Hey yall, I'm not sure if this belongs here or not, but here goes. A friend of mine has a 62 F-550(I think). Its a large stake bed truck. He wanted to know what engine was in it, and I had no clue. I think its one of the big boys from this forum so thats why I'm posting here. The VIN is F35AL752793 There were a series of other numbers and letters, they are as follows: 132L F350 381 A23 10000 129 4000 33. Any and all help will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Josh

 

Hi biggieou,

The Vin number you've supplied doesn't seem to match an F-550.

F35AL752793

F35............1 ton / Conventional cab
A...............Engine code (I can't find a listing for code "A")
L...............Michigan assembly plant
752793.......Consecutive unit number

132 L F350 381 A23 10000 129 4000 33

132.......132" wheelbase
L..........Holly Green
F350.....F-350, 2 Wheel Drive
381.......(sure it's not B81?) That would mean: B=Custom Cab / 81=Stake bed
A23.......Is this the date code? or is it the trans and axle codes?
10000....GVW 10,000 lbs. (Seems kind of high for an F-350?)
129 hp @ 4,000 RPM
33..........Detroit, Domestic Special Order (DSO)


Here is a list of some of the engine codes.......
C - 292 V-8
D - 292HD V-8
F - 332HD V-8
J - 223 6 cyl
N - 302HD V-8
P - 401SD V-8
Q - 477SD V-8
R - 534SD V-8
S - 144

Strange,
I tried to match some of these codes to the different '61 through '66 rating plates systems, but some of the codes just don't seem to fit on any of them.

Can you get a picture of this truck and engine?

 

In 1962 there was no F-550.

F 350 was as it is now, a 1 ton. Possible to have a stake truck body. Engines would probably be a 6, a 292 or a 352.

F 500 was a two ton, much larger, 20" wheels. Again, a 6 or the 292/not sure about 352.

F600, again a two ton but with a 2 speed rear axle. 292, not sure what else.

Can't tell you much more as this is memory of dear old dad explaining it when I was 10 riding with him in his '58 F600 292 4V 4 speed/2 speed real axle which was at one time a moving van tractor, then he lengthened it and put a 14 foot stake bed with dump on it, turning it into the best farm truck in the county, at least for a year or two.


No 401/477/534 in these size trucks. See elsewhere in this thread and someone has itemized the trucks for the SD motors. (F700 & Up)

If this truck has 16 or 16.5 wheels, it is probably a F350. 20", a 500 or 600.

 

The F-350 series has a few different variations going from F-350 to F-388.
Most of the work trucks I've had were F-379 = 11,000 lb. GVW.
Were these designations in effect in `62?
AL.

 

does it have an exhaust pipe running across the front of the engine?

if so it could be a 262/292/312

seems to me that in those years before 1964 that and the 6-cyl were teh only choices.

 

Yea it had the pipe like coming up from the driverside manifold to the passenger side.

 

yep its a 262/292 (312) the 312 was a t-bird engine, but you would be suprised how many eventually found their way into trucks.

 

272/292......

 

sorry, you are right. surgery drugs are imparing me beyond normal...

 

Seriously--and NOT to be nosy nor prying, did you really have surgery, whd507? If so, I really hope you will be okay.

It is aggravating--and, sometimes, embarrassing--how those drugs will mess up your memory. They did heart surgery on me last month and I wasn't sure of MY name--leave alone the rest of the family's.

I do hope you get better real soon!!

Besides, striking the 6 instead of the 7 is not necessarily an impaired mind--out of sync fingers, maybe, but not an impaired mind!

The high-performance supercharged 312 was Thunderbird only; even so, the 312's were put in several truck chassis. I have an aquaintance in Franklin, TN, who thinks the Y-blocks were the last good motors Ford built. He only likes them SLIGHTLY better than the Flatheads. He has two 312's still on shipping pallets and he refuses to sell them. Why? He "may need them some day if his current 312s wear out." He is dedicated, though.

 

yea, I ripped a bicep off the bone, and had to get it re-attached.

it will be a year before I can work like normal. another month in the sling...

yuk.

Thanks for the reply, and its not nosey...;-)

 

I am sorry to hear you got injured so badly; I really do hope you get better--and soon!! Try to take good care.

If your arm is in a sling, then, surely, you are typing with one hand...see, it wasn't an impaired mind, it WAS out of sync fingers.

Seriously, I do hope all goes very well for you.

 

mind and fingers were both impared.


I hate the sling...

 

I am sure that sling is really an annoyance. Still, hopefully, it will all heal up well and fully--and quickly--and things will be better for you soon! I sincerely hope so.

I have a friend who got his arm caught in the belts of a round hay bailer. It tore his arm to pieces--literally. They had to sew it back together and it required a couple of years before he was anywhere near normal. But, he healed back nicely; his arm isn't 100%--and, sadly, never will be--but he still has it and he can use it pretty well.

Truly, I wish the best of luck to you!

 

i have two separated shoulders and still want to twist wrench lol...