. That said, I would bet it was painted where assembled, as I doubt an unpainted car would do well on an ocean freighter for a month or so...

Dale, please send me a PM with your e-mail addess pse, will be quicker than post.

Done!

Bruce - Unfortunately, there is no firewall ID tag with all the pertinent information. Instead there's this crazy tag about valve clearances and other engine data. (See picture #3 in my original post). The original color does however appear to be the same green as in the US in 1948 - Liveoak Green, Paint Code #370.

Hi there decarter not sure if this is of interest to you? I came across your thread by accident whilst trying to find out numbers of SA assembled vehicles.
I have a1948 RHD sedan delivery FAN262431 XGOFS177490 here in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Found it in a barn, apparently driven in there around 40 years ago after the owner couldn't get a 6 volt battery for it. I am in the process of getting it back on the road to join my '46 2 ton dually and my '60 Biscayne both RHD.

That is very interesting. Keep us informed on your progress.

From previous discussions in this thread, your serial number that starts with XGO would indicate it's an Oldsmobile Sedan Delivery?

Definitely a '48 Chevrolet Styleline Sedan Delivery......

Zimbo - what does your firewall tag look like? Is it the same thing that I show in the 3rd picture of my initial post on this thread?

[quote=decarter]Zimbo - what does your firewall tag look like? Is it the same thing that I show in the 3rd picture of my initial post on this thread?

It is exactly the same as yours, other than the front seat arrangement is a sort of split bench which may not be original as I can see the lower frame has been modified and set further back to give more leg room. There's a short article here that a friend wrote; http://www.postwarclassic.com/postwarclassic/magazine/previous-features/page-4-11111111111.html

Thanks for the link. I believe my sedan delivery was also originally painted LIveoak Green - which looks to be the same color your car is. I also had a trailer hitch mounted on the back bumper - long gone, but a number of ugly holes where they mounted it to the bumper and frame.

Okay - here's my next question - is it really possible that in 1948, my South African Chevrolet had a push button solenoid equipped starter instead of the foot pedal in the middle of the floor?? Attached are two photos. The first one is of the dash. There is a very authentic, old looking button below the gauges that says "START". The second is a photo of the starter, showing the solenoid mechanism mounted on top. I wasn't aware that Chevrolet had that capability in 1948, but I suppose other GM lines did? The top of the bell housing does not look like it has a place to mount the starter pedal linkage (remember this is a unique bell housing because of the right hand drive) and it's pretty busy behind the engine with the linkages going over to the carb and the transmission. The center floor plate does not seem to have a cut-out for the starter pedal either.

Zimbo - you might be the best person to confirm this. Does your car have the starter button on the dash & no foot pedal starter?

Solenoids were used on most (not all) years on RHD cars as early as 1933. What you have including the starter button is exactly the same as would be found on a local Holden bodied car.

Thanks for that great info!!! I thought someone over the years had replaced the foot starter and figured I'd have to do some parts hunting to put it back to original. Glad to hear I don't.

Since this car seems to share some similarities with the Holden cars, are there sources in Australia for RHD parts? For example, the accelerator pedal on this car is very small (compared to the states version) and attaches completely differently. Mine is bent in two - guess the guy who drove it really did have a lead foot...

Try Chevparts in Sydney for the accelerator pedal. They have a website and carry a lot of NOS and second hand parts.
As to where the car came from, check the Delco Remy tags on the distributor and generator. If it came out of Canada they will be stamped McKinnon Industries Ltd. St Catharines Ontario.

Thanks again!!!!