Ok, so I am going out to look at this truck this coming weekend and need some info from those much smarter than me. It is advertised as a '45 ford 1/2 short box, all original with a running when parked (could have been 40 years ago for all i know) flathead V8. What I want to know is if there is anything special I should know about the '45 post war trucks vs. the '46 and '47 trucks or if they are all the same. Does the '45 have any hard to find 1 year only stuff that I should look for? I know my way around the flat heads, so no worries there as I already have a "full race" '49 8BA sitting in the garage that with speedway "8RT" style truck water pumps that I could bolt in as soon as the truck was home. So anyways....what should I look for? specific rare parts, areas that rust badly in the '45-47 years or any cool gee-wizz info about these early post war trucks will be appreciated. Sorry about the pic quality, its all the guy had posted with the add.
I had a '47. The grill is a royal pain to find where the vertical pieces aren't bent and cracked. Good fenders are also a pain to find. If all four fenders and the grill are good the rest is easy..........
if it is a 45' i do believe it should have banjo style rearend, if it has "dana style" it's probably 46'/47'.
May 3, 1945, the 31,000,000th. Ford was a civilian 1/2 ton.This was just before Victory in Europe, 3-11-45. Early production went to "priorty" users. "Ford Trucks Since 1905" James Wagner
No better pics, they are all I got from the owner but I will get better ones this weekend when I see the truck in person.
Kinda... A new truck could be bought by a civilian that was engaged in business that was considered "war nessesity". So, my old '42 was bought by a farmer that was growing crops up in MN. that were absolutely needed for the war effort. The bed looks correct to me, but rusty. New beds are available for these trucks, but very pricey. New grills are available too, but don't fit quite as nice as original. The cab share alot of it's basics with the '40-'41 cab,(as far as I know, the gas tank under the seat is the only major difference) so patch panels and such are out there. After seeing that bed, I'd be a bit concerned about the rest it though... On the rear ends, these trucks would have used the open banjo type all the way to the end of production in late '46. The spicer type came ion with the F1 truck in '47. Just as a FYI, So-Cal Phoenix has a complete set of fenders (nos, maybe?) hanging from the ceiling in the used parts out back if you need them.
Well looked at the truck today....and for $2500 I could have had a truck with no floor, dash rotted off, locked up flathead, frozen brakes, rusted out bed with no floor, no wiring, completly messed up grill....but on a good note, the tires were rotted but still held air. The guy selling the truck was nice, just thought more of his truck then I did. I didn't make an offer, really didn't want to insult him with what it was actually worth to me, and he seemed pretty firm on the price. This is Arizona mind you....other states can't be so lucky on rust free vehicles...if i was still in WA, I might have jumped on it.
Ford built essentially the same truck from '42-'47, so that serial number is the only reliable way to determine the model year of these trucks. A limited number of pickups and big trucks were built for purposes essential to the war effort or other essential purposes. The Shell Oil distributor in Cartersville GA has a '44 Ford tanker truck. I know the whereabouts of a '43 Chevrolet 1 1/2 ton flatbed that was purchased new by a farmer in this area. When the war ended, the truck manufacturers were more concerned with catching up with demand than with introducing newly designed trucks, so it was a couple of years after the war before new designs appeared (Ford's F series in '48, Chevy/GMC "Advanced Design" in '47, International came out with their first post-war design in '50, etc.).
This truck was a Mil spec civilian unit complete with olive drab paint still showing, single tail light mounted on the cab a single wiper setup (no where place to put a second arm)and "water fording" kit on the exhaust. It was originally red with no sign of olive drab below the red, but a considerable amount sprayed over the red in the door jams. hardly any paint left anywhere on the body.
ok, so after looking at a few other 50's era ford trucks this weekend, I hate to say it but this '45 may be the better of the bunch. It was the only one that has been complete (about 95% as far as I can figure), and repop parts for the rust repair are not all that out of the question....for under $500 I can have the cab back to rust free condition. I have some heavy gauge sheet metal laying out back that is "pre-rusted" to match the current "patina" on the truck that I can use to patch the bed side rust. I did shoot the seller an email....so maybe he'll be a little flexable on the price with all things considered.
