I'm restoring a 1966 F260 4x4 Crew Cab that was built by Ford for either the Canadian Railroad or the Canadian Forest Service (not sure which, suspect Forest Service as no rail adaptation to frame).

If anyone has any info on this type of truck, I'd love to read about it!

Here are my photos:1966 Ford F250 - Ford Home

Thanks!

Lawrence

 

Very cool crew cab!
The contact point on the Porsche must have been pretty high.

 

Not trying to be rude but wouldn't you have better luck asking about your truck in the 1961-1966 F100 and larger Forum? Cool looking truck nonetheless. Jim

 

Strange how the box has been cut down so close to the front of the wheel well. Haven't seen that before.

 

I'm a newbie, and made my first posting error. Happy to move this thread if the Moderator wants to do it. I did mess up.

 

Looks to be a coach built, having the external hinges. Should be a fun build! I eventually need to start on mine..

 

Welcome to FTE

This is most likely a Crown Coach or other aftermarket body maker conversion.

The rear door external hinges and shape of the rear door window frames is the dead-bang give-away that FoMoCo had nothing to do with it.

FoMoCo began assembling Crew Cabs mid-year 1965, do not have exposed rear door hinges. But aftermarket body makers continued to assemble Crew Cabs.

This is an F250 4WD. F260 (or F261 or F262) is the MODEL code stamped on the Warranty Plate.

Crews were purchased by Gov't agencies, petroleum/telephone and etc companies to transport personnel...in many cases to remote areas.

The CPRR could have purchased it, but didn't modify it to run on RR tracks. But was it ordered from and sold new in Canada? DSO code stamped on the Warranty Plate will verify.

All these Crew Cabs, FoMoCo assembled or not, were modified from Regular Cabs. The cut-down (shortened) Styleside bed is rather common.

FTE member garbz2 is the Crew Cab expert. Most of the info I typed came from his posts.

 

What's different on the rear door window openings on his compared to a fomoco built one? Looks the same as my 65. Unless I'm missing something I'm not noticing??

 

As I recall from garbz2's pics, the curvature of the upper rear corners of the door window frames is different...factory vs aftermarket body maker.

 

Welcome to owning one bad a** truck I own a 66 f250 4x4 crew also. Slowly gathering parts to get it going again. Got more details on it? Where did you find it? I have some info that should help you out. Check out link below. Looking forward to seeing more pics of the restore good luck.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...559&styleid=19

 

Truck is a crown as noted by the external hinges. Factory Ford had interior hinges and a space of about 1 1/4" between the doors.

Another clue is the cut down bed. Ford used full beds of either 6 or 8 feet. Even some 9 footers on F350s.

Third clue is the triangular panel and the inner carrier for the rear wondow.

Fourth clue is the 120 inch four wheel drive wheel base.

Fifth clue is the rain gutter at the back of the cab. Here is a picture of a Crown with that feature.


This truck was a regular F250 4x4 delivered to crown then had the rear doors fabricated. A new rear floor section, B pillars and roof panel added. If you look at the attachment point of the new roof the old roof was just sawn off and the stubs are still there.

Garbz

 

Why would the CPRR or Canadian Gov't agency buy an F250 4WD, then send it to Crown Coach in Los Angeles to be converted?

It's also a Custom Cab, very few (probably none) of the US Gov't purchased Crew Cabs were Custom Cabs.

OP lives in CA and once the VIN and Warranty Plate codes are posted, this truck could have been assembled in San Jose, sold new in CA after being converted by Crown.

 

Thanks garbz2 and others!

Here is the VIN plate.

Does it offer any more clues?

We are thinking from my research that it wasn't the Canadian RR but the Canadian Forest Service that ordered this truck.

 

Topic of the Ford Crew Cab has come up on couple occasions quite some time ago where members posted pic's and link to website and forums for Ford Crew Cab enthusiast, seem to recall out of Canada, hopefully crew cab FTE member in this forum can provide sources?? There is a thread 'Crew Cab only' in the 73-79 forum, perhaps a member would have info and sources for the earlier model crew cabs??

 

F26 = F250 4WD

Y = 352 2V

C = Oakville Ontario Canada Truck Assembly Plant.

820126 = 1966, assembled February 1966.

120" Wheelbase.

B = Caribbean Turquoise.

F260 = F250 4WD, 6,800 lbs. GVWR

C81: C = Medium Green Crush Vinyl & Medium Green Cody Pattern Woven Plastic / 81 = 81B Custom Cab.

A = New Process 435 4 Speed Manual Transmission.

B5 = Dana 60 Rear Axle / 4.56-1 / Limited Slip / 5,200 lbs. Rear Axle Capacity.

6,800 lbs. Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

172 net HP @ 4,000 RPM

722036:

72 = San Jose (NorCal) Ford District Sales Office, where the original selling dealer ordered the truck from.

2036 = Domestic Special Order number. The truck was ordered special by original purchaser, not "bought off the lot."