Author Topic: What year is my frame?  (Read 3385 times)

Offline chevydump

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What year is my frame?
« on: September 12, 2018, 09:00:50 PM »
Hello, I have a Chevy 1 ton dually dump truck. My title tells me I have a 1988 truck however when I try to buy parts for anything under the cab they are the wrong parts. The VIN on the cab is 1GDHR34K6JJ518353 which says it's a 1998 GMC R3500 with a 350 engine and automatic trans.
However my truck has a 454 with a 4 speed.
The truck is rusty and I cannot find a number on the frame. Is there another way I can determine what year the chassis is?

Offline chevydump

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2018, 09:09:03 PM »
Sorry, I mistyped, the VIN says it's a 1988 GMC R3500 with a 350 engine and automatic trans.
I have pictures of the frame and calipers. Is there anything unique that might give me a clue to the year of the chassis? At this point I don't know if it's a 1972 or possible even newer then a 1988. I could get a number off the engine but I have no idea what's original. It appears to be a real Frakenstein.

Offline Rapid Roy

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2018, 09:38:46 PM »
Welcome.
1974 Cheyenne 10 LWB STOCK 350 W HEI /TH350/AC/4 BBL Quadrajet
Mopar by Birth
Chevy by Choice

Offline Irish_Alley

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2018, 10:06:31 PM »
if youre getting parts for your truck you have to specify its a R3500 not a C/K3500. even then youll find some computer systems will still get they years confused and sell you the wrong parts. most times if i know my 91 V3500 needs a part lets say for the brakes ill tell the parts store its for a 86 K3500. if its going to be something that would be year specific lets say for the dash cluster then i would have to say its a 91 V3500.
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Offline chevydump

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #4 on: September 14, 2018, 11:58:33 PM »
Thank you. But I do not have any idea what year the chassis is let alone if it's a K, C, R or V. I guess I could take a front caliper, take a guess at the parts store until they bring me something that looks like the part I have? Is there any other way. I was hoping somebody could describe something unique that could give me a clue to what year or model chassis I have. Like a length or holes or configuration etc

Offline roundhouse

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2018, 09:40:40 AM »
Yep

Tell the parts  monkey it’s a 87


Offline Henry

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2018, 10:27:01 AM »
Hi Chevydump:
I am not knowledgeable about what to look for to differentiate all the Chevy truck chassis, but I have a suggestion: call your local Chevy dealer and ask the parts guys if the frame assembly part number (or one of the main front to rear ladder frame members) is supposed to be located anywhere on the frame assembly...I would expect it would be metal stamped somewhere. If it is, then you can go to the old parts books and figure out what year(s) and model the frame originally came from.
Regards,
Henry

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2018, 12:53:20 PM »
Just look up the parts yourself online and safe yourself the aggravation. Someone could have swapped the engine and transmission along the way. The VIN should be on the upper frame rail under the cab on the passenger side just behind the cab mount. It will probably be hard to find though if it's corroded and dirty. Pics would help us help you narrow it down.
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Offline Henry

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2018, 10:45:10 AM »
Hi Chevydump:
Take a look at your frame rail members just ahead of the saddle gas tanks...there should be some numbers metal stamped into the outside vertical surface of the "C" channel rail. On my truck, one number is the part number of the rail member and the other number is the date it was manufactured. The metal stamped numbers are about 3/8" high on my 76 truck. You may have to apply some rust remover chemical to get the numbers to come out if your  frame is real rusty. I would not use a wire brush as this may actually remove the numbers if they are there. Apply the rust remover a few times and brush it off with a nylon bristle brush or Scotchbrite pad.
Regards,
Henry

Offline chevydump

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2018, 06:19:27 PM »
I located some numbers on the frame. I will try to attach the pic.
From what I've learned in other posts on this forum the longer number is the frame P/N?
14014735

The number under it is
[8]   9 254

I read the 9 is the year and the 254 is the days into the year. So the 254th day of 1989 or can it by the 254th day of 1979?
Maybe the 8 is the first part of the year making it 1989?

The odd thing is I thought the frame is older then the 1988 cab but according to this it might be a year newer. However my front calipers look more like the Autozone picture of a 1987 or earlier.


« Last Edit: November 04, 2018, 06:35:45 PM by chevydump »

Offline Henry

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Re: What year is my frame?
« Reply #10 on: November 22, 2018, 03:42:01 PM »
Hi Chevydump:
Sorry for the late reply...from the 78-84 parts book your frame is either a 1979 or 1980 frame. It indicates that the frame was from a 4wd, 1 ton, 2 door cab/chassis with a 135.5 inch wheelbase with side saddle gas tanks. From the stamping on your frame:
1401435 : Left hand frame side member
9: year made...1979
254: julian date...254th day of 1979
8 or 3 in a circle: this is most likely the location of assembly...if it is 8, then assembly was at the Shreveport plant...if it is 3, then it is the Detroit plant. I think it is most likely the Detroit plant since I think the Shreveport plant did not make 1 ton trucks at this time.

I think your truck was originally sold as a 1980 model as the julian date for the frame indicates it was made late in the year. Hopeefully this info will help you locate parts in the future.
Regards,
Henry