1946 Chevy 2 ton

[Darth Plasma]

Here's my new project truck. She's a 1946 Chevy 2 Ton with a 235 inline 6, 4 speed trans with a 2 speed rear (based on my research of the trans and rear). The motor is out of a 48 Chevy after looking up the casting numbers. I have the numbers for the rear end but can't get any info for the date or ratio. Anyways, she's a big girl. It's supposed to run and drive. No brakes.

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Luckily there is no bad rust. This truck is seriously solid, besides some surface on the frame. It's in excellent shape. The wiring is about shot as expected for a 74 year old truck.

So. My plans?

I'm gonna keep this big beast untouched cosmetically. Fix the brakes, get it reliably running and driving, fix some wiring, do a complete service on it, new or better shape tires, and then build a nice flatbed for it.

If anyone is knowledgeable on this generation of trucks, I'm curious to know what rear end is in this.

 

[78C10BigTen]

DUDE!!!!! That thing is F'N sweet!!!! when you get er runnin swing by and take me for a ride! You should find a tow boom bed to put on it!

 

[78C10BigTen]

Btw man im totally diggin the underhood light switch!

 

[Darth Plasma]

DUDE!!!!! That thing is F'N sweet!!!! when you get er runnin swing by and take me for a ride! You should find a tow boom bed to put on it!

Heck yeah!! Lol that would be friggin sweet

Btw man im totally diggin the underhood light switch!

That's my uncle's version of the key switch

 

[nabeshin]

Saw the patina and was all "i hope he leaves it alone cosmetically"

Looks sweet though. You going to pull vehicle trailers with it? Have a business?

What is the story behind the truck, the previous owner, etc?

 

[animal]

Very nice project

 

[Darth Plasma]

Saw the patina and was all "i hope he leaves it alone cosmetically"

Looks sweet though. You going to pull vehicle trailers with it? Have a business?

What is the story behind the truck, the previous owner, etc?

Not really much of a story behind it, my uncle bought it about a decade ago from some guy in Delaware, had plans to make it into a welding truck and just never really got motivated enough to do it. So it sat in a garage for years. He half replaced the brakes, fixed an overheating issue (i think) and that was about it. Now he needs the space to work on some more important repairs, so before he was gonna try and sell it he asked if I wanted it, and here we are today. It's a really solid truck and the patina is beautiful to me. My main plans are to build a flatbed for it, make a tow hitch for it and use it kind of as a farm truck and haul stuff around.

 

[Darth Plasma]

Also this is pretty cool: This truck is gonna live on the same farm as my grandfather's restored '42 Chevy 3/4 ton! The '42 is the original farm truck where he lives. It belonged to his dad. It's got some stories to tell from back in it's hayday...

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[78C10BigTen]

Not really much of a story behind it, my uncle bought it about a decade ago from some guy in Delaware, had plans to make it into a welding truck and just never really got motivated enough to do it. So it sat in a garage for years. He half replaced the brakes, fixed an overheating issue (i think) and that was about it. Now he needs the space to work on some more important repairs, so before he was gonna try and sell it he asked if I wanted it, and here we are today. It's a really solid truck and the patina is beautiful to me. My main plans are to build a flatbed for it, make a tow hitch for it and use it kind of as a farm truck and haul stuff around.

Yours would look super cool with a period correct wrecker boom on it!

 

[nabeshin]

We need more pictures of the '42 pickup

 

[DoubleDingo]

This is a cool truck!

 

[legopnuematic]

The transmission that would have originally came in that truck would have been a 4 speed 'crashbox,' which predated the SM420 used in the 48-67 trucks, unlike a SM420 (and 465) all 4 gears are not synchronized and there is a thumb lift for the reverse lockout (where a 420 and 465 does not have any lockout).

The rear axle has a high ratio of 6.03:1 and a low range of 7.99:1

 

[78C10BigTen]

The transmission that would have originally came in that truck would have been a 4 speed 'crashbox,' which predated the SM420 used in the 48-67 trucks, unlike a SM420 (and 465) all 4 gears are not synchronized and there is a thumb lift for the reverse lockout (where a 420 and 465 does not have any lockout).

The rear axle has a high ratio of 6.03:1 and a low range of 7.99:1

Again with your knowledge! You blow my mind man!!

 

[Craig Nedrow]

been messin with those ol' trucks all my life. However I think that is a 216 engine, identifiable by the passenger side cover which extends all the way to the head. The spark plugs go through the cover which is sealed to the block with cork doughnut gasket. Pan will have dippers, oil pressure gauge probably 30 lbs. 235 much better, but the 216, while less power, does fine but low rpm as it is babbet bearing rods. Rods can be machined or bought to run inserted bearings. Older motors had two bolts through the valve cover to secure it, pron to leaks. Motor in pic is out of a 1953 3100 chevy pickup, which I drove all over the US 40+ years ago.

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[Craig Nedrow]

The newer four speeds (1948- 90'S will mostly bolt up Should have the same bolt pattern, but I have run across (1949 chevy special delux with 216) that had a narrower bolt pattern. If I remember that bellhousing can be replaced with the later model, direct bolt on. In the 53 pickup, I had 4:56 posi out of a 62 chevy, (drop out pumpkin) and a Muncie 4 speed with a Hurst Competion Plus. Actually stop light drags it did good, low gear got me off the line and the Muncie shifted very fast. Fun stuff right there.