Thank you all for continuing to think about the stamping on my firewall. I would love to know more about my truck if anyone has any other ideas.

Andy

 

Andy, I wasn't sure if you were still following the thread. I make yours to read:

serial number: 98RC183859 NR
Normally 1949 V8 half-ton from Norfolk
Correct me on the numbers if you can read them better than the picture shows
It almost looks like at some point the prefix was re-stamped from 88RC to 97HC ??? more questions than answers for sure

firewall: A NR 22J 720
Black, Norfolk assembly plant, September 22, 720 vehicle down the line

 

I scraped off the old paint from the firewall tag and was able to clearly read the stamping as, *98RC*497850*NR. As for the numbers that are stamped into the firewall (above the wiring harness hole) they read P(or maybe R)NR22J720. The stamps above the wire hole are the only stamps in the firewall. I dont have any above the air cleaner, below the cowl vent, like shown in a previous post.

Thank you all for all of the information you have already given me.

Andy

 

Well, I got a few of them I enjoy the challenge!

Don't worry about location - each assembly plant (line worker) did it differently.

After doing some searching thru the data, I can say that only NR placed the P in front of the build code sometimes (but not always) and I don't have a clue what it stands for.

I have several prefixes including multiples of: PA, PB, PM, etc

 

I also noticed some stamping on mine when I was straightening the lip.

 

Yeah, that's your build code. Your truck made it down the assembly line September 15.
I can make out 15J533 but can't see enough of the rest to read it. Clean off the bondo and take another picture, please..
What you're missing is color code and assembly plant. None end in N but it looks like that's what I'm seeing there.
Tim

 

the two before that are 1N.

 

That doesn't work. First character would be the color code and the lowest number for color code is 2.

All assembly plants used 2 letters for the code.
NR is Norfolk, HM is Highland MIchigan, etc. Around Iowa you would have had SP - Saint Paul, CH - Chicago, MP - Memphis, KC - Kansas City, etc.
Do you know where your truck came from? That might help..

 

I do know it came from Chicago. The frame and plate on the firewall both have 98MTH18700CH stamped in them.

 

Perfect - Chicago switched the Plant and color code.

Under the smear of bondo you will find CH N 15J 533 (I can see the part of the H and the N)
Chicago assembly plant,
N code for Vermillion (Red),
15J is date code for 15 Sept,
533 is internal plant number for vehicle down the assembly line.
98MTH18700CH is low enough that it was built in 1949 and tells that it is an F6.

It should have 6 numbers in the serial no. 18700? Enjoy your truck!
Tim

 

Thank you. That's actually paint soot from heating, not bondo.

 

Oh, gotcha - looks can be deceiving.

 

What is paint code "B"? My son's FIL just brought home his grandfathers 1950 F1 which he says his granddad bought new. He says it has always been dark blue in his memory, but he has an old black and white photo with the truck in the background, and it looks much lighter in color. On the firewall, the stamping is CHB16L1317 or might be 1817, can't tell if the 3 is an 8 that was stamped crooked or not.

 

'50 B code is Sheridan Blue if my info is correct.

 

With a November 16 build date, it would be interesting to know the unit number in the vin, to know if it's a really late 50, or a late 49 titled as a 50. Either way it would be helpful for the database.