Chevrolet Series A / Y, B / M, C / O, D / P

In 1941 Chevrolet did a complete style change on its truck line, and came up with one of the most of the best looking trucks ever to snort down America’s highways. And, optional in these vehicles was a new heavy duty truck engine of 235 cubic inches which produced 93 horsepower.

3/4-ton model with 125 inch wheelbase received name AL or AM. The trucks with 134 inch wheelbase were – 3/4-ton AN model, 1-ton and 1.5-ton YR models. The longest 160 inch wheelbase was used by 1.5-ton model YS. It was also 195-inch wheelbase for the special school chassis YT.

In 1942 the designation was changed. The series BL or BM was the 3/4-ton on the 125-inch wheelbase, while the BN was the same weight designation on the 134-inch wheelbase. The popular 1.5 ton models were the 134-inch MR (1-ton model had the same index) and the 160-inch MS. 195-inch wheelbase special chassis received the name MT.

In 1943-1945, because of war production, all civilian auto and truck manufacturing in the U.S. was curtailed by government order. All vehicles of that time were strictly military or former civilian models in “battle dress”.

In 1946 civilian producing was reborn. Trucks of 1946 were virtually copies of the 1942 products. But the series designations were changes, but followed the same order, with the 3/4-ton models being the CL or CM, 1-ton model being the OR; the 134-inch wheelbase models being either OR or OE, and the 160-inch models being OS or OF depending on whether they were 1.5-ton or newly rated 2-ton models.

1947 was the last year for the attractive pre-war styling in the truck line. This was also the last year of the old Series designation system, as the wide variety of models arriving from 1948 onward would make the old system obsolete. For this year then, the 125-inch wheelbase 3/4-ton model was the DR Series, the DS, PJ, PV and PS Series used a 134-inch chassis, and the PK and PW models used a 160-inch chassis.