COE My 1941 Chevy COE Project

I should have posted this thread here.

Still learning how to navigate this site.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/1941-chevrolet-coe.933626/#post-10512965
I want to make my 1941 Chevy COE a crew cab. The cab I want is a 1955-58 (?) era Big Rear Window.

Pretty sure the cab of the big window is wider than the COE cab.

Has anyone here ever crew cabbed a donor that was too wide? If so how did you go about making it work?

Any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

 

Welcome to our little corner of the HAMB! I'm a little confused as to what you propose to do. How much of the 41 cab and how much of the 55-58 cab do you plan to use? I don't see how you could get the windows and style lines to match up and look good together. Normally one would use two or more cabs of the same series to build a crew cab. (I think the back portion of the conventional cabs from 1941 will match your COE) If your desire is a larger back window, I think your original 41 window could be widened fairly easily being that it is flat gl***.
Good luck with you project and keep us up to date!

 

You can use a 41 and latter cab and make rear window any size you want ( check out my build ,42 gmc coe bike hauler , really big back window opening ) . This will be a lot easier than using two different types of cabs although it can be done . Good luck and can't wait to see your progress ! Blue

 

Wolfcreek-Steve, I am no fabricator so I would be hiring someone to do this for me. However the plan is to make my COE a crew cab. I would love to have a large wrap around window, like my 56 GMC truck had in High School. But if it's too much I can be persuaded to go another direction.

That's why I'm here on the H.A.M.B.!

Joyfela, I found a 1941 pick up cab here locally. I "***ume" the cabs are going to be pretty close in size. But we all know what happens when you ***ume...It doesn't have doors though and he wants $300. Seems a bit pricey to me.

I saw your rig, never thought about just enlarging the existing window...I must think I'm made of cash or something.

Thanks,

Steve

 

You would be better off starting with a 1955-59 Chevy cabover to get the results you want.

 

65Standard, The wife has been tolerant enough, I don't want to push it.

The 1941 cab I found is a bit rough and no doors.
What would you guys value a bare cab at with no gauges, trim, or doors?

 

The pre 47 cabs are flat out little and skinny and in my opinion do not look right when trying to make a 4 door/crew cab out of them. I think that they look goofy and haven't seen one yet that the lines flowed well enough to make me think that it looked as good as factory. I have had my hands on a bunch of them too and have spent a long time looking at every pic I could find to come up with one I liked that I could imitate. I have spent alot of time in my 37 and for long hauls a rear seat area would be nice to have, so I know the desire to want it even without a family.

The only plan that I came up with that I think would look decent is to use a panel or suburban body to start with and put the coe nose and such on.
I think that the later trucks like the 55-9 lend themselves well to 4 doors, they just flow and fit well. They are alot wider too.
You might find it easier to add on a sleeper, if you are paying to have it done a sleeper might be cheaper to do than to blend 2 cabs together.

As for a bare rough cab, I think that $300 would be tops for sure around here. Not sure about where you are. I'd think you can find one with doors for not much more.

 

Is a 1941 Chevy pickup cab the same as the 1941 COE cab?

 

I don't know about the Chevy COEs, but my '38 Ford Coe cab is 7" wider than my '38 Ford conventional cab.

 

Yes and no, basic cab yes, floor, firewall, doors, seat and a few other small things no.
Rob

 

Yes on your 1947-1955 Chevy Coe fasttoys. Only maybe on his earlier Chevy Coe. I'm guessing not.

 

My 42 gmc has lots of parts that are the same . The inside rear cab liner that goes around the rear window and sides are the same so I would think the rear half of cab is the same . Dash is same and the windshield frame seems same also as well as the head liner metal strips .where the cowl comes down in front of the cab has the bead of the door down past the door ? Makes me think they used same parts? I do know they made some bigger cabs but don't have any info on them . If you need ms to measure anything let me know . Blue

 

You guys are great.

I may get it home tomorrow but for sure by Saturday.

I'll pull out my tape measure and get a better idea of what will and won't work.

 

She is finally home!

Left this morning at 05:30 and got home at 17:00. Long day but well worth it, driving up California HWY 1 north of San Francisco is always a nice drive even when driving an F350 towing a 20' trailer!

As you can see from the photos she is clean, only problem is the drivers side rear drum is locked up and won't roll. I'll play with that tomorrow.

Got a ton of Thumbs Up on the ride home.















On the way home I picked up a dozen oysters!

