48-52 ford f1 truck vin translation

As stated. I have a 48-52 ford truck. No title. Working on that now. But I ned to be sure of the year of it. The front clip is NOT original to the truck, so this does not help me much. Is there a site I can look at to translate the year? And what about Other things that will tell it aprt as far as years. Like say, dash differences etc? Thanks for the help. I am no expert on these trucks.

 

Try the decoder on FTE

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/vindecoder.php

 

thank you

 

that won't work for an older truck. Tells me I need to have all 17 characters for it to function.

 

It used to work for older trucks. You can post on the FTE '48-56 discussion board, there are guys who will decode your VIN

http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum41/

 

48-50 3spd floor shift, small back window, round at drivers side to square at passenger side one piece speedo guage cluster, paneled old style bed with rounded stake corners, notched rear fenders for old style bed panels, headlights closer together, horizontal 5 bar grille with rectangle park lights on top bar, hood latch is pull type in hood vent, one is latch, one is fake.
51-52 big back window, one round speedo, one round gauge cluster, flat sided bed, square stake pockets, rear fender flat mounting surface, column shift, wide headlights, big bar grille with bullet teeth, hood latch under hood OHV six in 52 six cylinder truck.

 

WOW. That's good to know. is there a way to break them down specifically by year then? Cause all of that makes this cab a 48-50 for sure. Awesome info! Thank a hell of a lot!

 

There are some very slight difference between the three years, '48-50. Nothing major. The vent window divider bar was painted in one year and changed to stainless steel in another. I think '48 had painted bars, '49-50 were stainless. Other than I don't know any differences in the cabs. The only one, as stated above, in the mid '50 model year they moved the shifter from the floor to steering column.

If you have the VIN there should be one number, 8,9 or 0 to signify '48, '49 or '50.

 

What location is that number for the year? Specifically the second number? or the 5th?

 

VIN codes first charactor indicates year.
8=1948
9= 1949 and 1950
second and third charactors engine series
8HC 1948 six
F-18RC 1948 V8
F-18HD 1948 6cyl
F-28RD 1948 V8
F-28HY 1948 six
F-38RY 48 V8
1949
9HC six cyl
F-19HD six
F-29RD V8
F-29HY six
F-39RY V8
1950
9HC six
F-19RC V8
F-HD six
F-29RD V8
F-29HY six
F-39RY V8
The last series is the engine production #s
Body # not the same as VIN
Serial # For 1950 start at 92251 for six cyl
73088 for V8
1951-52
4th character indicates year 1=51 2=52

 

do you have any pictures of your truck?.. 48-50 the differences are very slight.. parts like the hood can be changed with the 51-52 with some modification of the latch..dash style and rear window was the major difference.. i have several of these parts trucks and found that after years of use parts could of been swapped around from year to year. 50 to the 51 had the only major changes in cab and bed styles

 

1948 had stainless grille bars tan background
49-50 had ardent painted bars and background.
My trucks serial # tag is located under the hood on the outside passenger side firewall right above the sylenoid. It breaks down like this....
+98RC+41XXXX+AT
This means V8.
41XXXX=1950
AT= Atlanta GA
Plant suffixes
AT Atlanta GA
BF Buffalo NY
CH Chicagp IL
CS Chester PA
DS Dallas TX
EG Edgewater NJ
HM Highland Park MI
KC Kansas City MO
LB Long Beach CA
LU Louisville KY
MP Memphis TN
NR Norfolk VA
RH Richmond CA
SP Saint Paul MN
SR Somerville Mass.

 

that helps! its a 49 then. Starts with a 9. Thanks so much for the help. Couldn't find the info and was getting frustrated.

 

Both 49 and 50 start with "9" prefix serial numbers.
1950 trucks start at 92251 for sixes.
73088 for V8s.
R prefix is V8.
H prefix is 6cyl.

 

well here is what I have

*97hc*304593

and ends with a * KC*

I have the kansas part and if I a mreading it right then it is a 49??

