Cab

1937-1946 Deluxe Heaters

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Keeping the passenger area warm in cars and trucks during the winter was always a problem in the early years. Not only were the heater fans and cores small but the vehicles used recirculator heaters. Thus, the air in the cab was recirculated rather than using dry outside cold air being brought inside and warmed. This helped for quicker warming but with more passengers, the additional humidity from breathing caused the windows to fog inside. A wiping cloth would have been needed to clear the windshield.

To address this issue, GM provided an extra feature with the pictured “deluxe” heater. A blower motor attached to the top of the standard heater made it a “deluxe” model. This separate optional motor on top forced warm air into the defroster nozzles and onto the windshield. There were two switches under the dash, one for each motor. In colder climates, it is doubtful the small heater core could supply warm air from the two motors both at the same time! Although this is antiquated by today’s standards, it did allow some relief on colder days.

GM Deluxe Heater 1
Optional Defroster Motor on Top-Estimated 1939		 Front GM Deluxe Heater
1940-46
GM deluxe Heater 2
Air intake, back view ‘ Estimated 1939		 GM deluxe Heater 2
1940-46
Optional Defroster Assembly- Estimated 1939
Optional Defroster Assembly- Estimated 1939
1940-46

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WWII Cab Changes

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

With the US entry into World War II, trucks were quickly modified to be successful for military use. Pre-existing cabs, frames, and mechanical components were altered to be more usable when in everyday work duties or in battle.  NOTE:  The Chevrolet cab remains almost the same as those on civilian trucks.

WWII Cab 1
This photo shows a large military truck that was built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors about 1941.  The items of much interest are the changes made for use overseas and when the truck was in the field.

WWII Cab 2

The horn button is of a very heavy duty basic design, not like on most civilian trucks.  Only the civilian ‘cab-over-engine’ body carried this style horn button on non-military vehicles.

WWII Cab3

Note: This is a civilian Chevrolet cab with many modifications. The windshield frame is operated differently. Its hinges are on the outside for easy repair. There is no crank-out assembly that is known for their short life. The frame is opened manually much like the trucks before 1936. The crank handle hole is not even punched in the dash panel.

WWII Cab 4

Identification tags showing the vehicle number and gross weight plus the operation plate of four wheel drive are screwed to the glove box door.  This box door lock uses no key!  There was always a chance of a driver losing his key.

WWII Cab 5

The crank handle hole is not punched in the dash panel.  The windshield frame is secured in the closed position by a simple wedge handle.

WWII Cab 6

The cab rear window is well protected with an exterior steel grill. We suspect many private owners would have liked this extra on their domestic trucks.

WWII Cab 6

The inside door and window handles are not die-cast due to the war time shortage of zinc. They are made of a steel stamping covered with a dull Bakelite molded material. This usually shrinks and cracks within a few years.

WWII Cab 7

The removable hood side panels are of extra thickness to protect the engine from enemy rifle fire.  The Chevrolet lettering was removed after 1941 to stop extra advertising.

WWII Cab 8

The different front sheet metal is always associated with a military truck. None of this is a part of civilian models. The hood has no center hinge at the top. Thus, it does not open on the sides as civilian trucks. The hood is hinged on the cowl and lifts upward at the front. The military wanted a heavy hood with much less complications as the side opening design.

WWII Cab 9

The windshield and hood have exterior hinges for easy accessibility if damaged overseas.

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WWII Accelerator Pedal

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

During the war years, the US was plagued with a shortage of rubber. The Japanese occupied most of the islands that grew rubber producing plants. The majority of the rubber the U.S. could obtain was sent to the war effort.

WWII Pedal 1

Thus, manufacturers across the country were required to eliminate rubber and find substitutes. General Motors also felt the pressures on these non-war products. One of the more notable changed items was the redesigning of accelerator pedals on their trucks. All the rubber that had provided a non slip surface was removed. As a substitute, the metal surface was given three sharp edge slots. In this way the drivers shoe sole would not slip on the pedal surface. An excellent new design. (when you have a lemon, make lemonade).

