Ok guys question for you, i have a 1949 f-4 that I'm going to restore in the spring,I was wondering how hard it would be to convert it to a M-H 4 wheel drive finding a M-H front axel and transfer case, the truck is all original 21,400miles on it with no rust,garaged kept with a great running flathead 8. Is it too hard to find the parts or just restore it the way that it is?

 

It looks fine to me why would you want to change it? Looks like a great survivor, I would leave it as is. Just make sure it's mechanically sound.

 

Stu, will be your expert, but I think finding the front axle and transfer case would be a big and expensive chore. I would get it safely going and stopping like it is and enjoy it.

I'm afraid your truck would be sitting for quite a while as you assemble all the necessary parts to make the conversion. That's too nice of a truck to be sitting in pieces in a garage.

Of course if you do decide to go the M-H route, you have to take tons of pictures and post them regularly. Well, actually if you don't go that route, do the same thing.

 

Thanks ,actually I do drive the truck now,it's my go for a coffee vehicle! That thing is truly a monster going down the road! Lots of fun though but I still think about the 4wd thing

 

I advocate not changing up a nice original truck. What you need is a second truck!

 

Well, since you can drive the truck now, then it would be a great exercise to see what it would take to convert to 4wd. Do some research on what all parts you will need and the cost and availability of those parts. Hopefully our M-H experts will be along shortly to give some good advice. Once you have that info, you can then decide the direction you want to go.

 

Yep, I think he does too. I was actually doing a quick search to see if anything popped up. Not much in my couple minutes of searching.

 

Chuck is the expert. In some cases, like this, I am able to pass on what Chuck has said to me. I've swapped emails with him about finding an F-4 M-H for myself. A real one. Before the school bus in the other thread showed up I'd never seen one. Rod Kruithoff told me he knows of one, tried to buy it himself unsuccessfully, but wouldn't tell me where it is. Chuck suggested I find a donor F-5 M-H and build a clone. Actually it wouldn't really be a clone because all the pieces and methods could be done just as M-H would have done. All were conversions, whether done in the late 1940s/early 1950s or today. Such a truck could be indistinguishable from a real F-4 M-H.

So what would it require? A donor F-5 M-H would first of all give its front axle having a 5.83/1 final drive, and its matching rear axle since a stock F-4 probably has a 5.14/1 gear set. With the rear axle would come its factory lift blocks. It would also give its Fuller or Wisconsin two speed transfer case that is common to all of the "R" series trucks, F-2 and F-3 included. It would also give its transfer case mounting cross members, hardware, and special linkage. With these cross members you'd have to copy the mounting hole locations from the donor frame. Next, it would give its transmission cross member with special hoop that permits the front drive shaft a clear path to the axle, and the supporting cross strap M-H added to stiffen the cross member. Last it would give its main drive shafts and the stub shaft that connects the transmission to the transfer case.

Below are pictures of my transfer case that would look exactly like one in an F-4, and a picture of a hoop modified tranny cross member. Stu

 

Stu, would anything from this rig work for the swap? http://www.ebay.com/itm/1949-Ford-F7-boom-truck-with-High-Way-heavy-Winch-Marmon-Herrington-AWD-new-info-/161477992603?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2598d6a09b&vxp=mtr

 

At most I'd guess isolated bits, but not the main components. The F-7s and F-8s are in the M-H "Q" series of serious trucks. The F-6s are in M-H's "V" series. The F-2 through F-5s are the "R" series. Beginning in 53 M-H began using the "M" designation with the basic Ford model number, changing the last digit. Like your M104 or my donor 6M-254. Stu

 

Looks like you have a wonderful truck as it sits, I'm all for 4x4 if that's what you want to do but I think it's pretty cool as it is!

-Scooter

 

Hey guys thanks for the input , and stu thanks for the photos! You got me thinking!

 

Here's an old MH factory pic showing a transfer case being installed. It's interesting because to a degree it shows the sequence of assembly. But what I find odd in this picture compared to my trucks, the cross member aft of the case is still riveted in place. My two R32/F-3s both had had these rivets removed and replaced with bolts. I presume this was done to allow the frame rails to be spread slightly to facilitate transfer case cross member installation. When Chuck saw this pic he commented that it is an F-5 or F-6 based on its double walled frame. Did the factory not remove those rivets on bigger models? Stu

 

Very interesting observation on the rivets. I wonder why they would need to remove the rivets on boths sides though if they just needed to spread the frame rails a bit? Or unless they had to remove the entire crossmember and re-install??
I'll take a look at my 51 f2 and f3 marmon herringtons as well as the 53 c600 if i can get up close enough to see.


Also on the original conversion question. Its a nice looking truck. Build it the way you want it.
Another old truck kept alive is great no matter how you look at it.


Now how about a 41 to 47 coe MH 1.5 ton truck. I wonder if that years mh components would work? I know ive asked this before as well but dont remember if the axle gearing is right or other things

 

I don't have a manual for that era but would bet it'd be the 6.81/1 ratio. M-H geared to the lowest ratio available for moving a load, not top road speed. Stu