Technical What year is this Ford?

Getting ready to post this VA field car for a friend. Is it a forty?

 

46/48

 

47 or 48...46 has signal light above top grille bar...

 

47-48

 

46 47 or 48. Someone will know the exact year.

 

No. Not a '40. '47 or '48

'46 has rectangular marker lights above the grill. '47-'48 marker lights are round and below the head lights. The side trim can narrow it down, but I can't recall the details.

 

It is not a '46. '46 grille trim had a recess that was painted red. Fender trim was mounted different position. Park lights were different.

 

'46 has rectangular parking lights (same parking lights as '42) above the grille. '47-'48 has the round parking lights below the headlights. There is something different about the ignition switch between '47 and '48 that will tell you which it is. I think '48 may have gotten away from the steering column lock and switch on the column drop. Best bet is to run the serial number by the charts on Mac VanPelt's site. I say that because Ford was known to make running changes that don't precisely coincide with a model year change.

 

As above 47 or 48. Stainless is smooth, not ribbed. The fender trim on one year mounts above the body line, the other mounts on it. Can't remember right now. Oops, brain fade.

 

47-48.

 

I should add the serial number is stamped on top of the driver's side frame rail, normally beside the steering box but could be anywhere between the firewall and front crossmember. It varied because the numbers were stamped by hand. The serial number was assigned to the engine/trans unit and stamped at the top of the transmission bell above the clutch inspection window. They literally had a guy with a big hammer and a set of number dies who copied the number of the bell of the trans onto the frame after the engine/trans unit was bolted into a chassis.

 

Vin tag or ownership is your best friend in light of our varied support not to mention making it easier to sell...

 

Look inside. '47 still has locking steering column - '48 has switch in dash ...
I think ....

 

The early '47s were identical to '46, rectangular parking lights, ribbed side stainless, etc
Ford changed to the round parking lights, smooth side stainless, etc in Feb/Mar of 1947.
The car pictured is a '47/'48 as others have said. And some '48s had the locking steering column and houdaille shocks. Ford kinda used up parts as they made changes mid-stream.

 

Thanks! This is the only dash picture I took Guessing I need a passenger side view.

 

The one on the left is a '47. On the right is a '48.

 

Uhh...pictures are of the same car.

 

If your friend is looking for a project, he should jump on it. It's all there. It looks like it has never been wrecked. (Any Bondo would show.) Glass is good.

 

Another 47 to 48 crowd here. I'd guess 48 if I had to.

 

Thanks all. He found the title, it is a ‘48! Not buying, he is selling.

 

Be a little harder to sell as it's a 4 door.

 

As to the general question arkiehotrods is right. Of course finding the title helps in more ways than one.
-Dave

 

I thought only the '48s had that "Ford"-embossed trim on the deck lid, but it's been a long time since I've had to remember what makes a '47 different from a '48.

 

I realize the mystery has been solved. Nobody mentioned this, but didn't '46s all have two horizontal chrome or SS strips across bottom of trunk lid?

 

oh my I knew 40 fords when I was 10 yrs old.
You need to spend more time on the hamb.

 

Yes, this is correct. The '47/'48 Fords had the trim piece above the license plate holder like the car pictured.
John

 

Unless, of course, it's an early '47 which still had the '46 trim

 

I need to get my post count up. It's a '48 in case no one mentioned it yet.