Josh - This is what a guy drives two thousand miles each way to rescue!! Good thing it was also the grandson's fifth birthday, and we were gonna head that direction anyway. Not sure what the trailer and load did to the gas mileage, but it sure didn't help. Also found another set of 19.5s out there (more are in the cab), and a good used set of 19.5 traction radials. So it was a good trip. Unsure until I can see all of the frame whether this is a builder or parts. If its frame is unscrewed with, it deserves to move ahead of a couple others that I don't have all the parts for yet. Stu

 

Speaking of F3's, lol. Notice the better looking grille.

 

Looks like yours and mine got into a bar fight. Maybe yours won, but it was a close fight. Actually, my better looking grille is one of the only pieces unhurt on this old soldier. Stu

 

Looks like mine gave you a big red shiner on the door.

I like yours better though.

 

As I was swapping out the junk wheels and rubber today to get it to roll off the trailer, I found it has 12" rear drums. I'd have thought it'd have 14" rear drums like the normal '48 to early '51 F-3s. So now I'm confused. Does it say that M-H continued to do the single speed conversions well into '51, maybe offering the single speed R3-4 model side-by-side with the two speed R32-4 model, or did the rear end get swapped out at some point in its life. Or maybe M-H just continued the single speed transfer cases past the date that Ford changed over to the 12" rear drums. No telling I guess. Stu

 

Josh,
i would love to see some pictures of the inside door trims of your five star COE.....John

 

Im not sure on the axle question? if anyone knew I figured it would be you!
are you going to keep the flatbed or put a standard bed box on it?



I'll snap some pictures of all the interior next time I'm at the overflow parking, the door trim is the same as the regular truck 5 star cabs (at least as far as I know)



Josh

 

As far as i know i dont think we ever got the five star option in Australia on the F!s and we never had Bonus Built COEs so pics will be great. Man, i would love to get my hands on one of those stainless windshield trims. John

 

I'm thinking through a list of questions I've got to ask Chuck on this thing. The rear drum issue is one, and I'm also seeing that the transfer case mounting is different than I've seen on an earlier R3-4. I'll be sending him comparison pictures.

I've now spent some time under it and don't see any horror stories of destruction. It's got bent front frame horns that shouldn't be too hard to put straight, but otherwise it looks good. The sheet metal will pretty much all be replaced. I've got a 2wd '51 F-3 with 5 Star Extra trim and Express bed that will give all its sheet metal to this one. The shortened big truck flat bed will go to China. Stu

 

That's going to look so cool and tough! Pretty rare truck, and I couldn't think of a better caretaker/owner.

 

The 5 Star Deluxe cab options were available on 51/52 trucks in the U.S.. None on 48-50. It's likely that the 5 Star Deluxe cab options were available in other countries, but I don't have any verification.

Email sent on the s/s windshield frame and other 5 Star Deluxe parts.