VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 truck identification

I found an unknown vintage truck/pickup; wooden spokes, steel cab, wooden box and no indication of a brand, so all I have to go on is the engine. A six cylinder and I think you call those a L-head?
Cast on numbers on the engine L 128 394006-1 and the letters CWC or CWG hard to say what would be right, without cleaning. The serial number of the engine is on the front top part T123274 On the head the numbers 874112-1 B149 the same letters CWG and 5 6, does someone have an idea what this could be, it is reasonable complete and would make a nice restoration object.
If somebody is interested, I'll go for pictures tomorrow.

Thanks for the help
Richard

I think you are looking at a 1948 block and a 1949 head. Probably a 216.



Edit: Second look says the block is a 1949 also. Very late date.

He thanks,
But then a truck with wooden spokes from after the war? I thought only the English could do that. Or is this another case of swap engine, the hood is as my '26, hinge in the middle and a hinge at the corner. I'll see what I can find now, is it a Chevy engine? I browsed for CWC and CWG and all I find is not related stuff and something about a Hercules engine.
I'll make some pictures tomorrow and post them here.
Thanks so far, nothing but puzzles lately and lots of trucks too, I'll post a few tomorrow.

Richard

An "L" head engine is not a Chevrolet. Only a few of the earliest were other than OHV. It could have a Hercules engine. If so could be one of several assembled trucks made in the 20s.

I am sorry gentlemen,
Things aren't going as planed and I'm running out of time, I put the pictures on; http://ca.geocities.com/the_bald_ass_prairie_farm/index.html
and I don't have a good view of the engine, just not my day. I will be back at 5.00 am Mountain Time.

Thanks
Richard

Thank you gentlemen,
This is a strange truck, it almost looks like a thirties cab or later, that is what caught my eye in the first place. I'm beginning to think that this is a do it yourself vehicle from the forties, build with what was available. There are almost too many gauge's on the dash for a late twenties truck. (Opinion of a non specialist = me ) I didn't go through the pictures I have of the forties yet, I might find something there.
A hectic period ahead, which will prevent me to go back there till Wednesday, the earliest, some times a job gets in the way of everything :) . Steel fenders and a wooden side step (?) might be a clue; the Muncie transmission was used by Chevrolet, but no such cabs for a Chevrolet till the end of the thirties. I'll have to go back and take a longer, better look at it, now I want to know.
Thank you for your help and time

I'll report here as soon as I have "good" pictures of the engine and I have been able to search for more clues.

Richard

Hi Richard,
I just had a look at the pictures you posted,and it look's like someone has grafted a late twenties to early thirties White Truck body onto the mechanical running gear of a 1929 Oldsmobile sedan.
On the left hand side of the engine(your drivers side)there is a pressed steel water jacket cover plate with the name "OLDSMOBILE" stamped into it.Also the 10 spoke wooden wheels,with 5 bolts in the wheel hubs,also give it away.
The instrument cluster and the steering wheel spider also tell me it's a 1929 Old's as well.The engine number may start with either the letter "F" or letters "FL",the "F" denotes the new "F" series Oldsmobiles built in 1928,and the "FL" letters denote a LHD export car.
The main reason I know this,is because I own a 1929 Oldsmobile Landau Sedan,as well as my 1928 Chev Truck.At least this will help you identify what you've got there now.

Hi again Richard,
I should have also said in my last reply,that the engine number is stamped into the block,just above the water pump,in front of the head.
The L128 is the casting date for the head?,
giving it a cast date of the 12th of December,1928.There should also be a casting number similar to this one,just behind what's left of the generator,at the front of the block,
behind the timing chain/front engine mounting plate.The 394006 number,is the actual Old's part
No. for the head?.The block will again,have a six digit P/No.As to the "GWC",I believe it was the
foundry I.D initials,for the company who cast the block's,heads & gearbox casings.
The head on my '29 has a cast date of L228,and the block has a cast date of L158,making it a fairly early '29 engine,made just before Christmas 1928.Even the "Muncie" gearbox casing uses the same casting dating system,its No.'s being G178,giving it a date of the 17th of July,1928.
So,it look's like Old's as well as Chev,and probably most of the G.M. family used the same block & head dating system,as well as putting the P/No.'s on as well.

HI Kevin,
that makes sence, I was already thinking that this was a rebuild, the window crank(?) on the interior picture made me think that it was end thirties or beginning forties cab, just the engine and the wheels didn't fit. The CWC means Campbell, Wyant and Cameron foundry of Muskegon, an other board came up with that. I couldn't find a conformation on line yet, but I'll search in that direction too. I'll look for the "oldsmobile" sign and take better pictures as soon as. Two days away from my high speed internet connection, I just can't wait.
Thanks so far

Richard

Gentlemen,
I’m sorry for the delay, work and fun sometimes don’t go together too well.
Finally I get the time to go there and have another good look at the truck. I took some pictures and made a second page with the results of all forums where I dropped the question. Like everybody was expecting, this is a thrown together vehicle; as far as I can figure it out, it has a **** 31-34 cab. A 1928 CWC (might be Pontiac) engine and the chassis and rear axle are from an Old's from the twenties. Someone needed a ride real bad.
Thank you all for your time and trouble.

Richard

The pictures at a website http://ca.geocities.com/the_bald_ass_prairie_farm/second.html

You might not get in there right away, as this is a limited free account

Hi Richard,
I'd say for certain that all the mechanical running gear(chassis,engine etc.)is definitely 1929 Old's,with that four lettered cab grafted onto it.
Even though the photo of the drivers side of the engine was very bright,and not showing the water jacket plate fully,the starter motor is right,but as I mentioned before,the steering wheel spider and dash panel give it away.
If you can,could you try to email whatever photo's of your find to me?The engine would also be a help in I.D.ying it.You were right about the casting letters being "CWC".I just checked the head on the '29,as well as the head on my '27 Old's,and it has the "CWC" cast on it as well.

Best Regards.

The engine looks just like the picture of a 1930 Olds engine that I have.

Gentlemen, in the same vain here is a GMC (28 I believe) truck with a factory Buick engine in it. I too found this in an out of the way wrecker on the Prairies. I almost took the lure deep and it would have been in my garage right now had it been a Buick truck.

It seems GMC used the Buick engine in some trucks and that the early Buick engine trucks used Buick engines right off the buick assembly line so this engine has Buick cast or stamped all over it.

http://groups.msn.com/OtherChevCarsLive/ronfromcanada.msnw?Page=6

He Ron,
now don't tell me that you found that one in Foremost Alberta?

Richard

Chevytruck, nope. Just out side of Hilda Alberta

The large GMC trucks used Buick 6 cylinder engines up into the mid '30's....Buick cars switched to an eight cylinder in 1931.GMC continued on with the larger Buick "6" from the 1920's.