Dandy Dave Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 (edited) Came across this picture while digging though some of my better other half's old family albums and boxes of photos. A fleet of Chevys. Late 1940's and into the 1950's. She said her Grandad on her mothers side of the family owned the Finton fleet. They were located in the Salamanca, NY area. Edited July 11, 2020 by Dandy Dave (see edit history) 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 Another close up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldford Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 looks like a mixture of Chevrolets 40's and early 50's Frank 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 11, 2020 Author Share Posted July 11, 2020 8 minutes ago, oldford said: looks like a mixture of Chevrolets 40's and early 50's Frank Yeah. None are newer than 1954 as that is when they dropped the split windshield for a full view one piece type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 (edited) Great photo and proud heritage. Thanks for sharing If you're trying to date it, I doubt any are newer than 1950. The 1951 models had wing windows. None of them look to have the wings on the side windows (unless my eyes are failing me, which is highly possible). 1950 1951 Edited July 11, 2020 by 30DodgePanel (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 This might interest your "better other half"... Good price too... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stock-certificate-Finton-Delivery-Inc-The-state-of-New-York-/202944646983 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 On 7/11/2020 at 11:14 AM, 30DodgePanel said: This might interest your "better other half"... Good price too... https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stock-certificate-Finton-Delivery-Inc-The-state-of-New-York-/202944646983 I pulled the Trigger. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 Talking with Patty, She said JR. Finton was her Grandmother's first husband on her moms side of the family. He passed of a heart attack early on and then she remarried a fellow with the last name of Fitzgerald. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gray Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 On 7/10/2020 at 10:56 PM, Dandy Dave said: Came across this picture while digging though some of my better other half's old family albums and boxes of photos. A fleet of Chevys. Late 1940's and into the 1950's. She said her Grandad on her mothers side of the family owned the Finton fleet. They were located in the Salamanca, NY area. I had to smile when I looked at the tractor trailer on the left. It has been a long time since I saw sanders on the rear axle of a truck. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 13, 2020 Author Share Posted July 13, 2020 8 minutes ago, Dave Gray said: I had to smile when I looked at the tractor trailer on the left. It has been a long time since I saw sanders on the rear axle of a truck. Dave Yeah. A lot of Ice and snow up here in the not so great North East. Dandy Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Kingsley Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I think the 4th truck from the left is a 51, the others of that style 1950 models. I believe the lights in the grill were 48-50 only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
30DodgePanel Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 55 minutes ago, Billy Kingsley said: I think the 4th truck from the left is a 51, the others of that style 1950 models. I believe the lights in the grill were 48-50 only. You mean like these two lights ? lol I have a 1950 I've been working on for a few years now.. Trust me, none of them are newer than 1950 models... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffH Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 I love trucks of this vintage, and the Chevrolets in particular. If I am not mistaken, these trucks would have had essentially the same engine as the passenger cars (217, then 235 - correct?). I would not be surprised to hear of a different carburetor, intake manifold, cam shaft... but essentially the same engine. Also, they would have had a 4-speed, with a very low 1st - supplemented with a 2-speed rear. Please correct me if I am wrong. Granted, the loads were less, and speed limits were lower. But, WOW, what a difference to today's trucks. Even the larger trucks of the time (Mack, White, Kenworth) were no powerhouses, and relied on gearing to get the job done. I would be very interested to hear about the driving experience with these trucks, if anyone has any insight. