VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Thinking out loud (truck choice)

Wasn't sure where to post this, but as I looked through the forum topics this area seems best.
I am new here, and have just a handful of posts, some in the newbie section asking about 27 truck pricing, and I have some posts in the classifieds.
I'm in the hunt for a Chevy truck, and have several prospects before me all of which are interesting and all with some things that make me question/wonder.
In all of the cases there is the wood structure aspect. It wouldn't fit the budget I want to set for this to pay extra for premade wood when I am quite confident, more than able, and have the tools to make the wood myself, and honestly would get satisfaction out of it. I set out on this adventure from wanting to make a truck from scratch, but I don't have tools or the high level of skill to bead, and form steel. I have a shear, plasma and press brake, and welder and can fabricate that way, but to make a body with nice lines, not so much. So a nice old truck with wood involved gets me into that realm of building myself satisfaction. Lot's of good info here about wood, and helpful people. So I don't think there is much to worry on that topic.

Second is what year? I like the 27s' 28's and 29s' pretty much all the same, as long as were talking factory cab models. I have somewhat ruled out the 27s' though due to only having rear brakes, although not completely. Also with the 27 and 28 models I am learning more and more their quirks. Like I didn't know that you had to oil the rockers every 50 miles or so, and probably always before a start if it's sat a while. I also may be gathering that they can be a little messy in the engine bay because of that (unless I misunderstood) Another thing that has come up in my search is are the wood spoke wheels in good shape or not. One prospect so far has good wheels. The others not so much. I have seen 28 cars with steel wheels on, but not trucks. So that topic leaves wonders in my mind on both the 27 and 28 models. If anyone wants to point out any other pro's/con's please do.

So I found a 29 model the add calls it a 1.5 ton Master. So now we have 4 wheel brakes (yes I know 28 does as well) and instead of a 4 banger that has to have the top oiled we have a straight 6 that don't, and we get rid of the vacuum fuel pump. I'm also sitting here thinking a person is going to get a little speedier truck with the bigger motor, and now steel wheels in lieu of wood spokes, but Dean Meltz says no not really. He also said that there were head cracking issues in the first 6 cylinder motors and that is quite scary. Maybe someone could ease that fear by saying it's an easy fix by just putting a later year head on it. Don't know. Any other pro's/con's in the 29 over the 27/28 models? The 29 I have on my list also has a hole right through the radiator, like someone ran about a 1in round shaft right through from front to back. Don't know what that would add to the cost to get a different honeycomb radiator.

I was told by someone else to go with a later year truck than 27 just because parts start getting easier to come by. I'm open to something after 29 as well, but just prefer to stay into the wood framed cabs.

My pondering wouldn't be complete without talking distance to acquire project. One 27 is very near to me. Of all the trucks it has the least amount of wood left to make patterns off from. Sure it wouldn't be impossible, just more time consuming. There is a 28 for sale in Reno that is potentially the best deal of all the trucks accept for the fact that when I crunch numbers to either go pick it up myself, or have found some info via google on what others have paid to transport vehicles in pieces (or whole for that matter) it's not so good of deal. Still waiting to here and see some pictures of a couple other trucks. I find myself (this hour at least :) )leaning towards the 29. It's close enough to pickup, and if I got there and thought no way, I wouldn't have too much invested in a trip. It would be nice to find a VCCA member that maybe lived close by willing to help by going and pre-inspecting though. It has good steel wheels and is mostly complete with good cab wood to pattern off from. Downside, possible defective head. So distance away has it's value but how to properly weigh that against the extra money it may take to overcome some other con's.
Titling also poses it's problems. I have only found 1 truck out of all of them with a title. Titles are doable. Just going to take time and money, and catching the DMV on a "sunny happy day" :) So these are my ponderings. Hoping to get some input to confuse me some more lol. I'm in no huge rush, but I also have a hard time being patient Hopefully if it's meant to be, something will come along.
Regards,

I would advise that you go with the latest year that will suit your personal needs:

a. Some wood in the cab. I feel this is a must because you have stated that you would have joy in the work restoring those parts.

b. That you should gat one that has the best 6-cylinder engine. I would think that a truck that would take a 37 or later engine would work well for you.

c. A good transmission and differential would be a big plus.

d. Forget the wooden spoke wheels. Get wire or steel ones.

e. The later model truck that you can live with, would be the one to get. There were some pretty big jumps in quality and development from year to year in the thirties.