 

It's a 1950 six cylinder truck built in Kansas City.
You may want to edit and X out the last few #s of your serial # on here as anyone online can copy it.

 

OK. I was mixing up what you meant by serial numbers I guess. Sorry for that. But thank you very much for your time. I can learn something everday on the HAMB with good folks like youself teachin us.

 

Your most welcome. I just happened to have my truck and book handy.
Mine is a 50 with a 51 nose.

 

even better! Not exactly sure what I will do with this one as of yet. Tryin to figure that out now. I have a flathead six from a passenger car with a 3 speed. That would be cool. But only an in town cruiser at that point. It has all been rebuilt previously. So I wouldn't want to tear it all down and add different stuff to it. But time will tell. I want it all fors though. That i do know.

 

OK here is some info for you.

That serial # is pretty high for 1950 so your truck may have been set up for column shift. If so thats good as you can use the clutch pedal linkage on the car transmission. Another option may be to find a later truck or car toploader 3speed and mount it to the six Bell housing. The cars have the long tailshaft the trucks have the short one. You most likely will have to find or fab a rear trans mount if you use the car transmission. I "think" the toploaders will bolt to the flathead bellhousing.

The early 50 floorshift is much different than the colomn shift or car transmission. It uses the round behousing on 49-53 flatheads. The clutch linkage atatches to a lever bar that goes through the front of the transmission. This is basically the same transmission dating back to the Model A days updated in 1939. The linkage set up is specific for this type and the bigger 4spd that was an option in F-1s.
The 48-50 F-1 transmission is popular in early Ford hot rods as it will bolt up directly to early flatheads and with the round housing, 49-53 engines. These top shift transmissions are also popular because they are open drive allowing a modern rear to be used on a pre-49 Ford car.

The 226 H series flathead like you have was really a good engine. It's listed as 95hp but many think it was actually higher. Ford did not want to have the base engine's hp higher than the more expensive "flagship" V8 option. They did the same with the 4.9 FI six in the late 80s-early 90s.
So the early six would GO even in stock form.

 

It is a top loader that I will use in it. It has NO column. So I will just use one that works with a top loader trans. I do have a front axle, rear axle, most of the brakes as well. Most of the body is there. But in sick shape. The front clip is beat pretty badly and had a run in with a guy and some filler and chicken wire at some point... Lots to do there. And all I have of the bed is the sides and fenders. Luckily, I know where there are quite a few of these trucks layin around in a local yard. Now to actually get there with my busy shop. That IS a challenge!

 

Some useless information;

1948 to 1952 ford trucks where called Bonus built. http://books.google.ca/books?id=2hh...A#v=onepage&q=Bonus built ford trucks&f=false
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The guys over at FTE call 1948-50 "monkey faces" and 1951 -52 "manure spreaders" in reference to their grill design.<O</O

 

Good luck with your truck! Check out FTE plenty of helpful folks over there as well as here.

 

Thanks guys. All of this was very helpful

 

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I'm needing help in the same vein. I've found an abandoned Ford F1 delivery with a short VIN and need help translating. I was able to piece some of it together from the previous posts, but not all of it. The number is 87HC133190 with an HP location code. Can any help me?

 

From the LMC Ford truck 1948-56 catalog, they will send you one or you can download online. The vin info is on page 8.
http://www.lmctruck.com/ford/

8 1948
7H 226 ci 6 cyl
C 1/2 ton pickup
133190 sequence number
HP probably for Highland Park Michigan

 

Thanks Mike!

 

I have a Ford 1948 F-6 I believe. The serial number is strange, stamped in frame.
* 87*29396* (what do you think?)
The engine is a flat 6, I can't find any info on the engine? I'm in need of the radiator capacity. I have the shop and owners manual and can't find it.

 

I have found the trans vin stamp under a lot of paint and it does match, though it doesn't help me understand more about the truck. The titles all had the same VIN *87HT29396 as a 1948 Ford F6. If anyone knows more, much appreciated on your help...

 

That's pretty cool, I have 48 Panel 87HC112854