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Hi there. I am new here so hang with me. I just picked up a 1964 pickumup truck with a chassis mount camper on it. The truck runs great. Had some engine work in 2011. 292 engine. When I bought it the seller told me that it was an F350 and it use to have duals on it, but he sold the dually adapters to his brother. . The tag in the door has it as a F250. I have a question on the DSO numbers. The DSO number is 452764. What kind of special order was this? The tag number is F25CL552419. Thanks for the help.
Welcome to FTE. The information from your door warranty plate decodes: F25 = F250 truck, 2 wheel drive. C = 292 cubic inch 2 bbl Y-block V8. L = assembled at Michigan Truck Plant, Wayne, MI. 552419 = assembled in June, 1964. The Domestic Special Order number 452764 = specially ordered by Davenport, Iowa district sales office. That's the "42" The records for determining how the last four numbers decode were destroyed years ago. Could be that it has to do with how your truck's back end is configured, but no way to know for sure. If you think your truck might really be an F350, check the VIN located on the top side of the passenger side frame rail. You'll have to wire brush the rail to find it. If the VIN starts "F35" it's a F350. Sometimes driver's doors get replaced and the correct warranty plate does not get changed over. The VINs on your state vehicle title, door warranty plate, and truck frame rail should all match. Have fun with your new toy!
A couple more pictures. Inside the camper. SuperSaber: I'll take a look for the VIN on the frame, but not today. It's snowing and about 15 deg. outside now. I don't even want to go down to the shop today.
Inside the camper looking toward the back. Eridge, stove, sink and the table can be made into a bed.
Inside the camper looking to the front and the bed above the cab.. The curtain opens into the cab of the truck.
This camper looks as if it was offered by Ford back in 1964.
Welcome to FTE
This camper was not offered by FoMoCo, similar types could be ordered by Ford dealers from various RV dealers.
FoMoCo just used this picture in sales brochures to illustrate what could be installed on a Cab & Chassis.
Is it an F350? IMO...no it isn't. All 1953/66 F350's came with 6 lug "innie" wheels on a 7.25" bolt circle.
1953/98 F250's and 1967/98 F350's have 8 lug wheels on a 6.50" bolt circle.
The wheels on your truck have been swapped, appear to be 8 lug on a 6.50" bolt circle based on the fact that the hubcaps are "outies" used on 1967/77 F250/350's.
Innie = So called because the hubcap snaps onto tabs located on the inside of the wheels center section.
Outie = So called because the hubcap snaps onto tabs located on the outside of the wheels center section.
F250's were not available with DRW's (Dual Rear Wheels) until 1985, so my guess is, DRW adapters were installed by the RV dealer that supplied the camper.
Your truck is not a Camper Special, F100/250 Camper Specials introduced in 1965, F350 Camper Specials introduced in 1967.
Ford introduced campers and two types of camper shells in 1973. The type that were mounted in the bed (over-the-roof type - see pic) were actually made by American Road.
The Domestic Special Order records were THROWN AWAY by FoMoCo decades ago, so there's no way to discover what was special ordered.
Hey NumberDummy. Thanks for the info on the truck. I was pretty sure that it was not a F350 after I got it home and started to look the numbers over. I'm kinda glad that it isn't the one ton. It seems as if replacement rims and tires are available but they are hard to find used and expensive to buy new.
I still think that the old Ford Ad is pretty neat. I haven't seen many old trucks with a Chassis Mount Camper then I ran across this one and it looked so much like the one I just got. Most of the campers were the slide in box type. So this was more of a dealer option than a Ford Motor Company Option. That is something that I didn't know. I might try to find a copy of that Ford Recreational Vehicle just for giggles to take a look at the pictures.
I would like to see if I could find a set of duals or a different axle with duals for this thing. I drove it home, about 40 miles the other night. Everything ran good. Lights work. Brakes work kinda, Steering isn't to bad after you get moving but the body sure sways. When I would go over a bridge or box culvert that was at an angle it would go to rocking from side to side.
Again NumberDummy, thanks for the help!
Hey NumberDummy. Thanks for the info on the truck. I was pretty sure that it was not a F350 after I got it home and started to look the numbers over. I'm kinda glad that it isn't the one ton. It seems as if replacement rims and tires are available but they are hard to find used and expensive to buy new.
