I have two old fords, a 1954 F600 and 1962 F600 "wheat trucks" with dump bed that were given to me by my father. I don't know much about either truck, other than the 1954 was in running condition probably ten years ago when new tires and brake cylinder kits were installed.

I am interested to know any information that anyone can provide based on the serial numbers shown below and opinions if there are any particular reasons why it would make sense to focus on restoring one of the trucks over the other, assuming they are both in similar condition. I do not know if there were significant improvements between 54 and 62 that would make any difference or if one would be particularly more desirable than the other. I will most likely just iron out a few wrinkles, new paint, and mechanical fixes as necessary to ensure reliability. I don't plan to using them for routine work chores, but more of an interesting means of acquiring an occasional load of compost/top soil for home projects.

1954 F60Z4D17209

1962 F60CK232534

Thanks for any information or suggestions.

 

Can't help with the '62 numbers, but the '54 is:

F60=F-600
Z= 256 c.i.d. Y-block 8
4= 1954 model year
D= Dallas assembly plant
17209= 7209th truck built in 1954.

They both have their respective markets. Either would be cool as a usable farm/work truck. Personally, I'm more fond of the 53-56 trucks, so I would rebuild the '62 as a nice working truck, and I'd restore the '54 as a parade/fun truck.

 

Which ever one you decide to use, please check out the wheels. I don't care the condition of the tires, but both trucks came standard with 20" Firestone RH5° rims, commonly referred to as Widow Makers. Don't confuse these rims with the 2 pcs. lock ring rims that some call widow makers. The RH5° was exclusive to Ford and is extremely dangerous. Do a search on here for widow maker and poster truckdog62563 and you will garner a LOT of good information about them and options to replace them.

 

"Dittos"

You have more tire/wheel options with the '62 model since you can likely find 19.5" or 22.5" wheels for it that will allow the use of radial tubeless modern tires.

It's much harder (but NOT impossible) to find wheels for the 5-lug Budd bolt circle that you have on the 54.

I would also want to restore the 54 over the 62 because it's a much cooler looking truck!

 

Guys:

Thanks for the information on the serial number and the wheels. I will be going to bring the 54 model truck back to my house in a few weeks and will check out the wheels closely. I am pretty certain that new tires were installed around 10 years ago, but that is all I know.

I guess I could rob the reat axle from the 62 to use under the 54 if it will help prevent my wife from becoming a widow.

 

If any of the tires are found to be flat or really low on air when you go there, step back! Putting air in widowmakers is when they are most likely to blow apart. Since I don't think you can search yet (need 20 posts or something), here is a link to a discussion of it:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...5-f-350-a.html

You'll need to sift thru that thread to see what applies to your truck.

 

Show us pictures, man! We need pictures!

I would restore the 54 but of course I am bias!

 

My welcome too. The '62 would have 6 lug x 8.75" bolt circle while the '54 had the older 5 lug x 8" pattern. Like the guys said, the 6 lug will be easier to find good used tubeless replacements for in either 19.5" or 22.5" sizes, UNLESS...... they are hub piloted. If my memory serves it's only the '63/'64 guys that suffer the hub piloted/widow maker combination, but you'll want to see if it's on your '62 also. You can tell by looking at the lug nuts. There will be a cone washer behind the lug nuts if hub piloted. If that's what you find, replacement hub piloted tubeless wheels don't exist anymore. The remedy is to convert the hubs to the earlier Budd style dual cap nut system like you will see on the '54. It's a p.i.t.a. but can be done. I'll leave it at that for now and let you and Mr. Google do some reading. Stu

Edit - it is of course possible that the '62 already has tubeless 22.5" wheels and tires. They were an option. Stu

 

I'll have pictures of both soon and hopefully pictures of the 54 sitting safely on my trailer. I am pretty certain I will have to remove the outer real dual to get it on my trailer; thank goodness I found this site before I starting missing around with the wheels. Looks like a lot of studying is in order before I make the trip to get the trucks home.

 

Welcome to FTE,

I'm glad you were told about widow makers up front and told the difference between them and wheels with split rings. I lost a nice truck due to reading the posts on the danger of widow makers only to find out the truck didn't actually have them.

I'm partial to the 53-56s as well but either truck would be a great project and there in Texas you shouldn't have as much rust as we do up here in the Midwest.
There are plenty of vendors to get stuff for either truck maybe a bit more for the 54.

Again Welcome to FTE,

BJ

 

I'm partial to the 54 as well. But you are in a 48-56 forum
We would love to see pictures of both. If you have questions on the wheels, there are guys here that can quickly tell you what you need to know about them from the pictures.

 

It will probably be a few weeks before I can make the trip to bring the first of the trucks back to my house, but the first thing I will do when I get there is take plenty of pictures of wheels on both trucks and post to get help with the identification. I have found a lot of good information on this site and continue to read through older post to learn more, but definitely would not rely upon my own judgment as to what I have.

It seem like a general consensus that the 54 model is more desirable for the style and apparently no real major improvements between the 54 and 62, except possibly the six lug rear axle under the 62 vs. the five lug under the 54. I am certainly more anxious now to get a better look at both when possible.