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Quite the tow vehicle, isn’t it? It’s a custom 47-54 GMC COE/Suburban hybrid sitting on a big rig chassis. The owner, reportedly, is in Orangevale and Folsom area, California. The GMC/Chev cabover trucks of the era have that old GMC art deco styling, as you see in this well-preserved truck.
GMC’s were always targeted commercial use, and Chevy trucks were marketed toward private owners. Starting in 1920, GMC and Chevrolet trucks are virtually identical except for the grilles and nameplates, though their differences have varied over the years. From 1955 through 1959 small (less than 2 ton) GMC trucks with gasoline V8s were equipped with Pontiac V8s. This 47 is in the middle.
The first major redesign for Chevys was after WWII. The Advance-Design series the company billed as stronger, sleeker, an larger — compared with the AK Series that preceded it. These came on the market in 1947, and were sold until 55 (only small changes made by the year). Then the Advance-Design, which was considered to be aging, was replaced by the Task Force Series. Would that have been the name if there hadn’t been a WWII, I wonder?
The Suburban model was also in the Task Force Series design — all trucks were. Panel trucks, COEs, canopy expresses. The COEs used taller, shorter hoods and different fenders though, and those fenders required cowls unlike others. That’s why the COEs and normal trucks aren’t compatible in this, even when all other truck cabs and all weights match up.
How to spot a 47: Gasoline tank filler neck on passenger side of bed. No vent windows in doors. Hood side emblems read “Chevrolet” with “Thriftmaster” or “Loadmaster” under it. Serial numbers: EP ½ ton, ER ¾ ton, & ES 1 ton. Radios were first available in Chevrolet trucks as an “in dash” option on the “Advance-Design” body style.
How to identify a 54: Only year for significant design changes. Windshield now curved one-piece glass without center vertical dividing strip. Revised steering wheel. Revised dashboard. Cargo bed rails, previously angled, now horizontal. Tail lights round instead of rectangular. Grille changed from five horizontal slats to crossbar design commonly referred to as a “bull nose” grille, similar to modern Dodge truck grille. Engine now 235 in³ straight-6. Serial number codes unchanged from 1953. Hydramatic automatic transmission is available for the first time as a paid for option.
Wikipedia was used as a source for most of the history parts of this article under their Creative Commons licence.