Good luck with selecting a project that you'll truly enjoy.

Charlie

Charlie,
Thanks for the comments. Spelled out nicely.
A) especially like the wood slats in the cab roofs. Awesome look. Don't know up until what year they did it that way?
B) I think I read this morning somewhere that it was in 33 they came out with specific changes to the 6 cylinder for a truck engine. Curious if those changes are possible to a 29 block and pistons (lower end)
C) Sure changes took place with both the trans and rear ends at some stage to get more speed out of trucks. Pretty confident that would get me out of the wood framed cab years, don't know?
D) I agree there on the wood spokes. I like the looks of wire wheels especially, and the flat steel ones are nice too when painted up in a detailed fashion.
E) Will see where it goes. I even thought about replicating a slat look somehow in an all steel body truck. So I'll keep pondering.

Howdy,

Something to consider is whether a 1/2 ton truck might fit the bill. They were built on the same chassis (and used the same gearing) as the cars, so the 1/2 ton truck will easily go faster than the one or 1 1/2 ton trucks.

Just throwing another bit of into into the mix.

Cheers, Dean

Thanks Dean. From our conversations, and reading I knew the 1/2tons were a car chassis, but it didn't dawn on me the differential was geared different. What is the ratio in the late 20's car rears vrs the trucks? You told me what trucks were, but I forgot :)
A 1/2ton would be fine. In fact the one deal that is close by has a 27 1ton truck, and then what he is calling a car frame, but may be a 1/2ton truck frame and homemade cowl with gauges right on the fire wall rather than out on a dash in the cowl.
Just not finding many ads. It is frustrating as there are a lot of ads on the internet, but almost all are out of date, by years, and the trucks are long since sold.

Hi again,

The differential ratio for the '27 and '28 one ton trucks is 6.33 to 1. The cars of the same years have a ratio of 3:81 to 1.

I don't have figures for 1929 and later.

Cheers, Dean

The 29 car and half ton are 3.82 and the 1-1/2 ton are 4.88. The 30-32 cars and half ton are 4.11 and the 1-1/2 ton trucks 5.43.

So with that in mind, with the one deal before me where the guy has a 1/2 ton and a 1ton chassis could I consider putting that car differential on the truck chassis? Or would it make more sense to rebuild the cab etc from the old one ton and put it on the 1/2 ton chassis. I realize I'm not at all close to original any longer and it reduces value. One thing I have seemed to notice on the 27/28 1/2 models is that the cab side behind the door and the box side were of one sheet of metal, and the box was actually wood clad in steel also. Am I wrong in that? Was there ever a case in the building process where you would have a 1/2 ton with a flatbed? I am sure if some one wanted a truck and had a car, and modified it, yes. But was there a 1/2 ton with a factory cab, and a flatbed built?

I have copies of the '27 and '28 Chevrolet truck catalogs. In those documents, only the 1 ton truck came with a cab made by Chevrolet. I believe this cab is wider than the 1/2 ton chassis. You'd have to measure the two to find out. Notice that this cab has a separate dash that is not part of the firewall.

The bodies offered for the 1/2 ton chassis were manufactured by body builders, such as Martin Parry, Springfield, and Hercules. These bodies were produced to fit onto the 1/2 ton chassis with the single piece dash/firewall (see the pics below from the '27 catalog).

I've looked at the pictures from the craigslist ad (Mid-1920s Chevy), and I believe the 'car' chassis is a '27 1/2 ton truck with a '28 engine in it. I do not think it is a '28 truck. The '28 1/2 ton trucks (and the cars) had a longer hood and very different radiator. So with this chassis, you would not have front wheel brakes.

Dean

I see the difference also is that the 1/2 tons had a flat door where as the 1 ton had some curvature to the cab. One could easily duplicate a 1/2 ton cab with dimensions, and if you had doors. If going with a c-cab or something else no doors needed.
The plot thickens.