Advance Design, 1947 through 1955 1st Series Truck Years

1947 - 1955 Year Changes of Advanced Design Pickup Trucks

Late 1947

First production date: Saturday June 28, 1947.
GM introduced the new "Advance Design" (AD) truck.
Also referred to as the 1947 Second Series.
9 wood board bed.
Vacuum windshield wiper motor has been mounted under the dash.
Gas tank was mounted under the bed & fills through a hole in the passenger bed side.
3-speed/4-speed non-synchromesh transmission was floor shift for all models.
Turn-down type door handles.
Two piece, non-movable type, winshield.
Windlace around door opening held in place with a screw-on metal retainer.
Headliner center bow was screwed into cab roof.
One piece door glass, no vent windows in door.
Hood side emblem say "CHEVROLET" & "THRIFTMASTER".
Lever-action type shock absorbers.
Radio available as an in-dash option.
Cab corner windows & fresh air heater/defroster introduced.
Hand-operated emergency brake handle, located to the right-hand side of the floor shifter.

Serial numbers:

EP = 1/2 ton
ER = 3/4 ton
ES = 1 ton

1948

Synchromesh transmission was introduced.
3-speed transmission uses column shift linkage.
Emergency brake was foot-operated & had been moved to the left side of steering column.
Both 1947 & 1948 models had red guage needles.

Serial numbers:

FP = 1/2 ton
FR = 3/4 ton
FS = 1 ton

Early 1949

Gas tank has been relocated inside cab, behind the seat.

Serial numbers:

GP = 1/2 ton
GR = 3/4 ton
GS = 1 ton

Late 1949

New style cab windlace fits in metal track around door opening.
Cab windlace goes from black to gray/tan & slides into track.
Headliner center bow was "floating type" & was not screwed to the roof of cab.
Hood side emblem says "CHEVROLET", no longer says "THRIFTMASTER".

Series designation emblems also on the side of hood:

3100 = 1/2 ton
3600 = 3/4 ton
3800 = 1 ton...etc

Serial numbers:

GP = 1/2 ton
GR = 3/4 ton
GS = 1 ton

1950

Lever-action type shocks have been replaced by modern tubular type shock absorbers.
Driver's side cowl vent handle is flat steel, maroon plastic knob as in previous years.
Last year for driver's side cowl ventilator.
Windshield wiper knob was chrome plated steel.

Serial numbers:

HP = 1/2 ton
HR = 3/4 ton
HS = 1 ton

1951

Door vent windows where introduced.
Outside door handles where still turn-down type.
Only year with vent windows & turn-down exterior door handles.
Mid-year changed from 9 board bed to 8 board bed.
Last year for 80 MPH speedometer.
Last year for chrome window handle knobs & chrome wiper knob.
Front bumper was standard & rear bumper was an option.
Only the top cowl ventilator was offered. Driver's side ventilator was discontinued.

Serial numbers:

JP = 1/2 ton
JR = 3/4 ton
JS = 1 ton

1952

Outside door handles where push button type.
Speedometer maximum speed of 90 MPH.
Horizontal trim above & below radio speaker grill & glove box door where painted steel, not stainless steel as in prior years.
All beds where 8 board type.
In mid year, GM stopped using 3100, 3600, 3800 emblems on side of hood. However, "CHEVROLET" emblems are still used the entire year.
Inside window handle knobs & wiper knob where maroon.
Hubcaps change from chrome to gray painted steel with black block letters.
Bumpers are painted gray steel & no longer chromed.

Serial numbers:

KP = 1/2 ton
KR = 3/4 ton
KS = 1 ton

1953

Last year for 216 cu.in. babbit bearing type engine.
Hood side emblem changed to large 3100, 3600, 3800, etc only, no "CHEVROLET" emblem on side.
Door post ID plate was blue & silver, prior years were black & silver.
Last year that wood blocks where used under bed.
Last year for split windshield.
Front hood emblem was stainless steel.
First year for optional side-mounted spare.
Windshield wiper knob was maroon plastic as previous year.

Serial numbers:

H = 1/2 ton
J = 3/4 ton
L = 1 ton

1954

One piece curved windshield introduced.
New design "bull nose" grille introduced.
Completely redesigned bed.
Top of bed sides are flat, not angled as in previous years.
Newly designed dash.
New insert bearing high-pressure 235 cubic inch 112-horsepower engine introduced.
261 cubic inch engine was introduced for larger trucks.
Tail lights are round.
Hubcaps same shape as previous years but only have the "Bowtie" emblem on them.
Full wheel covers available as an option.
First year for parking lights.
Rear bumper has a notch in the center for the license plate.
First year Hydra-Matic transmission was available.
First year two-tone cabs where available, as an option, only with white tops & on deluxe cabs.

Serial numbers:

H = 1/2 ton
J = 3/4 ton
L = 1 ton

Early 1955

Also referred to as 1955 1st Series.
Identical to previous 1954 year, except different hood side emblems.
Driveline was changed from enclosed torque tube type to the new open driveshaft design.
Last year for 6-volt electrical system.
The new "Task Force" truck design was introduced in the Spring of 1955, marking the end of the AD era trucks.

Serial numbers:

H = 1/2ton
J = 3/4 ton
L = 1 ton

Other Information

1947 - 1949 trucks had a large fuse block on firewall & lever-action shocks.
1947 - 1950 trucks had driver's side vent & front/rear chrome bumpers as standard equipment.
1947 to mid-year 1949, cab opening windlace seal attached to cab with a metal retainer. Mid-year 1949, GM installed a track with a new style windlace that slid into the track.
For 1955 & earlier trucks, the embossed letters on the tailgate were not a contrasting color, but were the same color as the body. Bed planks were hard yellow pine & were painted black.
Prior to 1955, dark green was the standard paint color, with other colors available as a non-cost option.
During 1947 - 1948, the Chevrolet painted grille bars & "back splash" bars were body color. In addition, the leading edge of each painted outer bar had a horizontal stripe matching the cab stripe.
For 1949 - 1951 Chevrolets, with a painted grille, the "back splash" bar was white. For 1952 - 1953, this changed to light gray to match the hubcaps & bumpers. For chrome grilles, only the outer bar was plated. The "back splash" bar was as the painted grille.

Chevrolet & GMC Truck Era Alias

1918 to 1935 = Pioneer
1936 to 1940 = Streamline
1941 to 1947 = Art Deco
Late 1947 to Early 1955 = Advance Design
Mid 1955 to 1959 = Task Force
1960 to 1972 = Sixties Era
1973 to 1987 = Rounded Line
1987 to Present = These eras have no alias. Era names where mostly dropped after the early 1970's.