I just wanted to put this out there that I am searching for my grandfather's 1951 ford 1/2 ton green truck. His name was Frank Reed (I was named after him) and he lived on 108 Reed Rd. Bristol TN. My dad says the truck was sold about 1976 to a guy named "Smith" (I'm guessing that was his last name lol). I would love to find this truck and I know it's a long shot but I figured I'd give it a try. If anyone has any info on the trucks whereabouts please let me know. The truck is very special to me and it would mean the world to me if I could track it down. Thanks guys!

 

You're on an honorable mission. Were there any markings on the truck that might help to identify it?

 

i've never done it but i understand if u contact ford in writing with the vin they can give u info. i may be wrong on this so hoping someone will chim in

 

I don't have the VIN but I'll contact my grandmother to see if she still has it. I don't think she would have it anymore BUT you never know lol. That would be incredible if I could find that.

The truck was a "work truck" that was in fairly rough shape body wise but my grandfather had a friend do body work to it and paint it for him. I think not long after that he wound up selling it.

 

If he bought it new then you might be able to get information from Ford. If you can't find it then get another 51 and build it in his name. He would probably be proud.

 

Find out how long ago he sold it and possibly where did the buyer live, then go from there. Bristol was a pretty busy place even back then. Lots of farmers, businessmen, etc. If I was starting from scratch, I'd go down to Bluff City and get my haircut from that old guy out near the Elizabethton Highway and ask him, and then I'd go across the road and ask that old guy who owns that old junk yard on the hill. The old barbers will be your best shot. I'm guessing you'll have a very hard time finding anything. But the world was a larger place back then. Trucks like that didn't end up halfway across the country.

 

Sad to say, but Grandpa's truck was probably long ago converted to beer cans and barbed wire.

Not sure, but maybe your (grandpas) county recorder would help if you asked nicely. You'll need the VIN, or serial number, or maybe plate number though. If you have that, there should be a copy of the title and registration, and you could track down the subsequent owners that way? They may well throw that stuff out after some years.

 

That is why the purchase of my Grandpa's truck in "68 when I was 16 is so important today . It's the 1ST-RIDE so apprropriately named .

 

I'm just thinking out loud but I'll throw it out there anyway, would local tax, bill of sale, or DMV records be accessible to the public on micro phish or on paper in the hall of records? Is it possible your family might have an old photos that could have a shot of the licence plate #. Maybe I'm older than I think but 1976 does sound very long ago. LOL Best of luck, it would be so neat if you were able to track it down. How many Smiths in the phone book, don't laugh, I know, there's a lot. Even if the truck is toast the tital, well you know.

 

I think topmoo has the most realistic solution. Unless he memorized the VIN way back when, I doubt even Grandpa would be able to tell "his" truck from another of the same year. It's the intent and thought that counts! Records will still on paper and hand kept in 76, almost all non essential paper records were not digitized but destroyed, storage space and preservation was too expensive. Even if they were kept, your would have to beg, bribe and/or beg a civil servant to take their time to search thru them much less find someone who even remembers how they were organized.

 

I know several Smiths here in Abingdon. One is about my age of near 70 (maybe a little younger) and I will touch base with him on Sunday when I usually see him just to see if anything he might know relates to your Grandfather's truck. I know some body and paint men in Abingdon that have been around since 76 - do you remember the color it might have been painted back then?

Bruce

 

I checked with Jim Smith here in Abingdon today (missed him last week at church). Unfortunately, he did not know of any on his side of the Smiths that had a 51 truck like you are looking for that would have been a 70s purchase - Sorry.

I will check with the local body shop when I get a chance (we have had grandkids and granddogs for about a week and will be leaving this week to visit some other grandkids). The owner friend has had the shop open well before the 76 purchase date and might remember if anything came by him. He has an old red 51 F1 parts truck if you can find your grandfather's truck. I'll keep checking locally. Good luck.

Bruce

 

Thanks bud, I really appreciate you asking around for me! I'm gonna keep searching for it. I know it's a long shot but I'm trying lol I know that a lot of trucks have been scraped over the years but knowing the truck ran good, had body and paint work done to it before my papaw sold it gives me hope that maybe it's still out there compared to say a truck that was in rough shape and not running you know. All I know is if I found that truck I'd probably cry tears of joy.

 

If you get the VIN # could you do a title search?

 

Don't give up hope. If you get Vintage Truck magazine there is an article in the May/June 2014 issue pg 20-21 about a guy trying to and finally locating his Dad's old Dodge truck.