I just purchased this Fire Truck. It was in service up until last year and always stored indoors.

I have always liked cab-overs or tilt-cabs and this being a Mercury is great as I have 2 early Cougars.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for any kind of literature for Mercury/Ford Tilt cabs from the early '60s? All I'm looking for right now is some basic maintenance information for the 534 Super Duty. I will probably be bringing home next month and want to go through all the fluids etc. in preparation for taking it up to the lake, a 300 mile trek.

Also, I found a tag on the driver's side door opening with numbers for transmission; front and rear axle, but could not find anything like the data/VIN tag on my cars. Where should I start to look.

Thanks,

Rob

 

If you watch on ebay etc. you'll find shop manuals for 1962. Usually manuals are two manuals in a set plus search for wiring diagrams. Never heard of a C-model with Mercury emblem. Sounds rare to me. 534 isn't much different than any gas engine. Has a bleeder at front of intake to bleed air when you change coolant. Its not good to start this engine with a air pocket, hence the bleeder. Hydraulic clutch, check for free travel at the slave cylinder. Check the diff vents caps turn freely

 

ford trucks were sold in canada at mercury dealers as mercury with a small diferance in trim and badges from about 1946-66 . otherwise the same as ford .this gave small town merc dealers a truck to sell.

 

Welcome to FTE

VIN's, Warranty Plates, codes there-on, are specific to Canadian trucks only thru 1965. 1966/68 are the same as used in the US.

Truck VIN's, codes on Warranty & Rating Plates are different from Passenger Car VIN's, Warranty Plate codes. It doesn't matter what years the vehicles are...they ain't the same!

I may be able to decode the VIN, codes on the Warranty Plate, post all the info.

Used and reprints of Ford shop manual's; owners manuals, sales brochures and etc: faxonautolit.com

Note: Ford issued a complete shop manual, then added supplements to cover changes in the following years. A 1962 shop manual will only be a supplement.

The 534 gasser was introduced in C Series Tilt Cabs in 1958, so I would assume 1958 is when Ford issued the complete manual, then in following years, added supplements.

The 1957/63 FORD Truck Parts Catalog is available on a CD from hipoparts.com, but will not have any specific Mercury parts listed.

There are only a few Mercury specific parts and these are mainly related to trim/upholstery, tailgates on pickups, nameplates, emblems.

The first year specific Mercury truck parts were incorporated into Ford truck parts catalogs was in 1965.

Mercury trucks (1946/68) were all assembled in Oakville, Ontario Canada and only sold new in Canada. Ford trucks were assembled and sold everywhere.

 

Do you have any photos of the Mercury badges? Just when I thought I have seen everything, along comes a Mercury C series.

 

I only have a couple of photos from when I was on the island a couple of weeks ago. I think they show the M E R C U R Y letters across the front and the door spear with MERCURY 950. I believe there was a round Mercury badge up front between "super" & "duty", but that went away when the siren was installed. They are on my other computer so will try tomorrow. How do you attach pics?

Rob

 

Great stuff. Especially the part about supplements. Very helpfull. Can you give me an idea of where to look for the warranty plate etc. I could only find a metal tag with the trans/axle info in the driver's door jamb.

TAJAA7004F - Transmission
C1TT3004CH - Front Axle
TUGG4004A - Rear Axle

Thanks again, i'm really looking forward to getting this home so I can spend some time doing some in depth "investigation".

Rob

 

Thanks for the tips. I will have to look at my pictures again, but there are alot of reinforced hoses running around the top of the engine and going to the expansion tank & rad. Does this sound typical for a 534? I'm thinking it may be related to the Fire truck conversion.


Rob

 

The 850 - 1100 models have a separate 1961 manual. There is almost always one on Ebay - and they're generally cheaper than the 100 - 800 ones. I paid 30.00 for both I think. Watch out for the '62-63 supplements - they're often described as "manuals" but they're not much use without the complete 1961 book. I bought the 850 - 1100 manual also because it has more info on the C series cab, etc. For instance the printed circuit instrument panel is only described in the Big truck book, even though it pertains to the 600s, etc.

 

The data plate is on the glove box door.

 

This may help. It's a Mercury site but it looks just like the Ford data to me.
1960 Ford Truck VIN

 

I am jealous! I have been wanting to build a fire truck for years! I know they can be had cheap, just don't have the time to do it right now.

 

This deal came up last year, but my wife asked - "what do you need a fire truck for?" end of deal. (I was really interested in it because it was a Merc). Earlier this year the FD contacted me asking if I was still interested at a much reduded price (less than a 10th of the original asking price!) A no brainer even according to my wife. She was also interested in it because it came from the Volunteer Fire Department where her parents have had recreational property since the mid '60s and retired to in the '80s. Her dad was a member of the VFD that had this truck. I can never get rid of the door art.

Rob

 

My son looked in the glove box but could not find anything. I guess he was more interested in the other stuff in there. I will have to look again when I go get it.

Also, thanks for the info re:manuals. Now I have a better idea what I am looking for.

Rob

 

1957/60 US truck VIN's are basically the same, but are not the same as 1961/65 US Ford truck VIN's (basically the same 1961/80).

Canadian VIN's are totally different than US VIN's thru 1965. 1966/68 is the same.

Sample 1961/65 Mercury Truck VIN: 4991014L A-123456.

Sample 1961/65 Ford Truck VIN: F10DR639123.

> > Canadian Rating or Warranty Plate location 1961/1965 (except P Series): Left hand front body pillar (aka A pillar aka windshield post).

The Transmission Front/Rear Axle ID codes in Post #7 came from this: Auxillary Identification Plate (Canadian built vehicles). Used in addition to Rating or Warranty Plate.

The VIN will be on the registration.