42 Chevy
 

I picked up this truck yesterday. 42 Chevy 3100, 216, 4spd. It came from Nebraska to Charlottesville VA 4 months ago . It has some rust through in the top of the cab and doors but its a really solid original truck and will need less patching than the nice cab I got for my 50 GMC. I also can use a lot of the stuff I already have for the 50.

It looks to be a early 1942 Civilian truck that was purchased by the government. Built 11/41 in Kansas City. I can see the original Brewster Green with black fenders under the olive drab. I can see outlines of yellow writing and a shield with USA on the door but cant make out the details. I did find a pic of a Coast Guard truck with a similar shield. It has a mix of left over 41 parts , 42 changes and chrome trim that was painted over with olive drab

What I have already.
65 292
85 Trans Am T5 with S10 tail shaft .
52 rear with 57 3.90 center section, new brakes and mounts welded on.
4inch Sids drop axle with the works
63 4x4 16x6 wheels with hubcap clips.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Very cool!,

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Sweet truck. It's surprising how hard they are to find. Compared to the AD style. Can't wait to see what you do with it.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Thanks
Thanks, Everything Info and parts seems hard to find so far compared to a AD. I like doing the research and finding the parts, so no big deal. I know they are out there.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Very cool truck. Truck reminds me of when i found mine.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

A great find. Enjoy the build.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Thanks, I hope it turns out as nice as yours.

Thanks

Here's a close up of the door you can kind of make out the shield and USCG.
I probably wont go back to that, I'm not a fan of green, I just think it's interesting that a Coast Guard truck ended up on a farm in Petersburg Nebraska.

Today I pulled the plugs, the cylinders look good but the starter just clicks. I put some ATF in it. I'm going to let it sit for a few days and see if I can work it free. Everything is stuck it seems, the the hood hinges and locks are free now, but have plenty more things to get loose.

I put some decent wheels and tires on it, it was slightly towed out by 8 inches or so , I did a winch alignment and straightened the tie rod.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I didn't do much today, just sprayed things with PB blast.

It was Mom and Honda kid approved. Neither of those two usually appreciate the junk I drag home. I also got my first when are you going to paint it's from 2 people :lol:

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I got side tracked, bought a geo metro last week for $100 was fixing it for a daily . The 42 is off the trailer and on the lift for tomorrow.

I found a cab with a good roof and a few of the parts I know I need. I'm going to try and pick that up Sunday.

These places on the roof and a spot around the rear window are really the only major rust through issues. The other cab the bottom is junk. I'm debating swapping the whole roof or just patching.
Has anyone separated the roof at the factory seams before, and is it worth the trouble?

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Has anyone separated the roof at the factory seams before, and is it worth the trouble?[/QUOTE]
Curious to know ...... is there a factory seam? or are you planning on making your own by cutting along the style line?

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Curious to know ...... is there a factory seam? or are you planning on making your own by cutting along the style line?[/QUOTE]

I'm sure there is a seam somewhere spot welded and leaded over. The cabs were stamped in sections and welded together. I'm just not sure where yet. It looks like the style line overlaps the bottom sheet metal of the cab and is probably just spot welded.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

It was a good day. I Sold most of the 50 this morning, and set up a time to pick up the parts cab tomorrow.

I started to take the tires off the original wheels ,but the valve stem hole broke out when I broke the bead. that's one for the scrap pile.

I also found out why it wouldn't turn over . The entire bell housing and clutch were packed with a mouse nest. After I got that nasty mess cleaned out the engine spins over easy by hand and by the starter. I need to move some junk around to steal the ignition parts off of another motor I have. Hopefully it will be running sometime this week.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I went and looked at the cab but didn't buy. It had rust in the same spots I'm trying to fix. I'm going to look at another next weekend.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

subbed

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I went road tripping through North Carolina last weekend and picked up a cab roof. It has some bad spots so I'm going to cut it up for patches but I should be able to fix all of the rust through with it.

I also got a rear bed crossmember a gas tank that I don't know what its for, seats for my panel truck,and a antique Jack.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I put wires and coil , cleaned up the points and had spark but then the ring gear came off the flywheel .I'm not going to mess with the 216 anymore, too much work for a motor I'm not going to use.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I haven't done much. I sold Geo#1 and bought another so Ive been working on that and the panel a little. I know a guy who has a bunch of left over parts from a 46 restoration. I went and took a look , but the man has dementia so I don't know when I'm going to get the stuff, just depends on when his son has time to figure out a price. there is so much it will probably take a few trips to move it all.

