whats the story on 42-47 Ford trucks. some say ugly some say pure art.

I am (crossing my fingers) hopefully going to come into one of these trucks... its been sitting in my uncles field for years and years... he has since passed.. and my aunt may let it go. Its fairly straight... covered in surface rust... but not bad. At first glance I was like ehh.. not really digging it... but the more I looked at it.. the more I really liked it.

Love to see what some Hambers are doing with these.. and what you think about them.. how you made the grille better... I like the fenders.. I wouldnt want to change them for the earlier style..

Thanks, look forward to seeing some cool stuff.

Here are a few I found on the net.

I actually like the grille on this truck


and this one





Not so much.. kinda ugly there.


Im wondering if you could run the bars all the way
across with out gaps?

 

Kind of the last gasp of art deco for Ford. Very much a transition design, with new product innovation confused by WWII.

 

i would drive it dont see many like that

 

The "Jailbars" haven't been Ford's most popular design, but that just makes them cheaper and more affordable for those who do like them. If you like the truck, build it. It's got a straight ladder type frame that lends itself to just about anything, so your drivetrain options are wide open. If you want independent front suspension, take a look at what's under an '80s vintage Ford Aerostar van.

 

Wish I could find my 47 truck from 15 years ago. Had later model f-1 rear fenders, 396, auto, ginger brown in color. Sweet. If it lives near you, let me know.

 

There are a lot of us out here that like them, so you will not be alone.

 

Maybe if you took the grill bars and ran them horizontally somehow or filled that area with anything else. It needs some sort of custom grill. The ONLY ugly thing on that entire truck is its grill. Everything else is beautiful.

If you could use your imagination and come up with some sort of custom grill, it would be a very fine looking truck. Myabe someone else knows if a different model year will bolt right up.

If not, you could use the existing sheetmetal to make a fiberglass replacement. Remove the ugly parts, use the remaining sheetmetal as a base, slather it in plaster of paris or sheet rock mud reinforced with chicken wire, and smooth it over solid so that there is no grill - just a smoth front. Then make a mold from it, use the mold to make your new front end, remove the original sheetmetal and all that plaster, and install your new fiberglass part.

Now you have a "clean blank canvas." Cut out your grill out anywhere you imagine. You could study other years and even brands to see what looks good to you.

Here's a very crude drawing:

 

Here's a friend of mine's truck, not sure of the weight of it, but its cool as shit and got the toughest sounding 8BA I've heard. It's also a change from the slammed pickups and comfort you wouldn't believe with the stock suspension and seats. Love this truck.

 

I own Three of these trucks, bought my first one in 1972!.... AND still have it. Over the years I have seen just about everything in "different" grilles for these trucks, to me just can't improve those staight bars.

Truck I am working on now, a 47, I eliminated the large center grille bar and replaced the other two wih the smaller bars.

The frames, ladder type, are similar to the later Ford trucks, (at least up to 1956, 1/2 ton knowledge here), so just about anything, (in parts or aftermarket), from this era will interchange. The 67 thru 72 Ford 1/2 ton rear end is a "bolt in"

Run the grille bars "horizonally"...Mercury trucks of this era did there grilles horizonally, I always thought it made the front end look like a 50's Dodge truck.

 

I agree with the horizontal grill set up that looks much cleaner. Build it sounds like a nice build platform and being in the family is always nice.

 

Josh, here's a few
Here's the one I used to own


You might also want to go over to carnut.com and check 'em out to see what you like and don't like
http://www.carnut.com/photo/list/ford/ford47/f47pk.html

 

Years ago there was a magazine call Rodders World,,I think,,,that had a article about driving a old truck call Buford to Mexico to get a real tuck and roll interior,,It was a great read,,,

The magazine folded after 3 issues,,I got hosed with my subscription! HRP

 

Hey Josh. I love my '47 1.5 ton. Working up ideas on the build right now. One thing I'm thinking about doing is rebuilding the 59A flatty with performance parts, then welding the hood to the fenders and hinging it so the front clip tilts forward to show off the engine.

