Hi folks,

My father recently bought a really old truck. From what we know (or assuming to know) is that we have a 1946 truck. The thing is, we can't find a serial number on it to save our lives. I was at a local Ford dealership here in Newfoundland Canada and after speaking to the owner of the dealership, he said he's almost absolutely sure it was an American issue vehicle used on the American bases in Newfoundland (Pleasantville, Stephenville, or Argentia).

I'm wondering what your take is on the vehicle? Could it have been military issue or whatnot? It looks possible, but we're not sure.

We found on the window the etched marking, within the loop marked 2 and 46, as shown here:


Picture of the truck itself:

 

Usually on the left side frame by the steering gear box:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-location.html


More information:

Flathead Model ID chart

Hopefully this helps you out.

 

Hi KMC
Just to add to what Chris said, if it's a Canadian truck it might also have a data plate on the firewall. The CDN S/N is also stamped on the frame but it is somewhat different from the US built unit. The CDN #s usually have 4 digits then the year of manufacture (46). I might add that your glass pretty well confirms that you have a '46 regardless of where it was built.
Have fun with your project,
GMS

 

Looks like a 1 1/2 ton truck. I don't believe that one tons had dual wheels. I have one just like it.

 

I'll ditto this observation, but admit that we've seen another example where Canadian weight ratings differed from those used in the US. As a practical matter, what would be called a '47 or earlier US one ton model would have single rear wheels having a 5 lug x 6 7/8" bolt pattern. None had the 5 lug x 8" pattern seen on this truck. I'd call this truck a ton and a half to ensure getting correct parts when needed.

On the F-3 model that followed in '48, though, the US rated it as a heavy 3/4 ton while the exact same Canadian trucks, models F-68/M-68, were termed one tons. Go figure. Stu

 

To add some more to this, the Canadian versions of the tonner from '40 to '47 is virtually identical to it's American counterparts; the VINs vary. Ditto for the 1 1/2 ton. There were no CDN Ford 1 ton trucks with duals; just the 5 lug 17 inch singles. The '48-'50 F-68/M-68 is the same as the F3. I don't know for sure if Ford of Canada offered a shorter wheelbase 3/4 ton truck like the F2. Since the CDN Ford model numbers stood for the truck's GVW the CDN counterpart for the F2 would've had to be F57/M57 and I never saw anything with those numbers. The only 3/4 ton trucks I ever saw in Southern Alberta were F2s and I have no doubt that they were sourced from the US.

 

You're correct. There was no F-57/M-57, and no F-2 when Ford of Canada adopted the US labels in '51 (iirc). To add some more to the confusion, the F-4 was a one ton here no matter which configuration it had. Could have had a 7,500 lb gvwr with single 20s, or 10,000 lb gvwr with DRW 18s. In Canada it was an F-104 but I don't know how it was marketed. Stu

 

The F4/F104 was somewhat confusing up here. There was a lumber outfit up here that had two F4s and one F104. All looked the same except under the hoods where the F4s had 6 cyl. engines and the F104 had a 255V8. A local farmer has an F4 and it's also a 6 cyl. In our area Canadian and American vehicles crossed the border quite freely both directions in the post war years and thus I grew up with both nearby or even in our own farming/ranching operation. I was 12 years old before I realized that Mercury trucks and Meteor/Monarch cars were made only in Canada.