Advance Design VIN Decoder

Advance Design Truck Identification

The serial number consists of a group of numbers and letters which indicate the assembly plant, the model year, the series, the month of assembly,
and the number of units (plus 1000) assembled at that plant.

EXAMPLE – 3SKB19943

3-SK-B-19943 indicates that the truck was assembled at St. Louis. 1949 model, Series 4400,
built in February, and was the 18,943^rd truck of the 4400 series built at that plant.

3 SK B 19943

*Assembly Plant*	*Symbol & Series*	*Month*	*Unit Number*

1. Flint	GJ — 1500	A — January	Each series separately numbered in sequence, starting with 1001, at each plant. (this number not necessary for chassis classification.)
2. Tarrytown	GK — 2000	B — February
3. St. Louis	GP — 3100	C — March
5. Kansas City	GR — 3600	D — April
6. Oakland	GT — 3700	E — May
8. Atlanta	GS — 3800	F — June
9. Norwood	GU — 3900	G — July
14. Baltimore	SJ — 4100	H — August
20. Los Angeles	SK — 4400	I — September
21. Janesville	SL — 4500	J — October
	SP(S) — 5100	K — November
	SR (S) — 5400	L — December
	SS(S) — 5700
	SV(S) — 6100
	SW(S) — 6400
	SX — 6700

1947 2^ND SERIES

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
EJ	116	1500	Passenger (Stylemaster)
EK	116	2000	Passenger (Fleetmaster & Fleetline)
EP	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
ER	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
ES	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
QJ	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
QK	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
QL	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
QV(S)	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
QW(S)	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
QX	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
QP(S)	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
QR(S)	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
QS(S)	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

1948

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
FJ	116	1500	Passenger (Stylemaster)
FK	116	2100	Passenger (Fleetmaster & Fleetline)
FP	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
FR	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
FT	125 ¼	3700	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
FS	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
FU	137	3900	Commercial 1 Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
RJ	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
RK	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
RL	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
RV(S)	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
RW(S)	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
RX	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
RP(S)	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
RR(S)	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
RS(S)	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

1949

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
GJ	115	1500	Passenger (Special) Stylemaster & Fleetline
GK	115	2100	Passenger (Deluxe) Stylemaster & Fleetline
GP	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
GR	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
GT	125 ¼	3700	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
GS	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
GU	137	3900	Commercial 1 Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
SJ	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
SK	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
SL	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
SV(S)	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
SW(S)	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
SX	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
SP(S)	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
SR(S)	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
SS(S)	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

1950

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
HJ	116	1500	Passenger (Special) Stylemaster & Fleetline
HK	116	2100	Passenger (Deluxe) Stylemaster & Fleetline
HP	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
HR	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
HT	125 ¼	3700	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
HS	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
HU	137	3900	Commercial 1 Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
TJ	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
TK	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
TL	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
TV(S)	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
TW(S)	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
TX	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
TP(S)	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
TR(S)	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
TS(S)	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

1951

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
JJ	116	1500	Passenger (Special) Stylemaster & Fleetline
JK	116	2100	Passenger (Deluxe) Stylemaster & Fleetline
JP	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
JR	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
JT	125 ¼	3700	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
JS	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
JU	137	3900	Commercial 1 Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
UJ	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
UK	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
UL	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
UV(S)	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
UW(S)	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
UX	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
UP(S)	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
UR(S)	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
US(S)	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

1952

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
KJ	116	1500	Passenger (Special) Stylemaster & Fleetline
KK	116	2100	Passenger (Deluxe) Stylemaster & Fleetline
KP	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
KR	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
KT	125 ¼	3700	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
KS	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
KU	137	3900	Commercial 1 Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
VJ	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
VK	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
VL	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
VV(S)	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
VW(S)	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
VX	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
VP(S)	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
VR(S)	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
VS(S)	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

1953 – 1955 1^st

Symbol	Wheel Base	Series	Type of Vehicle
A	115	1500	Passenger (One Fifty)
B	115	2100	Passenger (Two Ten)
C	115	2400	Passenger (Bel Air)
D	115	1508	Sedan Delivery
H	116	3100	Commercial ½ Ton Truck
J	125 ¼	3600	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck
K	125 ¼	3700	Commercial ¾ Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
L	137	3800	Commercial 1 Ton Truck
M	137	3900	Commercial 1 Ton Truck (Double Duty) Forward Control Delivery Chassis
N	137	4100	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
P	161	4400	Utility 1 ½ Ton Truck
R	161	4500	Utility School Bus Chassis
V	137	6100	Utility 2 Ton Truck
W	161	6400	Utility 2 Ton Truck
X	179	6500	Utility 2 Ton Truck
Y	199	6700	Utility School Bus Chassis
Z	212	6800	Utility School Bus Chassis
S	110	5100	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
T	134	5400	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE
U	158	5700	Utility 2 Ton Truck, COE

REFERENCES:
1949 Chevrolet Truck Data Book
1951 Chevrolet Truck Data Book
Chevs of the 40’s

NOTE 1: In my Chevrolet Truck Data Books, Model 2100 is listed as model 2000. I’m not quite sure which one is correct. I got model 2100 from the reference Chevs of the 40’s provided. If the is a mistake, please let me know.

NOTE 2: I don’t have a data book for the 1954-55 1^st series and am going by what Chevs of the 40’s lists. If this is in error, please let me know.

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)

Advance Design Truck Identification

Advance Design Identification Guide

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