VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION New User Forum Brand new and I don't know what I have!

Howdy Folks,
Here's my first post and I just bought a truck and I don't know what I have. I know a solid complete car when I see one but this era is out of my wheel house annnnnnnnd I'm a Ford guy. This thing was really cool and I'd really like to see what I can do with it. Can anyone help point me in the right direction with resources, details, parts, whatever? The previous owner couldn't tell me much about it other than it's been in this location for at least 20 years. They thought it was a 1923 but then seemed unsure. I'm happy to read, learn and share I just need to know where to start.

Thanks so much for reading and looking.Link to Pictures

It looks like a 1927 to me.

Thank you for that! That gives me place to start.

Hi,you've got a 1928 Capitol LP 1 Ton truck(the same model as mine),as it has front wheel brakes,and '28 trucks used the '27 style radiator shell.Hope that helps you out.

I see, so it’s the front brakes that give it away. That really interesting, thank you very much. I’ve already been crawling the forum here for info, there’s so much. I’m really excited to get this thing home and tear into it. Thank you again!

The headlamp buckets and rims are 1928. The engine cylinder head water outlet has the thermostat housing which makes it 1928. The engine block is 1928 as the crankcase vent pipe to carburetor is visible and did not exist until1928. But the oil filler tube cap has holes indicating 1927 or earlier (original '28 cap was non vented with a "T" strap welded on handle). I believe that early commercial '28 did not have four wheel brakes and that the four wheel system was a mid year introduction (I don't see front brake drums on your vehicle).

The LH front brake drum is just visible in the front view and you can just see the shadow of the brake drum on the RH front wheel in between the wooden spokes,but the main give away that tells that it's a '28 Capitol LP Series 1 Ton truck,are the front spring, front shackle pin brackets.
They are pressed steel brackets that has one rivet to the side of the chassis and 2 rivets on the underside of the brackets to the chassis.The early '28 LO Series 1 Ton truck,had the forged front spring shackle pin brackets fitted inside the chassis rails and riveted in similar to a '25 - '28 passenger cars.
The oil filler cap looks to be homemade with a breather tube coming out the top,and the thermostat housing,whilst looking like a passenger car is different in that the angle of the outlet pipe for the top radiator hose is much steeper than a '28 passenger car thermostat housing.The 2 housings have different part numbers to differentiate them as car or 1 ton truck.

JuanHuevos, I can feel your enthusiasm you have over your new truck, and your desire to "tear into it". But before you do, please consider these suggestions. The first one - before you put a wrench on one nut, get your camera and take pictures of every part of your truck from every angle. Then take off one part. Take pictures of that part, and the bolts that attached it as well as the area where it was attached. Work your way through the disassembly of the truck this way. I know, it sounds like it will be slow and tedious this way, and it will be, but you'll be so happy you did when the time comes (maybe years down the road) when you are assembling it and have the pictures to show you exactly how it fits together.
Second suggestion - make sure you have a system to store the little bits and pieces (e.g zip-lock baggies), a method to identify them that won't disappear over time, and a place to store them where little kids, animals or some other incident can't get at them.

Take your time, have fun discovering how a machine from 1928 functioned, and please do keep us informed about how your project is coming along.

CJP'S 29

Interesting, I didn't know the difference between the forged spring hangers and the pressed steel units. In viewing the hanger I noticed the '28 leaf spring snubber that I missed seeing earlier. My point about the cylinder head and block both appearing to be '28 vintage was in response to earlier entries indicating that the vehicle was a '27. If the original poster could provide the vehicle serial number we could probably determine the vehicle's assembly location and approximate date of build.

Thank you all for your replies.
I didn't capture it well in the pictures but it does appear to have front brake drums. I'm assuming if it didn't have front brakes there's just a hub where it slips onto the axle.


You're right, this is great advice. I'm just really excited and want to get this thing home. I will document for sure and post as much as I can here. I'm sure you folks do build threads the way other forums do. The truck is currently in a barn about 5 miles from my house. So I need to get it moved but I'm worried about the wheel spokes. You can see in the picture showing the rear of the truck that the rear wheel spokes aren't in the rim. The truck is on jack stands currently and I don't know if that wheel, or the others, will support the truck's weight.



Where would I find the serial number? I'm assuming there's a plate on the firewall? that has the info?

Thank you again! I look forward to learning from you all.

Love your truck! My Dad and Uncle had the same truck in the 50’s as a logging truck plus they also had a sawmill that was powered by a river! Rory

Thank you! That’s awesome, I love stories like that.

For the interested, I’ve update the album with loads more pictures. I found the ID plate and that picture is there along with a code off the block, distributor and generator.

The ID plate says: 3LP 4954

3 = St Louis, MO as the assembly plant.

LP = 1 ton truck

4954 = sequence number at the assembly plant.

Awesome, thank you! So does that constitute the VIN for this thing? I bought it without a title, not even sure if they ever had a title. But I guess I need one to get it registered...someday.

Just what is needed!

Serial Number. 3LP 4954 breaks down as: 3 = St. Louis assembly plant; LP = 1928 series; 3954 Build sequence number; ( first unit sequence number was 1001). This vehicle was assembled in August, 1928.

(The last LP sequence number assembled in July was 1935; The last LP sequence number assembled in August was 6011: The numbers say that the 4076 LP units were assembled in August at the St. Louis plant. Vehicle 4954 was the 2,919th unit assembled in August which is approximately 3/4 of the 4076 August build. Estimate that unit 4954 was assembled late in the third week of August 1928.

That's amazing detail, thank you!

The serial number on the plate on my '28 truck is: 22LP3302,but it mightn't mean much,as it was assembled by Holden in Australia.

Congratulations,that is an awesome find! It looks to be very complete and what a great project it is. I hope we hear and see lots from you during the journey to come!

Yes I’m really looking forward to getting it home. Once I do I’ll start a build thread and post all I can. I appreciate everyone’s help!

The '28 LP trucks (with front brakes) were only produced for a little over on month at most plants. They are relatively uncommon (notice didn't write "rare") but desirable. Great find.

Very Nice truck OP.. Really has me wondering if I can cut up my 26' Coach and convert it into a truck.. The wood is completely shot on my car, and it desnt make sense to invest thousands in a car that wont be worth much money anyway..

At one time there were reproduction canopy express bodies built for Chevrolets. They used the hood and cowl section of a car and added doors, sides, top and back. The problem was the location of the spare tire and gas tank. Many cut a hole in the floor of the cargo area to access the gas tank filler neck and mounted the spare tire inside the bed.

On 1/2 ton trucks the gas tank is under the front seat supported by angle brackets riveted to the frame. The tank is also shorter and squattier than the rear mounted passenger tank. The spare was hung under a different rear cross member than the one that supported the passenger gas tank.

I was pulling your leg.. I’m too much of a purist to do that to my car.. just wish I knew where to start.. I am considering replacing all of the wood with angle iron and sheetmetal..

I have built wood body parts from patterns, old partially complete parts and to match the sheet metal profile. If you have the knowledge and equipment it is not too difficult. It is just large scale furniture making. It helps to have photos and maybe measurements of the parts that are missing. I have made patterns from cardboard and also from soft construction lumber. There are frustrations and mistakes but in the end it is very rewarding and satisfying to put a car back together.