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What distinguishes a 1955 1956 1957 Chevrolet truck?


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The biggest difference between the 3 is the 57 grille and hood.  Minor changes in the emblems between the 3.

(Just to make it a bit confusing there was also a "First series" 55 that was nearly identical in appearance to the 54.)

Edited by mike 51
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I forgot about the grill. To further complicate things, I'm actually looking at a photo of a larger Chevy truck, a 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 ton which has an entirely different grill...

 

Maybe this will be easier, can anyone identify the year of this truck?  The US Forest Service switched from dark green to light green in the late 1950s. This is the oldest original truck (I'm not trusting modern restorations) that I've been able to find in the light green paint scheme. I have photos of 1954 / 1st series 55 Chevrolet trucks in the dark green paint scheme. Clearly the switch was made between 1955 and 1957, just trying to nail down the year. The photo says it was taken July 4th 1959 at a parade, so the truck is quite new in the photo and most likely delivered in that color. Photo is from USFS achieves, edited to better view the truck.

FS%20parade%20float1959_zpsvcvi4bnz.jpg

Edited by Aaronw
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I'm pretty sure that's a '57.   The hood emblem is your best (only?) clue.  

I found pics of two USFS pickups..a 57 and a 58-9  (Chevys) both light green with white roofs like in your pic.

I also found pics of a 55 F100 panel with USFS markings but I kinda doubt it's legit..

 

Edited by mike 51
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It is weird I have a couple hundred vintage photos of USFS vehicles including dozens on either side of these three years, but I only have two period photos of vehicles from 1955-57, this one, and a Chevy flatbed (a side view so less helpful than the one I posted). Based on photos I know the change occurred after 1954 and no later than 1957, just looking for that elusive photo of a 1955 or 56 to find the exact year.

I don't trust restorations for stuff like this, there are a few that have been really well done but most have minor to major accuracy issues. I'm pretty sure I know the '55 Panel truck you mentioned, not the most accurate restoration / clone out there... ;)

 

Thanks

 

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I had not seen that one, but it actually does help with another detail, the door markings which I believe changed in 1959. Even if it is a '59 instead of a '58 it would still show that they were in transition since other '59s show the later markings. These smaller changes were usually not immediate as the stock of old material was often used up.

 

Thanks 

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's a '56. Here's the clues that identify it. One, the flat hood. All '57 Chevrolet and GMC trucks have the twin "bullets" on the hood, whether they have the gunsight trim or not. The other giveaway clue is the side trim. That spear, which is 2 piece, is unique to the '56. The '55 2nds have a similar one peice side trim piece mounted lower on the fender, but only on the 1/2 through 1 ton pickups. Big truck, 1 1/2  and 2 ton only have the series number designation in chrome numbers on the fender. '56 got the spear on all trucks, 1/2 through 2 1/2 ton. The '57s have a different side trim, more of an elongated egg shape, with an oval towards the rear of the emblem with the series designation. It mounts in the same location as the '56, though. A third item is the hood emblem. Only used on '56 and '57, the giveaway is the color scheme, '56 is black with a red Bowtie, '57 is reversed, red with a black bowtie.

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/ensrud_grant_1956.html

http://www.stovebolt.com/gallery/droege_matt_1956.htm

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Thanks, so '56. I did find a photo that claims to be a '56 IH in the dark green, and another photo of a Chevy 4400 flatbed in the light green that appears to be a 1956 based on the hood and side emblems (also a NAPCO badge), although possibly the same truck with the pumper unit removed. They were designed to allow relatively easy conversion between a flatbed truck and fire engine as needed.

I think it is fairly safe to say the change in paint happened at some point in 1956.

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You have probably seen this before, right?

http://www.shorpy.com/node/14005?size=_original

It says August 59 but I belive that truck could be a 58.

That one is a '59. The hood emblem and what you can see of the fender badge is the giveaway.

Thanks, so '56. I did find a photo that claims to be a '56 IH in the dark green, and another photo of a Chevy 4400 flatbed in the light green that appears to be a 1956 based on the hood and side emblems (also a NAPCO badge), although possibly the same truck with the pumper unit removed. They were designed to allow relatively easy conversion between a flatbed truck and fire engine as needed.

I think it is fairly safe to say the change in paint happened at some point in 1956.

