I am looking for the below radio, for my 1950 Ford F1. I have a rebuilt radio that I am using a faceplate from a Mercury (same year), and while it fits the dash perfectly (fit without any alteration), it just is not quite the same.
I really want the correct radio.

So.... if anyone out there runs across one of these babies, DO let me know!

Thanks!

Correct radio picture (the one I need):
http://www.geocities.com/lampsdirect@sbcglobal.net/Radio-page.html?1121325113921


The truck it will be going into:
http://www.geocities.com/lampsdirect@sbcglobal.net/Home-Page.html?200513

 

The radio you have posted isn't a truck radio. It looks like a '48 Mercury car radio although the Mercury radio I have doesn't have the vertical lines next to the tuning *****.

Here are pictures of the radios I have. The top one is the truck radio and the bottom is the Mercury. At the bottom are ***** for an early '40s car radio that are in reproduction. I plan to paint the bezel on the Mercury Radio to match the other truck radio and use replace the ***** with the reproduction ones.



To make the Mercury fit in to the dash of the truck you have to replace the brackets with ones like the truck's:



These radio are hard to find but show up on eBay about once a month or so and even if the seller says the radio doesn't work, and looks like garbage, they still go for between $150 and $200. I just recently bought a truck that had the factory radio which was one of the main reasons that I bought it. It also has a nice cab which I plan to swap onto a '51.

 

BobJ49f2,

The "correct" radio for the Ford 1950 F1 is almost identical to the radio you posted a picture of. In fact the radio you posted a picture of is what I am currently using. You are right, the one you have posted a picture of is from a Mercury. It fits the 1950 Ford dash cutout perfectly.

YOU DO have to alter the brackets as you noted.

However, the radio for the 1950 Ford is almost identical, but as you noted it has the lines in the chrome face plate running vertical.

Thanks for the schematics!

 

Can you please tell me where you got your documentation from that shows that being a factory radio? I have one of those and the documentation I have says it is not the correct radio. The correct radio according to my literature isa Zenith 8MF881 my documentation shows the correct brackets for a truck and pictures of the truck in the diagrams. What are the numbers you are looking at on the side of the radio? The picture you posted looks like a 8ML882 OR 8ML882Z which is a 1948 Lincoln - Mercury Radio. The 8MF983, 8ML985 AND 8MM991 also have vertical lines in the face. Those are Ford, lincoln and Mercury radios dated 1950. All the above radios have car brackets not trucks. I am getting this information form SamsPhotofacts dated 1947 and 1950.

http://www.geocities.com/lampsdirect...?1121325113921

 

I have a book that shows the radio for a 1950 Ford F1 as a Zenith part# OA-18805-B OZF model No.

Do you have any photos of an OZF model#?

Here is a photo of a merc radio and what I believe to be the correct Ford radio (for a 1950 Ford F1 truck).

They are slightly different looking (faceplate wise). And of course the mounting is somewhat different between the two.

Let me know if you concur.

The top radio is a Merc 8MM980.

The bottom radio I am not able to read the stamp (too rusted over). However it matches the radio that is shown in the prior photo that is supposed to be a "correct" radio. The bottom radio has a case that has screw studs sticking out the sides (looks to be the attachment points for support).

The top radio has ear tabs riveted on the sides closer to the front of the radio.



The bottom radio did not come with mounting brackets as shown in your top photo.

Below is a photo of what is supposed to be the correct radio.



Let me know your thoughts.

 

BobJ49F2,

Are those ***** supposed to be the correct *****? If so, let me know if you wanna sell them.

 

Also bobj49f2,

If the top photo you have there is indeed the correct radio for a 1950 Ford F1, then I think I can just use the top radio in my photos, and change the *****.
Although it will be a chromed rather than painted faceplate, it looks to be exactly the same face plate.

Then all I will need to do is figure a way to mount the brackets to the case. I don't have any cases that have those large side brackets.

 

If you are using the factory service manual you have to watch what you get.

• Ford offered three radio mounting methods
  • one mounted in the dash and was specifically for trucks.
  • The second was an under dash mounting bracket and used a radio with rounded edges not square like the truck dash. I think it was the car radio.
  • Third Ford also produced a rectangular metal adpater to mount the round face radios into the square hole, looks like a version of the modern day trim ring or face place used today. I bought the "correct" radio using the manual and figured out number two and three the expensive way. I had the radio working and went to put it in the dash and it did not fit.

I believe the model you are looking for is "zero" 0ZF not "ohh" OZF. Also make sure the face plate you use fits in the dash. I have tried a few radios that look right but do not fit the holes in the dash. The radio was not rounded quite right for the dash hole. If you haven't figured it out yet most of the face plates and internals are very close to the same and interchangable. I used the three I had to get one working one that fit my dash correctly.

 

Christopher.... that sounds like what I am ending up doing.

The merc radios above all fit the dash (the shapes fit perfet), just the mounting is different. The proper Ford radio case is supposed to have the large side brackets to use for mounting under the dash.

The faceplates above all fit the dash cutout though.

I also have the radio you refer to that has the oval window shape. It is for the "autos" and perhaps for the 51 pick ups (may need the under dash mounting as you noted).

You are right the radio the shop manual shows is an "zero" ZF or 0ZF.

 

The ***** I had pictured are reproduction ***** for an early '40s car Ford radio. Mac's posts them on eBay every once in a while but I would assume any Dennis Carpenter retailer has them or could get them. The part is #51A-18803, I think they sell for about $40. Mac's states in their eBay ad that they are only for the early '40s car radio but they look identical to the truck's. The only difference I see is the round plates behind the tuning ***** are clear, the truck's are a dark brown, but like with the face bezel of the radio, a can of paint can fix that.

 

BobJ49F2....

Well, it would be either the Merc ***** or the above. If it turns out that I am sorrily misslead (would not be the first time), and you are correct that the photo you posted above is indeed the "correct" radio for the 50 Ford F1, then I think I'd rather go with the ***** you noted. The only difference I see between your bottom photo and the top photo is the painted faceplate, and the *****. And in fact that would make my ready to go merc radio a good candidate. And as noted the brackets on the case will need to be made up.

If your book shows the radio(s) that I have shown on the bottom of my two radios above (the radios with the vertical lines beside the clear window running down the chrome faceplate), let me know all the model numbers shown for those. I am curious.

 

I personally think the way the radio comes through the dash on the trucks is a little crude. I am going to try to dress up the area around the radio a little when I reinstall the radio in my truck. Maybe put some kind of trim around it or cut out the radio profile in the radio hole cover somehow.

 

I have seen the radio hole cover cut out of the blank cover and it looks like crap. I am thinking of getting a thicker piece of say 1/8" radiused then cut to match the radio face. Maybe have it big enough to have the Ford script engraved in the botttom area.

 

Take a look at this ebay auction it has one of the three mounting styles I was talking about.

4562856002

 

Would like to see it with the right radio. It looks like the owner of that truck just installed that plate so that he could get away with using a 1950 "car" radio. Those radios don't fit the truck dash without cutting.