Bumper jack - Vintage Chevrolet Club

Is there 2 different jacks for the 48 truck and 48 passenger car?chef

My '52 half ton has an under the axle jack under the seat and for cars - at club shows I have seen two different jacks judged to be correct. My '48 car has one of them. They are bumper jacks...

Its very possible. At the Eastern 6 Cyl. Tour last week we were comparing 1949-54 jacks and foun two different types. I am sure that Chevrolet had more than one supplier. In the 1955 -57 years there are even three for each year. The 1949-54 jacks had different lookingposts. One was V shaped and one hollow and almost square. The bases were also different looking but of the same size.
The 1949 info, says the 1948 jack base was seven inches square and the post mounted in the center of the base. In 1949 the base is 8" square and the post mount is off set. The minimum jack heoght for the 1948 was 7 5/8".....the 1949 6". All these jacks were the ratcheting type. The click-click type. All furnished would have these demensions. Some earlier years also offered an accessory friction type jack. The ones I have seen were painted green. The production jacks had a black ratcheting mechanism.
Perhaps some of the above will help to guide you.

The jack I have has a 7 "square base and where the ratchet meets the bumper there are "v" shaped notches.I was told it is a 48 truck jack?chef

The trucks did not use a bumper jack. They came with a screw type axle jack. Sounds as if its a car jack. :)

In my post above I didn't mention that my '48 car jack is the friction type. And it doesn't raise the car high enough in the rear to get the spare back on. And the friction characteristic doesn't inspire any confidence in me. I use a later ratchet type bumper jack and on the rear I use it and a small screw type under the axle jack together so the car doesn't have to be lifted so high...

I found some info on my jack..It is a 1941 universal jack.It kinda has a cactus arm look to it.There is coding stamped on the ratchet assembly,one side is 2 & A in a circle..on the other side is 4 0 or 8 & 0??I am to understand 41-48 are the same jacks??chef

The Universal jack sold thru the parts department is not always the same as the factory supplied jack. It is just what it says, a Universal jack made for many years of cars....can you send a picture?
I sent you some pictures of a 1941 jack )and tools)

Great pics Gene,my jack is close to the pics you sent.I also have a 1940 jack and I think it is just that and correct.The site I have found drawings of the jacks and tools are at 1940chevrolet.com,no 48 stuff though,chef

The 1940 jack is different because the hook does not go under the bumper bar as a 1941-48 does. Rather the hook is placed under the bumper brackets and it has a V depression in it to keep it from sliding off. The 1941 has a rear slpash pan so the brackets are concealed, ditto for the rear and front in 1942-48.

I have pictures of the 1948 jack that I will post this weekend. That is if I can get them posted. Hopefully that will help you.

This jack was in the car when I got the car. I was told this is the jack that came with the car when new. Since the previous owner knew the car since 1948 I have to believe the story.

Chev Nut has seen this jack and confirmed the correctness a couple of years ago.

The difference I found with my jack compared to the pic sent to me buy Chevnut is...the pictured jack has its support housing for the ratchet mechanism at the bottom and mine has it at the top?????all else exactly the same...Very strange...the jack's shaft is 30"the support piece is 3"leaving the the lifting distance 27"high enough to change the tire,chef

It would benefit a lot of us if you guys would post pictures here, so we all can see and learn. Thanks

I would need a brain to do that....but I do agree.
The tool man is planing on doing some jack articles for the G&D.

My son has suppose to show me how to post pics many moons ago but you know how that goes,chef

I believe that a new method for posting pictures (for dummys) is in the works.

I suggest you use grandsons, they are much more savvy.

[Linked Image from pic50.picturetrail.com]

I bought this jack sum 5 or 6 years ago from someone through the G&D as a 1948. Gene said, "Some earlier years also offered an accessory friction type jack. The ones I have seen were painted green". As I looked at this closely, I can see that this was at one time green. So, exactly what year/years would this be correct and would it have been bought through the "parts department"? Their is writing on both sides of the body, but there is so much paint on it I can't make it out. Looks like JOSEPR MICH MADE IN USA PATENTED on one side can,t make out anything on the other.

The friction jack was also called the "Universal Jack".Its is shown in the 1939 accessory book but looks slightly different from yours. I would guess that minor changes were made throuh the years. From what I can find it was sold from 1939 through 1948. I think I have some later pictures but can't remember where they are. Will continue to look.

I am 95% sure your jack would be correct for your 1948.

The tool man did an article about a 1941 friction jack. It was in the G&D in about 2000.

I did more jack research-
The so-called friction jack is described in the 1939 Accessory book as "GM's universal Bumper Jack" ,Was mde by Auto Specialies Mfg. Co. in Windsor,Ontario. It described as being for all year cars. Was accessory #985377 and sold for $3.95. This sane jack is shown in the 1940 and 1942 parts books, same number and price. I don't have a 1942 or 1946 book and is not listed in the 1947 or 1948 books. Would assume that it was not sold after WWII. The 1948 book lists a new hydraulic bumper jack, #986141 for $15.00. The Engineering Feature books says "For those who prefer a jack the operates even more smoothly than the one furnished with the car, a hydraulic type bumper jack is now available. This light weight cast aluminum unit is operated with a 15" lever , and easily raises the car to a proper height for tire changing. Opening a valve lowers the jack smoothly."...and another "mechanical type" #986177 is mentioned but thats all I can find on that one. Also sold as a replacement part was a "replaceent jack" 609956, which would have been something to put in the trunk of a used car.

