Advance Design Identification Guide

This is not intended to be a comprehensive list, just a simple guide to help you identify Advance-Design (1947-1955) Chevy pickups.

1947 Second Series – New styling, 5-slat horizontal grille.
Vents on side of cab.
No vent windows in doors.
“Thriftmaster” or “Loadmaster” badging on side of hood.

1948 – New foot-operated parking brake.

1949 – Inner bar of grille painted silver-gray.
Series number badging (3100, 3600, 3800) on side of hood.
Gas tank moved inside cab to behind seat (filler cap on passenger side of cab)

1950 – No major exterior changes. Only major change is to tubular type shock absorbers.

1951 – Vent moved from side of cab to top of cowl.
Doors now have vent windows.

1952 – Speedometer top speed changed from 80 to 90 MPH, high-beam indicator moved to top, from the bottom of the speedometer gauge.
Door handles changed from turn-handle to push-button.

1953 – badging restyled, side badging lost “Chevrolet” (now only has the series number).
Door Post ID plate is blue & silver instead of black & silver.

1954 – new “tubular” grille, painted body color with white lettering.
New one-piece front windshield.
New front emblem (no writing, bowtie and “wings” only).
New bed – 2″ lower loading height, 90 degree bed sides (instead of 45 degree bed sides), new tailgate latch.

1955 First Series – grille is painted ivory with black inner bars and black lettering (optionally, lettering can be ivory).
Open driveline (instead of the closed torque-tube, which had been used since the 1930’s)