I don't think they are the same truck. The one you posted is not a Napco, but a standard 4000/6000  truck. The badge on this one that is below the model emblem is a V8 badge. Somewhat odd for a government vehicle.

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You have probably seen this before, right?

http://www.shorpy.com/node/14005?size=_original

It says August 59 but I belive that truck could be a 58.

That one is a '59. The hood emblem and what you can see of the fender badge is the giveaway.

Thanks, so '56. I did find a photo that claims to be a '56 IH in the dark green, and another photo of a Chevy 4400 flatbed in the light green that appears to be a 1956 based on the hood and side emblems (also a NAPCO badge), although possibly the same truck with the pumper unit removed. They were designed to allow relatively easy conversion between a flatbed truck and fire engine as needed.

I think it is fairly safe to say the change in paint happened at some point in 1956.

I don't think they are the same truck. The one you posted is not a Napco, but a standard 4000/6000  truck. The badge on this one that is below the model emblem is a V8 badge. Somewhat odd for a government vehicle.

Why is that odd, was the V-8 a large expense for the time? These trucks carried 300 gallons of water and a crew of 5, plus a couple hundred pounds of tools. I would think weight was probably getting to be a bit of a load for the I-6 if you were in any kind of hurry to get somewhere. 

Fords were much more quite commonly used in the 40s than Chevys and they had V-8s. The later 1950s and 60s are much more evenly divided between Ford, Dodge and Chevy who all offered a V-8 by that point. Oddly GMCs are quite rare, maybe GM prefers to bid Chevrolet on government contracts?

 

Also I was wrong, it is the 4400, in one photo it looked like it said NAPCO, but other photos it is clear that it is just the 4400 at the end of the side spear. 

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Where is would be odd is that the government pretty much always went with the lowest price they could on vehicles like that. The V8 would have been an extra cost, and given the torque curve on the standard 235, the I6 is actually the better choice. While the 265 does have a higher torque output overall, the 235 has a relatively flat torque curve, almost like comparing a modern gas engine to a Diesel. There was also fuel consumption, the 6 being far more economical to run. Even on civilian trucks, the 6 is far more common in the Conventional '55-'59 Chevrolets that the V8s (LCF trucks are an exception, all of those are V8, no option). Another variant that would more likely see a V8 in would be the Tandems, which were common with the Loadmaster 322 V8.

You make mention of the Dodge trucks from the era, I would suspect the majority of those used for government contracts were 6 cylinder as well, the WM300 Power Wagons would be for sure, no V8 option was available on those.

With the GMCs, again, comes down to cost. GMC were more expensive than a comparable Chevrolet. You would have to get into the 3 ton and larger to really see GMCs for government trucks, Chevrolet didn't have anything over a 2 1/2 ton during that period.

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WM300 were quite rare which is odd they seem quite appropriate for the work. Most of the Dodges I've seen were the W series although cant say for sure what was under the hood.

These trucks did have to be highway capable as well as roaming forest roads. Even back then it was not unusual for a truck to go to a fire at the other end of the state every year. I like I-6s (have a '52 GMC and '69 Land Cruiser) but they are not the happiest freeway cruisers. Or maybe just a general attitude of mo cylinders, mo betta regardless of actual numbers. All I know is most of the older US Forest Service Trucks I've seen have a V-8.

Even now they tend to opt for the bigger engine option even in basic vehicles. All the Ford Rangers I've driven had the V-6 which is in my opinion way over powered for those little trucks, I actually find them a bit dangerous for the roads we drive. The USFS used to be a very decentralized organization, so the people on the ground had a lot more input than in most government organizations. If the user "needed" a V-8 they only had to convince their boss, a guy they actually saw on a regular basis, not some bean counter in DC.

 

So for modeling a '56 use a '57 with a '55 hood and '57 emblem, or is it more complicated than that?

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I see what you're saying. I didn't realize that they had a little more free reign over their equipment, figured that they were just like any other government contract.

Yes, '55 hood with the '57 emblem. Inside the cab, you'll want to use the '55 column and steering wheel, as they are the same on the 1:1. You'll also want to use the engine from the '57, or any non-'55 small block. The '55 engine is unique to that year, and did not carry over. If you were to do an inline, the engine from the AMT '60 Chevy pickup is the correct one.

Edited by Longbox55
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