I still think that the old Ford Ad is pretty neat. I haven't seen many old trucks with a Chassis Mount Camper then I ran across this one and it looked so much like the one I just got. Most of the campers were the slide in box type. So this was more of a dealer option than a Ford Motor Company Option. That is something that I didn't know. I might try to find a copy of that Ford Recreational Vehicle just for giggles to take a look at the pictures.
I would like to see if I could find a set of duals or a different axle with duals for this thing. I drove it home, about 40 miles the other night. Everything ran good. Lights work. Brakes work kinda, Steering isn't to bad after you get moving but the body sure sways. When I would go over a bridge or box culvert that was at an angle it would go to rocking from side to side.
Again NumberDummy, thanks for the help!
1953/66 F350 6 lug 7.25" bolt circle wheels are almost impossible to find, especially the 16 inchers.
FTE member tripleframe's dad was a Fleet Manager at a Ford dealership. He has all his dad's FoMoCo Fleet Salesman's Data Books, can furnish you with all sorts of info.
Rear axle swap: All 1967/79 F350's with DRW were only available as a Cab & Chassis, or with factory installed flat & stake beds. Came with a Dana 70 rear axle, with 12" x 3" rear drum brakes.
Your 1964 F250 has a Dana 60 rear axle with 12 1/8" x 2" rear drum brakes, the front drum brakes are the same size.
If the rear axle was swapped from a 1966/79 F250, it could also have 12" x 2 1/2" rear drum brakes.
Hi Numbers. First things first. Up here in Cheesehead country. South of Madison about 20 miles. Out in the country between Brooklyn and Albany.
Thanks for the info on the axles and tires. What the truck has for tires is the eight bolt rim. Front 9.50R16.5 LT. Rear 31 X 10.50R16.5 LT M+S. Spare tire looks old. Size 7.50-16 LT on a split rim.
Camper tires. Would like to find adapter to add duals. It seems top heavy and rocks from side to side.
Two more projects in the background. 1963 F100 4X4. 223 I6 4 Speed. Behind that is a Four Door. Suicide door. 1968 Ford Thunderbird with the 429 Thunderjet engine. Both of them run.
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I don't have a smart phone and I had some snow to shovel before it got dark, then I went down to the shed to get the tire sizes.
9.50 x 16.5 tires are very hard to find, were mostly used on 1967/79 F350 Camper Specials. The wheels are 16.5 x 6.75.
The rear tires were never installed by FoMoCo, are a previous owners "add on."
The spare is mounted on the original split rim.
Just wait until you delve into the 1968 T-Bird's wiring and vacuum lines, these cars were a nightmare to work on! The only good news is, 1967's were worse.
"The Pack is back!" Since there is no longer an NFL team here in LA LA Land (we once had two), I root for the Packers as my grandmother (born in Sturgeon Bay) and mom (born in Green Bay) did.
It should be a great game next weekend wth the Pack. Keep cheering them on.
It looks as if the inside lip of the 16.5 rims has been cut out so they fit over the hub. Another chop job to work on.
I'm not sure about the rest of the Thunderbirds electrical but just the windows are a pain in the butt. All four windows are power windows, Some switches work, some power gets to where it should only the drivers window works. The vacuum system is a mess. Headlight covers don't work. Dry rotted hoses. Something to look forward too.
This camper looks as if it was offered by Ford back in 1964.
Found some old ads for the 1964 trucks. This one is for the camper.
No Ford did not offer the camper, just the truck. The ad is a typical "artist rendition" of the period showing the recreational possibilities that can be built onto Ford trucks. The camper in the Ford ad was actually built by Dreamer ( see photo of real camper). It is very difficult to say exactly what you have. The DSO just means SOMETHING was added to your truck at the factory that is not a regular production option. Back in the day, many camper dealers bought chassis cab trucks, saved 200 bucks by not buying the bed, and added a chassis mount camper and then sold it on there lot as a complete ready to roll unit. Some frames were lengthened for longer campers. Your unit looks like the frame has been stretched between 24" and 36" (check frame for welds and fish plates). What does your door warranty plate say about the wheelbase? Standard wheelbase is 128" for F 250's. IMO, it appears to be a home made "one off custom" job. You might want to look into some wide base 16.5" steel wheels for more stability, they were common at one time in the aftermarket, and often seen on mid 70's F 350 Super Camper Specials. Tire ad shows 1970's prices. .
01-04-2015, 10:41 AM
by FoMoCo decades ago, so there's no way to discover what was special ordered.
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