VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Help ID this Firetruck? 27 or 28

Hello all, my first post here.

I am helping a friend restore a firetruck he purchased over a decade ago and has stored since. I am not well aquainted with early Chevys, my earliest experience is a '37 business coupe.
I have been reading everything that I can find trying to get a positive ID on the truck since the only tag is the one ton weight tag. I dont know if it is a '27 or '28. There is a lot of conflicting info on the 27/28 one tons. One post said the '28 trucks only came with 4 speeds and the C-Rakx-0 carb. Can anyone confirm this applies to one tons? Does he have a 27 with a replacement motor? The truck was ovbiously restored between 30-40 years ago, and has spent much of that time sitting outside in California and then indoors in Texas.

Are there any frame differences that would tell which it is?

What is known:
definitely 1 ton
Rear brake only, external bands
3 speed transmission
'28 dual port head, C 10 8, 346540
'28 block, F 23 8, 346709 no push rod or rocker cover bosses, serial T??-335 893
C RX-0 carb,

I will figure out how to post pictures if you need them.

Thanks,
Connor

Send us a pic of The front dumb irons and is there not a compliance plate on the dash or fire wall . Ray

Had to google that term, hope this is what you mean.
[img]https://flic.kr/p/2je9bHd[/img]

Some others for reference:
[img]http://flic.kr/p/2je9bHP[/img]
[img]http://flic.kr/p/2je9bLu[/img]
[img]http://flic.kr/p/2je55Lx[/img]

Sorry haven’t quite figured out how to insert a photo directly.
The tag is no longer there and the paperwork has not been located yet.

Connor

Hi Connor,

Welcome to the VCCA web site! That truck looks really cool!

I suspect this is a 1927 truck for the following reasons:

1. Even though the casting date for the block is June 23, 1928, I think this block was a replacement block for a '27 because it does not have the push rod cover bosses like the head has. The '27 single exhaust heads cracked a lot and it was a common practice to replace them with a '28 head.

2. I believe you are correct in that the '28 trucks came with 4 speed transmissions. In '27, the standard was a 3 speed and the 4 speed was optional.

3. The carb you have is for a '27 and some earlier vehicles. The correct carb for a '28 is RAKX-0.

If the truck is a '27, it is a model LM. If it is a '28, it would be a model LO. Both of these models had brakes only on the rear wheels (external = service brake, internal = emergency brake). Either way, it left Chevrolet as a commercial chassis (the one piece firewall/dash is the give away) and then went to another company to fit/make the body.

Another clue might be the headlight rings. If they have three steps on the front of the ring, these are '28 lights. If the front of the ring is rounded with no steps, they are '27s.

BTW, you have to be a VCCA member to post photos directly onto the club's server. But, as you have found out, you can link to photos that reside elsewhere on the web. There are MANY benefits for joining the club such as the ability to use the forum's Search Function, posting photos, access to technical articles, getting an award winning monthly magazine and a whole lot more.

One of the great technical articles is the 250 page documentation of Ray Holland's rebuild of a 1928 engine (very similar to the '27).

Three years ago, I rebuilt the '28 engine that is in my '27 one ton truck (Lurch - see links below) and that effort is documented here: Resurrecting a 1928 4 Banger.

Keep us posted on your progress and come back often for info and answers to your questions.

Cheers, Dean

I think it is a 28 , as the Dumb Irons have the shackle pin bracket set into the end of them, where as the 27 Chassis the shackle pin bracket is slung under the chassis rail, I have had both trucks, yes the engine is a mismatch, see the bend in the exhaust pipe just past U Clamp looks to have been shortened up for the 28 Exhaust manifold, though it does have a 28 water pump. If I remember right the 27 Trucks gearbox would have the hand brake at the back not to the side ? Is there and Body tag both the trucks Ive had there was a body makers badge which might tell you something. Ray

It's either a 1927 LM or an early 1928 LO series,as they had the dumb iron forging with the spring front shackle pin rivetted to the inside of the chassis rails at the front.Both the LM & LO trucks had a passenger car 3 speed gearbox(the LO also had a 4 spd gearbox as an optonal extra,but used a larger universal joint),both used the '26 - '27 style water pump(as did the late '28 LP),and the handbrake was fitted to the side of the gearbox,the same as a passenger car.The 1926 trucks had the handbrake at the rear of the gearbox,the same as a '26 passenger car,and both only had rear wheel brakes.The late '28 LP series had a different chassis(only at the front),that used a pressed steel shackle pin bracket rivetted to both the underside & side of the chassis rails,front wheel brakes fitted(same as a '28/'29 passenger car)and the 4spd gearbox was standard fitment.

Thank you all for the replies! I will likely join as a member then, thanks for letting me know.

I will start a thread to chronicle this restoration. As of now I have all the running gear opened up and it looks in good shape except the ring gear in the diff. It had about 3 cups of water under some foul oil and it is rusted on maybe 20% of the gear. Also the cam lobes have some rust along with the lifters, so it will probably be sent for regrinding if it’s more that surface rust.

We are currently awaiting a blast cabinet to be delivered so we can refinish the rims and wheels, get them back on the car and roll the truck over to the workshop instead of the storage garage.

Cheers!
Connor

Connor,
Once you join the VCCA you might consider joining one of the three regions in Texas. Blue Bonnet Region in San Antonio area, Lone Star in DFW and San Jacinto Houston. There are several fire trucks owned by the members of those regions.

As a last resort you may check the inside firewall, to the left of the clutch pedal and behind the floor board, found my 28 depot hack tag there totally by accident.