Truck Identity Help

[Buchans Bread]

I am trying to determine the make and year of this truck to see if it is worth trying to do something with. Any help with identification is appreciated.

[Layden B]

Chevrolet car chassis, 1927 was the last year for wood wheels and 2 wheel brakes but I think this is a couple of years older.

[keiser31]

Reminds me of my 1926 Chevrolet that I used to own.

[Guest my3buicks]

that is really kewl!!!!!!!!!

[Buchans Bread]

The car chassis concept is interesting. The owner is convinced it is a Chevy, but I am not sure why. The degree of slope from the windshield forward looks fairly steep and I am wondering what kind of front clip might work. Your comments are appreciated.

[Dandy Dave]

A lot of these early delivery trucks were built on car chassies. They were called "Commercial Cars" by the manufacturers. Very Cool find. Find a good running gear and drop the body on it. Dandy Dave!

Edited November 8, 2010 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)

[W_Higgins]

It's about a '26 Chevrolet. Here's a photo from one I sent home last week:

Note the oval ignition / light switch on one side with oval ammeter and oil pressure gauge on the right and round speedometer in the center. The steering column quadrant is also a give-away, in addition to other interior features.

It's probably just a Chevrolet firewall with a body constructed by an outside firm. Measure the wheelbase as it's also not necessarily a car chassis, though the wheels don't look as stout as the ones I've seen on trucks. It's hard to scale from the photo, but it looks larger than a car chassis. The truck chassis used the regular 4 cylinder car engine, same steering column, etc., just like Ford did with TT trucks.

Neat find.

[DLynskey]

W_Higgins, I'd love to see some more pictures of the one you sent home last week. Looks like an amazing restoration.

Buchans Bread, It should be easy to find a compete running gear relatively cheap and in relatively good shape on EBay. These old Chevies were tough mechanically but the wood-framed bodies didn't last long. Old Chevy truck chassis' are plentiful in farm country. This one should be a fairly straight forward restoration for a good woodworker and will be a truly unique and interesting vehicle.

Don

[Larry Schramm]

My 1918 Buick truck-original from the factory as a truck was built on a 1918 D-35 4 cylinder car chassis. That type of usage was not unusual as others have said.

Edited November 8, 2010 by Larry Schramm (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Chevrolet car chassis, 1927 was the last year for wood wheels and 2 wheel brakes but I think this is a couple of years older.

I thought that 1927 Chevys had bullet headlamps. That's why I said 1926.

[Jim Rohn]

awesome find!!!!!

[W_Higgins]

W_Higgins, I'd love to see some more pictures of the one you sent home last week. Looks like an amazing restoration.

Photos per Don's request -- I hope it's alright adding these here, and maybe it will be helpful to the o.p., as well. I would say it's not so much a restoration as it is a "creation". While the body is nicely done, it's more like the work of a cabinet maker than a builder of commercial bodies. It's a parade vehicle is what it is, and the owner having recently decided to sell it, brought it in to resolve some reliability issues:

[Barry Wolk]

I admire your shop's work, including the pictures you posted the other day.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

I thought that 1927 Chevys had bullet headlamps. That's why I said 1926.

'27s did have bullet/bowl headlights, and the radiator shell had more of a "Model A widow's peak" at the top center, as opposed to a "Lincoln swoop" at the top, as on the '25-'26 Chevy. Cars also had bright radiator shells, either aluminum or nickel.

That bread truck is a neat find; would be quite the project, but looks like it might be salvageable...

[DLynskey]

I thought that 1927 Chevys had bullet headlamps. That's why I said 1926.

Definitely earlier than 1927. Probably earlier than 1926. 1926 Chevys had a bar between the headlights which this one appears to lack -- hard to tell for sure.

Don

[Shop Rat]

According to the ad for the truck on ebay it is being advertised as a 1917 model from Anaconda, Montana.

1917 CHEVROLET BAKERY TRUCK (ANACONDA MONTANA): eBay Motors (item 230522587682 end time Sep-12-10 18:02:52 PDT)

The funny line to me is "This item is NOT eligible for the eBay Motors Vehicle Purchase Protection Program". Ya'think?!?

Edited November 9, 2010 by Shop Rat (see edit history)

[Buchans Bread]

When I spoke to the owner, he said that he has been told anywhere between 1916 and 1928, he does not know. While the owner and I are close in numbers, I need to know what it really is before proceeding. The insight and comments above are very appreciated.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

I'd say '25-'26, based on the pics that Walter posted.

[Jim Rohn]

Photos per Don's request -- I hope it's alright adding these here, and maybe it will be helpful to the o.p., as well. I would say it's not so much a restoration as it is a "creation". While the body is nicely done, it's more like the work of a cabinet maker than a builder of commercial bodies. It's a parade vehicle is what it is, and the owner having recently decided to sell it, brought it in to resolve some reliability issues:

WOW! take the wooden body off, add the metal body and save a ton of grief on the "restoration"

looks like a match to me ...

[DLynskey]

Ask about it on the Vintage Chevrolet Club forum:

VCCA Chat - Forums powered by UBB.threads™

It could be several years older than 1925. I don't know much about the older ones, but someone on the VCCA forum will.

Don

[Buchans Bread]

General trend on VCCA is '25-'28 because of the steering column. Many more opinions/responses here.

1917 Bakery Van - VCCA Chat

[W_Higgins]

I think they're right in that it probably is just the car-type chassis. The wheelbase doesn't look long enough, aside from being lighter duty in other ways. The fenders and hood would still be much like the one of which I posted photos. That '25 - '28 estimate is probably as close as you'll get without a knowledgeable Chevy nerd looking at it in person to pick apart the details. That said, you can probably just put that body on whatever chassis of that year range you want and still be correct.

Edited November 10, 2010 by W_Higgins (see edit history)

[Shop Rat]

Question, is it possible that this vehicle is cobbled together from more than one year's parts? We know quite a few T-Models that are like that.

[Dandy Dave]

I know of a 1926 Chevy light truck Chassies in a bone yard not far from here. The yard is in Sheffield, Mass. It is missing the head from the motor, and radiator. The sheet metal is almost nil. Like old rover said...Ruff, ruff, ruff. I would have to look again, but the frame may also be rotted. Probablely not worth the price of shipping, But with that said, parts is parts. Dandy Dave!

Edited November 11, 2010 by Dandy Dave (see edit history)