Pilot-house front end ID help

[addes426]

I'm getting confused. I'm finding 3 front ends on these trucks. The 54 up has a trapezoid shaped grill opening with 2 grill bars. The opening has a raised edge. Now is where I get lost. I'm finding two other front end styles but they seem to be unaffected by model year. Both have a rectangle shaped opening with 3 bars. One has raised edges and open. The other is flat and has cross bars built in from side to side, which would be hidden by the 3 grill bars.  I first thought one style was early, the other a later style, but I find both on anything pre 54. Somebody school me please.  I attached a pic of a 55, a 49, and a 51 (advertised as such buy seller) Thanks

Edited February 21, 2014 by addes426

[Jeff Balazs]

48 thru 50 is the first design. 51 thru 53 is the redesign. 54 is not a B series truck.....it is a newer design and is the first of the C series.

 

Hth

Jeff

[Reg Evans]

In your photos 54-56 on the left. 48-50 in the center and 51-53 on the right.

[Merle Coggins]

Yup, what they said...

'48-'50 B-1 and B-2 is your middle picture, with the grill bars missing

'51-'53 B-3 and B-4 is your third picture, with the grill bars missing

'54-'56 C-1 and C-2 is your first picture, with a modified grill. (pictured is a '54 C-1)

[addes426]

OK, so, most likely what I'm seeing is trucks that have a mix match of parts, or at least the front panels swapped. I personally dig the 48-50. I like the flat face with no grill bars. I also think some of the sellers have no idea what it is and guess. Several I've looked at, (on line) have no title. One truck I've been looking at is titled as a 54 but has the early face and round front and rear fenders. pic attached.

[addes426]

OK, so, most likely what I'm seeing is trucks that have a mix match of parts, or at least the front panels swapped. I personally dig the 48-50. I like the flat face with no grill bars. I also think some of the sellers have no idea what it is and guess. Several I've looked at, (on line) have no title. One truck I've been looking at is titled as a 54 but has the early face and round front and rear fenders. pic attached.

I stand corrected. Upon closer inspection I see this truck has the proper front for a 54. The owner says it was sold new in 54 and titled as such when sold. The bed is anybody's guess. 

[Merle Coggins]

That truck that you just posted a picture of is a B-3-C from what I can see. Or, in other words, a '51 or '52, 3/4 ton truck.

Also note the spit windshield. In '54 they changed the cab and the windshield became 1 piece.

 

Often times vehicles were titled as the year they were sold. My B-2-C, '50 model year, is titled as a '51. It's possible that the truck in question sat unsold for a year or two and was sold in 1954 and titled as such.

 

Merle

[Merle Coggins]

Photo lesson on Pilot-House trucks using pictures acquired from this site.

 

This will cover both the B-Series trucks ('48-'53) and C-Series ('54-56) since that is what you have been talking about. And sometimes the C-Series are also called Pilot-House trucks.

 

The B-Series started in 1948 as a B-1 model and that style carried through 1949. In 1950 there were minor mechanical changes, but the body style stayed the same. This became the B-2 models. The grill bars were stainless steel on the light trucks and were painted steel on the medium and heavy truck models, with SS as an option.

Here's good examples of a B-1 and a B-2

 

In 1951 the B-Series trucks got a minor face lift with a new nose and a redesigned dash, along with other minor changes. These were the B-3 models.

Here's a B-3 model;

 

Then in 1953 there was another minor change. These were called B-4 models. The changed the bed and began using the square fenders that continued into the '80's. There were also minor trim changes, but the nose and dash remained the same.

Here's a B-4. Note the square rear fenders and the stretched "DODGE" emblem on the nose.

 

In 1954 they made a wholesale change to the truck. New frame and body. These were the C-1 models. The changes to the body are most noticeable in the nose and cab. The went away from the split windshield and adopted a 1 piece glass.

Here's a '54 C-1;

 

Then in mid '55 they changed again. This became the C-2 model. The noticeable change on these are the wrap around windshield and rear window, and the vertical A-pillar. This cab remained through the Power Giant series ('57-'60?)

Here's a C-2 truck.

 

And for reference, one of my favorite years... a '57... Sweptside version.

Edited February 21, 2014 by Merle Coggins

[gramps1951]

of the b - series trucks which is considered the better looking truck by most people the 1948 thru 1950 or the 1951 thru 1953.  no fighting guys just wondering . thanks neil

[Kato659]

I like them both.  The '48-'50 with nice straight grill bars and hood ornament (standard for those years) is probably my favorite.

[William Davey]

One minor correction to Merle's post above.  The mid 55 trucks (sometimes called 2nd series) were designated as C-3-B6 for six cylinders or C-3-B8 for V-8 equipped models. I believe the grills were the same as the 54 and early 55's, with the major difference being the wrap around windshield. The truck pictured is mine (C-3-B8) and I went through the same learning curve of what all the numbers and letters meant.  In addition, the sales literature and the man that sold me the truck indicated that the engine was a 241 cu. in. (which is a true Hemi).  The (original) engine in my truck is a 259 cu.in. Poly-hemi.  It's not just a hobby, it's a research project too.

[Merle Coggins]

I'll admit that I'm not as familiar with the C-Series trucks, so that part may not have been accurate. I was thinking it was mid '55 when the switch was made, but I thought there was only 2 series. C-1 and C-2. Thanks for the clairification.

 

As for which looks version looks better... That's a matter of opinion. I prefer the earlier style, but they're both good.

 

Merle

[48Dodger]

My 1.5 ton 1955 is a 270 Poly..or Semi-Hemi.

In other words, no hemi heads.

 

48D

[Todd B]

That truck that you just posted a picture of is a B-3-C from what I can see. Or, in other words, a '51 or '52, 3/4 ton truck.

Also note the spit windshield. In '54 they changed the cab and the windshield became 1 piece.

 

Often times vehicles were titled as the year they were sold. My B-2-C, '50 model year, is titled as a '51. It's possible that the truck in question sat unsold for a year or two and was sold in 1954 and titled as such.

 

Merle

This answers alot of questions.  My semi has features of a 52 but is titled a 53'  I always wondered why. 

[Todd B]

The title difference varies with other brand also.  I bought new and still own a 1988 GMC 4x4 one ton dump truck that has a 1987 cab on it.

[Dave72dt]

I believe 87-88 was a conversion year for GM on trucks, also in 97-98. You had to know if you had the early or late body style when ordering parts. Ford did the same thing in 97 with their F 250 models. Some were called super duties and had a different body style and some parts did not interchange.

[Scruffy49]

GM 1 tons through the end of model year 1991 could be either body style. With the vast majority I've seen being the 87 cab and front end.