E brake question - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

billcocarb · 03-01-2017, 11:05 PM

Looking at a 57, 3100, swb, 235, 4 speed and it has the e brake system with the handle to the right of the shifter with the brake at the rear or the trans. In everything I can find it shows the 1/2 and 3/4 to have the handle on the left of steering column and rear shoes being the e-brake. It shows the trans brake being used on 1 ton and up. My question is : is it possible a 1/2 ton came of the line with the trans brake or is this something I should stay away from. Thanks in advance. Tried searching this but didn't come up with anything.

mr48chev · 03-01-2017, 11:48 PM

Did you look under it to see if there were cables going to the rear axle or spots on the rear backing places for cables.
I'm assuming that it does have six lug wheels or has been converted to five lug.

There is always the possibility that it didn't start out life as a 3100 and someone made a 3100 out of pieces or that they used a trans out of a 1 ton.

**paulspickupparts** · 03-02-2017, 02:58 AM

If you look on the left front frame rail you will see a bracket for the e-brake rod for the hand brake. Should be riveted on. Transmission may have been changed over the years. Look for clues .

billcocarb · 03-02-2017, 09:05 AM

Thanks for the info, think I'll pass on this one.

dsraven · 03-02-2017, 02:32 PM

check the number plate on the door pillar. it will tell you what the truck started life as.
of you are looking for a stock 1/2 tonand this one looks sweet on other accounts, you can send the vin to the GM heritage centre and they will send you a build sheet for it. that would tell you what it was on day one.
if you are looking for a restomod project then that park brake can easily be retrofitted to something you would rather have. i am sure the original linkages are sitting in many garages from guys who converted to a pedal style or something different.
here is the heritage centre booklet for the 55-59 trucks. it has a page with vin's nd series numbers for USA models. copy and paste to google. it is a pdf but only takes a sec to download.

good luck.

https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...2nd-Series.pdf

mr48chev · 03-02-2017, 05:00 PM

I have to agree there, it rather depends on what your plans are for the truck you end up getting. If you plan and engine, trans and rear axle swap in the redo what is there now isn't of huge consequence. If you are going to restore it to stock or almost stock I'd pass unless the sheet metal is near perfect and you figure it's worth the effort.

No matter what make sure the vin on the truck exactly matches the one on the title. There are a lot of mix and match assembled from pieces trucks floating around with a title that may or may not jive with the vin on the truck.

billcocarb · 03-02-2017, 05:31 PM

Thanks again for replies and info. I'm looking to have a truck pretty much stock, just a nice driver quality. Had a 49 ( 4 speed) on the farm when I was a kid and I always wanted to get one in that 49 to 57 vintage to go to coffee and putt around town, looking for stock and keeping it that way. I am going to move on, I'll find one, thanks again.

03-01-2017, 11:05 PM	#1
billcocarb Registered User Join Date: May 2013 Location: Buffalo MN Posts: 4	E brake question Looking at a 57, 3100, swb, 235, 4 speed and it has the e brake system with the handle to the right of the shifter with the brake at the rear or the trans. In everything I can find it shows the 1/2 and 3/4 to have the handle on the left of steering column and rear shoes being the e-brake. It shows the trans brake being used on 1 ton and up. My question is : is it possible a 1/2 ton came of the line with the trans brake or is this something I should stay away from. Thanks in advance. Tried searching this but didn't come up with anything.

03-01-2017, 11:48 PM	#2
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,279	Re: E brake question Did you look under it to see if there were cables going to the rear axle or spots on the rear backing places for cables. I'm assuming that it does have six lug wheels or has been converted to five lug. There is always the possibility that it didn't start out life as a 3100 and someone made a 3100 out of pieces or that they used a trans out of a 1 ton. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

03-02-2017, 02:58 AM	#3
paulspickupparts Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Seward Nebraska Posts: 1,596	Re: E brake question If you look on the left front frame rail you will see a bracket for the e-brake rod for the hand brake. Should be riveted on. Transmission may have been changed over the years. Look for clues .

03-02-2017, 09:05 AM	#4
billcocarb Registered User Join Date: May 2013 Location: Buffalo MN Posts: 4	Re: E brake question Thanks for the info, think I'll pass on this one.

03-02-2017, 02:32 PM	#5
dsraven Registered User Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: calgary alberta Posts: 7,824	Re: E brake question check the number plate on the door pillar. it will tell you what the truck started life as. of you are looking for a stock 1/2 tonand this one looks sweet on other accounts, you can send the vin to the GM heritage centre and they will send you a build sheet for it. that would tell you what it was on day one. if you are looking for a restomod project then that park brake can easily be retrofitted to something you would rather have. i am sure the original linkages are sitting in many garages from guys who converted to a pedal style or something different. here is the heritage centre booklet for the 55-59 trucks. it has a page with vin's nd series numbers for USA models. copy and paste to google. it is a pdf but only takes a sec to download. good luck. https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...2nd-Series.pdf

03-02-2017, 05:00 PM	#6
mr48chev Registered User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toppenish, WA Posts: 15,279	Re: E brake question I have to agree there, it rather depends on what your plans are for the truck you end up getting. If you plan and engine, trans and rear axle swap in the redo what is there now isn't of huge consequence. If you are going to restore it to stock or almost stock I'd pass unless the sheet metal is near perfect and you figure it's worth the effort. No matter what make sure the vin on the truck exactly matches the one on the title. There are a lot of mix and match assembled from pieces trucks floating around with a title that may or may not jive with the vin on the truck. __________________ Founding member of the too many projects, too little time and money club. My ongoing truck projects: 48 Chev 3100 that will run a 292 Six. 71 GMC 2500 that is getting a Cad 500 transplant. 77 C 30 dualie, 454, 4 speed with a 10 foot flatbed and hoist. It does the heavy work and hauls the projects around.

03-02-2017, 05:31 PM	#7
billcocarb Registered User Join Date: May 2013 Location: Buffalo MN Posts: 4	Re: E brake question Thanks again for replies and info. I'm looking to have a truck pretty much stock, just a nice driver quality. Had a 49 ( 4 speed) on the farm when I was a kid and I always wanted to get one in that 49 to 57 vintage to go to coffee and putt around town, looking for stock and keeping it that way. I am going to move on, I'll find one, thanks again.



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