WWII Pedal 2

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No Pedal Pads

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Maybe the rubber was of lesser quality. Maybe the GM truck division was saving money. For some reason Chevrolet and GMC trucks were not designed for rubber brake and clutch pads.

No Pedal Pads 1

To keep the driver’s foot from slipping on them, these pedals are equipped with small “bumps” in the metal. This gives many years of use by the soles of the driver’s shoes.

No Pedal Pads 2

These bumps are molded in the pedals during production.

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Leather Gas Grommets

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

The United States and its allies suffered from major rubber shortages during World War II as the Japanese had control of most Indonesian rubber tree plantations. To survive without this material, much of the world was forced to settle on a limited supply of synthetic rubber of lesser quality. This material filled some needs but lacked the strength and durability of real rubber. Synthetic tires got half the mileage and this material had limited resistance with contact to solvents such as gasoline.

Leather Gas Grommet 1

This created immediate problems with the gas tank grommets on GM trucks. (This rubber ring seals the hole around the large gasoline add-pipe extending from the tank through the right side cab corner.) A synthetic rubber grommet was not practical in this location because of occasional gasoline spills during fill-ups.

Leather Gas Grommet3 3

A solution to the problem was using a proven material that was readily available in the U.S. It was leather! On the assembly line a punched leather disc was pressed over the gas add pipe and held in place against the body with a metal attaching ring. Four screw holes were punched in the body and ring at the factory for the screws. This leather grommet was not equal to the original rubber unit, but did hold its shape against the elements.

Leather Gas Grommet 2

Therefore, you can always identify a GM truck cab from this era because of the four punched holes beside the gas hole. The rubber gas grommets used before the war and after about mid 1946 will not totally cover these four small holes. Unless they are filled, by a body shop, the cab must remain the World War II type with the leather grommet.

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Early Dash Panels

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Gauges in Chevrolet truck dash panels during the mid through late 1930′s are very similar and are spaced, from each other, almost the same. Even their smaller chrome gauge rings interchange. The 1934-35 gauges are in the middle of the dash and there is no glove box. The 1936-39 instruments are centered above the steering column with the glove box on the right side.

Early Dash 1

When restoring these rare gauges, waterless decals are now available to help make them look like new. They are available from Jim Carter’s Classic Truck Parts as well as a few other full stocking dealers.

Early Dash 2

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1940-1946 Dash Trim

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

A unique feature on GM truck cabs became standard equipment between 1940 and 1946. Before and after this, truck cabs were very basic. As they were made for work, almost no extras were on them. The idea was to keep manufacturing cost very low. There was much competition with other makes trying to also keep their sale price as low as possible.

Dash Trim 1

Therefore, it was a surprise in 1940 when GM trucks introduced an unusual feature on their commercial vehicle cabs. This was hammered paint plus a three piece set of narrow decorative horizontal chrome dash trim. It served no particular purpose but added to the appearance of the metal dash. This original trim was chrome on steel, so most show rust after 50 years.

Dash Trim 2

Re-plating of the trim is difficult. It can not handle much polishing before rust pits will leave holes in the trim surface. It is now being reproduced in mirror finished stainless steel. It looks the same but is resistant to rust. Contact Jim Carter Classic Truck Parts or other full stocking truck dealers.

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1939-1946 Deluxe Cab

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Deluxe Cab 1

Deluxe cab?  There is none!  Truck cabs during these early years all came the same from the factory. Accessories were dealer installed. You picked the factory installed color and transmission.  The dealership added the requested extras such as heater, inside sun visorright mirror arm, etc.

This changed on the Advance Design Cabs during 1947-55. The pickup had a deluxe cab because it was given factory rear corner windows, a right side sun visor, and door and windshield stainless trim.

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1936-1946 Seat Adjuster

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Some beginners tend to place 1936-46 cabs in the same category. Don’t do this! The 1936-38 and 1939-46 are a totally different design. Very little interchanges. The early style provided excellent building blocks for the new design 1939-46 trucks.

