I ran across this photo just now in a Historic Bergen County FB page. Thought some might appreciate.

 

Thanks. Lots of nice old iron.

 

WOW!! Thanks for sharing!! Those are actually big trucks. That older panel truck in the distance is very interesting (surely that's not a Coca Cola logo on the side?). There are some scattered shoeboxes there too. The one in the corner is a 49 (which might help date the picture). Wow.

 

What an awesome photo! You can definitely tell red and green were the colors of the day. Pictures like this are great for documenting details and trim colors, etc. Good color shots from that time are rare. Thanks for sharing.

 

That's a great photo! Thanks for sharing it with us. Notice the all argent grilles, indicating 1949 (along with the '49 shoebox cars).

 

I like the freshly packaged stake sides on the flatbeds, beds and sides were painted body color. Also, looks like the yellow one could be a bus chassis.

Now some one on this board has to build a time machine so we can go back and get a nice fresh truck with no rust.

 

The Ford passenger car on the front row-far right is a 1949. 1950's have much larger rectangular parking lamps that mount below where the '49's lamps are located. The '50's grille is also different.

1949's have FORD letters center front of hood. 1950's have a chrome bezel that a plastic Ford coat of arms emblem is inserted into.

 

ok so dumb question... Bergen Co - which plant would that be - Edgewater NJ, or is this dealership delivery lot ?
I'm squinting at the yellow cab-less, I knew Ford did cab only chassis, but didn't think they did cab-less conventional....destined to be a rail car? your thoughts guys?

 

Bill, that is how I knew it was a 49. My dad has a 50 with the different signal lights like you describe. And you're right, the grills are different and the front fenders look a little more "squared" compared to the 50's.

Brian, I'm a little confused by this too. Apparently he is referring to the New Jersey plant. BUT, if you google its history, all of the things I read state it didn't open till 1955. The background looks more like California, etc. But nevertheless, this is a really cool picture.

 

If you look closely, there is a stake body truck behind/down the row from that panel, with what appears to be matching color and logo. Probably a company replacing or adding to its fleet.

 

That's an Open Drive-Away: Chassis & Cowl. The other Open Drive-Away FoMoCo offered was the Cowl and Windshield.

The F1/F2 (and later F100/250) versions were commonly used as ice cream trucks by Good Humor and etc. An FTE member (65GH) has a 1965 F250 Good Humor "Cowl & Windshield."

1951/52 Rating Plate code EG = Edgewater NJ / 1953/55 Rating Plate code E = Edgewater NJ / E = Mahwah NJ Assembly Plant, which was operational from 1956 thru 1982.

Look at all the cars parked behind the fence. They don't appear to on a used car lot (back row: late model woody parked next to a Model A Coupe, with older stuff parked in front).

There are too many to belong to dealership employees. My guess is, these cars belong to the assembly line workers at the Edgewater plant.

 

I as I stated in my post, I suspect that yellow truck is a school bus chassis.

 

Oh I see that now. Good eye. Man this picture is very interesting. Check out what I assume could be the employee parking lot across the fence. Check out the woody.

 

Yes, Cowl-chassis or chassis-cowl is what they are called. They are still built today. Here is a link that shows them 1949 - 1951 Ford Truck US and Canada

 

Once again............. I AM born in the wrong decade.....