1950 F6 looking for wrecker info

[havi]

So I did the proverbial no-no, and bought a 1950 F6. Will be here tomorrow. It has a Galion dumpbox on it. 134" WB, and the rear of the frame was bobbed to make room for the dump I'm sure. I have yet to get my uncle's F6 that I've been saving my 9ft flatbed for, but thought since this frame is shortened, I would look for a wrecker bed. The pics I took so far show the frame rear, and was wondering if that would work for a wrecker or not. Maybe even grafted frame lengths added for the flatbed. So I'm looking for some bigger truck rear view pics showing how the frame rears were finished by you all. Wrecker specifics would be great too.

[truckdog62563]

Good score, Scott. Glad you were able to get it.

You should have no trouble fitting a wrecker bed on the back, bobbed frame or not. The one I have for my PW, plus others I've seen, are all rigid steel construction and required no more that wood spacers between the floor underside and truck's frame rails. And the fact of it being the 134" wheel base model makes it a straight forward mount. Here's some pics I've saved. I don't have any underside pics, though. Stu

[54F350LNB]

Havi,
The bobed tail will actually work best for a wrecker. The shortest diistance from the tail board (rearmost part of the bed) to the center of the rear axle is how the best winch trucks are rigged. The same would apply to a wrecker.

Stu,

Do you have other Pics of the above wrecker? I would like to see a side and front quarter shot if you have them. I'm looking for ideas on designing a bed for my F350.

Thanks,
Les
54-F350 Project
54-F100 Parts Donor

[truckdog62563]

Sure do, if you don't flame me for it being a Studebaker! I probably should edit and add that these pictures are all of Ashton beds because that's what mine is. Stu

[truckdog62563]

Here's a couple of Ashton brochures. I've got tons of these pics if you want more. Also some Holmes if you'd rather. Stu

[55 f350]

kinda reminds me there stu ......... did you ever go or call about that old bed on that 54 in peoria ????????? last time i had talked to the old guy it was still sitting there. sounds like a good excuse for me a road trip one day before it gets bad out .......... just gotta figure out how to get it home on the bird and how to explain to brenda why it's occupying space here and i got no truck it'll fit now ................

[truckdog62563]

Nope, never did. It's not a project that's gonna be moved into the staging area anytime soon, so I figured I didn't need to be hauling something big like that home right now. So you go right ahead. Besides, it's better that you get to explain it to your wife than me to mine! Stu

[havi]

I've ran out of excuses this weekend, myself. BTW, thanks Stu for the pics. Any more, I'll gladly take a look.

[rb48f6]

Havi (and gang)~
Bear with me while I try to figure out the ins and outs of posting on this particular board / forum. I don't seem to have the magic icon to add pics while working up a reply (and no i'm not using the quick button) as described in the FAQ's. So in the meantime I created a couple of albums under my id. 1) 3 shots of a '51 F5 or F6 I took with a Holmes unit, 2)My project - with just one shot of the stock frame rails. I can take a better shot tomorrow (in the light) as the grain body is now off.
RB

[havi]

Welcome to FTE! I'll take a look.

Stu, I see those Studie wheels are 5 lug as well. I wonder if they interchange...are they one piece?

[truckdog62563]

That's a great looking 51 F-6 Holmes. Here's some period Holmes black and whites. Stu

[truckdog62563]

Scott - Studebaker's are funny. The early ones, like up through '47 or '48 M-15s/16s, used our same stud piloted five lugs. They even used the narrow 17" ones like I watch for. I've got a couple from a M-15. But in '49 or so they switched to hub piloted with the same bolt pattern. I've even seen some hub piloted widowmakers on a Stude. I'll post pics of one. You can tell the hub piloted by the lugs nuts. If I'm seeing correctly, the fancy Stude that I posted first is hub piloted, but you can tell they are two piece by the lip profile. They don't look like WMs.




Am I seeing correctly that you've got WMs on the F-6? Wish I could help you with that problem.

Here's another bed that was on ePay a while back. It looks like an Ashton, but I can't be sure of that.

[rb48f6]

Thanks guys. The 51 is not to far from me and other than a few car shows is living the retirement life.

I'll dig through my saved photos, somewhere I've a 1950 F-7 with a Holmes unit and Marmon Harrington conversion. It was for sale a couple years back in WI, after numerous calls and no answer I gave up. I've always wondered what became of it. Once found I'll create a file of the misc 48 - 52 F-5's to F'8's I've gathered and add it to my album.

b

[havi]

They are WM's, and the tires are pretty cracked, but the PO is going to tractor pull it over tomorrow morning (about a 5 mile backroad trip) There's places around that I know of that have big wheels laying around, and will be scouring for one piece rims. We also have a lathe big enough at work to modify some if necessary. But I've got all Winter to figure things out. I'll certainly be picking your brain and previous threads.

[rb48f6]

Certain models of late 40's GMC (not Chevy) also used the 5 x 8" pattern with the hub piloted wheels, Moto Wheel made them I think. They also use completely different lug nuts. I've spent much time in obscure junk yards looking for replacements for my split rims.