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Neighbor had a couple of that vintage Chevys with potato bulk boxes on them loading along side the digger, they didn't look that nice, and that was 50 years ago. Looks like a nice place to start from, keep us posted.

 

Man, that truck is very nice. It would be hard for me to cut on it, maybe you should get 2 so you can leave this one's body stock? Haven't seen a grille that nice on one for a long time, most are missing bars and bashed pretty hard. A paintless dent guy could probably work those dents out and get them looking new.

Is that a fire engine horn on the fender? It might recoup alot of your money back if you sold it.

Try backing off the shoe adjuster first, but I am betting you will have to pull the wheels and beat on the drum to get it to break lose. If there is a lip in the drum from wear and you can't back off the adjuster it will give you trouble getting the drum off. Worst case, cut the heads off the nails that hold the shoes to the backing plate and then the shoes will come with the drum, but not without some trouble as well. It will also cause the springs etc to come off and make a mess but I have had to resort to that to get a few rolling.

Sweet truck

 

SWEET !

 

That truck is way too nice to cut up. It deserves to be restored.

 

Oh come-on guys, why should the restorers have all the fun? LOL

 

Anyway there only needs to be one oe COE . LOL Blue

 

That thing is incredibly nice!

 

I see a really big BBQ smoker in your future.

 

Well guys I got the water tank off today with the help of a good friend of mine.

It looks much bigger now.

I am actually having second thoughts of crew cabbing this truck. I love the lines on it as it is and the wife and I will be empty nesters sooner than we'd like...plus it'll save me $5000 to $8000 in fab fees.

Anyway I have a lot of time to think on that.

Sorry 65Standard but I want a custom rig, I know how you feel though.

The ch***is will be parted out so if you want anything and you are within driving distance of the Sacramento area hit me up. The actual original mileage of the truck is 9256. So if you are in the market for a 215 in line 6 motor, a two speed dually rear end, original wheels (all 6), or a g***er looking front axle hit me up!

I'll also be selling the radiator, horn, and other stuff under the hood.

The fire siren is a C.A.M. with no model number, kind of thinking I'll be keeping that but if you have to have it let me know.

 

When my wife saw your first pictures she said, "He's got to keep that siren, it's just too cool not to keep." So with that in mind if you just decide you have to get rid of it let me know.

 

C. G

I'll let you know on the siren.

Went out this afternoon to "loosen up" the cab mounting bolts and they are riveted to the frame. wasn't ready for that bit of drama. Getting some 4" chop blades tomorrow.

 

Be very careful with a siren, one little squawk out of it on the street and "the man" has you for "Impersonating a police officer" and they have no sense of humor about that. I believe it is a felony most everywhere. I had one on my donor fire truck and I traded it to a guy for letting me park the disabled truck at his place for a month.

 

If you get to the point of needing to get rid of the original ch***is and parts, please don't s**** them. Go over on stovebolt.com and put and ad up there, I am sure that some of them would be interested in the parts. Those that are restoring these big bolts have a hard time finding good usable stock wheels etc. I'd hate to see the pcs get s****ped.

 

The siren isn't wired, I can't decide if I want to keep it or not. It has a VIN plate on it but no model number.

Thanks for the Stove Bolt site. The intent is to not s**** anything if it can be avoided.

I'll go post an ad over there today.

 

Went over to the Stove Bolt web site and I'm waiting to be accepted. Anyone know how long that takes? It's been 7-8 hours.

Took the COE over to my body guy and got a good idea on what making her pretty is going to cost. I'll tell the wife after the kitchen remodel is done when she'll be in a good mood.

Still scratching my head over the rivets but I was loaned an air gun and bits to remove them.

Went to the local DMV, which was a test of my sanity, and after waiting nearly 2 hours they said they don't do VIN verifications, the CHP has to...next available appointment with the CHP is 20 August. So I have to keep it intact until that inspection.

In the meantime, for you NorCal/Nevada guys: S&K Steel in Sacramento is owned by a guy who goes by the name of Sarge. He has 12 COE cabs for sale and some ch***is. Unfortunately he doesn't want mine but if your local or in the area hit him up. I'll try and get some photos up when I get a chance to visit.

 

I have no idea as to how long it takes on stovebolt, I registered there many years ago. I think it was the first forum I ever read and joined, would have been in the 90's maybe? I have slept since then.

If you don't hear from them let me know and I will see if I can find out anything.

I am glad I don't have that many hoops to jump through here in KS. I get a bill of sale or ***le, I pay the one time reg fee and get an antique ***le back (if it is over 35yrs old). $17/year after that. Pretty nice.