I guess I raised more questions than I answered. :confused:

I too have been wondering about this type jack. It came with my '48 convertible which I bought in 1970. The car was assembled in the St Louis plant. It's 29 1/2 inches high in the base. The base has a lock ring to keep the base on. It looks like a twin to the one pictured above. But, when I got it, there was no hint of green paint. If anything it was natural in color. When I showed the car back in the 80's I painted it semi black. The lettering mentioned above make it certain that mine is nearly, if not a twin to the one above. The lettering on one side: first line ST Joseph MICH second line, MADE IN USA third line, PATENTED... On the other side it's harder to make out: first line, YV OLFWPP IWGHT (the YF looks like a logo because it's much bigger and the two letters seem to be connected)... second line, HAN--- HE-LAND third line, PA-SS DOWNLIGHT- Yes, I know it doesn't make sense but that's all I can make out of it. ST Joseph,Mich is a lake resort and it is/was an industrial center and twin city of Benton Harbor. Foundry and machinery are mentioned as products in my old atlas. Hope someone will be able to help unscramble the lettering on the other side.

I have been searching for how to insert pics. If some one can point me in the right direction I can post a 48 jack.

Thanks in advance.

I will give it a shot. Bare with me here because I am by no means a puter wizard. It took me almost 4 hours to post my first pic, 5 min. to post the 2nd..

Step 1. You must "host" your pic on a web hosting site, their are many, many of these sites. I don't know if it is allowed to mention any by name, but will take a chance. Yesterday to post the above pics I went to picturetrail.com and opened a account, it is free. Let me say again, you have many of these sites to choose from. It was very much like signing up here, name password, etc.

Step 2. Follow their instructions to download your pics. Fairly simple. Click the browse button, find your pic on your puter, click or double click. Once you see your pic, you are good to go forward. Note: VCCA Chat ask that you keep your pic on the small side, so it doesn't take so long to load. 500 x 500 pixels or less. I resized the ones above to 400 x 300. You probably have software on your puter to do this. This is suggested but not mandatory.

Step 3. Now, take a break, take a few aspirin, drink a few beers, or what ever it take to clear your head. It sounds a lot more complicated than it is, really, well, maybe?

Step 4. When you are ready to post here, open the screen where you type, just like always. Now, go back over to your pic at Ptrail look at the top of the page, you see the tabs, click on the one that shows, image URLs, click it. ( don't panic). You see your pics with 5 lines of text stuff. Take a deep breath! The line you want is in the middle, labeled, FORUM [IMG] Tag: with a bunch of gibbous in a box to the right. Another deep breath! Put you mouse pointer on/in that box with all that writing and click once. The box should turn blue (be highlighted), now RIGHT CLICK you mouse. A list will pop up, click on COPY. (Almost there) Now, go back over to the VCCA post box and place your mouse pointer in the text box and RIGHT CLICK again, that box will pop up again, this time select Paste. You should now see all that stuff copied in you post. you can click on Preview Post to see what it looks like.

If successful toast yourself. If unsuccessful, really toast yourself.
One more time, I am not endorsing Ptrail in any manor!
GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!

In my mind the jack pictured is not the jack the factory placed in the trunk. Question is , is it a Chevrolet accessory sold across the parts counter or a common after market.

Sorry, missed one thing. For the 1939 GM unuversal jack it says made in Windsor and above that it says St.Joseph,Michigan. This is in the jack description.
Also states min. height is 10 1/4" amd max. is 30 inches. The Min. height for the 1948 ratchet jack is listed at 7 5/8".

I have David Miners G&D Dec 1999 atricle on the Universal jack #985377. He states the jack is correct (make that sold) from 1938 through 1942. If you do not have your copy I will email the info to you that are intrested...ned your address.

I also have the jack mentioned here and the instructions on the other side of the jack say

TO LOWER INSERT
HANDLE HERE AND
PRESS DOWN LIGHTLY

there is an arrow that points to the mechanism

the color of mine appears to original and is satin black with
natural shaft...you can see the G&D article with a verison of this jack @ www.1940chevrolet.com chef

From Dave M.'s info and my books that a 1938-42 accessory friction jack. Did they make (sell) a friction jack after WWII.?

I sent you some reading material

So lets recap. We now know that jack #985377 is correct for 1938-41 and maybe 42 even though they are 3 different jacks entirely. The above is from the 1929-48 parts book. I wonder if jack #986177 listed as a MECH. BUMPER TYPE is the one included with 46-48 cars when new. Gene said, "Also sold as a replacement part was a "replaceent jack" 609956, which would have been something to put in the trunk of a used car". Since #609656 is not listed as a MECH., simply as, "BUMPER TYPE" if this could be the friction jack pictured above? One more thing that is puzzling, of the 2 bases listed,neither are for any of the jacks listed?

Don't be miss led by the parts book as to which jack is correct. Many of the jacks sold through parts were jacks that didn't come as equipment for any car/year.
If i had a 1941-48 and wanted the correct jack for judging it would be the ratcheting type jack described in the egineering Manual and pictured on the jack instruction card or in the owners manual.
I was hoping that VCCA Son would send you and me a picture of his 1948 production jack....also thought that the toolman would add to the info...he's probably still resting after Hershey.

I have what I believe is a 1948 Chevy jack in my basement. Sorry but it is not for sale. Send me an email and I will shoot you off a picture. It would be interesting to see if it is the same as VCCA Son's bumper jack.
Yes I am still tired from Hershey 2007. Three 10 hour days of walking on blacktop is tiring. But where else can one see so many parts and VCCA friends from all over the country?

Dave