Alright...looks like $2200 is going to get me a new project truck with the little bit saved going into ordering the patch panels to clean up the cab. This truck has more rust then I was hoping for, but it is also the most complete old truck I could find for the price range I was shooting for. Theflathead did break free, so I'll pull the plugs and add a little marvels to the cylinders to lube everything up, im hoping it was just the old cast iron rings sticking a little and nothing major. If it is worse then that I still have my 8BA to slide in place. The brakes will take some work, the are almost free enought to spin the wheels...I can get about 3/4's turn on them before the rust catches, hoping that once I can get the drums off I can have them turned and throw in some new pads. I do have a set of finned buick drums and f250 backing plates I can stick on there to make things a little fancy. I only need to track down a better grill, the one on the truck might be fixable if I can straighted the main bars out, I know I can always pick up a set of chrome outter bars to dress it up a little. We'll see what we can do for the originals 1st though. I promise that I will post pictures when the truck is dug out of it hole in the storage yard and loaded up on the trailer, might be this weekend, might be next week, all depends on the seller being able to clear all the other cars out of the way to get the truck to the gate. This may turn into a build thread, I hope to do a better job keeping up with the build pictures as I get going on it, so I hope people will remember to bug me about posts. Let me know what you want to see and I will get it. I tend to get distracted by shinny things or get the tunnel vision and focus on the task without thinking about documenting progress. The plans for this build are easy and basic. -Get the engine running or swap in my rebuilt flattie -get the brakes working and rebuilt -Get some good rubber on the original wheels, order a set of hub caps -Rust repair on the cab floors, cab coners and Dash board -New gaskets and seals for all the doors and windows (truck still has its original glass) -Original style wiring harnesses for the entire truck (guy that sells them on Egay) -Work the grill back into shape/replace as needed -restore the bed or replace if I can find a nice original -Body work????? I want a mechanically sound and safe truck, but I kind of like rough looking aged body and limited paint, might lay on a couple coats of flattened clear to preserve what is left and prevent further rust from forming, Or hit the whole truck with the DA and run it with clear coated bare metal for a while till rust repairs are done. Just have to see where it'll end up going. So I am sorry for the long rambling post, but wanted to add updates and back pedal from my previous post where I called the truck a POS. Shoot me some pictures to get the inspration flowing and some suggestions for the build.
Ouch!! $2200!!! Here is a picture of a 47 that I gotup here in Wa last summer for $300. It still had the key in the ignition. Flatbed has the FORD script on the back. Came with 5 extra V-8's
Ha...um thanks I guess....not quite the kind of inspiration I was looking for there boss.....but whatever...anyone else want to kick me in the ball too?
the cool thing is you got an oddball year with some options that don't seem very standard. and congratulations on a respectable purchase, you may not have an easy job ahead of you, but it'll be a good thing to have one more on the road(better than going to waste in someones yard). A good deal is all in the eye of the beholder, so keep positive man!
Thanks to everyone with positive comments, I think I'll end my posts on the truck here.....Its been fun, maybe I'll throw a build thred up later but probably not as I can already see the bulk of the posts are going to be "WTF would you buy that for, its a POS" . I didn't jump on the 1st truck I found, I have been looking for the past 4 months, unfortunetly the complete rust free trucks are in the 4k range, the running beat up project is in the 3k range and the non running complete trucks in the $2500 range and come stripped "we started restoration before we misplaced the cab somewhere" kind of truck missing every rare and hard to find piece are still going for 1500.....supply and demand...the supply is low right now so the prices are high.
Yeah, it's easy to say "I found the same truck in {insert other state here} <INSERT state here other>for $500 in better condition", but sometimes the hassle and money to get it home is not always worth it. As long as you're comfortable with the price, it shouldn't matter what others post.
Glad to see that you went ahead with the purchase! It looks pretty typical of the stuff that is still out there around the state, The myth of the Arizona rust free car is just that, a myth... While our climate is great for sheet metal, it's not so great for rubber and soft trim. Most vehicles around here had their window rubber shink and crak at the lower corners years ago, alowing water to seep down into the mats or carpets and rot the floorboards and kick panels. I have always called it desert rust! As far as your grille goes, Mack's out of Lockport, NY. can help with new repro stuff. So can Sacramento Vintage Ford. These trucks seem to be common around the state as big trucks, and if the sheet metal grille can't be saved on yours, they can be inter changed. I do know of one grill up at the Gold King mine property up in Jerome, but the guy doesn't want to sell anything... maybe your luck will be better than mine. As a last thought, if you shoot me a P.M., I can give you the number of a neat old guy down in Tempe that might have some bits and pieces for you. Best of luck, Chip Quinn
Hi this truck is my third one of the 42-47 ford style. Actually the first and second where Mercury 1/2 tons and where Chevy powered . this one is all ford although not flathead power. They are easy builders and parts are not expensive. Found mine in a farmers field on it`s side missing the rear Axel in Alberta. Mine is so far from perfect to look at but it is solid rust free and a reliable fun driver/ parts chaser. So get at it and please do a build thread. Nortern Classic Trucks has some rust panels and a compete box. Google there site and check em out EH.
What's that in your avatar, looks like a WW2 Corbitt or White 6 ton? Forget what others say. If you're okay with it, get on with it. http://www.olive-drab.com/idphoto/id_photos_corbitt_white_ww2_6ton.php I believe it is!
At least you know you bought a POS BEFORE you brought it home. How many of us wish we were that lucky???That truck will be worth the effort as a civilian truck built during the War has got to rate pretty high on the "Cool" chart.
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