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28 Chrysler Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) I worked in a marina and there was a truck like the 1947? tractor on the far left. The truck was fitted with a 18' boom and a massive winch that was run off a PTO. The tires would start to sing at 40 MPH on concrete. Uncomfortable at any speed. Edited July 13, 2020 by 28 Chrysler (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, JeffH said: If I am not mistaken, these trucks would have had essentially the same engine as the passenger cars (217, then 235 - correct?). I would not be surprised to hear of a different carburetor, intake manifold, cam shaft... but essentially the same engine. Also, they would have had a 4-speed, with a very low 1st - supplemented with a 2-speed rear. Please correct me if I am wrong. Thats pretty much right, 216s and 235s. Many, probably most of them were 216s. The first 235s were for trucks like this, and came out in 1941 I think optionally. They weren't the 235 we know, more like a 235 cubic inch 216. The 235 we know came along as incremental changes in the early 50s. The first ones with full pressure oiling were 1954 automatics in cars, and maybe not until a year later in trucks? Some family friends farmed wheat and had 5 of the big AD flatbeds with sides. Some of them had hydraulic dump. There were 4 speed with the split rear and a couple of the others had Clark 5 speeds. Those Clarks were completely unsynchronized, and had a slight overdrive on fifth, though it wasn't enough overdrive really. You drove them by floating gears, sometimes double clutching. It's all gears. When you are loaded, you go really slow up hills. Edited July 13, 2020 by Bloo (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58L-Y8 Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 Here's a better look at Finton Delivery fleet. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Kingsley Posted July 13, 2020 Share Posted July 13, 2020 9 hours ago, 30DodgePanel said: You mean like these two lights ? lol I have a 1950 I've been working on for a few years now.. Trust me, none of them are newer than 1950 models... I couldn't see them until you enlarged the photo. Still can barely see them but they are visible in this close-up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jubilee Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 I drove a 1950 Chevy single axle tractor by myself starting 1954. My Dad had a trucking company, livestock, grain, oil and gas tankers. He had mostly Whites, GMCs IHCs, Macks, and this one little Chevy. The GMCs and Macks were diesel, the Whites had the 1000 ci+ Hall-Scott’s, the IHC’s had about a 450ci ( red diamond?) engine. The 50 Chevy had a new 261 insert bearing engine installed before wheat harvest in 1954 when the 235 babbitt blew up. The Chevy pulled a 36’ tandem trailer with either grain sides or livestock sides. It had a 5 speed overdrive ( then called a “working 4th”) transmission and two speed rear end. Shift pattern 4L-5L-4H-5H. At 14, in Kansas, with a restricted drivers license, you could haul wheat around the clock legally during harvest, and I did. The truck was hot, slow, and very rough. You can actually hurt your neck or raise a bump on your head and see stars from your head hitting the roof on a rough bump, and these were high roof trucks. And of course, when you got thrown that high, your foot came off the gas pedal so your nose/forehead could catch the steering wheel on your way down. You couldn’t see anything behind you, two little round mirrors vibrating so bad they were useless. You opened the door to back up and sometimes had to step out on running board. I loved every minute of it. You were busy all the time. Shifting gears, watching gauges, listening to the engine and driveline for unusual noises, and ect. Dad sold the Chevy in ‘55 and I got promoted to a ‘51 GMC 4 banger. You drive it all and you looked like a coal miner. Just the whites of your eyes and where you licked your lips, everything else, covered in soot. I was in heaven I bought a new loaded , high horsepower ( nearly always Cat), Peterbilt in 1966, 1970, 1975, 1982, 1987, 1994, and 2002. Every time I drove one of those trucks for the first time, I always thought of that 50 Chevy/51 GMC and how things have changed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Jubilee. Yes, IHC 450 Red Diamond. Also there was a 501Red Diamond. Got about 3 miles to the gallon. I ran a1957 Series 657 FWD with a Finke snow plow on it years ago powered by a 501. Plowed the parking lot at Catamount Ski area with it years ago. Only got about 3 gallons to the mile pushing heavy snow in about 2cd or third gear. LOL.. Yes. Things sure have changed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Another photo of one of the trucks. The youngster is Patty's brother James. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandy Dave Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 And another. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hudsy Wudsy Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) Well off the subject, but I was thinking a while back how everything is paved these days. Dirt parking lots were the norm when I was young. Then gradually everything got paved. Edited July 14, 2020 by Hudsy Wudsy (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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