What year are the F100 trucks? If they're up to '72, I'd pull the 9" rear ends before scrapping them.

 

Welcome to FTE!

You have a great truck to start with. It is definitely an F4, with a flathead V8. And it has the optional heavy duty rear springs to give it the 10,000 pound GVWR. The KC in the VIN means it was assembled in Kansas City. EDIT: I see you already know that... I should have read the whole thread before I replied...

If you search the driver's side cowl under the hood, you may be able to make out a stamp in the cowl which will give you more information than the data plate on the glove box or the patent plate on the firewall. I'll include a pic of mine below so you can see where to look.

Those are widow makers, but that's certainly not insurmountable. Well, I got lucky anyway.

If the s/n on the glove box door matches the one on the firewall, it's a good bet it will match the one stamped in the frame, and therefore is correct.

That is probably the correct mileage. It was a farm truck with a top speed of about 45, so no one drove it on long trips.

I can't read the model number on your glove box tag (lower right). But an F4 is a TL. My model number on that tag is 1HTL. Looks like a WB something something, but the somethings don't look like TL to me. EDIT: Just read your post about the model number.

Anyway, you came to the right place, and I'm really happy to see another F4 here. Congratulations on the script bed. They are hard to find around here.

My cowl stamp

 

Glad you chimed in Joe! Yours was the first build thread I read through last week from front to back. I love your truck! Good job on the build. And if you are like me, you are never done. There will always be something!

How do you decode the cowl stamp? I will go snag a picture tonight.

 

This is such a great find. I wish I were down in that area still. I'd be there in a heartbeat. Used it live in Olathe...have family in Gardner.

Up here in NW Iowa those little 8N's are all over the place and dang near worth their weight in gold once restored. If I had land that'd be my first choice for a garden/utility tractor A) because it's an old Ford B) because parts are everywhere.

The old truck is gorgeous...even for a manure spreader (a joking term describing the look of the front of the "economy built" F-series trucks). If you can pull it somewhere, hose out the engine compartment and I'd bet that old flathead will fire up with just a little TLC given that it was registered last in 04. Then pull the wheels/drums and make sure the brakes are in good order before a test drive.

Then, for the love of Henry, drive the thing before you tear it apart...that experience will go a long way to motivate you in the midst of a future restoration/overhaul.

No need to buy lotto tickets, you've already won!

Peace,
Jim

 

Nice score. I think it would look and work great on that ambulance chassis.

 

Thanks for the overall kind words. I'm delighted to have found this gem and feel just the same about finding this online community.

I guarantee I will drive it once I get it running AND stopping properly. I'm just hoping it wasn't parked for a reason.

The ambulance chassis is a dream. Even if I decide to go that route, it'd be a while down the road. I think I might just restore her to her original beauty. Maybe if I come across a cab someday I will do the ambulance swap. This one is too nice to just start hacking up.

 

WOW! Slow day at work...google gave me some reading material/inspiration:
1950 F-5 tow rig project - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

I don't like a LOT of things about it...paint, exhaust, rims, length, etc....but what a project!

 

I keep wanting to like it. The fab work is excellent and each individual part looks great but everything put together is kinda meh.

 

I hope you can find it. Others on here have said their truck doesn't have the stamp. And I've seen references to other stamps in different order.

But I have decoded mine as follows. And some pretty smart guys on here have agreed with me.

RH F4 H 2IH 2272

I read that as:

RH = Richmond, CA assembly plant
F4 = F4
H = color (Silvertone Gray)
2IH = 21st of August
2272 = sequential number of F4s off the line

 

When you arrive at the Magic Air heater ,fresh air tube , defrost stage let me know . Or if you decide to go another way keep me in mind .Thanks, Denny

 

Ahaha!! I love it man, absolutely love it!

BTW: Bonus in having the air cleaner still in place! My 49 engine looked like this when I got it and quick cleanup, new plugs & wire & battery and the damn this started up!! Guy who sold it to me said he should have charged twice as much for it!

Good luck with it and have fun!

 

Looks like your property still has some work that the tractor and the truck would be able to help with. The truck looks like it could be operational with a little work, especially if it was running as recently as 2004 as the plates might indicate. You bought the farm, those old Fords were a meant to do farm work. Good luck!

 

Well, the F4 will have to wait a bit. I made ANOTHER purchase...

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post13201371

 

Nice looking project- by look of engine I would bet the critters have filled the inside of engine as well LOL , mice had packed most of the cotton from the seat into the oil pan of mine. Tractor is defineatly a keeper as well, Welcome to a great site and a great bunch of fellow enthusiasts