I did get the 292 out and on a stand. If I'm feeling it in the AM I might go clean it up. It runs great but I'm debating doing bearings, rings ,and the head.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Life happened and 2 more Geo's later. I haven't done much with this one other than collecting parts. I want to tear it down and go back together quickly instead of having a pile of parts spread all over for years.

I picked up some front fenders that aren't cut ,they are beat up but solid I haven't decided if I'm going to try and straighten those or just patch the original fenders.

I have decided not to use the 292 it will look out of place for the direction I want the build to go. . I have a 270 GMC and also found a 261 and a set of high compression pistons with GMC rods. I'm still going back and forth which to use? I also picked up a 3spd I might use that and keep the torque tube. The 4spd will get old quick for me so that is most likely going away. I can always switch to the T5 later with the open rear.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

Is that a 12 bolt rear diff you will be using in your 42? Will your bellhousing accept a T5 --- 4 1/4 inch hole or 4 11/16 like later 235/261? Not sure if GMC were different. I kicked around a sm465 but gave up becuse of weight and the large hole for the input shaft bearing housing. I wanted to retain the floor pedals and they connect to the earlier bell housing 4 1/4 that has the bolt bosses for the shaft mount. The cab on my 42 was a little better than yours --not much-- but I did use 6 -- 2 lb non flux spools in my 42 but that also included welding in a custom floor to clear the 700r4 bellhousing.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

I am not an expert on 292 but the block bellhousing pattern should be the same as a v8. Not sure on the 270. Car bellhousing with a 4 11/16 inch hole and a truck bellhousing with a 5 1/8 hole. This may be more flexible for future trans changes. I do not know about the 292 motor mount location. If it is the same as the 42 or not. And this probably would require for clutch/brake pedal mods.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

The rear is a 52 housing with a 57 open drive line center. The center will bolt in the 42 housing but it just depends if I want to switch to bendix brakes from the original huck. I have a set of bendix front backing plates already.

I have several truck bellhousings from all years. I would like to use the original for the pedals but I will have to adapt to make a t5 work. The 4spd I have is a crash box completely different than a sm420/465. I don't mind no sychros I have driven heavy trucks. Its the slow shifting and bad gear splits for the way I drive. The 3spd is a bolt in. and is geared the same as the 65 that I drove daily. I don't mind spinning the snot out of a 6cyl on the highway, they are tougher than people give them credit for.

The GMC bellhousing is the same as 235/261 a t5 will bolt to the 47 and newer. The center hole is the same up to around 68 when they switched to the sm465. 292 bellhousing is v8 pattern with angled mounts and it has side mounts on the engine. I have a 1st 55 crossmember and aftermarket engine mounts for that swap.

If I switch to the T5 it will involve either rigging the pedals or trans mounting . At this point I don't know what im going to do . I have all the parts to go in several directions with it.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

2Manyprojects, this is good info as I am working on the 46 3/4 ton and am using a 67 12 bolt for the rear --width is about right and I will move the perches and put shocks on rear. Like you I am using spare parts I have from my 67 changes. I already modified the front axle with a 57 front axle so I will have 6 bolts all way around and and cheaper and easier to get brake parts.. I will have an open driveshaft also and if my uncle wants a flatbed I will not section the frame for the new 79" bed sides he already has--not a longbed as a 3/4 would have had. It will not be a rear dual axle anymore ---heck maybe it is a ton instead of a 3/4. Not sure the options back then -it is an 8 lug but as I understand could be either. I have a good non sychro 4 speed with pto out of a 41 -- 1 1/2 ton. Do not need the pto but if flatbed could make it a dump bed -- no reason. Could get cylinder assembly and pump off the 1 1/2 ton.

If it is left as a long frame I will most likely need a carrier bearing from a 67-87 because of length. If I cut the frame --no need. It came with a closed driveshaft to the original carrier bearing then open after that. The 4 speed that came out was for original setup. Open all the way with the 1 1/2 ton 4 speed.

Good talking with you. I will watch your post and ponder your choices for my project.

Re: 42 Chevy
 

the GMC 270 is a longer motor than the Chevrolet 216... GMC had their own motors, I'm not sure if the bellhousings would exchange or not. in my 46 I used a 228 out of a later model gmc, I would like to find a 302, but they all shared the same block, just bore and stroke differences

Re: 42 Chevy
 

The bellhousings are the same. I will just have to move the radiator in front of the core support and drill a couple new front mount holes to use the GMC.