 

Hey, I have one of those! It is a '42 that I have owned for about 15 years now and hell, they'll probably bury me in the damn thing. It has a 383 and a 4L60E, 9-inch, 4-link, wilwood disc brakes all the way around, Mustang II, air bags, etc...

 

This one was Chris's, I just love this truck....It Looks awesome. Hope he doesnt Mind If I post a picture of it. He said it had a 3" dropped axle, and some spring Leafs removed. 46 Ford

 

This is a nice one. Ive seen it a couple of times and still love it.

In my opinion there isnt such a thing as an ugly Ford truck....only ugly ideas from the owner.

 

I like 'em. Actually looking for one now.

 

or just try to find a Mercury Truck grill for it.

. . and on the plus side you can tell people you have a 42-47 Merc at home.

My father and I rebuilt a 1947 Ford pickup. The "waterfall" grill isn't really all that bad.

 

I used to hate them. But love them now and have been looking for about a year now for the right one. Passed up one down in Kansas for a 41 Ford pickup a few months ago and really kicking myself in the ass for not buying the 47.

 

That Merc grill kicks ass.

 

Mercury Grille! looks a little like the GM trucks..

Seems like a year or so ago, I came across a company that made grille bars similar to these... had a center piece like the mercs and you custom cut the grille bars to fit...

I think they called it a skeleton grille? or something.

I am guessing the merc bars would be hard to come across.. but havent looked either.

 

those Merc trucks look pretty cool. I'd say it's not that they are ugly, but the style built before and after are much better looking.

any old truck is cool in my book so long as it is close to the original configuration. seems to be a lot of messed up truck builds being done these days.

 

I agree. I would probaly leave it as it sits.. all natural patina. for awhile anyway. probably lower the nose a bit.. and steelies and www... engine choice is the only thing I would be up in the air about... the 48 sitting next to it has a flat head v8.. unknown condition... Im advocate for ford in a ford.. but I cant see myself throwing a 302 or a 460 in this... deserves something more lack of better term.. traditional hot rod ish..

 

we have two of them one has a 85 ford grill in it and the other has a 50 plymouth grill in it. I'm still working on the yellow one

 

You guys bet me to the Mercury trucks,,,but I still think the Ford truck looks better. HRP

 

I agree, The Stock grille looks best to me. You could always convert to 40/41 front cap. I believe the cab will take 'em.

 

Yeah... however.. I like these better than 41s .. the fenders are cool.

 

The trend was to get one, then put a '40 front clip on it. I like them as a '42-'47 myself. Be different, so to speak. Then the Merc version, even cooler! Buddy's father in law had a '47 with a super marauder 430 MEL. Can you say sleeper?

 

I'd love to have a '42-'47 I think they're sweet!! I alway look at the strip down the center of the hood and wonder what it would look like with a "silver streak" from an early Poncho down the center, and to the bottom of the grill... Might be kinda cool. Every time I see one I think 2 things, big, heavy, ugly 4x4 truck, or nose high striped down gasser truck, with a blown 394 Olds of course.... I think that would be wild, and I'd try to get away from the "Gasser Trend" because it wouldn't be a "cruiser" it would be down right nasty, might take it to a local show once or twice, but it would mainly live at the strip...No interior, no insulation, tinted plexi windows, metallic blue paint (like the Stone, Woods, and Cook Willys) lettering on the doors, and a 6-71 Blower peekin' out the hood...attached to a 394 and a 4spd. Cheater slicks, Olds rear, Econoline axle, fenderwell headers (no cut outs or extra pipes attached to 'em), radiused wheel wells, a roll cage, 1 seat, SW gauges, ladder bars, no bumpers (maybe a push bar in back), Halibrand mags, and a few other goodies....I think it would be sweet!!!

 

i just got a 46 about three months ago. debating if i want to keep the 49 flathead that came with it or stick the 401 nailhead someone gave to me for free just need to be rebuilt.

i bought the truck thinking i was going to make it a fenderless truck and after about two days of staring at it. i started like everything about the fenders and desided just to drop it a lil bit and and www