'55 Chev 1 ton Toter help

[BobbyHono]

I recently acquired a 1955 Chevrolet 3800 (1 ton) toter with a 91" wheelbase and duals. General Motors told me it must have been converted somewhere because they never made one. Can anyone help me with information about such a vehicle? Anyone out there have anything similar? I know that the Whattoff Motor Company in Ames, Iowa started making conversions like this in the mid 40's but mostly with Studebakers. Anything would help. How unique is my truck?

[hot rod]

Sounds like a cool truck. I always wanted to build something with an old chevy body like that.

I have some small knowledge of those from poking around at swap meets and such. Take it for what it is worth, you get what you pay for. lol. The 3800 would have been the equivalent of today's 3500 1 ton truck. I have seen them with a longbed stepside single wheel configuration with a 16.5 split rim as well as a dually cab chassis with a 20" split rim which is more equivalent of a ton and a half truck. They share the cab, doors, interior and hood with the 3100 1/2 ton truck. Grills, bumpers, fenders and steps vary. The basic 3800 I've seen had a grill just a little longer than the 3100 (I can't remember whether there was one more bar, or the bars were wider) as the cab sits a little higher and the longer grill filled in the gap to the bumper. Unless you have a good eye you don't really notice the difference unless they are side by side. The ton and a half variety has a much longer grill, different bumper and longer steps that drop farther down from the cab as the cab sits a lot higher than the 3100.

Does your truck sound more like the ton and a half variety, or is it closer in size to a 3100? I could have been a factory cab chassis or someone could have converted it to a dually somewhere along the way. If it is factory it would definitely have the split rims, if it has one piece wheels it is a newer conversion, or if it has single style wheels in the front and dually style wheels in the back it is a conversion.

Do you have some pics to share?

Here is a 3800 single wheel long bed:
ClassicTruckCentral.com | Classic Trucks For Sale | 1950 Chevy 3800 Truck For Sale

here is the dually version cab chassis:
ClassicTruckCentral.com | Classic Trucks For Sale | 1952 Chevy 3800 SERIES ONE TON Truck For Sale

I have never seen or heard of a dually with a stepside type bed, only cab chassis or flat bed.

[BobbyHono]

I'm quite familiar with the Advance Design series Chevys and the Task Force series as I also have a '55 3100 second series and a '58 3100. The 3800 toter has a cab exactly like my 1/2 ton, same hood, fenders and grill. It also has a 235 6 cylinder with a 4 speed tranny like my 1/2 ton. The duals are solid rims. They are either 18'' or 20". I'm also familiar with the larger trucks and the differences in the fenders and grill as I'm looking at a '55 Chevy 6400 (2 ton) grain truck with hoist to possibly purchase. I have pictures and will post them as soon as I can figure out how to get them in this forum.

[BobbyHono]

I just posted pictures of my Toter in my album but haven't figured out how to post a link in the forum to get them there. Can anyone tell me anything about this truck ...or any similar? The rims are all 18" split rims.

[hot rod]

Boy, I feel like an idiot! I read your original post and for some reason my brain pictured the 47-53 body style I was looking at myself. Sorry for the unrelated response earlier in the thread.

Great looking base for a project.