One major difference (when viewing a base cab) is the placement of the bottom seat cushion adjusters. On the early design a three prong bracket for a seat adjustment is attached in two places to the back of the cab. See Photo.

Seat Adjuster 1

The new 1939-46 design gives a totally different way the lower cushion adjusts. It sits on four front to back above the gas tank strips. Two of these have small pegs which fit into holes in the cushion bottom. In this way the cushion can be lifted at the front and moved forward or backward.

NOTE: On both body designs the lower and upper cushions connect where they meet. Thus, at least the lower part of the back will move with the lower cushion. Unfortunately, your shoulders and arms will always be same length from the steering wheel.

Seat belts? Unheard of in the 1930′s and 1940′s.

Seat Adjuster 2

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1936-1939 Glove Box Lock

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

This early glove box lock assembly has a weak point that makes it difficult to find complete. Its die-cast vertical pointer is held in place by a small steel tension spring. After the truck sets outside abandon several years the spring rusts, breaks, or otherwise looses its tension. This allows the pointer to fall out and the glove box lid will no longer stay closed.

Most all locks you find will be without their pointer. The enclosed photos show a complete lock with pointer as it must be to operate.

Glove Box Lock 1

These locks do not have the ‘push button’ mechanism as the later design.  A small spring button attached to the dash moves. With this style, you pull on the key knob in the door when it is unlocked to overcome this spring button.  You don’t have to use the key to open the door.  Just pull the lock knob.  To lock the glove box door, just turn the key and the pointer moves forward.  The door is now locked.

During the beginning months of this 1936-39 lock, a different key blank was used. This blank has not been available for many years. If you need the early style your local locksmith may not be able to provide a key! (And the search begins.)

Glove Box Lock 2

Glove Box Lock 3

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1936-1938 Cab Windlace

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

It is so unusual to find an unmolested mid 30s truck! When this all original 21,000 mile 1937 GMC appeared at a recent New England truck show, we had to take notice having never seen the correct installation of the small 3/8′ bead cab windlace on an early model. Our camera did some recording.

Left Side Cab Lace

Left Side Cab Lace (Above)

Right Side Cab Lace

Right Side Cab Lace (Above)

Rumors from a few past customers were correct, the attaching position at the upper front door corner changes. Take note of the way the two pointed windlace ends meet when the door is closed. On the top and back side of the door opening the windlace is attached to the cab. At the front, the vertical piece is secured to the door edge

Gap Cab Lace

Note the gap between the two pointed ends of the welt. Some shrinkage after 70 years.

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1936 Cabs

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

1936 Cabs

Three times during Chevrolet truck history there were mid-year body changes. This was in 1936, 1947, and 1955. These changes involved very few modifications to the bed and mechanical components, but it was the cabs that received the near total facelifts.

In mid 1936 a major cab change occurred. Prior, they are referred to as high cab (mid 1936 and older) and later the low cab (mid 1936 and newer). The earlier style is a more square cab and has few style differences from trucks of the 1920′s. Structurally, they used internal wood frames to which much of the sheet metal was attached with nails and screws. This makes a strong, solid quiet cab when new but often results in a shortened life as dampness, dry rot, and loose fasteners take their toll.

A few other specifics on the 1936 high cab.

  • 3 Door Hinges
  • Rectangular Rear Window Frame
  • Windshield Frame has two lower rounded corners and two upper square corners
  • Windshield Frame is swing out manually with a slide on each side. A hand turned screw tightens down on the side to hold the frame open
  • Built in Body Exterior Sun Visor over Windshield (see diagram)

The newer low cab reflects the modern rounded body, a styling that had been introduced in all mid 30′s cars and most of the competition’s trucks. The only cab wood remaining was two front vertical internal posts and two horizontal side sections to help reinforce the door weight.

A few other specifics on the 1936 low cab

  • 2 Door Hinges
  • Round Corners on Rear Window
  • Windshield Fram opened bt crank handle in center of dash
  • Windshield Glass 12″ high with all four corners rounded
  • No changes in the cream colored dash guages

 

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